PARLIAMENT OF ZIMBABWE
Tuesday, 29th September, 2020
The National Assembly met at a Quarter-past Two O’clock p.m.
PRAYERS
(THE HON. SPEAKER in the Chair)
ANNOUNCEMENTS BY THE HON. SPEAKER
PETITION RECEIVED FROM MR. NARE OF THE COMMUNITY
DEVELOPMENT TRUST
THE HON. SPEAKER: I have to inform the House that on
Wednesday 23rd September, 2020, Parliament received a petition from Mr. Nare of the Community Development Trust based in Gwanda; requesting Parliament to enact laws to protect the constitutionally guaranteed rights of the youth to be fairly represented at all levels starting from the district to the national level. The petition has since been referred to the Portfolio Committee on Youth, Sport, Arts and
Recreation.
ERROR ON THE ORDER PAPER
THE HON. SPEAKER: I wish to draw the attention of the House to an error on today’s Order Paper where Notice of Motion No. 18 by Hon. Chikukwa was erroneously captured. The Notice of Motion should read as follows: ‘That this House takes note of the Report of the
Portfolio Committee on Local Government, Public Works and National
Housing on the Fact Finding Visit to Selected Local Authorities on the
State of Service Delivery in Zimbabwe.
THE HON. SPEAKER: Is that a notice of motion?
HON. D. SIBANDA: It is on privileges Mr. Speaker Sir.
THE HON. SPEAKER: Yes proceed.
HON. D. SIBANDA: Thank you Mr. Speaker. I wish to request that the Leader of the House and the Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs issue a Ministerial Statement in response to my motion on the abolition of the death penalty. The motion lapsed before the Hon. Minister could respond. I request that the statement be done this week, Mr. Speaker Sir.
Your intentions are very good but that is
unprocedural. The Clerk of Parliament will write to the Hon. Minister to respond to your report or to your motions accordingly.
HON. KWARAMBA: Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir. I rise on a point of privilege. Yesterday there were interviews on the Constitutional Court judges and there were only two women out of eight interviewees. Mr. Speaker Sir, the Constitution which the Constitutional Court will be dealing with also provides for Section 17 on gender balance. Our concern as Zimbabwe Women Parliamentary Caucus, is will we ever get to 50/50? I want this concern registered, Mr. Speaker Sir. I thank you.
THE HON. SPEAKER: A very good notice on privileges but unfortunately it does not invite debate. Why did you not come up with a motion? I advise you, Hon. Member, to come up with a motion so that you can entice debate on the motion accordingly.
HON. CHIKWINYA: Thank you Hon. Speaker. Mine is a
matter on national importance, not privilege. May I proceed?
I am asking for privileges. Notice of
national interest, you bring it at 4.45 p.m. or somewhere there.
Honourable, you got my advice?
HON. CHIKWINYA: Thank you.
HON. KARENYI: Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir. I rise on a point of privilege. Parliament is in an attempt to achieve the issue of 50/50 representation in leadership and again as has been raised in Section 17 of the Constitution, it is an attempt to make sure that there is gender parity in whatever we do in Parliament, parastatals and in our commissions, but Mr. Speaker, I have realised that the issue of victimisation and the subjection to torture is also one of the key problems whereby women are not going to be encouraged to stand up to be in local government, to be in Parliament.
Mr. Speaker, may I also draw your attention on the issue of the right to health. Hon. Speaker we are encouraging young women to be
Members of Parliament and we have got one of our Members of
Parliament, Hon. Joannah Mamombe.
Order, order! Can you second a motion
that will be tabled by Hon. Kwaramba?
HON. KARENYI: Yes, Mr. Speaker I agree with you but that one was more important on the issue of health whereby I am worried about her health.
THE HON. SPEAKER: No, you have to do it under a motion.
HON. KARENYI: Thank you Mr. Speaker, but I was trying to draw your attention on her health because it is more important before we raise the motion - [HON. MEMBERS – Inaudible interjections.] –
THE HON. SPEAKER: Hakuna mabut, but. You have ample time under a motion.
HON. SIKHALA: On a point of order Mr. Speaker Sir. Mr. Speaker Sir, I want to raise my concerns over the manner in which you dismissed a very important issue which Hon. Karenyi wanted to raise. Mr. Speaker Sir, the issue which Hon. Karenyi wanted to raise is an issue concerning one of the Members of Parliament.
Order, order! Can you please take your
seat?
MOTION
BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE
THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND
INTERNATIONAL TRADE (HON. MUSABAYANA): I move that
Orders of the Day, Numbers 1 to 9 be stood over until Orders of the Day
10 to 15 on today’s Order Paper have been disposed of.
Motion put and agreed to.
MOTION
RATIFICATION OF THE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE
REPUBLIC OF ZIMBABWE AND THE GOVERNMENT OF KOREA
ON THE PROMOTION AND RECIPROCAL PROTECTION OF
INVESTMENTS
THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND
INTERNATIONAL TRADE (HON. MUSABAYANA): I move the
motion standing in my name that;
WHEREAS Section 327 of the Constitution of Zimbabwe provides that an international treaty which has been concluded or executed by or under the authority of the President does not bind Zimbabwe until it has been approved by Parliament;
WHEREAS the agreement between the Republic of Zimbabwe and the Government of Korea on the promotion and reciprocal protection of investments was signed in 2010 on behalf of the Republic of Zimbabwe;
AND WHEREAS Article 16 of the agreement provides for entry
into force duration and termination;
NOW THEREFORE, in terms of Section 327 of the Constitution of Zimbabwe, this House resolves that the aforesaid agreement be and is hereby approved.
HON. BITI: Thank you Hon. Speaker Sir. Section 327 of the
Constitution is very clear. Any treaty signed under the hand of the President or any agreement that imposes fiscal obligations to the country need to be approved by Parliament first before it is signed. So, the precedent, including the treaty which we are discussing was already signed and we are now being asked to rubber stamp. My respectful submission Hon. Speaker Sir is that Parliament should not be used as a rubber stamp to give authority to actions by the Executive that would have been done outside the Constitution. The Executive must understand the full import of Section 327, which is that you come to Parliament first. When you have been given approval by Parliament, you then go and put your signature there or your squiggle, whatever it is you are putting. Mr. Speaker, we have no objection to this treaty but can the Constitution be respected? I thank you very much Mr. Speaker Sir.
THE HON. SPEAKER: I hope the Hon. Minister will refer to
Section 327 appropriately and respond accordingly.
HON. K. PARADZA: Thank you Hon. Speaker. I want to thank the Minister for bringing that treaty here for ratification but Hon.
Speaker, I just want to draw your attention to a few issues that the Hon. Minister is bringing these protocols in a piece-meal manner. There are a number of outstanding protocols, in excess of 35 of them and they are somewhere within the Ministry. We have since requested the Ministry to bring these protocols here for ratification. One most important protocol Hon. Speaker, is that of the Pan African Parliament. It was signed by the former President in 2003 and the Ministry has been having that protocol in its shelves for all these years. I would want to urge the Minister to bring that here because we are embarrassed. Our team which goes to PAP tells me that they are always embarrassed when this issue is brought up there.
We have since as your committee Hon. Speaker, requested that the Minister sets up a kind of an office and dedicate an officer to follow up on all these outstanding protocols from Government departments so that they are brought here. We have a number of them as I said. So, I hope instead of the Minister coming here with one or two, he must try to bring these treaties so that we ratify them. I agree with Hon. Biti that Section 327 is very clear and the International Treaties Bill is now law; so that must be observed. Thank you Hon. Speaker.
HON. TSUNGA: Thank you very much Mr. Speaker Sir. In view of the submissions by Hon. Biti and Hon. Paradza, I would urge the Hon. Minister to bring the various treaties due for ratification to the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Foreign Affairs so that the committee can do some kind of due diligence on the various treaties, submit a report to Parliament and it becomes easier for Members to debate the various treaties before they can be ratified. That is my submission Hon. Speaker, that the Hon. Minister brings the treaties to the relevant Portfolio Committee so that the Committee may be able to make an analysis and submit a consolidated report on the various treaties to the House and ratification can be much faster and easier. Thank you very much Hon. Speaker.
HON. CHIKWINYA: Thank you Hon. Speaker. Let me thank
the Hon. Minister for at least respecting Parliament to the extent of seeking our condonation with regards to domesticating the treaty before the table. I understand the circumstances why it came late. I also want to concur with the Chairperson of the Foreign Affairs Committee, that instead of doing it in piece-meal or instalments, can we have all the treaties that we have signed to, to be brought before Parliament so that we respect the provisions of Section 327 (2) (a) and (b) that bind us as a country with regards to the policy that we would have signed to as a treaty and then domesticate it into our legal statutes.
Whilst I am at that level, may I highlight to you that Zimbabwe is a signatory to the convention against torture which we signed to in 1992. This speaks and I speak so in the comfort of the new dispensation which must do things differently. This convention speaks to the safeguard of human rights with regards to how people are handled and with regards to state security agents. It also speaks to the State’s obligation to prevent torture as a way of extracting information from any individual…
THE HON. SPEAKER: Order, order! Hon. Member, may you
stick to the motion raised.
HON. CHIKWINYA: Thank you Hon. Speaker. I had said I understand the reason why this treaty is being brought for condonation; it is because it was signed in 2010 and the new Constitution was promulgated in 2013. So, I would forgive the Hon. Minister for that.
However Hon. Speaker, this issue speaks of Zimbabwe’s treaty as a signatory to issues of trade and investment. Adjoined to issues of trade and investments are the country’s good image, so the Minister of Foreign Affairs is our Ambassador with regards to portraying a good image to other foreign nationals to the extent that they should feel comfortable for them to come and invest in Zimbabwe.
One of the key elements of investors as they approach any country is to look at the environmental scan of that country. They look at the peace and stability of that particular nation and the human rights situation of that country.
Hon. Speaker, we have gold in Malawi, Zambia, South Africa and
Zimbabwe. What is it that informs an investor to go and invest in Zambia ahead of Zimbabwe? I have seen on many occasions, the Head of State trying to portray a good Zimbabwe that has a good investment destination in regards to the treaty that has been signed now or that was signed then in promotion of investment and trade.
However, we have underlying issues in our country that then deter these investors to come and satisfy the provisions of this treaty. One of it is a violation of key human rights in our country. We have an Hon. Member of Parliament abducted, incarcerated, sent to a hospital, taken away from hospital, again sent back to a hospital institution not of her choice, whilst we are still inviting investors to come and invest. We do not seek any favour as Members of Parliament but let the law take its course and let also the human face of Government…
THE HON. SPEAKER: Hon. Member, why not come up with a
motion on the issue of the treaty on human torture so that you have got ample time to debate it and the Minister responsible can reply. At the moment, we are on a knife edge because this matter is still sub judice in the courts but bring a motion and find out why some treaties have not been acceded to including the one on human torture.
HON. CHIKWINYA: Thank you Mr. Speaker. I remember watching the Hon. Minister of Foreign Affairs on a zoom television…
THE HON. SPEAKER: What is difficult to bring a motion?
HON. CHIKWINYA: I agree with you Hon. Speaker. I now come to the treaty before us which is Investment and Trade. I watched the Hon. Minister of Foreign Affairs having an interview on some zoom meeting with a South African Television station. He was at pains in terms of marketing our country. We have departments especially the
Zimbabwe Tourism Authority which has gone out of its way to portray Zimbabwe as a tourism destination. How can tourists come and invest in Zimbabwe, trade with Zimbabwe when we have underlying issues which need to be corrected.
I say so on the basis that there are things which are in separable.
These are things which are a reality, things which are married to the treaty which we are speaking to here. Post to this treaty we are now supposed to come up with laws that support the intention of the Executive when they sign this treaty. We have got ZIDA for example which tries to ensure that a trade investment is done in a manner that is friendly to investors.
We have done our best as Parliament to come up with a one-stopshop but we must ask ourselves that why is it that our economy is not performing? Why is it that we are failing to attract investment and trade? As Parliamentarians coming from the people having the alter ego of representation in Parliament, we cannot shy away from the underlying factors. It will be a disfavour if we are going to put a blind eye to the fact that these issues are the ones which the investors are looking at.
I would come to the issue of local investment itself, what is it that we have done Hon. Speaker as we go to international fora to go and sign a treaty on trading and investment. What is it that we have done for our local people to be able to invest locally? What support mechanisms have we put? I am saying so on the basis of Section 327 (2b) to the extent that this convention is now supposed to become part of the law. When it becomes part of the law we are going to put in the enabling factors which are supposed to support this convention. We must then put it in our mind that why is it that we only have people like Strive Masiiwa having managed to prosper in this environment? Can we not create 10 more people like Strive Masiiwa and more investors of an indigenous nature in the gold, chrome and in various industrial and agricultural sectors? I am trying to stimulate the mind of the Hon. Minister here present that as he responds and in collaboration with the efforts that have been made by the Executive in signing this treaty, we must address the underlying issues.
There are issues to do with corruption. We have shied away from this but it has a direct effect on trade and investments. How easy is it to get a licence? It has been raised by Hon. Mudarikwa that one needs an excess of about 17 licences for them to get a bottle licence. You get a fire arm, ZINWA, EMA, City Council licences for a small investment portfolio like a bottle store. Is this what you want Hon. Minister as we support you in an effort to join the global world with regards to trade and investment?
Certainly if we do not move along with times and if we do not agree to the underlying factors, we are going to be left behind. We have competitors who are our brothers in the SADC region, South Africa,
Zambia for example. Go to Livingstone, we had a workshop in Victoria Falls. We crossed over to Livingstone just to go and see. It has changed ever since the World Tourism Summit that happened between Victoria Falls and Livingstone – they have changed. So we must ask ourselves, why is it that we are still having conferences in tents and in Livingstone, they are already building hotels. What is affecting us Hon. Speaker? So, I am challenging the Executive member representing the Minister here that let us look at the whole basket of issues for us to be able to properly support you as Parliament as you come up with a model that is supposed to see Zimbabwe joining other nations like Rwanda, South Africa and other prospering nations of our continent. Thank you Hon.
Speaker.
HON. MATARANYIKA: Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir. I was not
really going to debate ….
THE HON. SPEAKER: Order, order, are you linked up.
HON. MATARANYIKA: Anyone with a tablet.
HON. BITI: Where is your tablet?
HON. MATARANYIKA: Ndinayo?
THE HON. SPEAKER: Why do you not bring your own Ipad?
HON. MATARANYIKA: I have got mine, I am an apple person
so I have problems with the sumsang.
THE HON. SPEAKER: Why do you not contact ICT Department to help you, you can go ahead now?
HON. MATARANYIKA: Thank you very much Mr. Speaker Sir.
I am not yet ready to debate on the contents of the motion brought by the Minister but I wanted to respond to the statement that the President cannot sign and then seek approval from Parliament later on – [HON.
MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections.] – Mr. Speaker Sir, I think the process of ratification is a long process – [HON. SIKHALA: He is not the Minister, he cannot respond on behalf of the Minister. We are putting these contributions for the Minister to respon. Hon. Speaker, why are you allowing him to respond on behalf of the Minister] …
THE HON. SPEAKER: Order, order – [HON. MEMBERS:
Inaudible interjections.] – Order, the Hon. Member can debate.
HON. MATARANYIKA: Thank you. When the President
executes a Treaty, in the process he signs to confirm the execution. It is only after that that he brings the Treaty to Parliament for approval. As far as I am concerned, this is the process that took place and I am surprised that an Hon. Member can stand before this august House to say that the President signed the Treaty first and then he is seeking approval which I think is misleading. I thought it was necessary to correct that misleading statement – [HON. BITI: You are a bush lawyer. Give us one court judgement that you have made.] – Thank you Mr. Speaker.
THE HON. SPEAKER: Hon. Biti, you are not the Chief Justice, who was asking such questions yesterday. Hon. Biti, can you please withdraw the bush lawyer statement.
HON. BITI: He is not a bush lawyer he is a city lawyer.
HON. P. D. SIBANDA: Thank you Hon. Speaker. I want to raise a point of privilege….
THE HON. SPEAKER: You remember we agreed that we allow
only three points of privilege and three have already been exhausted.
THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND
INTERNATIONAL TRADE (HON. MUSABAYANA: Thank you
Mr. Speaker Sir for giving me the opportunity to respond to very important issues raised by Hon. Members. I will start with Hon. Biti who took the floor first. He raised the issue around the provisions of Section 27 of the Constitution. I agree with him according to that provision but like one other Hon. Member has said, this Treaty was signed in 2010. It was before this Constitution came to force in 2013.
Although the provisions were similar but the old provision actually allowed the Executive a prerogative to design and sign the Treaty and later bring it to Parliament for ratification.
So, I agree with Hon. Biti but within the reengagement spirit, we are saying we had committed ourselves before and one of the issues that is being raised whenever we go out for reengagement programmes is that they are saying there are these outstanding Treaties that are signed but never got to see the light of the day, what is happening to them. So, in the spirit of reengagement and also in the spirit of the new dispensation, we are making sure that we dispose of all these old treaties and make sure that we create the correct perspective that we are law abiding and we are also consistent. So, this is why we are bringing this to Parliament.
Hon. Paradza, I take note of your concerns about the slow processing of treaties that have not been signed. Yes I agree, but as you know, not all treaties or protocols are the responsibility of International
Trade and Foreign Affairs. We are saying with the International Treaties Bill that is now to become law, I am sure this would be taken care of. As a Ministry we are doing everything necessary to ensure that every Treaty that has been outstanding has gone through this Parliament for ratification.
You also highlighted the fact that we must come to the Portfolio Committee with these Treaties before they come to Parliament. Yes, I agree with that spirit although it does not seem to be a provision in the
Constitution – [HON. MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections.] – within the Constitution, we do not have that provision. In the spirit of consultation, we still engage our Portfolio Committee whenever we have Treaties that are on the table so that we work together with them. I think I have also answered Hon. Tsunga in the process.
Hon. Chikwinya brought up a few issues. I will answer a few of them that I think are relevant to our Ministry, especially the investment and trade. Yes, I agree that as a Government, it is our responsibility to ensure that we set a macro-economic environment that is conducive or has the rightful ambience to attract Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and also domestic investment, of which I think that is exactly what is happening in this country. Why I say so, I underpin it with the ease of doing business index. We were 155 last year, 2019 and we came down to 140 and Zimbabwe was quoted as one of the top 20 reformers in the world in 2019. If we take that into perspective, we will realise that indeed, we are doing a lot of reforms and surely that we are a conducive investment destination.
If we look at the stability that is now obtaining in our country, in terms of the currency stability and balance of payments, it is also a positive sign that the environment is becoming more stable and conducive to international investor. I agree with you that there is a lot that needs to be done in terms of reforms to ensure that we have ease of doing business and move fast in licencing and also the turnaround time of licencing should be much shorter.
Hon. Chikwinya highlighted a number of issues, also issues to do with human rights. Yes, we have human rights issues that have been alleged, but we have given the police the mandate to investigate and whenever they have investigated they have proven in some instances that some of the human rights abuses that are being talked of do not exist – [HON. SIKHALA: Inaudible interjection.] – As Government, we still urge and even as Ministry of Foreign Affairs, we still urge all Hon. Members who have information of where people have been abducted or people have disappeared, to bring it to our Ministry and also other relevant Ministries so that we work together to ensure that those people are taken to book and accounted for.
If you check even the world over, there is no nation without underlying issues. Even if you scan around our neighbours, they have their own underlying issues. Even the West, they have their own underlying issues. No nation will exist without underlying issues but the important thing is how we are dealing with these underlying issues. The important difference I have also observed is that when some of those nations have had their own underlying issues, they try to deal with them internally. They seek internal dialogue and resolve their problems, not to go on top of the mountains and shout – [HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear.] - So, I also urge Hon. Members - while we accept that we may have underlying issues, let us come to the table, this is why we have a platform like POLAD. It is a platform for dialogue where we present our issues. We may see things differently but when we present them at such for a, we can actually get to converge.
You have also raised an issue to do with the local investor. I think the Government has done a lot in terms of opening up for the local investor. Even farming itself, the land reform is actually a way forming up for the local investor. If we look at the way we have dealt with the artisanal miners, where gold centres have been planted in the country and also a lot of waivers have been put in place to allow our youths and women to also engage in meaningful gold mining activities. The Empowerment Bank that has been set up for the women and disadvantaged groups, those are some of the ways that Government is doing to open up to create space for the local investor. Having said that, our challenge is not just the local investor, we also need international investment. This is why we are coming up with these BIPPAs so that we encourage international investment. I hope I have answered some of the important questions pertaining this issue and I move that the motion be adopted.
Motion put and agreed.
MOTION
RATIFICATION OF THE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE
REPUBLIC OF ZIMBABWE AND THE CZECH REPUBLIC ON THE
PROMOTION AND RECIPROCAL PROTECTION OF
INVESTMENTS
THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS (HON.
MUSABAYANA): I move the motion standing in my name that WHEREAS Section 327 (2) (a) of the Constitution of Zimbabwe provides that an international treaty which has been concluded or executed by or under the authority of the President does not bind Zimbabwe until it has been approved by Parliament;
AND WHEREAS the Agreement between the Republic of
Zimbabwe and the Czech Republic on the Promotion and Reciprocal Protection of Investments was signed on the 13th of September, 1999 on behalf of the Republic of Zimbabwe;
AND WHEREAS Article 12 of the Agreement provides for entry
into force, duration and termination;
NOW, THEREFORE, in terms of section 327 (2) (a) of the Constitution of Zimbabwe, this House resolves that the aforesaid
Agreement be and is hereby approved.
Motion put and agreed to.
MOTION
RATIFICATION OF THE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE REPUBLIC
OF ZIMBABWE AND THE KINGDOM OF SWEDEN ON THE
PROMOTION AND RECIPROCAL PROTECTION OF
INVESTMENTS
THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS (HON.
MUSABAYANA): Thank you madam Speaker. I move the motion in my name, THAT WHEREAS Section 327 (2) (a) of the Constitution of
Zimbabwe provides that an international treaty which has been
concluded or executed by or under the authority of the President does not bind Zimbabwe until it has been approved by Parliament;
AND WHEREAS the Agreement between the Republic of
Zimbabwe and the Kingdom of Sweden on the Promotion, Reciprocal Protection of Investments was signed on the 6th October, 1997 on behalf of the Republic of Zimbabwe;
AND WHEREAS Article 10 of the Agreement provides for an
entry into force duration and termination;
NOW THEREFORE, in terms of Section 327 (2) (a) of the Constitution of Zimbabwe, this House resolves that the aforesaid agreement be and is hereby approved.
Motion put and agreed to.
MOTION
RATIFICATION OF THE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE
REPUBLIC OF ZIMBABWE AND THE GOVERNMENT OF THE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES ON THE PROMOTION AND
RECIPROCAL PROTECTION OF INVESTMENTS
THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS (HON.
MUSABAYANA): Thank you Madam Speaker. I move the motion standing in my name that;
WHEREAS Section 327 of the Constitution of Zimbabwe provides that the International which has been concluded or executed by or under the authority of President does not bind Zimbabwe until it has been approved by Parliament;
AND WHEREAS the agreement between Republic of Zimbabwe and the Government of the United Arab Emirates on promotion, reciprocal protection of investments was signed on the 16th June, 2018 on behalf of the Republic of Zimbabwe;
AND WHEREAS Article 19 of the agreement provides for entry into force amendments, duration and termination;
NOW THEREFORE, in terms of Section 327 (a) of the
Constitution of Zimbabwe, this House resolves that the aforesaid agreement be and hereby approved.
HON. BITI: Thank you Madam Speaker. This particular one, I think as Hon. Members of Parliament, the esteemed Minister of Foreign Affairs should have circulated it so that we go over it. Past agreements with the particular country have included provisions around land-use and water rights because that particular country is a desert. So I go back to my original point that these agreements should be circulated and should not be engaged without us going through them. I am concerned by the indifferent lackadaisical, slack, disrespectful approach that the Executive offers and gives to Parliament. I remind the esteemed Minister of Foreign Affairs that Parliament is the third arm of the State but calling it third does not mean a subordinate. In terms of Section of 117 and Section 119 of the Constitution of Zimbabwe, it has an oversight function over each and every body in the republic of Zimbabwe. So I urge the esteemed Minister of Foreign Affairs to treat this esteemed House with the respect, dignity and decency that it deserves. I thank you very much Madam Speaker.
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Thank you Hon. Biti. I am
being advised by the Clerk that it was sent on every Hon. Member’s email by the administration. So I think...
*HON. BITI: If they could help us by telling us the date because I did not see it and even the Chairman of the Committee Hon. K. Paradza did not see that agreement. Thank you.
Motion put and agreed to.
MOTION
RATIFICATION OF THE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE
REPUBLIC OF ZIMBABWE AND THE GOVERNMENT OF THE
KINGDOM OF THAILAND ON THE PROMOTION AND
RECIPROCAL PROTECTION OF INVESTMENTS
THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS (HON.
MUSABAYANA): I move the motion standing in my name;
THAT an international treaty which has been concluded or executive by or under the authority of the President does not bind
Zimbabwe until it has been approved by Parliament;
AND WHEREAS the agreement between the Republic of
Zimbabwe and the Government of the Kingdom of Thailand on
Promotion, Reciprocal Protection of Investments was signed on the 18th
February, 2000 on behalf of the Republic of Zimbabwe;
AND WHEREAS Article 12 of the agreement provides for an
entry into force;
NOW THEREFORE, in terms of Section 327 (2) (a) of the Constitution of Zimbabwe, this House resolves that the aforesaid agreement be and is hereby approved.
Motion put and agreed to.
MOTION
RATIFICATION OF THE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE
REPUBLIC OF ZIMBABWE AND THE GOVERNMENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA ON THE PROMOTION AND
RECIPROCAL PROTECTION OF INVESTMENTS
THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND
INTERNATIONAL TRADE (HON. MUSABAYANA): I move the
motion standing in my name that;
WHEREAS Section 327A of the Constitution of Zimbabwe provides that an international treaty which has been concluded or executed by or under the authority of the President does not bind
Zimbabwe until it has been approved by Parliament;
AND WHEREAS the agreement between the Republic of
Zimbabwe and the Government of the United States of America on the promotion and reciprocal protection of investment was signed on 20th
January 1999 on behalf of the Republic of Zimbabwe;
AND WHEREAS Article 19 of the agreement provides for entry into force and termination;
NOW THEREFORE, in terms of Section 327A of the Constitution of Zimbabwe, this House resolves that the aforesaid agreement be and is hereby approved.
HON. K. PARADZA: Thank you Madam Speaker. This
agreement is very important but unfortunately, the American Government has imposed sanctions on us through ZIDERA and so it is going to make it difficult for us to trade right now with American companies. Through you Hon. Speaker, I would like to call on the American Government to remove these illegal sanctions on Zimbabwe and also to repeal ZIDERA so that we will be able to trade freely with companies in the US in a normal situation, not as it is now because most of our companies are unable to borrow money offshore and they are unable to buy new equipment because of these sanctions.
So Madam Speaker, while we are going to approve this agreement with the American Government, let it be noted that Washington should at least remove these illegal sanctions on us. Thank you Madam
Speaker.
HON. CHIKWINYA: Thank you Hon. Speaker. At the beginning of the debate, around these motions by the Hon. Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, was the issue of the respect given to the Head of State as he represents the country in signing treaties and conventions as per the mandate given to him by the Constitution and I do not doubt that as the Head of State puts his signature to these treaties, he exercises due diligence and wisdom.
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Hon. Chikwinya, are you connected?
HON. CHIKWINYA: Oh sorry. I was saying at the beginning of the debate around these treaties. From motion number 10 up to now, there was recognition of the powers given to the Head of State by the Constitution and over and above the powers given to the Head of State by the Constitution as he represents the country, is certainly his respected wisdom and due diligence before he puts his pen to paper. So
I do not doubt that when the Head of State signed an agreement with the Americans he did not know the relationship between Harare and Washington.
I enter my debate on the level of sanctions, Hon. Speaker. The issue around this motion seeks to promote investment between Harare and Washington and what we have are travel restrictions that have a background.
Hon. Speaker, during my debate, it is fact that there are travel restrictions. It is fact that there are thawed relationships between
Washington and Harare but it is also a fact that the Head of State and
Government appended his signature intending to trade with the
Americans. There was certainly dialogue that there is opportunity for the two nations to do trade and investment. Now, what are the conditions that are underlying which are inhibiting trade and investment? It comes again to the issue of human rights; it comes again to the issue of our own conduct as a people of Zimbabwe.
The Americans have been clear. We cannot do trade with you when that money is promoting the abuse of human rights –[HON.
MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections.]- The Americans are clear that we cannot fund human rights abuses in Zimbabwe by giving you opportunities to do business with us. We cannot use American tax payers money for you to abduct Joannah Mamombe –[HON.
MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections.]- We cannot abuse the American tax payers money to fund a regime that does not respect its own people.
THE MINISTER OF JUSTICE, LEGAL AND
PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS (HON. ZIYAMBI): Madam
Speaker, the Hon. Member is alleging that the State abducted Hon. Mamombe. Can he substantiate that or withdraw that statement?
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Hon. Chikwinya, we cannot
debate about that issue in here because it is under the courts.
HON. CHIKWINYA: The Hon. Minister has asked for further particulars. So he has asked me to substantiate and I am going to do that with respect to the Executive and with respect to the Chair –[HON.
MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections.]- I am prepared to do that.
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Hon. Chikwinya, I am the
Chair. I am telling you that we cannot debate about that issue because that issue is under the courts.
HON. CHIKWINYA: Thank you Hon. Speaker. I will not mention the specificity around Joannah Mamombe. I will mention the issues around human rights abuses in general by the State which I can substantiate.
HON. ZIYAMBI: Madam Speaker, the rules do not allow to divert from what we are debating. He wants to debate about issues that are outside the treaty that is being discussed. Can he confine himself to what the Hon. Member is seeking to achieve, not what he is debating –
[HON. MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections.]-
Hon. Biti having stood up to debate.
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Hon. Biti, I have to make a ruling first, please may you take your seat –[HON. MEMBERS:
Inaudible interjections.]- Hon. Members, I am advising you to debate on the motion not to bring other issues not included on this motion please.
HON. BITI: Hon. Speaker, Hon. Paradza strayed into the forest and you allowed him to go into the forest. You cannot close the ship when you are now in the forest. So Hon. Paradza must pay the price of going into the forest, so we are now debating sanctions Madam Speaker.
THE HON, DEPUTY SPEAKER: Hon. Biti, I will not allow
you to do that. You have to debate the motion, not to debate other issues which are not on the motion – [HON. NYABANI: Ndosaka uri ngochani iwe.] –
HON. BITI: Madam Speaker, I do not take that kindly. He is now accusing me of being gay. He must withdraw Hon. Speaker –
[HON. MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections.]
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order Hon. Members!
HON. BITI: I am not homophobic but he cannot accuse someone of being gay. I am not homophobic.
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Who said you are gay?
HON. BITI: This Hon. Member. He said that Madam Speaker. He said that – [HON. MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections.] - No, we do not use unparliamentary language. It has got the intonation of homophobia, so he cannot use language of intolerance. He has to withdraw Madam Speaker.
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: I asked you Hon. Biti - who
said you are gay?
HON. BITI: Hon. Nyabani from Mt Darwin.
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Hon. Nyabani, please may
you withdraw that? – [HON. MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections.] – HON. BITI: Madam Speaker, Hansard captured that.
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order Hon. Members. It is
okay. We will refer to Hansard. Hon. Chikwinya, please may you proceed.
HON. CHIKWINYA: Thank you Hon. Speaker. At the inception of my debate, I raised the intelligence and the wisdom of the person representing us in signing treaties to a bar higher than all of us, out of respect. I do not want to think that at the signing ceremony and at the deliberations by his team which advises him, he was not cognisant of the issues raised by Hon. Paradza.
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Hon. Chikwinya, may I guide
you on that. You are not responding to Hon. Paradza. Please may you debate the motion, not to respond to Hon. Paradza.
HON. CHIKWINYA: Thank you Hon. Speaker. I stand guided
but I believe that in my debate, I am allowed to refer to any Member who spoke before me because that is the essence of debate. We have got to place our ideas on the market place so that at least the Minister can then be guided accordingly. I thought I am correct on that level. As I move forward Hon. Speaker; you see it is very hot, I am seeing you having sweats and I feel sorry for you. The air cons are not working, I am sure the administration can sort that out.
Hon. Speaker, the issues of trade and the underlying issues of how a nation portrays itself to the international community, in particular the country which it wants to trade with are mutually inclusive; they go together. We are trying to trade with America here and this treaty was not signed yesterday. It was signed some years back, so we must be asking ourselves why the ball not is moving. I agree with the previous speaker before me, that there are issues at hand that they have raised. It is also my responsibility, representing Mbizo Constituency, to also give the counter-side so that at least the Executive takes on board both issues in their re-engagement efforts. This motion cannot be separated from the efforts by the Executive in their re-engagement process, which is on public record that they are doing.
Hon. Paradza has led various delegations in the EU trying to reengage so that at least we realise the aspirations of this treaty and America included. So, why are we shying away from talking about the underlying issues? It is the duty of Parliament Madam Speaker, to make sure that all agents of Government respond to what the people are saying. My duty is to come from Mbizo and tell Parliament through you Madam Speaker, that the people are saying we are failing to trade with America because we are continuously abducting our own people. We must be able to face that. If it means that the Head of State is not on Zoom, put him on Zoom so that at least he can listen to what the MPs are saying, in case the Minister is shy to tell him that the MPs are saying we cannot achieve trade and investment by the Americans if we are continuously abusing the people’s rights with the intention of using the American taxpayers’ money. That is the issue which we are having
here.
THE MINISTER OF JUSTICE, LEGAL AND
PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS (HON. ZIYAMBI): On a point of
order. You have already ruled and the Hon. Member is continuously straying into an area that you have already ruled on. Secondly, this is a trade agreement that was signed and all the things that he is saying about the relationship between Zimbabwe and America were there. Can he stick to the contents of the treaty and address that as opposed to straying to areas that you have said are before the courts and you have made a ruling that he should not stray to that.
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Thank you Hon. Minister.
Hon. Chikwinya, may you please stick to the debate.
HON. CHIKWINYA: Yes, I am stuck – [Laughter.] – My
conclusion Hon. Speaker, is that I want to depart the debating table with the question to the Hon. Minister which I am glad he has been managing to respond so far. Having signed this treaty years back, why is it that we are still failing to trade with Washington? Thank you.
HON. NYATHI: Hon. Speaker Ma’am, because I do not have the
papers that were being read by the Hon. Minister, I just have one question. I just want to substantiate the speech that has been given by my other Hon. Member here when he brought up the fact of ZIDERA and sanctions – [HON. MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections.] –
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Hon. Nyathi – [HON.
CHIKWINYA: “Haikona, haikona. Hanzi ikoko hatisvike.”] - Hon.
Nyathi, please may you proceed, but I beg you to stick to the debate.
HON. NYATHI: I just wanted to know when this treaty was signed and when the sanctions came. Thank you.
THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND
INTERNATIONAL TRADE (HON. MUSABAYANA): Thank you
Madam Speaker Ma’am. I want to thank Hon. Paradza for the issues that he raised around United States of America. The President has always said that engagement is a process, so we continue to engage the good friends and despite the fact that we have Zidera upon us, we will continue to engage the United States of America. That is the whole reason why we have re-engagement as our mantra. Also, just to add on to that, you find that the United Nations, the African Union and SADC have also added their voices to the removal of economic sanctions.
Coming to Hon. Chikwinya, he debated the issue around the underlying issue which I thought I had answered when I said every nation has its own underlying issues. We cannot name nation by nation, even the nations that we think are some of the best nations in the world in terms of democracy also have underlying issues. So, I will focus and concentrate on proving the point that Zimbabwe has moved a step further with the coming in of the new dispensation, we have started trading with the United States of America. As you all know, GC Electric has actually partnered to invest in Batoka Gorge, we also know the John Deere facility that was unveiled this year by His Excellency, E.D Mnangagwa of 51 million and they said they are going to add more equipment to it. That is an attestation to the relationship that is now growing.
We also know that United States of America has given us more than 200 million towards social welfare issues around Covid-19. So, that goes to show that the relationship is improving, notwithstanding the fact that the sanctions are still there. America has got more than 330 million people, it is a diverse nation and different people think differently. However, we have our own in America who are also supporting our cause.
On the issue of human rights; like I have said earlier on that bring on all the evidence of people who have been abused. We have realised that a lot could be going on behind the scenes, you all know the sad story of one of our soldiers who was killed and injured. Those are rogue elements in the society and it does not mean that they represent the State.
We also have underlying issues as highlighted by the Minister of State Security yesterday that we have people of this nation who have decided to go for broke because they failed to go into power. Now, some of those people are engaging in subversive activities and there are possibilities that the same people could be abducting people to create an impression that people are being abducted. However, we will make sure that as a nation, we account for all those people. We also have an underlying issue which is critical, that of denial. When someone has lost an election; we have people who still believe that they won an election when they lost. Seriously, it is an underlying issue that is creating political challenges, so we actually need maturity for people to accept that they have lost elections and we move on as a nation.
Motion put and agreed to.
MOTION
BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE
THE MINISTER OF JUSTICE, LEGAL AND
PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS (HON. ZIYAMBI): I move that
Orders of the Day, Numbers 1 to 3 on Today’s Order Paper be stood over until Order of the Day Number 4, on today’s Order Paper has been disposed off.
Motion put and agreed to.
SECOND READING
CYBER SECURITY AND DATA PROTECTION BILL [H. B.
18, 2019]
Fourth Order read: Adjourned debate on the Second Reading of the
Cyber Security and Data Protection Bill [H. B. 18, 2019].
Question again proposed.
HON. CHIKWINYA: Thank you Madam Speaker for allowing
me to add my voice on this important piece of legislation as it is a game changer in our way of living. Before us today is a Bill that speaks to issues that have defined the normal way of living of anyone with a computer gadget and that includes a cellphone or a laptop.
First and foremost, allow me to speak to the fact the Cyber Security and Data Protection Bill addresses two spheres, the first sphere is the Cyber Security itself and the second sphere is the data protection sphere. It is my humble submission that firstly, these spheres should have been addressed by two separate laws for us to deal with them extensively.
There is an issue of the cyber sphere and in the cyber sphere, there are multiple stakeholders. The State itself is an actor in the cyber space, business, the public, internet service providers, POTRAZ being the regulator is an actor to take care of interest of all these people who define the cyber space, it is my humble submission…
Hon. Chikomba having been talking on his cellphone
THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER: Order, order! Hon. Chikomba!
HON. CHIKWINYA: I am saying we are talking of two worlds, the cyber space as a world, and the data protection management as a world on its own. So, it is my humble submission that we should have dealt with these two worlds or spheres independently and I had described the actors in the cyber space who demand adequate attention which has not adequately been covered in this Bill.
I will move over, having proposed that we need to separate this law to the issue of POTRAZ being a data protection authority. POTRAZ is appointed by the Minister who represents the executive and therefore has an interest of the State. I had defined earlier on to say the cyber space has multiple actors, the state included, the public and business. We have experience to the extent that towards elections, members of the citizenly found themselves having messages from a particular political party being an actor into the election that was soliciting for votes. It means that POTRAZ being a regulator had allowed mobile network operators to give data to a member of a political contestant without the data subject knowledge. This is not in line with the expectations of a data authority. A data authority must act in the best interest of every subject member of the cyberspace. So, it is my humble submission therefore that POTRAZ cannot act independently because it is appointed in terms of the Executive. POTRAZ is appointed by the Minister and therefore reports to the Minister; it does not report to the public.
It is my humble submission that so far in our statutes, the Constitution included, the only board that is capacitated to take care of the interest of every cyber stakeholder is the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission. We are talking of data and data is my right. The handling of my right can only be taken care of by the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission because the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission, by its function and mandate in terms of the Constitution, is the only board that has got an independent eye. It can take every other member in the cyberspace with equal care and attention. Therefore, I submit that at the particular stage, I shall propose as such.
Hon. Speaker, I move over to the cyber security centre. The cyber security centre again being established in terms of this Act is to be superintendent by POTRAZ once again. The same reasons apply. Again around the 14th January, 2019, in 2019, there was an internet shutdown where the Minister responsible for State Security instructed POTRAZ or internet service providers who are regulated by POTRAZ to shut off the internet because there were threats of demonstrations.
Now, demonstrations are enshrined in terms of Section 59 of our Constitution but POTRAZ went ahead to listen to the Minister. Yes, they are supposed to do that because they have to listen to the Executive because they are an arm of the Executive. Had it been an independent board, they were going to do as the courts then later on prescribed that the Minister had no right to cause for the shutdown of the internet waves. Only an independent board can have such an independent eye not to only listen to the Executive but to listen to everyone.
With regards to the cyber security centre, I would propose that again we split these two. There is cyber security with regards to the enjoyment of the citizenry of their rights to interact and to interface with the rights so enshrined and available on the internet. Then there is a security threat or security threat as exposed within the State Security Sector. So, we must be able again to separate the threat posed to the country, to the sovereignty of this nation with regards to the access of internet. For example, we have known that hackers can shutdown this whole country in terms of even electricity which can be a security threat.
So, that level of threat is supposed to be taken care of by State security agents but you have got a cyber security in terms of – I am supposed to communicate on facebook, why do you need people as State security agent to be in a board where I am supposed to enjoy my right on facebook. I would want the Minister to think deep that when we speak of cyber security and we have identified the public and the citizenry as an actor in that space, we must also promote the enjoyment of their rights in that sector. This Bill does not give rights to the enjoyment of rights. This Bill simply gives rights to the taking away of rights.
I will therefore move over to the provisions which are toxic, archaic and draconian. These are as contained firstly in Clause 35 under definitions, that is on remote forensic tool and it is defined as such. Remote forensic tool an investigative tool including software of hardware installed on or in relation to part of a computer system. It is used to perform tasks that include keystroke logging or transmission of an IP address.
Hon Speaker, first and foremost, what I should have said in the beginning is that this Bill is very technical. I was part of the team that went out to Public Hearings. The input so coming was very minimal and I am glad that the Chairperson representing the three Committees that went out on behalf of Parliament aptly captured it as such that it came up during our public consultations that this Bill is very technical, therefore, the input was minimal.
Remote forensic tool Hon. Speaker, what it means is that the State is now legalising a process whereby they can remotely access my computer gadget; this Samsung tablet in the comfort of their offices in Mukwati Building. Whatever I am doing on my computer gadget, they can see it. Whatever I am putting out, they can see it. Whatever I am receiving, they can see it in anticipation of seeing whether I am committing a crime or not. So, accountants here will tell you that forensic audits are done post facto and not pre fact but the Government is giving itself the legal mechanism to do a pre facto of my computer gadget.
So, if I am a suspect to any crime, I just want to relate this to the statement by the Minister of State Security yesterday where he alleges that they have picked up information that there are people who want to distabilise State security in the country. So, if they suspect Hon. Biti for example, what they do is to then put in what are known as keystroke loggers to take Hon. Biti’s phone and stay with it in the comfort of their State Security Offices in Mukwati. They will see what Hon. Biti is getting and what Hon. Biti is not getting. In my view, it curtails freedom of expression because now once we pass this law, I cannot freely communicate with people because I know that my phone as a politician has been cloned and someone is looking at it in Mukwati. Hon. Members, through you Mr. Speaker, we must make laws post our generation. This law can be abused at any other given time by anyone else. We are political animals and we must be alive to factions in our political parties. Today you might be enjoying that it is happening to the opposition but imagine when tomorrow you lose elections and you are now the opposition and someone is watching your phone. Is that fair? This provision is in contravention with Section 57 of the Constitution which is the right to privacy.
So, the State is interfering with my privacy and they are entering into my phone which you know very well that these phones at times contain literally my whole life and no one is safe. The State here is not introducing anything new. They have been doing it but they simply want to find a legal way of then presenting these findings in a court of law but we cannot allow that especially if it is in contravention of
Section 57, which is the right to privacy in our Constitution.
Hon. Speaker, I move over to Clause 163 which is Part of the Bill.
It simply tries to take away the provisions of the Criminal Law
Codification Law Reform Act as contained there and bring it to this Bill. Once we pass this into law, this now takes precedence and we have repealed the same sections as referred to in this Bill. This provision now speaks about the criminal offences that are now proposed to be in this Bill.
Firstly, there is the issue of hacking. When people speak of hacking, we must be specific which type of hacking. There is hacking which is necessary, and hackers have argued international hackers, there is actually an association of international hackers which are used by governments to hack certain systems because they are being used by terrorists so they are done in the promotion of public interest. So you must be specific in our Bill which type of hacking are we outlawing here. There is hacking which is necessary and the Hon. Minister of ICT will know that. There are recognised associations which are actually employed by Government to do hacking for the purposes of public interests, where there are people who intruded in public ICT system and Government has got no capacity to counter that. So, Government employs these associations to then manage to counter that. Here what are we trying to outlaw because we are not specific? We need to be specific.
Secondly this Bill, right now as I am speaking, people are on their cellphones, some are receiving messages, this is what is happening in Parliament. So you receive a message to say Hon. Chikwinya has punched Hon. Ziyambi in Parliament with a fist, someone has typed and then you want to verify. You forward that message to your colleague
Hon. Tekeshe, the person who has generated that message to say Hon. Chikwinya has punched Hon. Ziyambi is guilty in terms of this law; the person who has forwarded that message with an intention to verify is guilty. So generation of fake messages is an offence. The transmission of such messages is an offence again but we must understand at times why people transmit information.
Last week and there is nothing personal about this, I received an audio message of one Hon. Member on a telephone interview with another member of the society. I wanted to verify whether it is true because this is my Hon. Minister in this august House, I have to forward it to a certain group to say is it Honourable who is really being – it was out of concern that my Hon. Minister cannot do that. What we are doing now Hon. Speaker is to curtail freedom of expression, which is natural and normal. This august House passed a Marriages Bill, where a newspaper, The Herald to be specific had a misinterpretation on the clause about lobola. So they ran a headline, “Parliament abolishes lobola”. That was the interpretation of The Herald but it was not true. So should The Herald editor and the journalist be arrested for spreading fake news? Is that the intention that my interpretation of a particular sentence which may be wrong, is the intention to spread fake news? Is it the intention of The Herald to say there is a clause about lobola, which has been passed by Parliament and in our interpretation Parliament has abolished lobola but it turned out that their interpretation was wrong.
So, are they supposed to go to jail for five years for spreading that falsehoods? I do not think that is true.
My other question is why should we then criminalise such Act? If I had said a lie about Hon. Karenyi and this lie has got an emotional consequence to her, which is an emotional injury as contained in this Bill, she must certainly seek legal recourse through civil avenues, why should it be criminal? Hon. Speaker, I see that we may differ on this Bill on the basis of some who are enjoying power today but I tell you we are going to kick ourselves in the foot one day, to say were we in
Parliament when this law was passed, because it criminalises everyone.
I will move over to the issue of transmission of data messages, inciting violence for damage to property. Hon. Speaker, when the Executive sits to draft these Bills, they must not make laws for the opposition. They must make laws for the nation. You cannot come up with a draft to say we will catch the MDC on this one, no. People must be able to use the internet facility to mobilise for the realisation of
Section 59 of the Constitution. Then we must have a law which says in the enjoyment of Section 59, if there is property damage, the person who has caused damage to that property must be arrested in terms of that particular law, which is MOPA. Why should it then curtail my right to be able to mobilise people for the realisation of a demonstration which is enshrined in the Constitution. Why should we then criminalise mobilisation of people because the moment I mobilise to say let us go and meet at Harvest House, let us go and demonstrate for the rights of water and then during that demonstration, someone breaks a window, I am now liable in terms of Section 164 of this Clause.
I want us to be able to put our minds together to say, we have a law that deals with criminal elements of our society who take advantage of demonstrations and injure people’s property. We have that law in our Maintenance of Order and Peace Act. Let us use that provision and let us not complicate matters to put the courts to again interpret what we want in terms of this.
I will move over Hon. Chair to the issue of child pornography.
Child pornography entails that we are assuming – pornography in its general terms worldwide, is an act between consenting adults. That is how it has been used. So if you say child pornography, the assumption now is that you are saying the child consented to that act. The submission that we got from stakeholders is that we remove the word pornography, we put child sexually offensive material because the child is not deemed to have consented to this act. Pornography is associated with consent. When we are dealing with child pornography for the lack of a better word, we must use child sexually offensive material because the child does not have the capacity to consent to these sexual activities.
That is what we managed to get.
There is also another new form of crime and it is happening in
Zimbabwe because of the long queues for transport, especially at ZUPCO. It is called up skirting, it is not captured in this Bill and I will propose that at the material time, up skirting; we used to do it when we were boys at school. You take a glass and you put it underneath a woman’s undergarment – way back then it was just a glass. You would just see and leave but now people are putting phones, but here is the catch. This Bill, when it speaks of…
THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER (HON. MUTOMBA): Hon.
Chikwinya, may I remind you that you are only left with about five minutes to debate.
HON. CHIKWINYA: Thank you Hon. Chair. This Bill describes
intimate pictures of the woman’s private parts without underwear. So, you are assuming that if I take a picture of a woman’s private parts whilst she is putting on underwear is not a crime. I do not think that is correct. Up skirting means that I would access the woman’s under garment without her consent and circulates that. Imagine your sister, your wife, whatever undergarments being circulated. I, then at the material time propose that we include that even if those privates are in an undergarment it is still a crime.
My last point Hon. Speaker is on the issue of jurisdiction under which this law can apply. This law applies in terms of citizens, this law assumes that if someone commits this crime whilst in South Africa through the internet to a Zimbabwean, they are not bound by this law. I think it must apply to every Zimbabwean citizen even if you harass someone - internet bullying whilst you are in the United Kingdom and you bully me whilst I am in Zimbabwe, I should have the capacity to be able to seek legal recourse and I think that should be captured.
Over and above that, whilst I have debated at length, I request that the Hon. Minister at the end of the Second Reading, can he go back and consult further with stakeholders - especially on the issues that I have raised. I do not think we need to hurry this Bill, it is too technical. Most of the Members of Parliament Hon. Speaker do not even understand this Bill. I think a workshop with the majority of members of Parliament is necessary to bring us on board because our constituents will begin to ask us the moment they begin to be arrested because of the provisions of this Bill. It is very toxic, it is actually taking away the provision which we have put when we made those laws that repealed IPPA, the Freedom of Information Act, the ZMC Bill, and it is actually taking away all those rights which we had put in there and bringing them back. So the reengagement efforts which we trying to do are all being squashed and terminated by one single piece of law which again the same people we are going to be approaching will tell you that you have gone back to the pre-first dispensation era. I thank you – [HON. BITI: Inaudible interjection.] –
*THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER (HON. MUTOMBA): Order
Hon. Biti. Just for the record I would want to address what Hon. Chikomba did. Hon. Chikomba, you are not allowed to speak on your phone in this august House. I called your name several times and you failed to hear me addressing you because what you were saying when you were talking was disturbing me and disturbing the business of the House. So next time you must desist from such behaviour.
HON. P. D. SIBANDA: Thank you Hon. Speaker, allow me to
also air my views on this very important Bill. The importance of this Bill Hon. Speaker is that it is the first law that we as a nation are crafting to try and manage a new platform that has emerged within our country as a result of technological development. At the same time, we are a third world country that itself is not very much technologically advanced. Therefore, you then get to a situation of apprehension, you get to a time of apprehension and a lot of fears that are created especially in the Government, part of the result is lack of understanding of what really can happen in the cyber space on its own creates fears.
We cannot have the Minister of State Security coming on the public broadcaster to tell everyone in the country that there is insecurity within the country. That is the background we are facing as we are crafting this law. Clause No. 7 and 8 which is in part III of the Bill deals with Data Protection Authority, the Regulatory Mechanism and if you look at the regulatory mechanism, we find that in my view it will be burdening an already burdened institution. It is my view that I think it is wrong for us to make POTRAZ the data protection authority. Beyond that, in my view POTRAZ are already in that sector, let us leave it as it is. Let us come up with not only a different board but different bodies that can be established to manage what has been bundled together as one
Act called Cyber Security and Data Protection Bill.
In my view and in our engagement as we were putting up this Bill and as we were carrying out public hearings, soliciting for information from members of the public; what came out clearly is that there are three issues here that need to be dealt with. The first issue that need to be dealt with is data protection, the second issue is cyber crime and the third issue is cyber security. Those are three different things and you cannot then take all of them and put them in one basket and say let them be controlled by POTRAZ. I actually observed arguments from my colleagues who sit on the other side of the bench, from ZANU PF. Within the ruling party itself, there is disagreement on whether POTRAZ is suitable or not because others are saying these are security issues that State security should be responsible with as the responsible authority. However, personally I think both sides of their arguments are wrong and they do not advance our democratic desire that is actually espoused in our Constitution.
HON. KASHIRI: Order Hon. Speaker. We are following Hon. Sibanda but he should not be debating on hearsay, let him confine himself to facts.
HON. CHIKWINYA: On a point of order Mr. Speaker…
THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER: I am in the Chair and it is the Speaker who gives the answer Hon. Chikwinya. Hon. Sibanda, with all due respect, please could you dwell on the Bill itself; do not mention party names.
HON. P. D. SIBANDA: Hon. Speaker, I doubt that it is a correct position that I have strayed from debating this Bill. The sole reason why I am saying so is that I am talking of Parliamentary processes that involves Section 141, that has been conducted by committees. Remember, I chair one of the Committees that went on a public hearing, so I am talking of things that are on…
THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER: Order Hon. Sibanda, I am the
Speaker who is actually in the Chair. I have instructed and directed you not to mention party names. We are debating a motion that concerns the nation and not parties.
HON. P. D. SIBANDA: Thank you Hon. Speaker. Hon. Speaker, the suggestions that have come out – as I indicated earlier on, this is a new phenomenal to a country that is actually busy with trying to deal with basics like food, water shortages and worsening poverty levels. So, we are still seized with basic things to deal with; issues of cholera outbreak even today. So for us, technology is something so distant to an extent that whenever we are crafting this law, we craft it with that apprehension of seeing something from a distance. Hon. Speaker, because of that kind of scenario, if we craft this Bill and agree that it passes in the manner that it is, it will not be long before we see trouble with this part of the law. Therefore, others are proposing that let us create a body that shall be responsible for data protection. That body should be independent of the Executive and reports to the National
Assembly and it will be dealing with data protection alone.
When it comes to cyber security Hon. Speaker, in my view, we have got security services in this country, therefore we can create a body that is made up of our security sector with a view to deal with cyber security on its own as an authority. On cyber crime, we come up with a body that deals with crime. We have got units of Government already which are responsible for crime control and therefore, they had that part of the body. In fact, other suggestions say that this Bill is supposed to be unbundled into about three Bills; one for data protection, one for cyber crime and the other for cyber security and then they come. Hon. Speaker, this way of just cutting Bills out of apprehension, insecurity and fear will be cured and we will have a law that will remain relevant to our needs as a country for a long time.
Hon. Speaker, remember that we craft legislation for posterity. We do not look around ourselves and say, now can I make a law to say what happened with someone sitting next to me - that is not it. We make laws for a long and foreseeable future. Therefore, for us to make a law for an unforeseeable future, I propose that the Bill be unbundled into three different Bills and that in each Bill, there is a separate authority which is different from the other. I think that way we will have a very efficient and effective law Hon. Speaker.
I also want to briefly speak about Clause 164. Hon. Speaker, I have trouble with Clause 164. Let me just read it as it is written here and as it appears on the Bill and maybe I can be able to explain myself better -any person who unlawfully by use of a computer or information system makes available, transmits, broadcasts or distributes a data message to any person, group of persons or to the public with the intent to incite such persons to commit acts of violence against any person or persons or to cause damage to any property, shall be guilty of an offence and liable to a fine not exceeding level 10, or to imprisonment for a period not exceeding five years, or to both such fine and such imprisonment.’ Hon. Speaker, this is not an ordinary sentence. The punishment that is laid here is not an ordinary punishment; it is a punishment that causes shock to anyone to whom it is passed on.
Therefore, it is my proposal Hon .Speaker that, if we want to impose such a heavy fine, let us have some measures that we can use to protect the citizens from being arrested willy-nilly on spurious allegations most of the time without much evidence. I will give you an example Hon. Speaker. I am in Harare and my family is out of Harare. Let us say I receive a data message on my phone that says people of Bulawayo or Binga wherever my wife is, we are going to attack such and such groups of people on such and such a day. Let us say it is a message that incites violence but it concerns an area where my family is domiciled and then I send that message to my wife warning her that,
‘please stay away from that, look at this message’. I am warning my family, but if that message is discovered in my wife’s phone, it appears as if I will then have the burden to prove that I did not have the intention to cause or to incite violence. I will be doing it to warn my family but obviously in the eyes of the State; obviously my wife can also transmit it to another colleague, friend or relative to try and alert those people of the danger that might be existing.
So Hon. Speaker, in my view, the level of liability that we are putting on a person is a strict liability. We are simply saying, because you have sent a message there is no other explanation. The issue of intention, we really do not have to explain on intention. However, at the end of the day, the State cannot really prove the intention. They will simply say, ‘you have the intention to do that, you send the message, yes and those are the essential elements. In my view, Hon. Speaker, we need to cure this clause. We can cure it either by reducing the punishment that is proposed to something that is lesser or else we put in more measures to ensure that the burden of proof on the part of the State becomes as heavy as possible. That will assist us. Our fear is that even if the court might at the end of the day acquit the individual, we will see a lot of people being arrested and detained on the basis of violating human rights, that every citizen is supposed to be entitled to.
It is my view Hon. Speaker, that we revise that particular Bill and that particular clause in the manner that I am suggesting. I thank you
Hon. Speaker and thank you to the Hon. Member who was calling for points of order. I understand him; he is a bit shallow, he does not understand – [HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear.] –
HON. SHAMU: Mr. Speaker Sir, I have taken the floor in order to add my voice in support of the report presented by Hon. Gandawa which represents the views of the general public and conclusions reached and recommended by the three Parliamentary Portfolio Committees namely; Information, Media and Broadcasting, to which I belong, ICT Postal and Courier Services and the Thematic Committee on Peace and Security. Mr. Speaker Sir, leaders around the world have raised serious national security concerns. Cyber security threats are universal in that they affect Governments, individuals and organisations.
Designation of the Data Protection Authority under POTRAZ is welcome. However, I have a problem with the issue of Cyber Security Centre being placed under the same institution. There is a clear distinction on the functions of the Cyber Security Centre and that of the Data Protection Authority. Even in the Bill, this distinction is crystal clear. Cyber Security Centre is under Section 5 and Data Protection Authority’s under Section 7.
Legislative intent is to establish two distinct organs with different functions. The first one is specifically a Cyber Security Centre and then the other is a Data Protection Authority. There is need to be cognisant of the sensitivity surrounding a Cyber Security Centre. For example, in other jurisdictions such as the United States of America, they have a Cyber Security and Infrastructure Security Agency which is a standalone. Further Mr. Speaker Sir, an analysis of their war on cyber-crime will reveal that the United States Department of Defence has 11 key departments such as US Cybercom.
Zimbabwe’s war on Cyber-crime is an aspect that should not be taken lightly as we have to be wary of the technological advancement that can have devastating effects even on the sovereignty of this very nation.
There is a need to have the Cyber Security Centre, independent of
POTRAZ. The Bill should be crafted in a manner that places the Cyber Security Centre in its right place considering national security. The person who heads this department should have direct access to the President. I thank you.
HON. BITI: Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir for allowing me to join in this very important debate on a very important Bill.
Hon. Speaker Sir, the war of liberation was fought for freedom, the attainment and protection of our civil liberties which were denied by the settler regime. Therefore, if you look at our Constitution, the most important provision of our Constitution or the most important Chapter of our Constitution is easily Chapter 4 of the Constitution of Zimbabwe which contains basic rights.
There is a challenge with the underlying philosophy of this Bill. The underlying philosophy of this Bill is to proscribe, take away or liquidate certain human rights which I am going to name and are identified in the Constitution. The Bill instead of celebrating and ensuring the enjoyment of people’s rights, its underlying philosophy is actually to subtract, to detract and to de-legitimise certain rights.
These rights include the right to human dignity codified in Section 51 of the Constitution of Zimbabwe. As I will demonstrate later on, the Bill gives a carte blanche ride to authorities to take away their own personal information including health information in Sections 8 and 9. That is an affront to the right codified in Section 51 of the Constitution of Zimbabwe.
Section 57 protects the right to privacy; it is an extensive provision. Allow me to read out the imperators of Section 57 of the Constitution. It says; every person has the right to privacy, which includes the right not to have and it is one of the few rights which actually imposes a negative obligation on the part of the state. Most rights have got a positive obligation, like the right to life and then the State is obliged to protect the right to live; the right to health – the State is obliged to put mechanisms for the enjoyment of the right to life but this right is unique because it is a right which says the State cannot do the following things;
I will read the right – in Constitutional jurisprudence, it is a negative constitutional right. It says, every person has the right to privacy, which include the right not to have a) their home premises or property entered into without their permission; b) their person, home, premises or property searched; c) their possessions seized; d) the privacy of their communications violated and e) their health condition disclosed. I will demonstrate later on Mr. Speaker Sir that this right is in fact infringed and breached upon in terms of the draft Bill that stands upon you. The third right that is infringed by this Bill is the right to freedom of expression and freedom of the media codified in Section 61. People have a right to say certain things. I do not like trolls but unfortunately, the Constitution protects their right to say whatever they say. Our
Constitutional Court, in a fundamental judgement, the case of
Constantine Chimakure in outlawing the law of criminal defamation was very clear. The judgement of the Deputy Chief Justice, now the current
Chief Justice Malaba CJ that, ‘I might not like what you say, I might not like you as a troll but you have got a constitutional right that is codified in Section 61’. Unless you cross certain lines; those lines are defined in the Constitution namely and largely hate speech. This Bill goes beyond that. It goes beyond the parameters of Section 61 of the Constitution.
The forth right Mr. Speaker Sir that is infringed by this Bill is the right codified in Section 68 of the Constitution. Section 68 says no administrative decision can be taken against you without your right to be heard, without due process. If you look at this Bill Mr. Speaker Sir, the right to obtain personal information is taken away from a citizen without respect to the right to be heard. In fact, there is no oversight. Some Bills for instance the Criminal Procedure and Evidence Act at least has the semblance of due process. A policeman has to go to a magistrate to obtain a search warrant, a warrant of seizure. This Bill has no pretence of that. Any one of the categories of persons can seize your personal and private information. This Bill Mr. Speaker Sir, in the brief life of the Ninth Parliament, represents the most vicious attack on our civil liberties, in particular those rights that I have defined - Section 51, the right to dignity, Section 57 the right to privacy, Section 61 the right to freedom of information and Section 68 the right to due process.
Mr. Speaker, I want to move to the structure of the Bill. I want to say that the Bill is an attempt to mix the unmixable. The Bill is seeking to address so many mischievous issues but the end result is an unpalatable Frankenstein. Frankenstein was a creation by an author called Shelley Bysshe. The monster with someone’s nose, someone’s
hands and so forth.
This Bill tries to deal with four issues. These issues do not mix together, there is a tension. There is unnecessary amalgamation of issues but that amalgamation of issues creates irreconcilable differences and tensions which demand as a matter of fact, that the Bill has to be unbundled so that the different issues that the Bill seeks to address are dealt with separately. There is the issue of security and cyber crime.
That is independent, that is separate.
The security authorities of this country in terms of Chapter 15 have got a right to protect the security of Zimbabweans. No one can question the fact that ICT can be a platform for that but that should be dealt with separately from the Bill that deals with data protection. Data Mr.
Speaker Sir, is now a human right. Data is now inexplicably connected to the dignity and the reproduction of an individual. I cannot for instance Mr. Speaker Sir survive without my iPad, survive without my iPhone. My whole life is reproduced in these gadgets, my emails, my research, my pictures, my videos, my music, my books, my bank accounts. I cannot live without that, I do internet banking. That aspect of the human being cannot be mixed in a Bill that is dealing with State security. It is separate. The person presiding over that also must be separate.
The third challenge which again sits very comfortably in this Bill is the attempt to criminalise these rights through the part that starts with
Section 165, the entire amendments to the Criminal Procedure and Evidence Act. They sit uncomfortable. One example is the criminalisation on child pornography. We are all disgusted by child pornography. I appreciate the submissions of the Committee through Hon. Chikwinya that let us call it a different name. I have no problem with that. What I have problem with is if we are going to protect children Mr. Speaker Sir, let us have a separate Bill that deals with children’s rights. Let us have a new Child Protection Act that deals for instance with an outstanding issue, the issue of child marriages for instance. As way back as the 16th January 2016, the Constitutional Court in the Mudzuri Matter outlawed child marriages. Four years later, that law has not been harmonised. We still have child marriages, we still have children being pledged in families. Let us have a separate Bill that deals with that. In other words Mr. Speaker, this Bill needs deconstruction. The esteemed Minister of Information needs to go back to the drawing board and sift out the ideas that are there which can then be expanded and developed and there is massive public consultation in terms of Section 141 of the Constitution so that we have a sustainable
Bill not the, for the lack of a better word, the dog’s breakfast that we currently have. The one which many dogs would not touch anyway.
Those are my respectful submissions Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, I want to go to particular provisions. I am particularly concerned and previous speakers have made this point. This issue of the cyber security centre described in Section 5 is a security issue for the security agencies of this country. It is already there, maybe they call it JOC. It cannot be in this Bill. POTRAZ cannot be that security centre because POTRAZ is the regulator. POTRAZ is the overseer. You cannot expect the overseer to then play an executive role, an executing role. Let me read to you some of the functions of the cyber security centre. To advise Government and implement Government policy on cyber crime, what do they know? They know that Econet has raised the price of data. That is what they know. They are not qualified but a CIO such as the comrade who spoke last week knows about these things. The one from Beitbridge, they know about these issues Mr. Speaker. Let the security agency be in charge of the cyber security centre. It is already there and it does not need to be put in an Act of Parliament. It is the one Mr. Speaker which identifies areas of intervention, which coordinates cyber security, which establishes protection assured – all those things Mr. Speaker, they cannot be.
I come to the second creature that is being sought to be created which is the data protection authority. When you look at the functions of the data protection authority under Section 8, they are basically a human rights function. They are basically protecting now the right of the individual to have access and protection of his data. The right to go on a search uninterrupted, the right of not having anyone see what your internet footprint is, the right of an individual to watch net for instance, surely that is a civilian function and that is not a regulatory function. POTRAZ should not have anything to do with this function. If you want to put it under the Human Rights Commission, my respective submission is that it is already clogged. Let us create a separate body that deals with it but it cannot go to the Regulator because the Regulator is not an executioner. The Regulator will now look and say is data being really protected, not POTRAZ. I submit that the structure Hon. Speaker is not correct. You cannot have the Cyber Security Centre, the Regulator and the Data Protection Authority being one person. You have to create three separate distinct bodies.
I want to go to Clause 13 of the Bill. There is personal information which, as I have alluded to in Section 57 of the Constitution, is protected and the Bill itself has a definition of personal information which is very wide. In Section 2 or Clause 2, the definition section – personal information is defined to include the following: the Person’s name and address - no issue, the person’s race, national or ethnic origin - no issue.
The person’s age, sex but listen to this Hon. Speaker. Sexual orientation, marital status or family status, an identifying number there is no problem. Finger prints is key, the same applies to blood type or inheritable characteristics and Information about a person’s health care history, why would the Authorities be interested with anyone’s health history? The point I want to show is that of protection. The individual’s personal views or opinions, we are now infringing on another right, the right to freedom of conscience, personal correspondence pertaining to home and family life. That is the definition of personal information.
Section 13 says in relation to the processing of sensitive personal information, the processing of sensitive data is prohibited unless the data has given consent. That is okay. Subsection (2) says the provision of subsection (1) shall not apply. In other words, your personal information, which includes all that paraphernalia of private information, you are not protected under the following circumstances.
[Time Limit].
THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER (HON. MUTOMBA): Hon.
Biti, I give you five more minutes to wind up your debate.
HON. BITI: Thank you Hon. Speaker Sir and May God bless you. The exception now is that what has been given with your right hand is now being taken away with your left hand. So, the provisions of subsection (1) shall not apply where the processing is necessary to carry out the obligations and specific rights of the controller in the field of employment. So, when you are looking for a job, you have no right to privacy. That is not the law. I have got a right to say to my potential employer yes, I want you to know my medical records and my personal opinion. I have to give consent.
The processing is necessary to protect the vital interest of the data subject or any other person. I should be the only person to determine what is in my best interest and not any other person. The processing is carried out in the course of legitimate activity by a foundation, association or any other non-profit organisation. Why are we giving these NGOs control over my data? If I consent, it is different and therefore, it does not have to be there, but here it is not subject to consent. The processing is necessary to comply with national security
laws. – [THE MINISTER OF JUSTICE, LEGAL AND PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS (HON. ZIYAMBI): Can you read
again the whole of (c).] - It is too long and it is eating into my time. Let me read again (c). The processing is carried out in the course of its legitimate activities by a foundation, association or any other non-profit organisation with a political, philosophical, religious, health insurance or trade union purpose and on condition that the processing relates solely to the membership of the organisation. My right to join a membership cannot be determined on the right of that organisation to spy into my own personal life unless I consent to. This Act is giving a blank cheque, a right for that organisation to inquire into my personal information which is protected by Section 57 of the Constitution.
The processing is necessary to comply with national security laws. We do not agree Mr. Speaker Sir. Let me just finish the categories. The processing is necessary with appropriate guarantees for the establishment exercise or defence of legal claims. So, if someone is being sued in a matter he/she can get my data to defend himself but under what circumstances would that arise? These are involuntary now. Subsection (1) of Section 13 says my information is secure but subsection (2) says it can be taken away under these categories and the same applies Hon. Speaker and I will combine so that I just make one holistic argument.
The same applies to Section 14 which deals with genetic data, biometric sensitive data and health data. It says the processing of genetic data, bio-metric data and health data is prohibited. The prohibition is there which is constitutional but like Section 13 (2), it takes away and it says the provision of subsection (1) shall not apply and it reproduces the same derogations that are contained in Section 13 (2) – whether you like it or not, your sensitive personal data is taken by the authorities defined in those categories and there is no due process..
[Time limit]
HON. CHIKWINYA: On a point of Order Hon. Speaker. I
propose that the Hon. Member’s time be increased by 5 minutes.
Motion put and agreed to.
HON. BITI: So, you cannot have without due process, without a court order, any individual your employer, trade union or whoever having this right to obtain information carte blanche. I respectfully submit that you are breaching Section 57, you are breaching Section 51, the right to human dignity. You cannot do this - Section 13 and Section14 are patently unconstitutional.
I go to the next one which is very concerning. Section 17 says any person having access to the data and acting under the authority of the
Controller - the Controller here Hon. Speaker is POTRAZ. Any person having access to the data and acting under the authority of the Controller or the Processor as well as the processor himself/herself may process data only as instructed by the Controller without prejudice to any duty imposed by law. This Section admits to a multiple number of data processors and people who have got access to data. Only in exceptional circumstances, we have to allow State Security Agents to have access to data but this thing allows anyone to have access to data. I think it was Hon. Sibanda who spoke about factions and rivalries in political parties just to name a few. You cannot do that Hon. Speaker. You cannot open up people’s data to anyone. So, Section 14 perpetuates the mindset of this Bill that you can have data just being given to anyone. You cannot do that Hon. Speaker. I want to move on to another one which is very concerning.
THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER: You need to be mindful of
your time.
HON. BITI: Yes, Hon. Speaker. I wish you had given me 10 minutes. Section 23 Hon. Speaker – ‘the authority shall keep a register of all automatic processing operations’. An entry in the registry referred to in Subsection 1 must include the information. Now, automatic processing operation means permanent access to data by certain persons. It is equivalent to the key logging component that is referred to in the part dealing with Criminal Procedure and Evidence Act. So these permanent operators, Hon. Speaker, are now people that are continuously logged onto your gadgets. Can you imagine the invasion that someone is permanently logged on your iphone, ipad or Samsung notepad? Minister, you know that this cannot be right. You have been a victim already of this kind of invasion. We are not safe, Hon. Speaker. This is the biggest invasion that can ever happen – the permanent logging of data.
Then the Bill keeps on referring to principles. So I want to give an example, Section 24. Section 24 says the data controller shall take all necessary measures to comply with the principles and obligations set out in this Act, but the Act itself does not actually define the principles of data protection. So what actually should have happened is that there should have been a section that says that these are the principles and the principles would be like a charter of rights to say these are the rights, but they are missing in the Bill. The Bill does not contain those. So they should be there. The Bill should codify and say these are the principles and this illustrates and gives probative value to my contention that there are competing interests here, but the competing interest that wins is that of security and invasion.
If we had a separate Bill on data protection those principles would be there because the Data Protection Bill would have been written from the point of view of the individual, from the point of view of the consumer, but this now is written with a security mindset. We want to get information but that cannot be right, Hon. Speaker. We have the Constitution which is the supreme law of the country and anything and any conduct inconsistent with the same is invalid to that extent – section 2 of the Constitution of the country.
[Time limit]
THE MINISTER OF JUSTICE LEGAL AND
PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS (HON. ZIYAMBI): I think there are
some important points that we are capturing. With your indulgence just allow him to finish.
Motion put and agreed to.
HON. BITI: Mr. Speaker I want to deal with the criminal provisions which are contained in here.
THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER: I think it was going to help
you more if you had actually tabulated your points on a separate paper than going through your phone because it is taking much of your time.
HON. BITI: Just bear with me Mr. Speaker. We are already prosecuting people without this schedule that is being imposed on us.
THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER: I am very much interested in
what you would want to contribute not what you are saying at the moment.
HON. BITI: My submission, Mr. Speaker Sir, without going through specific provisions is that the Criminal Codification Act together with other laws already has criminal liabilities for the things that we are seeking to criminalise in this particular chapter. Not only that, we have certain rights that are now being taken out. For instance the clogging provision which Hon. Chikwinya refers to is actually in this particular provision.
So my submission Hon. Speaker is that the entirety of part 2 of the Bill should actually be removed but what the Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs should do separately in an omnibus general laws amendment is to seek to revisit the areas of the Criminal Codification Act he may want to deal with to deal with internet based issues, particularly the issue of hate crime. It does not need this Bill.
So my submission is that take away part 2 and the philosophy of part 2 again is wrong. You have got sentences of between 5 to 10 years. One of the provisions says if you tweet or do anything that hurts an individual, you are liable to at least 5 years. If I say – I was going to say to the Minister but he might not like it, to an Hon. Member here you are an idiot, the worst that can happen to me is I am fined. If I tweet that and say the Hon. Member is an idiot in terms of this law I can go for 10 years. That is absurd, Hon. Speaker.
So my submission, Hon. Speaker is that take away part 2 but let the Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs in his esteemed capacity as the person who presides over the administration of the Criminal Code and the Criminal Procedure and Evidence Act, let him take one or two things that he may then put in the criminal laws of this country, in particular the issue of hate speech. Everything else is totally unnecessary. If I had time Hon. Speaker, I wanted to give you cases of prosecution that are already taking place which we are defending without this heinous draconian Bill. It is not necessary. Do not criminalise information; do not criminalise the fights that take place on twitter. If someone says something that I do not like on my facebook, and trust me Mr. Speaker I get attached every day, I just block. So there is already a civil mechanism. Twitter and Facebook allows you to block. I do not know about Instagram because I am not a beauty queen, but I am sure it has got a blocking facility.
So Hon. Speaker, let civil processes take place and let the Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs then in the few areas use the privilege of the General Laws Amendment Act to amend the Criminal Codification Act. I thank you so much Hon. Speaker and may God bless you.
HON. ZIYAMBI: I move that debate do now adjourn.
Motion put and agreed to.
Debate to resume: Wednesday, 30th September, 2020.
HON. CHIKWINYA: On a point of order Hon. Speaker. At 2.20
p.m. this afternoon the Hon. Speaker ruled that at 4.45 p.m. I could raise my motion on national interest. I had not done that at that particular time because an Hon. Member was on the floor and out of respect, I had to let them go. May I be allowed to raise that point of national interest?
THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER: I will accommodate you, but I had already recognised Hon. Bushu.
HON. CHIKWINYA: Thank you Hon. Speaker. My point of
national interest is with regards to the state of our education now, post 28th September when schools opened for examination classes. Hon. Speaker, teachers are not reporting for work, citing incapacitation. I therefore propose that the Minister of Primary and Secondary Education comes to Parliament on Thursday to give a Ministerial Statement on how they intend to solve this crisis where children have paid school fees, have gone back to school but teachers are not reporting for duty citing incapacitation. I propose Hon. Speaker.
THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER (HON. MUTOMBA): Thank
you very much. Leader of the House, if you could actually link up with the Minister.
THE MINISTER OF JUSTICE, LEGAL AND
PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS (HON. ZIYAMBI): Thank you Mr.
Speaker. I will convey; I will ensure that the Minister comes with the Ministerial Statement.
MOTION
BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE
THE MINISTER OF JUSTICE, LEGAL AND
PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS (HON. ZIYAMBI): Thank you Hon.
Speaker. I move that Orders of the Day, Numbers 5 to 45 on today’s
Order Paper be stood over until Order Number 46 has been disposed of.
MOTION
REPORT ON THE RE-ENGAGEMENT VISIT TO THE UNITED
KINGDOM OF SWEDEN
Forty-Sixth Order read: Adjourned debate on motion on the report of the re-engagement visit to the United Kingdom of Sweden by a Parliamentary delegation led by Hon. Advocate. J.F. Mudenda from 9th to 19th September, 2019.
Question again proposed.
HON. K. PARADZA: Thank you very much Hon. Speaker. I rise to thank the Hon. Members who contributed to this report and as you are aware Hon. Speaker, it is our foreign policy now to re-engage and engage and this was our first phase of going around to those capitals that matter and Sweden was such one of the capitals that are important in our journey to re-engage.
Hon. Speaker, I must thank the Speaker of the National Assembly, Hon. Advocate J.F. Mudenda who led this delegation and also my colleagues who were part of that delegation. It was made up of all the parties that are represented in Parliament and our discussions there were very robust. The Swedes understood our position and were sympathetic to our position. Hon. Speaker, I must also commend the Government for bringing up as you saw this afternoon, we just approved the bi-lateral treaty between Zimbabwe and Sweden in terms of investments and trade and it was one such issue that was also raised when we were in
Stockholm, to say we have signed this agreement but until now you have not ratified it as Zimbabwe. So we have done that and I am happy about
that.
Hon. Speaker, the re-engagement process is an on-going programme and we as Parliament, must at least do our part and make sure that we complement Government efforts in terms of re-engagement. Hon. Speaker, when we discuss with most of the people in the Western world, in other words, the international community, they are sort of in a hurry. They think that we are too slow in making sure that we do some reforms in terms of law reforms, but they are not aware of our parliamentary process that there are some procedures to be done.
However, we are happy that at least we are engaging but what is disturbing is that there is a lot of misinformation and fake news that is going around about Zimbabwe, including fake abductions and so forth. Some of these things are not doing us any good as a country and it is time we focus on developing our country as one people, as a nation. I urge my colleagues, especially those from the opposition to say this is our country. We have no other country apart from this one and therefore we must all be patriotic to this country, our motherland Zimbabwe.
Hon. Speaker, I think at some point, we need to come up with a law similar to the Patriotic Act in the US where each and every one of us as citizens is required to make sure that we are loyal to our country. On that note Hon. Speaker I move that the Report of the re-engagement visit to the United Kingdom of Sweden by a Parliamentary delegation led by Hon. Advocate. J. F. Mudenda from 9th to 19th September, 2019 be adopted. Thank you so much.
Motion put and adoted.
MOTION
BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE
HON. MUTAMBISI: Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir. I move that the House revert to Order of the Day, Number 18.
HON. BUSHU: I second.
Motion put and agreed to.
MOTION
REPORT OF THE PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON LOCAL
GOVERNMENT, PUBLIC WORKS AND NATIONAL HOUSING ON
THE STATE OF SERVICE DELIVERY BY LOCAL AUTHORITIES
HON. BUSHU: Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir. I move the motion standing in my name that:
This House takes note of the Report of the Portfolio Committee on
Local Government, Public Works and National Housing on the State of Service Delivery by Local Authorities.
HON. P. MOYO: I second.
HON. BUSHU: The Portfolio Committee on Local Government, Public Works and National Housing resolved to conduct an inquiry into the state of service delivery by local authorities as part of its oversight role. The Committee was concerned by poor service delivery throughout the country. The Committee noted that service delivery was very critical and opted to give it priority.
It is the wish of the Committee to have a clean environment that is free from litter and has clean and potable running water and good road network. It is indisputable that service delivery is critical to ensure a healthy population since lack of it may result in deaths caused by communicable diseases. Therefore, the provision of basic services by the entities that are mandated to provide such services is key to human and economic development. The issue of access to clean water is a fundamental human right which no Zimbabwean should struggle to get. Refuse collection is also a basic service which local authorities must provide to ensure that the communities are clean.
Objectives
- To assess the state of service delivery by the local authorities in their respective jurisdictions.
- To determine the challenges faced by the local authorities in their day to day operations.
- To proffer recommendations towards mitigating and/or ameliorating the challenges noted.
Methodology
The Committee visited Binga, Hwange, Victoria Falls, Bulawayo,
Kadoma, Chegutu and Zvimba Local Authorities from 2 March to 10 March 2020. The Committee held meetings with local authorities officials and councilors. The Committee also conducted tours of some water and waste treatment plants, clinics, schools and roads.
Committee’s Findings
Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Service Delivery
The Committee noted that most of the local authorities were facing challenges in terms of provision of adequate clean water because the WASH Sector was in a deplorable state. The collapse of this crucial service in service delivery has been a culmination of multiple factors which include pollution of water bodies, lack of capital injection, the compromise of wetlands as well as drought resulting in the drying up of water sources such as dams which supply most of the urban and rural areas with water. In addition, service delivery was also affected by the chronic power shortages and the shortage of foreign currency to procure essential inputs such as water treatment chemicals. Resultantly, the crisis in the WASH sector has led to the outbreak of several water-borne diseases such as cholera, typhoid and dysentery particularly in the urban areas. The Committee learnt from the various local authorities visited that they were facing acute challenges in providing water services due to the huge losses of water that occur due to aged water reticulation infrastructure.
The Committee learnt that Binga RDC had 315 boreholes, 536 deep wells, two major dams and 12 weirs. The Committee was informed that the district had established 18 piped water schemes with assistance from partners whereby after putting up a borehole, Binga RDC go a step further and install water pipes to pump the water from the boreholes to the communities. At the time of the Committee’s visit, Binga RDC had managed to provide pumped water directly from boreholes to six schools as well as to 12 communities. The Committee learnt that some of the piped water schemes run into distances of 10 kilometers.
The Committee learnt that four out of 92 local authorities had part of their water owned by ZINWA. Hwange Local Board is one of the four local authorities that wish to have 100% ownership of water supply. Hwange Local Board complained that they have no control over the amount of raw water provided by ZINWA yet local authorities are the ones responsible for supplying water to residents. Hwange Local Board submitted that an ideal situation was for ZINWA to hand over the management of water to the remaining four councils to avoid complications of the two institutions dealing with the provision of water. They also pointed out that if they had control of water, their revenue flow would improve and they would be able to provide adequate water to the residents of Hwange.
Hwange Local Board had two waste water treatment plants, one at
Baobab which was rehabilitated three years ago and another one at Empumalanga which was not functional. The Baobab Treatment Plant catered for the low density suburb of Baobab and parts of the medium density suburb of Chivondo. The council stated that there was need for capital injection from central government to enable the council to resuscitate the Empumalanga water treat plant in order to improve the water supply situation.
Victoria Falls Municipality is also one of the local authorities which had its raw water extraction point owned by ZINWA. The
Committee was informed that whenever there was a breakdown at Victoria Falls raw water extraction point, Victoria Falls Council could not move efficiently to restore the water supply as this was the preserve of ZINWA. It was mentioned that ZINWA had no technicians based in Victoria Falls but relied on technicians based in Binga and it takes two to three days for the technicians to come from Binga and attend to faults.
As a result, the town goes without water for longer periods.
The Committee was informed that about five years ago Victoria Falls used to supply water to its communities at least 21 hours a day but at the time of the Committee’s visit they were able to supply water for 18 hours a day. The authorities explained that Victoria Falls
Municipality was increasing in population and the hospitality industry was also growing. This development was putting a strain on the water infrastructure which was old and had not been expanded to cater for the growing population. After the realisation that the town was growing, Victoria Falls Council came up with what they termed Victoria Falls
WASH Project. The project was aimed at rehabilitating, upgrading and expanding the water infrastructure from the abstraction to the end user. The cost of that project was estimated at US$16 million and the project had not yet been supported in terms of the funding.
Bulawayo City relied on two dams for its water supply and the dams were said to be virtually empty because of the poor rainfall season. The Committee was informed that the dams might probably run dry by May 2020, meaning the city was going to have challenges in supplying water to its residents. At the time of the Committee’s visit, the city was supplying water three times a day to the community with the exception of the central business centre, industrial areas, university and hospitals. Bulawayo City Council drilled 355 boreholes with the assistance from donors in the high density areas to augment its water supply.
Bulawayo City Council said its biggest problem was that about 70% of its sewer was flowing into the environment due to the collapsed sewer infrastructure and the sprouting of illegal settlements in
Mbundane and Emthunzini without any WASH service provision amenities, thus increasing the risk of enteric infections in the area.
City of Kadoma gets its raw water from Craw Dam. The city had two water treatment plants with a total capacity of 20 mega litres per day. In terms of augmenting its water supply, the council drilled 57 boreholes and also provided water tanks in cases of emergencies. In terms of waste water management, Kadoma City had four waste water treatment plants. The Committee was impressed to learn that Kadoma City Council had a compliant landfill as most local authorities visited were battling to develop a proper landfill and were still using dump sites.
The Municipality of Chegutu abstracts its raw water from Mupfure River and Clifton Dam. The water supply system consisted of one water treatment plant constructed in the 1960’s. The infrastructure was said to be aged and had been upgraded many times but needed replacement.
The inadequacy of potable water supply in Chegutu was attributed to non-revenue water, (treated water that is not charged because it is lost in the process of distribution due to aged infrastructure). Funding permitting, Chegutu Municipality would replace the aged water and waste infrastructure.
In terms of WASH, Zvimba Rural District Council had managed to do maintenance works to 256 boreholes in 2019 with the assistance of development partners.
Health Facilities
The Committee also had an opportunity to tour some of the health facilities in the local authorities visited. The Committee learnt that local authorities had a statutory mandate to establish and provide primary health care facilities within their localities. As such, health facilities should be within an eight kilometre radius from the place of residence. The Committee learnt from the local authorities that plans were in motion to increase and improve their health facilities. However, in most areas, the nearest health facilities were beyond the 8 kilometre radius.
Binga RDC has four clinics which provide primary health care. The council through resources from government (devolution funds) and their own resources, was in the process of constructing the Malaliya and Chipale clinics. The Committee toured Malaliya Clinic which was under construction. The project was started in November, 2019. The community was providing local materials for the project. The Committee was informed that the Member of Parliament (MP) for the area also contributed towards the project through the Constituency Development Fund.
Hwange Local Board has one clinic called Empumalanga Clinic which was supposed to service the residents under Hwange Local Board’s jurisdiction. However, this clinic was also servicing people from wards outside Hwange Local Board’s jurisdiction and this was said to be a strain to the clinic as it could not cope with the demand. The clinic was fully funded and constructed by Hwange Council. The Committee had a chance to tour the clinic which was functional but not yet fully equipped.
In Bulawayo, the Committee learnt that the city has 19 clinics with seven of them having maternity centres and one infectious disease hospital. All clinics that are run by Bulawayo City Council are antiretroviral initiation centres.
Kadoma has seven clinics but its new suburbs do not have any health facilities. The Committee was informed that there were plans to have clinics in the new suburbs. The council’s clinics provided 8 126 clients with ART services.
Chegutu Municipality runs two clinics, namely Pfupajena and Chinengundu. The Committee was informed that the two clinics had high volumes of patients because of the issue of affordability. It was submitted that there were plans to open a maternity ward at Chinengundu Clinic.The Committee noted the renovations that were being carried out at Chinengundu Clinic for the maternity wing during its tour. Chegutu Municipality had seven nurses but its health establishment should be 13. They were in the process of recruiting the outstanding number but still more nurses would be required after opening the maternity wing since the Chinengundu Clinic will operate for 24 hours. The clinics offered immunisation programmes, HIV and TB testing and treatment.
Education Facilities
The Committee sought to understand the status of the education system in the localities visited. The Committee observed that most local authorities had made great strides in ensuring that all the students at primary and secondary education level get access to affordable education in line with Sustainable Development Goal 4. However, most schools owned by local authorities had shortage of class rooms resulting in hot sitting.
Binga RDC has 120 schools run by the council and out of the 120, 41 are secondary schools. The Committee also learnt that the local authorities were actively involved in the renovation of schools. Particularly in Binga, the local authority had managed to renovate classroom blocks in 13 schools whose roofs were damaged by the strong gusts of wind. Binga RDC was also in the process of constructing two teachers’ houses at a satellite school in Chibondo.
Hwange Local Board has two primary schools and one preschool.
The district has one secondary school which is owned by government. The Committee was informed that in terms of secondary schools, the one school was adequate but there was need for more primary schools. Council indicated that the one primary school conducted hot sitting classes because of the increase in the number of pupils. The Committee was informed that the council was going to construct another block with three classrooms using devolution funds. Plans were in place to build another primary school in a new area known as Empumalanga West.
Victoria Falls Municipality runs one primary school and one secondary school and were said to be functioning well. However, it was highlighted that there was need for one additional primary school and one secondary school as the municipality was increasing in population.
Bulawayo City Council has 30 primary schools and was in the process of building another primary school in Cowdray Park. The council has also one secondary school. It was submitted to the Committee that Bulawayo City Council has a backlog of 29 primary schools that have to be built to meet the demand and avoid hot sitting. It was further explained that the city needed to build about 30 blocks in all primary schools that are currently operating in order to meet the demand.
Kadoma City Council has six primary schools. The Committee learnt that Kadoma had a shortage of schools and as a result, some schools were conducting hot sitting classes. The council indicated that there were plans in place to build schools in the new suburbs.
Kadoma City Council indicated that there was a pressing need for institutions of higher and tertiary learning. The council then offered 30 hectares of land to Chinhoyi University of Technology to building a campus so that the university can operate in Kadoma as a way to solve the problem of lack of institutions of higher learning. However, the Committee learnt that Chinhoyi University of Technology was yet to take up the offer. The Women’s University in Africa was also invited and had been operating in Kadoma since late 2019 using council property.
Chegutu Municipality has two council primary schools, namely, Kaguvi and Chinengundu. In terms of educational facilities, the council indicated that its schools had no Early Childhood Development special classrooms as required. The primary schools were also in need of computers for the pupils. The Committee was informed that the enrolment in schools were going up due to new suburbs coming up, thereby increasing pressure on schools in terms of classroom facilities, textbooks and furniture.
The Committee was impressed by the progress made by the
Zvimba Rural District Council which had almost completed its Early Childhood Development Classroom Block. The Committee was informed that the council had renovated ten schools and one clinic that were affected by heavy storms and Cyclone Idai using devolution funds.
In general, the local authorities visited pointed out that they were unable to raise adequate revenue from their coffers to support their schools in terms of construction of more schools and accommodation facilities for the teachers. They underscored the need for Central Government to support the construction of learning facilities.
Road Construction and Maintenance
The Portfolio Committee toured the roads networks within the jurisdiction of the local authorities visited. The Committee noted the need for local authorities to construct and maintain feeder roads in their respective jurisdictions. Funding for these initiatives also comes from the Zimbabwe National Roads Authority (ZINARA). The Committee was informed by local authorities visited that ZINARA funds were being disbursed toward the end of the year when the money would have lost value due to inflation pressures. As such, the local authorities were facing a huge backlog in terms of servicing roads resulting in poor road networks. They emphasized that the funds being disbursed were just enough for routine maintenance and not periodic maintenance. Routine maintenance is when the roads are just being patched, for example
filling in potholes and periodic maintenance is whereby the roads have to be resealed.
Binga RDC has a total of 868 kilometers of road network to maintain. The Committee was informed that the district’s road network continues to expand because the communities are expanding into new areas due to population growth. Binga had only two kilometers of surfaced roads, that is around Binga Town. The gravel roads stretch up to 350 kilometers and earth roads up to 512 kilometers long. The Committee was informed that Binga RDC had wanted to surface another two kilometers in 2019 but was unable to do so because of limited resources. The council received $689 817 from ZINARA and the funds were used to do some roads works in Kaani high density suburb and along Nakaluba Road.
The Committee was informed that Binga District experienced some flash floods which affected communities in Sinavoma Ward. One life was lost and 37 households were affected in terms of their infrastructure. Council was involved in the efforts to mitigate against the negative effects of the flash floods that happened in February 2020 by contributing 1000 litres of fuel that was used to construct a 7.5 kilometer road that was destroyed.
Hwange Local Board has a total of 32 kilometers of sealed road network and 70% of the roads required periodic maintenance. The council was having challenges with rehabilitation and maintenance of the roads because of inadequate funding. In 2019, Hwange Local Board was allocated $1.2 million for road maintenance and rehabilitation from ZINARA but the council said it only received ZWL$178 955 in the last quarter of 2019.The amount was grossly inadequate and the council could not accomplish much in terms of maintenance. The Committee was informed that the works done using the $178 955 allocated in the last quarter of 2019 were washed away by the floods in February 2020.
It was submitted to the Committee that Victoria Falls road network though not perfect was in a good condition. Victoria Falls Municipality has 56% of its road network tarred and the rest are earth and gravel roads. The Committee was informed that 91% of the road network was trafficable throughout the year and the remaining 9% gets affected during rainy seasons. In 2019, Victoria Falls received $371 000 from ZINARA which was for road maintenance. The council complained like many other local authorities visited, that the funds were not adequate to undertake any meaningful road works.
Bulawayo City Council has 2400 kilometers of road network and 1742 of that network are sealed, 566 kilometers are gravel road and 92 kilometers are earth roads. The Committee was informed that the bulk of the earth roads were in Cowdray Park and Garikai Hlalani Kuhle areas where people settled without servicing. The city said the quality of their roads were in a fair condition. However, it was submitted that the city would need about $670 million to bring the infrastructure back to its standard. The city uses disbursements from ZINARA and funds from its own coffers to maintain the roads.
Chegutu Municipality has a total of 120 kilometers of gravel roads and 40 kilometers of surfaced tarred roads. The Committee was informed that the council was only able to carry out routine maintenance such as grading using their own resources but was relying on ZINARA funding for periodic maintenance. In 2019, they got $1.8 million which was not adequate for periodic maintenance and was used to do routine maintenance works.
Zvimba Rural District Council received $577 414 and $212 550 in 2018 and 2019 respectively from ZINARA and managed to do maintenance works to 433 kilometers of its road network.
Refuse Collection
In Binga, refuse collection was done once a week in Binga Centre but the collection may be increased depending on the amount of garbage that would have accumulated. Binga RDC had not yet developed a landfill but was using a dump site for its garbage. The Committee was informed that the council was unable to develop a landfill because of the cost involved in establishing one. However, the council had identified the landfill and an environmental impact assessment was done.
In Hwange, refuse was collected once a week. The council complained that some residents dump their garbage at illegal dumping points. Hwange Local Board had no proper designed landfill and used a dump site for their garbage.
Victoria Falls had three refuse compactors but one was not functioning. Council was collecting refuse daily in the CBD and once a week in residential areas. It was mentioned that there were disruptions in the collection of refuse due to erratic fuel supplies. Victoria Falls had no proper landfill and was using a dump site for its garbage. It was pointed out that the council was unable to develop a landfill using its own funds. It was submitted that would cost the council $US2 million to come up with a standard landfill.
The Committee was informed that Bulawayo City collects its refuse daily within the Central Business Centre and commercial areas. In high density areas, Bulawayo City Council partnered with the communities in terms of refuse removal. The council provided big vehicles which are parked in an area and the community picks the refuse within the locality to fill in the trucks. The garbage in the trucks was removed on a weekly basis. The council said this was working very well especially when there is shortage of fuel.
Chegutu Municipality’s policy on refuse collection was to collect refuse on a weekly basis in residential areas and daily in the CBD. However, council was no longer able to maintain the schedule because of unavailability of fuel resulting in council collecting refuse after 2 or 3 weeks.
Devolution Funds/Budget Performance
The Committee was informed by the councils visited that they were operating in an unstable economic environment and that affected their budget performance because of the constant changes in prices. The constant increase in prices of goods and services was affecting the implementation of projects. It was explained that after all tender processes were done and councils were ready to start a project, contractors would adjust their prices citing inflation.
The Committee was informed that Binga RDC was allocated a total of $6 200 000 as devolution funds in 2019.
Hwange Local Board was allocated at total of $3 240 000 but only
$2 919 000 was disbursed as devolution funds in 2019.
Victoria Falls received $3 284 754 as devolution funds in 2019 which was used to rehabilitate water works.
Bulawayo City Council got $30 324 799 as devolution funds which were used to construct two classroom blocks, ablution block, an administration block and small bridge and some roads. The other part of devolution funds were used for rehabilitation of water works and also renovate the Barbourfields Stadium.
Kadoma City Council was having challenges in terms of what they bill and what was being collected. The council said the collection rate was very low in terms of figures and stood at 38%. The low revenue collection impacted negatively on the production of water because of the production and supply of water. The council said its non revenue water stood at 60%. In 2019, Kadoma City Council was allocated $9.1 million as devolution funds but only $3.2 million was disbursed.
In terms of revenue collection, Chegutu Municipality has an average collection of 65% for water supply. This was said to be an improvement from previous years because of the engagement the council was doing with rate payers. Chegutu Municipality got a total of $4 613 000 as devolution which was for water and sanitation.
The Committee learnt that Zvimba RDC’s 2019 revenue collection stood at 87%. In 2019, Zvimba RDC received a total of $11 727 700 from government as devolution funds. The funds were used to attend to schools that were affected by the storms and cyclone disasters which the district experienced. Six schools and one clinic were renovated using devolution funds. Equipment
All local authorities visited indicated lack of capacity to buy the required fleet for their day to day operations to ensure satisfactory service delivery. In terms of equipment, Binga RDC had one grader and were in the process of procuring a front loader as well as a tipper truck. The council indicated that lack of adequate equipment was affecting service delivery in Binga and that the council needed financial assistance in terms acquiring equipment.
Hwange Local Board had also challenges in terms of equipment. The council was in need of a grader, tipper and a bull dozer for use in the discharge of its duties.
In terms of equipment, Victoria Falls had two tipper trucks, three refuse compactors and one water bowser. The council’s major challenge was lack of a grader and were unable to buy one using own resources. The council emphasized the need to have a grader as it was key to the maintenance and rehabilitation of roads.
The Committee was told that Kadoma City Council had a grader, one compactor working out of three, two tractors out of three, a front loader and one excavator. The fleet was said to be old and was affecting service delivery. Just like other local authorities, the council was unable to buy equipment from the revenue they generate.
Chegutu Municipality requires a grader, tractor and compactor.
Most of the council’s fleet was aged and not functional. It was
explained that if the council could be assisted in buying the mentioned equipment, it will be able to do most of its roads works and only hire specialist equipment from contractors.
City Status
The Committee was informed by Hwange Local Board and
Victoria Falls that they had applied to then Ministry of Local
Government, Public Works and National Housing for an upgrade in the status of their councils. Hwange Local Board believed that it was one of the biggest local boards with the largest wards but had remained a local board. The Committee learnt that over the years Hwange Local Board had been pushing for an upgrade either to a town or to a municipality.
Victoria Falls Municipality said it also applied for a city status in 2017 and were still waiting for a response from the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works. The council hoped that when granted the city status they will be able to compete with other cities in terms of attracting tourists. The Chief Executive Officer of Victoria Falls explained that tourists search for cities when they want to go on holidays and not towns or municipalities, hence the need for the upgrade to city status.
Hwange Concession Area
The Committee was informed that Hwange Local Board was established in 1974 primarily to service the concession area. The concession comprises Hwange Colliery Company, National Railways of Zimbabwe and Zimbabwe Power Company. The concession area was mainly set up to house the workers of the three above mentioned companies. Initially, Hwange Local Board had only seven wards in the concession area however, seven other wards were later created under a delimitation exercise.
The Committee was informed that Hwange Local Board was facing a challenge in terms of service delivery and revenue collection in the fourteen wards. The Committee learnt that Hwange Local Authority had no administrative jurisdiction over the seven wards in the concession area but people from the concession were coming to the seven wards under the local board for basic services such as health and education services. The council indicated that Hwange Colliery, Zimbabwe Power Company and National Railways of Zimbabwe were no longer able to offer services to the people in the seven wards that were under the concession area. Lack of provision of basic services in the concession area resulted in the residents coming to the seven wards outside the concession are for services. This was said to be a strain on the Hwange Local Board considering that there was no revenue being collected from the concession area. Hwange Local Board explained that even the councilors from the concession area were getting allowances from revenue collected from the seven wards created under the delimitation exercise.
The Committee was informed that Hwange Council requested the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works that the seven wards in the concession area be incorporated into the council’s jurisdiction but were still waiting for the Ministry’s approval. It was explained that once the incorporation was done, Hwange Local Board would be able to collect revenue from the seven wards in the concession area and in turn provide service delivery.
Committee’s Observations
The Committee made the following observations:
- The WASH sector is in a deplorable state mainly due to the obsolete infrastructure.
- The lack of access to foreign currency has affected the local authorities’ ability to procure chemicals required for water treatment.
- Late disbursements of funds by ZINARA was affecting implementation of projects by local authorities.
- There was inadequate fiscal support from central government to local authorities in terms of big projects since all local authorities cited the incapacitation to raise funds from own coffers.
- Lack of fuel and refuse collection trucks were affecting the collection of garbage resulting in illegal dumping of refuse, thus exposing residents to diseases.
- Local authorities were not implementing by-laws in terms of revenue collection and dumping of refuse at illegal places because general service delivery was poor.
- There was poor attendance by councillors during the Committee’s visits in Victoria Falls and Bulawayo and this reflects lack of respect for the Committee by councillors.
Recommendations
The Committee, therefore recommends the following:
ZINARA should release the funds meant for road maintenance to local authorities within three months of allocation to ensure timeous implementation of projects and avoid erosion of the funds due inflation.
Ministry of Local Government and Public Works should ensure that local authorities enter into Public Private Partnerships in WASH project in order to improve supply of water to communities by January
2021.
Ministry of Local Government and Public Works should ensure that Victoria Falls is accorded city status by January 2021 considering that the upgrade will improve in attracting tourist.
Ministry of Local Government and Public Works should ensure that all local authorities implement by-laws to enforce compliance by the communities in terms of payment of bills and illegal dumping by January 2021.
Ministry of Local Government and Public Works should look into the issue of jurisdiction of the seven wards in the Hwange Concession area and define how the companies in the concession and Hwange Local Board can work together in terms of providing service in the concession area by December 2020.
There is need for local authorities to be supported financially through loans and Public Sector Investment Programmes or to engage into Public Private Partnerships to enable them to buy equipment by
January 2021.
Councilors should attend meetings whenever the Committee is visiting local authorities. This will enable the Committee to interact with policy makers and the management resulting in a good working relation by all parties involved.
Conclusion
Local authorities are quasi governmental entities and therefore, should not rely on fiscal support for service delivery. Local authorities should come up with ways of generating revenue and improve on efficiency in revenue collection. This way local authorities will be able to collect more revenue to enable them to offer basic service delivery to the communities.
*HON. P. MOYO: Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir. I would like to support the report that was presented by the Local Government Portfolio Committee. The Committee did a good job. They mentioned a number of important things, particularly that our councils should discharge their duties with fortitude. We have natural resources that can be used by councils. So for councils to leave hospitals and other infrastructure not being maintained waiting for the annual budget, that is retrogressive. We know that councils are not performing well because they do not have adequate resources.
The Committee moved around the country and noted that the road infrastructure is getting enough attention from the Government. For example Beitbridge-Chirundu Road which had potholes, now
Government has decided to use monies that are collected from ZINARA and it is evident especially looking at some patches that have been completed. Refurbishment of the road is evident. When we moved around we noted that Government is really serious with refurbishment of that road.
I would like to urge the Committee to continue investigating and looking at how councils are operating. There are schools that are found in resettlement areas especially in new resettlement areas, our councils should focus on such schools to see whether they are doing a good job or not, I thank you.
HON. P. D. SIBANDA: I wish to add my voice to a report that has been submitted by the Hon. Committee. The report for all purposes and intent, I see to be critical and important for the development of our country. Hon. Speaker, the importance of local governance in Zimbabwe can be easily seen from the provisions of section 264. From the report by the Hon. Committee, one would conclude that the solutions to those challenges lies mostly in Section 264 and other parts of the Constitution.
I will therefore Hon. Speaker, approach my debate in this manner. I will firstly want to entirely associate myself with recommendations of the Committee in their entirety. I think it is important that the Committee has resolved that Victoria Falls Municipality and Hwange Local Board should be upgraded in terms of their status as they would apply. One would have wished, I am not so sure whether procedurally that have been right but one would have wanted a scenario where the Committee, before presenting the report, would have approached the Ministry to say, if people are saying they have applied to you to upgrade their status and you have not attended to their problem up to this day, what is your problem?
I am quite sure Hon. Speaker that one would have generated a more informed and factual debate around that issue. Now that we are not provided with an insight why the Ministry has not been acting in the manner that is expected of it, one would not avoid then to say maybe let me give you what we have seen from a distance and what we think will be the sort of problems that are affecting them. The problems that are associated by the local authorities as indicated; some are of a national level and I will place them entirely on Central Government. For example, the shortage of foreign currency that has seriously affected the delivery of services such as water to the citizens fairly lies on the ambit of the Central Government and I think I will leave it to Central Government in all its entirety to deal with.
Let me turn to Section 264 of the Constitution of Zimbabwe looking at it together to what I preferred earlier on to say I will make my own assumption on why things are not moving well in local authorities.
For starters Hon. Speaker, I have got a very serious challenge with the Ministry of Local Government. The new Constitution which was passed in 2013, now after seven years we do not have an Act that deals with the issue of devolution. Seven years down the line, if you look at that part of the Constitution that speaks about devolution, you will understand that the when citizens were making contributions towards that Constitution, they were aware that there is a way in which we need to solve those problems that are currently being highlighted by the Committee but we have never heard about the Bill and we do not know why.
If you look at the effect of not having that Bill, one would think that in a normal democracy, the Hon. Minister of Local Government should not continue to have been in this position up to this date. His duty is to craft a law and make sure that law comes to Parliament. In my view, there is serious negligence of duty in that Ministry and that Ministry we need to put more pressure in terms of our oversight. If you think I am unrealistic, look at the applications that, for example, have been highlighted on Victoria Falls and Hwange Local Board. One would ask why the Ministry is not attending to those applications. I know that some of the applications were actually made 4/5 years back. One would ask why they are not attending to them and you will not get an answer.
Ask in the same way why they are not attending to the Devolution Act, the answer is simple Hon. Speaker. That Ministry is headed by someone who is negligent of his duties. I am not so sure why he is basing that on save to say he is totally negligent of his duties because if he was not, some of these things should have been attended to Hon. Speaker. Now, we want to see the Devolution Bill and the outcome of that is that firstly, we are seeing local authorities being given what are called devolution funds. Those devolution funds are coming in terms of which law because in terms of the Constitution, we are supposed to enact a law which is going to talk about how national finances are going to be devolved.
The Hon. Minister is silent about it. He does not talk about it; he is only quick to react to letters that are being written to recall people from local authorities. That is what he is only efficient for. He is not efficient for building instruments and institutions that are supposed to enhance service delivery in local authorities. If you look at section 264 Hon. Speaker, it talks about devolving the governmental powers and responsibility. These responsibilities include the power to hire and fire senior management of local authorities. We cannot put up a law because as central Government, we want to continue interfering in the hiring and firing of senior managers of local authorities. Hon. Speaker, some colleagues might disagree with me but one of the reasons why we are seeing inefficiency in our local authorities is because most of the local authorities in terms of their top management have allegiance to political parties.
I have got the draft of that and I can actually state here. We have town clerks, chief executive officers of local authorities that are known to be members of the governing party and therefore, whatever happens in a local authority iF the Chief Executive Officer oR a town clerk does not perform, the local authority on its own cannot dismiss that person because they have to get approval from the Ministry. It is the same procedure that is used when it comes to employing - I am aware that in terms of the procedures, local authorities have to interview candidates and make three recommendations three but even if they make recommendations of those and leave out someone else, the Ministry is empowered to say we reject these three, can you bring the one who was number four and hire them. So, it becomes like a creation of jobs for the boys and girls that are close to those that are in the Executive. Because of that Hon. Speaker, I do appreciate that in most local authorities, most of our councillors, both urban and rural might not have the sufficient capacity to lead and govern local authorities to an extent that they can flourish and do very well.
By appointing the management of local authorities using central Government, it means that they can also fire them using central government. It means that in reality, those managers are not accountable to the councilors; they are accountable to the Ministers of Local
Government and his bureaucracy. At the end of the day what it means
Hon. Speaker, is that the management of local authorities have no obligation and no motivation for them to work closely with councillors so that they produce good results because councillors cannot do anything to them; they are protected by central government.
Hon. Speaker, it is my belief that when you are appointed to the position of a senior manager, you are being appointed to that position because you are competent. Regardless of the incompetence of councillors, if we have got competent management, our councils would perform in a better way. So, we are saying let us not be afraid to devolve some responsibilities like what the Constitution provides. Let the Hon. Minister bring the law of devolution to Parliament so that we can allow local authorities to deal with their own issues without unnecessary interference from central government.
Just look at this Hon. Speaker, the Executive itself, when it hires its employees, who does their approval, to whom do they send three names so that that board would then appoint on their behalf? To nobody. They employ and they fire their own employees. Why do local authorities have to get permission to hire or to fire their own staff? I believe this is as good as saying, go into a boxing ring whilst your hands are tied at the back. We do not expect local authorities to perform. Hon. Speaker, if you look at the preamble, Section 264, besides devolution, it also talks of right to collection of revenue that emanates from local resources within that local authority or within that Local Government. It is my argument Hon. Speaker and that argument has been made for so long. Look at Victoria Falls Municipality for example, one of the richest local authorities that we have in terms of the resources that surround them. How much money is generated from the falls and from the rain forest per annum and how much is accruing to the local authority? Zero is accruing to the local authority. Look at this, all the tourists that visit the Victoria Falls area need water and that water is supplied by local authorities. They need good roads and those roads are maintained by the local authorities. They need their garbage to be carried away but that garbage is carried away by the local authorities. How much is local authority gaining from entrance into the rain forest? Zero!
In my view, behind the back of my mind, I think when citizens where contributing towards section 264, they had that in mind. I think that was the intention of the legislature to say you should not have Victoria Falls having the same amount of finance, revenue coming to it like Chinhoyi for example...
[Time limit]
THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER (HON. MUTOMBA): Hon.
Sibanda, I am giving you just five minutes for you to wind up your debate.
HON. P. D. SIBANDA: Hon. Speaker may you allow me an
extension, I wanted to also touch on the issue of the...
THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER: No, you cannot ask that on
your behalf unfortunately, I cannot take that.
HON. P. D. SIBANDA: I thought one of my colleagues will do that Hon. Speaker.
THE TEMPROARY SPEAKER: But stand guided that I have
given you 5 minutes.
HON. P. D. SIBANDA: So, in my view Hon. Speaker, let us push the Ministry of Local Government to come on board and let them start to do what they are supposed to do. There is no need to delay the bringing in of the law. There is no need to delay the application by Victoria Falls Municipality to get a city status if that city status is going to improve the flow of tourists into the country so, I think the Ministry should avoid being negligent of their duties.
Now, on the issue of the Hwange concession, Hon. Speaker, you have dissimulated Hwange Local Board to the local authority and within that local authority, you have got vast pieces of land that amount to 7 wards that are controlled by the Hwange Colliery Company as a concession and therefore, what does that mean to the local authority? The local authority has got no power to collect revenue from those areas that are regarded as concessions because they are owned by a different entity. Here we are Hwange Colliery company is partly owned by Government, the local authority is a quasi-government entity, why cannot Government do the transfer of that land into the local authority? It is not all of the Hwange concession but only that part which accepts the local authorities so that the local authority can then be able to make sure that they maximise in terms of collection of revenue from within their areas. You cannot say you cannot collect revenue from this area but you are supposed to deliver services in those areas and there are councillors from those areas that come to sit in the local board. How does it happen, how do you have a councillor sitting in a local government meeting to decide on the affairs of other wards whilst their ward cannot be governed by the same local authority? That is an anomaly. Honestly speaking, a Minister who is duty conscious and duty bound, that is something that should cause them sleepless nights and that is an issue that should have been attended to long back, but they are not doing it. In my view Hon. Speaker, the blame lies squarely in the office of Hon. Minister July Moyo. I believe that it is high time he stops going around and doing other things and attend to issues that we think are critical. It is my view that the issues that are being raised here are issues that do not only enhance democracy but they enhance economic development as well. Therefore, to any normal Hon. Minister, that should be a priority.
THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER: Your time is up, thank you very much Hon. Member.
HON. P. D. SIBANDA: Thank you Hon. Speaker.
HON. MUTAMBISI: I move that the debate do now adjourn.
HON. TEKESHE: I second.
Motion put and agreed to.
Debate to resume: Wednesday, 30th September, 2020.
On the motion of HON. MUTAMBISI, seconded by HON. TEKESHE,
the House adjourned at Eight Minutes Past Six o’clock p.m.
PARLIAMENT OF ZIMBABWE
Tuesday, 29th September, 2020
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 be stood over until the rest of the Orders of the Day have been disposed of.
Motion put and agreed to.
MOTION
ANNUAL REPORT OF THE NATIONAL PEACE AND RECONCILIATION COMMISSION FOR THE YEAR 2018 AND YEAR 2019
Third and Fourth Orders read: Adjourned debate on motion that this House takes note of the Annual Report of the National Peace and Reconciliation Commission for the years ending 2018 and 2019.
Question again proposed.
*HON. SEN. TONGOGARA: Madam President, I would like to thank you for giving me this opportunity and also thank our Vice President, Hon. K. Mohadi. It is pleasing to see our Vice President rising on his own and coming to the sittings of the Senate to present a Report on Peace and Reconciliation Commission. We know that the President always speaks of peace wherever he is, meaning that peace is key and is important. We all know that in the past, many things transpired which have continuously been raised including Gukurahundi which disturbed our country’s peace.
Therefore what happened and through peace and reconciliation; and since the report has been presented, we are looking at ways to try and unite the people of Zimbabwe. People wrong each other, people depend on each other, they disagree but unity and peace is the key to building the country. I am pleased with this report which came and everyone started supporting this report because it makes our country move forward and we should try and forget about the bad things which happened in the past so that our country prospers in every prospect. If we do that, our country will move forward and we know how we will resolve these issues as Zimbabweans.
+HON. SEN. M. NDHLOVU: I would want to thank you for this opportunity that I have been given. I would like to thank the Vice President for moving this motion on peace and reconciliation. This is a pertinent issue and people were at loggerheads because of this issue of Gukurahundi. Actually in the Southern parts of Matebeleland, each time we would come here, we would talk of Gukurahundi but we are here today we are impressed that our elders have presented this matter. I believe our people have said that we should reconcile. We should forgive each other.
I would like to thank the Vice President for coming in person and. Our leaders want to reconcile and therefore people should reconcile. If there is anything, people should discuss and move on. This is an issue which happened long ago. Therefore, I would like to thank the Vice President of the country for bringing the report on peace and reconciliation.
*HON. SEN. SHUMBA: Thank you Madam President for giving me this opportunity to support the report which was presented by the Vice President. I was hesitant to debate because last week I was not in the House but I have since realised that the Vice President came with a very good report, that people must unite and work together to have peace in our country Zimbabwe which is the very important thing.
We must stop unnecessary squabbles and killings. These issues which are continually being raised, issues to do with Gukurahundi, we are pleased that the President on his own went to meet the people who faced these challenges which is a good thing. All those people who met the President are happy that they met a leader who encouraged them to be united. What has happened is now a story – let us be united. If our leader sees it fit that our country must move forward with peace, as human beings we must stand together with the President and be united so that there is peace. Peace begins with me, peace begins with you and peace begins with everyone. Everyone must be united and support the peace in the country. We must shun unnecessary fights and demonstrations.
I want to thank the Vice President for presenting a very good report. Lastly, as was said by the late Vice President John Nkomo before he departed, he said ‘peace begins with me, peace begins with you and peace begins with all of us.’ We must follow this principle as well as what is being said by the Government. I thank you.
^HON. SEN. MALULEKE: Thank you Madam President for giving me this opportunity to debate on the report presented by the Vice President Cde Mohadi. He came with a very important issue which united us as Zimbabweans. We must work for one common purpose and refrain from fighting other people and organisations. If we fight and kill each other, we cannot achieve anything but death only. As leaders, we must start by uniting so that whatever was said by the Vice President, we follow that, come up with one thing and we become united.
We must show by example that we are leaders. We must not follow bad things that happened in the past. We must be united and work for our country Zimbabwe and forgive each other. We must work together, be relatives and protect our country. Some of the liberation fighters wanted to see a free country but they could not. We must be united like what the Vice President said. If we are united our country moves forward very well. If we forgive each other our things move on very well. We must not hurt each other. With these few words, I thank you Madam President.
*HON. SEN. RAMBANEPASI: Thank you Mr. President for giving me this opportunity. I was also pleased by the message that was brought by Vice President Cde Mohadi, that in a country there is no way you can have two bulls in a kraal. There is only one bull that has to be listened to. So if we happen to listen to that one bull there will be unity in the country and there will be development. We will have love. All that happened before did not just happen but there was a reason why it took place. This has now resulted in a good cause. Look at this country; I am not undermining those who were there before.
If you look at the freedom of speech that is in this country, when I got married in the early 80s there was no freedom of speech but because of our President E. D. Mnangagwa, he is a unifier and does not look at the flaws of each and every person. He is there to unite the country. We want to thank the President for the peace that prevails in Zimbabwe, that is led by our President Mnangagwa. I thank you.
*HON. SEN. CHIRONGOMA: I want to thank you Mr. President for affording me this opportunity to add my voice to the debate that is before this House on national healing, peace and reconciliation that was brought in by the Vice President Cde Mohadi. It is indeed a privilege to have a Vice President who comes to inform us on such a matter. As a nation, it is important to have peace and unity of purpose. Peace and reconciliation was initiated by parties that were there before us. In 1987, people came together and united. They decided to reconcile and the country developed. So to live in a peaceful nation is very important and has positive results. We want to thank His Excellency, the President Cde. E. D. Mnangagwa who decided to take it upon himself to go and address the issue of Gukurahundi. This issue happened during the first Republic but because our President is a peace loving person, he went to engage the leaders of Matabeleland where they deliberated on the matter until they reached the conclusion. This was a welcome development to the whole nation.
This has brought the animosity to an end, everything has to come to an end. Our mouths Mr. President, are the ones that can lead us to peace and reconciliation, even the wars that we fought, it was through the negotiations that we had. I also want Mr. President to applaud our President on the issue of the peace that prevails in the nation. We all welcome the peaceful environment that we enjoy. Yes, we have our colleagues, especially the white men who do not even accept that the nation is no longer under the white minority rule, and want to maintain the behaviour that they had during the Rhodesian period. We want peace in the country and we want to applaud and celebrate the peace that we enjoy.
Mr. President, we want to applaud the Senate, we always have debate in this Senate as a united front and with unity of purpose. I want to urge Hon. Senators that we should remain united. If there is a challenge, we are the elderly with wisdom and we should discuss and agree.
Lastly, Mr. President, I want to thank our President, His Excellency Cde. Mnangagwa, we will try by all means to take this message to all areas where we go as political parties and to our chiefs because they are the custodians of our culture and have a lot of authority in the communal areas. Once they speak, people will listen to them. So we want to put them at the forefront so that peace continues to prevail in Zimbabwe. I want to thank you Mr. President for the chance that you have given me to add to the debate.
*HON. SEN. MATIIRIRA: Thank you Mr. President for affording me this opportunity to support the motion with just a few words. I want to thank Hon. Vice President Mohadi for bringing this motion and it is a very good and important motion that promotes peace, unity and forgiveness, which is very important for the people in Zimbabwe. Mr. President, this is a very important motion. As Zimbabwe, if there is no unity, forgiveness and peace in the country, there will be no development, so we want to thank him for that. As a country we are faced with COVID-19 but because of peace, unity and forgiveness, we managed to control this pandemic.
Mr. President, peace and reconciliation is important. I want to reiterate what the Hon. Sen. said, reconciliation did not begin in this republic but it started long ago. People hate and wrong each other but forgiveness is what is required for people to be united. I want to thank our President, Cde Mnangagwa, he humbled himself and made his way to Bulawayo to go and engage and address the issue of Gukurahundi, an issue that was threatening the peace of the nation and yet we are all Zimbabweans. Whoever stood up was talking of Gukurahundi but he saw it fit as the leader of Zimbabwe to go and engage the afflicted and inform them that yes, a lot of wrong was done and it was not right but we need to forgive each other and move on as a nation. So I want to thank him for this motion. I decided with these few words that I should support the motion and thank the Vice President for bringing it in this Senate. We all know that the Senate is the upper House and people look upon the Senate to come up with words of wisdom for the country to develop well. Where there is no peace and forgiveness, the country cannot develop. With these few words, I thank you Mr. President.
ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE HON. DEPUTY PRESIDENT OF SENATE
SWITCHING OFF OF CELLPHONES
THE HON. DEPUTY PRESIDENT OF SENATE: I have to inform all Hon. Senators to switch off their cell phones or to put them on silent.
*HON. SEN. FEMAI: Thank you Mr. President for giving me an opportunity to add my voice concerning the motion that was brought in by the Hon. Vice President. Mostly in a family or home, if there is chaos - where I come from, they say that the evil one can easily do whatever he wants but because of the peace and reconciliation report, I realised that there is no more misunderstanding and chaos. Most people see it as addressing the Matabeleland area where the issues being talked about happened.
Let us not only focus on that area but let us also look at Mashonaland East and West, Manicaland and Masvingo. If we look at what happed in those areas, all that is now a thing of the past. We need to bury the hatchet and work together. If we are to consider today, Jesus died in Israel but we are worshiping him here in Zimbabwe. Let us not say that the subject of peace and reconciliation relates to Bulawayo only. We also need to accept the fact that we also did wrong and we need to forgive and be united. Those in Harare should also unite with everyone right up to Chipinge. No one should engage in such activities that have resulted in dialogue for peace and reconciliation that the President had to attend to.
I want to appreciate the move that was taken by the His Excellency the President and that it will also promote peace in Zimbabwe, even those that are planning for people to live in peace, it will be easier for them because there will be peace in the country. There is no one who can be on the run and also planning. No one can be beaten and on the other hand doing some planning. If there is peace, the person who plans for people to live peacefully will do the planning peacefully. So, I want to thank what was done and hope that this will prevail and he needs to add on to this initiative to ensure that there is peace in the nation and there is no chaos. I want to thank you Mr. President.
HON. SEN. MUZENDA: I move that the debate do now adjourn.
HON. SEN. RAMBANEPASI: I second.
Motion put and agreed to.
Debate to resume: Wednesday 30th September, 2020.
MOTION
THIRD REPORT OF THE THEMATIC COMMITTEE ON HUMAN RIGHTS ON DOMESTICATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS CONVENTION ON THE RIGHTS OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES
HON. SEN. MUZENDA: Thank you Mr. President Sir. I move the motion standing in my name;
That this House takes note of the Third Report of the Thematic Committee on Human Rights on Domestication of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
HON. SEN. DR. MAVETERA: I second.
HON. SEN. MUZENDA: Thank you very much Mr. President for affording me this opportunity to present the Thematic Committee Report on Human Rights which received a petition from people living with disabilities. You are aware Mr. President that the domestication of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities was received and signed for in Zimbabwe on the 23rd of September, 2013. However, to date, nothing has happened.
The petition received from the Institute for Community Development Zimbabwe on the domestication of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCPRD) had concerns that, firstly, the finalisation of the Persons with Disabilities Policy seems to be taking forever. Mr. President Sir, you are aware that people living with disabilities have a population of 1.4 million, which is 10%, that is huge especially for us politicians. If all those people were to choose who they want to be in power, they would make a big difference.
The issues discussed by the petitioners whom we met were that;
- It looks like there is no urgent commitment of disability inclusion in the country;
- There was also concern that there is no proper legal framework and that there was just no serious approach to issues of disability and rights in the Zimbabwe legal system.
The Disabled Persons Act is behind the UN Convention, it has now already passed the 13th of September and it is now seven years, surely something has to be done. Therefore, the petitioners were besieging especially Parliament including us to inquire when this finalisation and alignment is going to be done. So, we have another policy to look at urgently before maybe we even close this Session.
There were also concerns about the weakness of the Mental Health Act, which also needs to be looked at. People living with disabilities wanted representation, they feared that they are not represented properly in Parliament and want at least one person per province, so, 10 provinces and 10 persons. There were also concerns from the petitioners that there is no reliable statistics on the prevalence of disability in the country. One wonders with this COVID 19 we are having, what is happening to that 10% of our society. They particularly emphasised that issues to do with physical impairment, mental, speech functionality, hearing, albinism, autism, epilepsy and other multiple disabilities should be looked into.
The main issues again, which they were not happy with was access to education, special schools for persons with disabilities – I am not sure President Sir, with the recent Education Act, whether this is recommended because I know that in the past, it was suggested that it is better to mix with those ‘so called able bodied,’ but I am not sure whether it will be a good thing to just have special schools for people living with various disabilities. There was also concern about access to employment, most importantly, access to health.
Mr. President, allow me with your permission, I now want to read what their recommendations were because I think it is important that the Senate will appreciate those;
Firstly, the Executive needs to urgently domesticate the UNCRPD in order to have local specialty by December, 2020. The day after tomorrow it will be October and there are only three months, a huge task Hon. Senators and Mr. President Sir.
The Minister of Labour and Social Welfare should craft a new National Policy on Disability that assumes the human rights approach again, by December, 2020.
Parliament should amend the Constitution to increase the number of legislators representing persons with disabilities, at least one per province by the end of December, 2021. At least that one gives Parliament some leeway.
The Executive should introduce affirmative action programmes in favour of the persons with disabilities beginning January, 2020. Section 56(6) of the Constitution provides for affirmative action since it is common cause that persons with disabilities are a group of people who have suffered historical marginalisation due to discriminatory practices and tendencies.
The Executive should mainstream disability in the education curriculum by August 2022.
The Executive should ensure self-representation of persons with disability in all Statutory Boards and Commissions by July 2021.
The Executive should create conditions for the development of sign language and incorporate it in the education curriculum by July 2022.
The Office of the President and Cabinet should ensure that the Office of the Special Advisor to the President and Cabinet is resourced well as a national coordinating mechanism to oversee total inclusion of disability in all ministries and Government Departments by December 2020.
The Government should provide funding to enable Zimbabwe Elections Commission to provide voting materials in accessible format by 2023.
The Ministry of Finance and Economic Development should fund the National Disability adequately to operate effectively by December 2020.
Mr. President, this is the report from the Human Rights Thematic Committee which should be considered seriously because it affects 10% of our population. I thank you.
THE HON. DEPUTY PRESIDENT OF SENATE: I would like to make a comment. I think all Hon. Senators are aware that we are going through what we now call the new normal. The new normal is that we have got to observe social distancing. Some people call it physical distance. You are alright. Social distancing implies that not all Hon. Senators can come into this Chamber. Some Hon. Senators will have to follow the proceedings whilst they are within the precincts of Parliament whilst they are somewhere out, even in their hotel rooms.
To enable those Senators in their hotel rooms and elsewhere to follow the proceedings, Hon. Senators are encouraged and it is mandatory for you if you are going to speak, to bring your gadget or tablet so that you speak and those who are outside can follow what you are saying. Do not be shy to bring your tablet. We have got staff in this Chamber who will assist you to log on so that you go on line. This is the new era of technology. Let us move with technology. Let us not be shy.
If you are going to speak, you must bring your gadget with you and you speak into your gadget so that everybody else – those who are in here and those who are outside can follow the proceedings. I thank you.
HON. SEN. MUZENDA: I move that the debate do now adjourn.
HON. SEN. CHIMBUDZI: I second.
Motion put and agreed to.
Debate to resume: Wednesday, 30th September, 2020.
MOTION
BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE
HON. SEN. MUZENDA: I move that Order of the Day, Number 6 be stood over until Order of the Day Number 7 is disposed of.
HON. SEN. CHIMBUDZI: I second.
Motion put and agreed to.
Debate to resume: Wednesday, 30th September, 2020.
MOTION
PRESIDENTIAL SPEECH: DEBATE ON ADDRESS
Seventh Order Read: Adjourned debate on motion in reply to the Presidential Speech.
Question again proposed.
HON. SEN. MUZENDA: I move that the debate do now adjourn.
HON. SEN. CHIMBUDZI: I second.
Motion put and agreed to.
Debate to resume: Wednesday, 30th September, 2020.
MOTION
REPORT OF THE THEMATIC COMMITTEE ON HUMAN RIGHTS, SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS (SDGs) AND GENDER DEVELOPMENT ON THE ENQUIRY INTO PEOPLE’S ACCESS TO CLEAN, SAFE AND PORTABLE WATER
Eighth Order Read: Adjourned debate on motion on the Report of the Thematic Committee on Human Rights, Sustainable Development Goals and Gender Development on the Inquiry into people’s access to clean, safe and portable water.
Question again proposed.
+HON. SEN. CHIEF MTSHANE-KHUMALO: Thank you Mr. President for giving me this opportunity to contribute to the report presented by Hon. Sen. Khupe on the availability and accessibility of portable water to the people. I am one of the people who went to Masvingo. We saw people from ZINWA and they said they had problems with the quantity of water. That problem is affecting Masvingo Town because they go for four to five hours without electricity to pump the water. Their pumps are now antiquated. They do not pump enough water for the people of Masvingo and that has caused the local authority to drill some boreholes so that people can fetch water. The problem of these boreholes is that people will queue and sleep there so that they can access potable water for their homes. There is a problem again; we know it is women who fetch water and as a result of trying to wait for the water, they have to go during the night and unfortunately end up being raped.
The municipality of Masvingo and the Ministry of Local Government are not coordinating well. The Ministry of Local Government set up a location at the western side of Mucheke Township without liaising with the town of Masvingo. It is clear that the township does not have access to water. The people there use the bush toilet system and if they have the toilets, there is no water.
We also went to Mwenezi and the council there had no water particularly in their clinics and residential areas. We were told that there is no water at the clinic’s maternity wards. We have realised that there is a serious problem. They told us that there is Mutirikwi Dam close by and if they have resources they should buy pumps to pump water from Mutirikwi. They are trying something with ZINWA and the local authority so that they can embark on those programmes for people to have access to potable water. Mr. President, I only wanted to add a few words on this motion on what I witnessed when I went out on a visit with the Committee. I thank you.
*HON. SEN. TIMIRE: I am also part of the Committee that went out to find out about the supply of water to residents. When I was walking, something came into my mind. Since we have a problem of water in many areas, how are the disabled accessing water considering the distances being travelled? I have realised that the disabled persons face many challenges when it comes to water. Yesterday I received a phone call from a teacher saying she was disabled, walked with crutches and schools have since opened. They fetch water from distance places... she did not know how she was going to stay at the school when talk about the issue of accessing water. How are the disabled women going to survive? When we got to other areas, we could see water being fetched from trenches. For me to kneel with crutches, it is difficult to fetch the water.
She said, ‘when I go to deliver at the clinic and I am told to bring the water, I have crutches plus ta bucket of water and it is very difficult. Even to push my wheelchair whilst I am carrying the bucket of water is something unbearable.’ I looked at the whole issue and saw that they needed urgent attention. There are also other people who cannot use the manual borehole but can use solar ones. So there is need for solar boreholes that use taps. We see that many schools and clinics really need tap water. Not focusing on the disabled only, the fact that the woman went to fetch water from a distance of about 20km to bring only one 20l bucket the whole day, how is her family going to survive? It is something which is difficult in life. Water, is something difficult to survive without. I want to give myself as an example. I was involved in a car accident and my spinal cord was injured. The doctor said I must drink at least four litres of water per day. Imagine I came from the borehole with a 20l bucket and as a mother, I drink four litres; my child drinks one litre and I have five children. Is the water going to be enough? As for me, water is life. If I do not drink water, my kidneys stop functioning. When I go to sleep in the night and do not drink enough water, I will be taken to the Intensive Care.
When we were looking around, I was looking at water and knowing that this is my life. Water is very important and everyone must have access to adequate water. If I give birth as a woman and do not get water, it will not be well. We need water to bath and for my delivery. If all this is not done, it means even at the hospital no hygiene is practice many diseases will erupt. It is important that I drink water from the same well with the animals. When I go to fetch water, I cannot scare away wild animals in order to fetch water. So wherever I am, I must have someone to assist me scare away the animals so that I get water. It becomes difficult and expensive for me because I must have another person to help me.
Mr. President, there are many problems faced by disabled people, which means that disabled person who earns the same salary as the teachers is forced to pay another person who is going to carry out the duties. It is not only the water which comes with other challenges in the disabled person’s life. Thank you.
HON. SEN. KHUPE: I move that the debate do now adjourn.
HON. SEN. CHIRONGOMA: I second.
Motion put and agreed to.
Debate to resume: Wednesday, 30th September, 2020.
MOTION
REPORT OF THE 46TH PLENARY ASSEMBLY SESSION OF THE SADC PARLIAMENTARY FORUM HELD IN NAMIBIA
Ninth Order read: Adjourned debate on motion on the Report of the 46th Plenary Assembly Session of the SADC Parliamentary Forum held from 10th to 17th December 2019 at Swakopmund, Namibia.
Question again proposed.
THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR MASHONALAND CENTRAL PROVINCE (HON. SEN. MAVHUNGA): I move that the debate do now adjourn.
Motion put and agreed to.
Debate to resume: Wednesday, 30th September, 2020.
MOTION
DISCHARGE OF CHILDREN UNDER CHILD CARE FACILITIES
Tenth Order read: Adjourned debate on motion on the need to alleviate the challenges associated with the early discharge of youths from child care facilities.
Question again proposed.
*HON. SEN. CHIFAMBA: I thank you Mr. President for the opportunity you have given me to add a few words on the motion raised by Senator Tongogara about the children who stay in child care facilities because those children have not found places to stay in and are taken care of at one place. Looking at the motion, I see some incidents where these children are being taken care of and released from these facilities. There is no consideration done of where these children will stay. They are just released because they have reached 18 years and it becomes a problem as the children become street children.
Upon release, some of the children go into the streets where they face many challenges such as smoking glue and sleeping on the streets. Some children are just released not knowing where their relatives are and do not know where to start from. If they are girls, some of them go to indecent places to look for help. This is a big problem especially for the girls as most of them will end up being impregnated. When they are pregnant, they do not know what to do. Some are old men who just hire them for a short quick time. They then try to abort and might end up dying in the process or get sexually transmitted diseases and just die from those diseases without getting help. Some of them contract HIV/AIDS and fear to go to hospitals to get help since they are eighteen years, and if they were at home they would still be under parents’ guardianship.
We are appealing to Government to help these children at the facilities that they are being taken care of, for their talents to be recognised. Some of the children have so many talents like singing, football, carpentry, building or some other handy jobs. We appeal to the Government to intervene at these facilities that take care of the children. Those who teach handy jobs should pick those children who have talents and teach them so that when they leave these places they have something tangible to do and somewhere to start from. We take the example of a woman who has been divorced and has no parents; you see that woman will end up in the streets not knowing where to go. So these children must be protected so that they do not venture into bad deeds. They should be helped engage in various skills in the facilities they are being taken care of.
Children at these facilities are not doing any work. I think maybe because of the law which is in place the children are allowed to just sit, eat and do nothing but as parents, if a kid does nothing, not even sweeping the house or some chores like gardening, it means that child is going to move from that area not knowing anything. Even when she gets married, she will not know how to do basic house chores because not every child will end up in the streets. Some will get married and fail to do the house chores because during childhood they were just left idle.
If it was the law which was put in place for these children when they go to the care facilities and do nothing, this must be looked into. Even if I have a child in the house I do not just look at them but I tell them to do all the chores.
We want these children to receive help whilst they are still at their care facilities. Some get to these facilities when they have a few months to reach the age of 18. If they are taught some chores, it helps when a child is released from this facility, they are going to be a good mother or father. I thank you.
^HON. SEN. MALULEKE: Thank you for giving me this short opportunity to debate on the protection of the children. In Masvingo Province, we have many child care facilities where we take care of the kids. We have Chingele and Chambota. There are children at Chingele and I normally visit that place. Government, through the Department of Social Welfare helps a lot. These children go to school; they farm gardens, they do poultry. These things help them a lot. I would like to thank the Government led by the President E. D. Mnangagwa which always remember us, although we are at the border area of the country.
There are many children at Chambota. I went there with the First Lady who opened the place. These children go to school. They learn farming, poultry and herd cattle. I even placed a hatchery there and I am still to give them the chickens. I have not sent the chickens because I was held back by the covid-19 pandemic. The Government is helping a lot and it is uniting the kids. There are some children who were saying they were sleeping in toilets, on the road and in bushes. Right now they are sleeping on beds and doing handy jobs and it is helping them a lot.
When we raise these motions, it helps us because these things at our area are still there. We thank the First Lady for helping us to take care of these children. It does not mean that when I see other kids, we must encourage those to go to Chambota so that they can learn a lot of things. If they reach 18 years they will be released from these facilities knowing some things which they have learned from this area. Those children who are interested in school must learn until they finish school. They must learn different courses and they are not different from the kids we have in our homes.
I would also want to thank the First Lady because in Chiredzi town we have another children’s home. She taught us a lot of things and encouraged the kids to learn handy jobs and also to go to school. Even in Chambota and Chingele where there are few kids, we start from zero grade until secondary. The school fees are paid by social welfare. Our Government helps a lot. If they do all these things in all areas in Zimbabwe, we as leaders must encourage these kids to go to such areas so that they can go and learn and stay away from diseases and bad behaviour. I thank the First Lady and our Government for the job they are doing in Masvingo.
+HON. SEN. A. DUBE: Thank you Mr. President for giving me this opportunity to contribute to the motion brought by Hon. Sen. Tongogara. This is a very important motion, especially to us Senators because most people who are disabled are kept in homes whereby we see that sometimes their livelihoods do not add up properly in the end. The law should not allow these people to be spoiled. These children should get vocational training so that by the time they leave children’s homes they will be able to have careers.
The other thing is that when these children grow up without being able to perform any duties on their own, it becomes difficult for them. When they leave those homes they go back to destitution because they grow up not knowing how to work or do certain duties, especially when they get to 18 years and above. That is when it becomes difficult for them. For girls they end up engaging into prostitution because they do not know any other way of survival. They are not taught any survival skills so much that they engage into prostitution and that leads to early death to them or sometimes they contract diseases. Sometimes they go into early marriages whereby they waste their lives. If the children are trained and taught before 18 years, their future may be brightened by those skills they acquire. For the boys they end up abusing drugs. We see them in groups in many areas and it is very painful. They end up joining gangsters and that destroys their lives. Sometimes they end up in jail or die in prison.
This motion is very important. If it was possible, when these children are released from children’s homes, it should be known where they are going and what type of life they will be living. By the time they get to 18 years, they should be taken to vocational training centres where they can learn skills that they can use for life so that at least they may find something to do to lighten the burden of life. It becomes very difficult to live and some of them end up committing suicide, I think this is a very important motion for such a child who is only 18, they will still be young and such children needs parents nearby. What more those who are orphans, some of the children are not brought up well and some of them end up becoming criminals. I think this motion is very important, we should handle it very well as Senate so that we come up with resolutions whereby children from children’s homes will have better lives instead of just living it there from the beginning but in the end nobody cares about their lives. I thank you for giving me this opportunity.
HON. SEN. TONGAGARA: Mr. President, I move that the debate do now adjourn.
HON. SEN. MATHUTHU: I second.
Motion put and agreed to.
Debate to resume: Wednesday, 29th September, 2020.
MOTION
ABOLITION OF DEATH PENALTY
Eleventh Order read: Adjourned debate on the motion on the repeal of the death sentence and the provision in the Criminal Law and Codification Act [Chapter 9:23], and other statutes.
Question again proposed.
HON. SEN. DR. MAVETERA: Mr. President, I move that the debate do now adjourn.
Motion put and agreed to.
Debate to resume: Wednesday 30th September, 2020.
On the motion of THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR MASHONALAND EAST PROVINCE (HON. MUNZVERENGWI), the Senate adjourned at Five Minutes to Five o’clock p.m.
PARLIAMENT OF ZIMBABWE
Thursday, 24th September, 2020
The National Assembly met at a Quarter-past Two O’clock p.m.
PRAYERS
(THE HON. SPEAKER in the Chair)
HON. CHINGOSHO: On a point of privilege Hon Speaker, it is
said half a loaf is better than nothing. I would like to appreciate the salary we are getting but if you convert the salary we are getting per month, it amounts to US$170 and as an MP, you are expected to do everything from that US$170 including looking after your family, servicing the vehicle and everything. I also appreciate the coupons we are getting which are not acceptable in all garages including the garages which are owned by our Shefus. They need coupons which are in US$. My humble request Hon. Speaker is for the amount we are getting per month as well as coupons to be in US$. I am saying if we are getting ZWL7000, it should be US$7000 and if we are getting 20 litres worth of coupons it should be 20 litres in US$. I thank you Mr. Speaker.
THE HON. SPEAKER: Hon. Member Chingosho, you have
been too preemptive. I am meeting the Chief Whips this afternoon to discuss among other things the two issues you have raised.
HON. MADIWA: Thank you Hon. Speaker. To start with, let me say one of our Committee Members in the Women Affairs Portfolio Committee Hon. Gozho recently gave birth to a very beautiful bouncing baby girl. Congratulations to Hon Gozho. My worry Hon. Speaker are the facilities in our Parliament as we talk about gender sensitive, gender mainstreaming in all sectors and women empowerment. I am worried about Parliament facilities whether we have proper facilities for breastfeeding. I cannot over-emphasize the advantages of breastfeeding both to the mother and the baby. This is one of my worries. Another worry is whether we have proper facilities for a nursery. We want the child for the rest of the terms to have a necessary where the baby can be accommodated and also the welfare of the child –minder as we go for public hearing so that the baby is also taken on board because we cannot disadvantage the contribution of the Hon. Member that will have given birth.
THE HON. SPEAKER: Can you send our congratulatory message to the baby and the mother. The question of breastfeeding I thought we had assigned a room to that effect. That request was made by Hon. Misihairabwi-Mushonga and we set aside a room for that. As for nursery, aah it is nowhere in the world where you find such a facility – [HON. BITI: Ku South Africa, Capetown iriko.] – Manga muchitsvagei ikoko? – [HON. BITI: Study visits Mr. Speaker.] – Well, that with all due respect we may consider perhaps when we move to the new Parliament but for the moment it is not a necessity as such that we establish a nursery here and when I look around very few of our female Members of Parliament do not seem to have little ones – [HON.
MISIHAIRABWI-MUSHONGA: But the male ones have little one Mr.
Speaker, vakazara netuvana.] – I do not want to encourage Hon.
Members having little children here.
Hon. Madiwa, on a more serious note, when we move to the new Parliament I think it should be possible to make that arrangement for a small nursery and remind us if we are still there to ensure that facility is there. I want to encourage you to exercise family planning as well – [HON. BITI: Ne gym Hon. Speaker.] – Yes, that should be taken care of Hon. Biti although you have not respected the Chair by shouting from the floor. It is a good thing and Hon. Mliswa is very passionate about physical and mental fitness. We should be able to find some accommodation also. Even the Speaker and his entourage must also exercise to keep fit. It is very important – [HON. MISIHAIRABWIMUSHONGA: Ko massage?] – Ah, zve massage izvo I am not sure about that. Thank you very much.
COMMITTEE STAGE
ZIMBABWE MEDIA COMMISSION BILL [H. B. 8, 2019]
First Order read: Zimbabwe Media Commission Bill [H. B. 8, 2019].
House in Committee.
Clauses 1 to 6 put and agreed to.
On Clause 7:
HON. BITI: Mr. Chairman, the Media Commission is a constitutional commission set up by an Act of Parliament. All commissions are located in 13 of the Constitution of Zimbabwe and one of the provisions of the Constitution of Zimbabwe is that independent Commissions which are in Chapter 13 of the Constitution are independent of the Executive. In other words, the Executive does not have influence over them. The mischief that was sought to be addressed by the Constitution was that of creating this independent oversight commission, for instance the Anti-Corruption Commission, the Human Rights Commission, the Gender Commission, commissions that were not subordinate to executive control. The problem now with Clause 7 Mr. Speaker, is that the Commission is obliged to consult the Minister responsible for finance before it appoints its secretary and such other staff of the commission. The Hon. Minister of Justice said it is the standard provision; it is not. Mr. Chairman, that provision should be removed so that the commission is free to appoint its own staff consistently with all other commissions; the Human Rights Commission, Anti-Corruption Commission and the Gender Commission. To allow this provision to prevail and remain is to re-write the Constitution, is to destroy the separation of powers which is in the Constitution. The
Constitution creates four bodies. First, is the Judiciary then there is the Executive, the Legislature and Chapter 12, Independent Commissions as an independent separate pillar of the State. We know that the Executive would want to subordinate all the other houses including this august House of Parliament, but that is not the constitutional order. Let us respect the constitutional order. The Judiciary, the Executive, the Legislature and Chapter 12; the commissions stand on their feet independently. I thank you.
THE MINISTER OF JUSTICE, LEGAL AND
PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS (HON. ZIYAMBI): Thank you Mr.
Chairman. I propose that we leave that provision as it is like he rightly says he was the Finance Minister. The Government funds are all pulled into the Consolidated Revenue Fund and that provision is put as an administrative provision to ensure that everyone else is aligned with the Minister of Finance. It does not impinge on the independence or functions of the Zimbabwe Media Commission and I am actually surprised that they are saying that it infringes on the independence. All that is sufficed by that provision is to ensure that there is coordination; we have independence but coordination because all our monies come from one source. So, if you say that anyone will decide on their own without any coordination, how will they manage. So, that provision is very good, it ensures standardisation and it ensures that the functions of all the organs of Government and independent commissions, do not impinge on the independence of the Commission. I thank you.
HON. BITI: Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir. The Constitution itself, section 300, I think 302, the Ministry of Finance is obliged to provide a separate Vote for each of the independent Commissions. So on the Budget now, when we look at our Budget, it now has constitutional votes and those votes include the commissions, those votes include provincial councils in terms of devolution. The Constitution says there must be equitable distribution. This means that any Commission must know the amount of money it will get from the State. The National Peace and Reconciliation Commission, Anti-Corruption Commission, Gender and Media Commission within its budget, there will be an overhead item which includes the cost of employees. The Minister of Finance controls what these people get by the budget that is obliged to give in terms of this section.
HON. ZIYAMBI: Outside of that, I insist that it stays because it is standard. It is done to ensure that Treasury is aware of what is happening so that they can plan accordingly. It does not impinge on any independence of any Commission whatsoever. It is an administrative clause that allows Government to function smoothly. We are independent but interrelated. I thank you.
Clauses 7 put and agreed to.
Clauses 7 and 9 put and agreed to.
On Clause 10:
HON. K. PARADZA: Mr. Chair, on Clause 10(IV), the
Commission may further involve the police during an investigation as required. Mr. Chairman, we do not need the police to be involved in investigations unless it is a criminal matter. The idea of having the police getting involved in this is not good. This item was in AIPPA and we do not want the repeat of AIPPA here but what we need is to have progressive laws. This is what we agreed with all the stakeholders including the Minister of Information that we must get rid of that. The Minister of Justice as well is in agreement through his proxis that we must take out that item which imposes the police in the investigations of this. I thank you.
HON. ZIYAMBI: Thank you. Hon. Chair, I see nothing wrong with this Clause – [HON. MEMBERS: Aaah.] - there is totally nothing wrong. In fact, it is one of the best clauses. Hon. Chair, the Clause says,
‘the Commission may request,’ it does not say, ‘must request.’ It may request as they see fit – when I was listening to Hon. Paradza, he said, we do not want the police anywhere near the Commission unless; underline the word ‘unless,’ it shows that the ‘may’ has a place somewhere. The moment you say, unless, you are in agreement that there may be circumstances where the police are needed. So, there is nothing wrong with this clause and I move that it stands as part of the Bill. I thank you.
HON. K. PARADZA: Mr. Chairman, we have other laws that deal with criminal issues and let us leave those laws to deal with that.
This item was in AIPPA which was repealed. We do not need this Mr. Chairman. These are some of the issues which are being raised when we are doing engagement and reengagement; it is bad for our Foreign Policy.
HON. BITI: Mr. Chairman, this Bill is talking about actualisation, giving life to a certain right. That right is codified in Section 61 of the
Constitution of Zimbabwe, which is freedom of the media and its related
‘cousin’, freedom of expression. So, the kind of investigations that are captured from Section 8, are investigations around things like hurt speech, the media and its proscription. The proscription of this right, the curtailment of this right; if there is a criminal activity, you do not need this law because the police will just act, and they have got a right of investigating any criminal activity. However, the Commission must never be allowed and the enjoyment of the right to freedom of the media and expression must never be criminalised. So, Sectin 10 (4) of this Bill has no room, it does not fit in with the Constitution. It is uncomfortable, it is a monster, a Frankenstein, it does not fit in, it should not be there. For the esteemed Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs to say this is a beautiful Clause, Mr. Chair, the man does not know what beauty is. This is a monster and it must be taken out. Thank you Mr.
Chairman.
HON. K. PARADZA: Mr. Chairman, we had a series of meetings with the Minister of Information and we agreed as stakeholders. They even wrote a letter here to the Clerk of Parliament and one of those items read; ‘the amendment is in pursuit of media stakeholder submission made to the Hon. Minister of information…’ The Ministry has agreed to the stakeholders’ submissions and these are some of the submissions to say, take it out. It is just as good as criminal defamation which was in AIPPA. We do not need that, we need progressive laws, it must be taken out.
HON. T. MLISWA: Thank you Chairman. The Government of Zimbabwe celebrated an announcement that AIPPA had been repealed and we must be principled to ensure that what we say happens and not to bring another law in another direction, which is still AIPPA. What is clearly here is a situation where AIPPA was repealed and they are now bringing in this one to try and deal with AIPPA. We are supposed to be reforming as a nation and this has a lot to do with the laws that we change. We would not be considered to be reforming if we are not allowing freedom of the various parties involved to be exercised. Already we are under scrutiny by not just attending to certain basics of the law. The continued arrest of the people, which is more like persecution, is not doing us any good. We cannot be a heavy-handed State.
Democracy matures and equally, the laws must mature. It is like wine, the older it gets, the sweeter and better it becomes. People must be enjoying this country through the laws that deal with current situation, a conducive environment for you to be known as free citizens of the country. We cannot allow the police who, within the Constitution of this country, have a mandate that they carry out their duties, whether they are invited or not. They are there to maintain law and order, so why then should they be factored in when their role is quite clear and simplified. May we try and use what I call ‘KISS – Keep It Simple and
Stupid.’
So, it is important that we keep things simple. The moment we try and complicate things, it becomes difficult for people to comprehend. I support Hon. Members that the Minister of Justice has an obligation to make sure that justice prevails. Being the Minister of Justice does not entail that he must make sure that justice does not prevail. He is a young man in the Second Republic and we expect nothing more than him being a reformist – [HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear.] – may he please discharge his duties as we know him to be. He is the Leader of Government Business and as such, he must make sure that the Government enacts laws that are in tandem with what is going on. So I do support colleague Members in saying that we do not need it there. Being a learned lawyer, he must concede to this so that we make progress for the good of the country. I thank you.
HON. TOGAREPI: Mr. Chair, I hear what my colleagues are saying but I am very worried that it looks like there is some hidden agenda. I do not see the reason why people should be afraid of the police because the rights that we all want to have are not exclusive to those who think they must get rights – [AN HON. MEMBER: Inaudible interjections.] – Mr. Chair, I want your protection. They have been speaking and I do not want to exchanging words with terrorists –
THE DEPUTY CHAIRPERSON: Hon. Madzimure, please can
you give him the floor, I will give you the floor if you want to contribute.
HON. TOGAREPI: The problem that we have is, we are dealing with people who see the enactment of this law as an avenue to also abuse others. They do not want to see the police nearby because they want to use the weaknesses of the law going forward to abuse others.
The statement as read just says, ‘may,’ so it allows the Commission to be very independent and avoid calling the police if they think they have got the capacity to deal with the case at hand, but should they feel that it is either criminal or anything, they think the police is the best arm of Government they can employ to solve the problem, they will invite the police. I do not see any problem with that unless it was mandatory that whenever they investigate, they will call in the police, then they are infringing on those freedoms that we want to protect. There is nothing similar to AIPPA unless people have that nostalgia of AIPPA.
*HON. BITI: I would like to speak in vernacular. We are speaking of freedom of expression here. It is the right of the freedom of the media. There is criminal defamation. If you insult someone, you would be taken to court and prosecuted. If you used unparliamentary language like saying the Hon. Member representing Chivi is a thief, you could be taken to court and would be arrested. However, the
Constitutional Court here in Zimbabwe in one of the cases by Constance Chimakure vs the Ministry of Information said the issue of criminal defamation is no longer constitutional. It is unconstitutional. If you say any unparliamentary words, you do not need to go to the police but it is an issue that can be solved between the two of us in a civil case before the courts. The civil case is that of defamation. Defamation protects the integrity of a person. If that integrity is affected, you go to the lawyers and you tell them that there is defamation to my integrity by Hon. Mliswa and you sue for $50 000, $100 000 or more. Once we remove criminal defamation, it means we will not see any crimes being committed by the media houses.
If I said Hon. Ziyambi is promiscuous and his eyes are all over like a chameleon or he is possessed by a demon that makes him to climb buildings – that is not taken to the police but it is taken to the lawyers. On Section 4, we did not see that. So the issue of police should be considered. They should not be on the issue of information. If we say that Hon. Ziyambi is a problem in the Ministry, that is not a criminal offence. My request is that the Minister removes Section 10.4 that is on the Bill before us this afternoon. I thank you.
*HON. NYABANI: Mr. Chairman, when we come up with laws
in Parliament; most of the time the lawyers or judiciary that is being talked about and looking at the areas where we come from – for you to come from Nyabawa to Rushinga which is the nearest court; it is 120 kilometers. So that can be of assistance to those who are accessible to the judicial system. Some do not have money for legal representation. I think the police can assist in areas where the judiciary is not represented because people cannot afford to go to the courts.
In rural areas the courts are very far away, are not accessible and it is expensive. I think the police should be there to assist people in rural areas. That is my opinion on this Bill that is before us, I thank you.
*HON. MADZIMURE: Mr. Chairman, it seems there is a misunderstanding on what this means. For those who agree with what is in the Bill, they should let the Minister speak because they are displaying their ignorance of the contents of the Bill before us.
The issue before us is that if I happen to defame someone, no one should go and use the police or engage the police to address the misunderstanding. This is an issue between two people and the courts should address the matter because the police may be found wanting at one point. Both sides are in agreement and the issue is not about a certain group, but it is about a good law that we must craft in this House. When people see that legislation, they will see the bad things that we left in that Bill and will ask us what we were thinking of to come up with such legislation. We should not think that legislation is there to axe people. The Minister needs to reconsider because one day he will realise that this same legislation might entangle him. The fact that he has been defamed and it goes to the police, he may be shocked. Let us not create a situation whereby we will face challenges tomorrow. For you to say the police should come in everything and a person pays a fine and goes, that is not right.
For some of these things that we can address using other means, let us do likewise. The police should investigate and a person should be taken to court by the aggrieved to have their issues resolved. Tomorrow we may be found wanting when the same law causes us challenges because it may entangle us as MPs when one brings a case against you. There is no one who is always right but there are times when you are found wanting and that law will not give you any reprieve.
*HON. TOGAREPI: I think I should also speak in vernacular. Chairman, the idea that we need an independent commission to deal with this issue is not the case but we are saying as it exercises its mandate it needs other branches within government for it to be effective and also to safeguard the rights of individuals. So, what you are saying is that if a person defames my character, it is between me and the person who has defamed me. I should look for a lawyer who should assist me in bringing this person to book. Without a lawyer what am I supposed to do? Do I deal with the person on my own? What I think as redress is to address the situation. What I am saying is that rights seem to be protected for those who have money. If I do not have money, then I am disadvantaged. Some are saying I should go to Legal Aid. If that is
what you are going to do, that law should not even look at those with money and those who are disadvantaged. Police should be part of the branches that protect the rights of the people. It is a right for my character not to be defamed. If I have money yes, I can go to the lawyers but if I do not have money I should be able to go to the police because government will also put the police to protect the rights of people - but if I do not have money, definitely I will go and fight the person. I thank you.
*HON. BITI: Criminal defamation is no longer part of our law.
So the police cannot investigate something that is not criminal. The
Constitutional Court said that it is not law. In the Criminal Codification
Act that is in the custody of the Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs there is nothing like criminal defamation. They said defamation of character is between you and the person who has defamed you. If a person does that, you are also able to defame them because no one has a right to defame you. What is not allowed is for you to go and report to the police because it is not a criminal offence. So how can we seek to involve the police in investigations when freedom of expression has been decriminalised in the Constitutional Court judgement of Constance Chimakure. We cannot involve the police in a matter in which the country’s highest court has already decriminalised.
That is the point we are making that the reference to the police in
Section 10(4) is superfluous, because the police cannot get involved in a decriminalised matter. However, when you put it there you are just justifying abuse as some Members have said. I do not like you or that journalist, I go to the police so that as the custom these days you spend two weeks or two months in jail before you are granted bail, abuse after abuse. Let us take this provision out because criminal defamation has been decriminalised by the courts of Zimbabwe. I thank you.
HON. ZIYAMBI: The investigations and hearings that are
referred to in this Act are investigations in violation of rights as prescribed in Section 61of the Constitution. Clause 8 part 3 of the Bill deals with investigations and hearings and the conduct of the hearings.
This clause which I believe is very harmless and just allows the
commission to call the police to assist and it is not pre-emptory to say that in every investigation that they do, the police must be called in to assist. In any event, these investigations are not of a criminal nature - so I do not even know why Hon. Members are so much against it. I know that Hon. Biti is very much for its removal. I know that he wants to be president of MDC so that he can have several eyes and in that regard I do not think it is harmful - even if it is removed so that the Hon.
President can be very free to have several eyes. I thank you.
I move that we expunge it from the Bill.
Clause 10, as amended put and agreed to.
Clause 11, and 12, put and agreed to.
On Clause 13;
HON. BITI: Clause 13 Hon. Chair deals with enforcement. So, here the Commission has powers to apply to the High Court for appropriate redress. I was going to suggest to the Minister why the Commission does not have power to apply to the High Court for registering the order for the purposes of enforcement as we do in the Labour Court in terms of the Labour Act. If an arbitrator makes a judgement you make an application to the court for registration. Here it appears as if the High Court has to give redress but redress is being offered by the Commission so the Commission is now registering its judgement saying this is what we ordered. So, do not force the individual complainant or commission itself to apply for redress instead of just applying to register its order of the matter and the redress as offered by the Commission. So, what you are trying to register there is the directive or decision of the Commission in subsection 2 (a). Then 2 (a) becomes superfluous – [HON. ZIYAMBI: If you are aggrieved, we cannot close it. You can go.] – You have a right of appeal under section 16, so remove section 2 then we will be happy.
HON. ZIYAMBI: Hon. Chair, allow me to read the provisions of
Clause 13 - “Enforcement of Orders of the Commission. The
Commission shall require the person whom or which it made an order or recommendation, to notify it within a specified period not exceeding 4 days or such shorter period as the circumstances of the matter may reasonably require where it is of the essence of the steps that it proposes to take to give effect to its order or recommendation. If no action has been taken within the time specified in subsection (1), the Commission may, if it thinks fit after considering the comments, if any made by the parties concerned, notwithstanding subsection 3 apply to the High Court for an appropriate redress of the matter.” So this subsection 2 is referring to what has been described in subsection 1 – [HON. BITI: So why do you go to the High Court to seek a redress and to open up when you have already opened?] – If no action has been taken – [HON. BITI: Inaudible interjection.] – It is an option so it is not fatally defective. I propose that we leave the options as they are. It is still very much okay – [HON. BITI: The Commission makes an order and if the order is not complied with then the Commission must register that order with the High Court. It cannot go to the High Court and say reopen the matter and issue a redress in a matter in which they already made a judgement. It is asking the High Court to revisit what it has already done. It must got to the High Court for enforcement. So subsection 2 is not necessary because you are now submitting to the courts when the Commission is only going to the courts for the purpose of enforcement and not review or redress.] – Hon. Chair, I think we can expunge subsection (a) because it is also covered by Clause 16. I think it is a repetition. It is harmless if we remove it because we still achieve the same result.
Amendment to Clause 13 put and agreed to.
Clause 13, as amended, put and agreed to.
Clause 14 put and agreed to.
On Clause 15;
HON. BITI: Section 15 gives the Commission the right to execute proceedings to the High Court or any court after carrying out investigations. So it wants a constitutional declaration; so do not wait for investigation. Give it “or” after investigations. Do not tie its hands.
THE MINISTER OF JUSTICE, LEGAL AND
PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS (HON. ZIYAMBI): Hon. Chair, he is just widening what the Commission can do. I do not have any problem with the “or” there.
Amendment to Clause 15 put and agreed to.
Clause 15, as amended, put and agreed to.
Clauses 16 to 19 put and agreed to.
On new Clause 20 inserted after Clause 19:
THE MINISTER OF JUSTICE, LEGAL AND
PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS (HON. ZIYAMBI): Hon. Chair, after
Clause 19, on page 12 of the Bill, I propose that we insert a new Part V and we renumber accordingly. The new Part V becomes the Media Fund as it appears on the Order Paper that:
(2) PART V
MEDIA FUND
21 Establishment and vesting of Media Fund
(l) There is hereby established a fund to be known as the Media Fund.
- Subject to this Part, the Fund shall be vested in and administered by the Commission as trustee.
- Not more than thirty per centum (30 %) of the moneys of the Fund in any financial year shall be spent on administrative purposes connected with the objects of the Fund.
22 Objects of Fund
The objects of the Fund shall be;
(a) capacity building of the media services in order to maintain high standards of quality in the provision of media services; (b) to assist in the training of persons in the provision of media services;
- to promote and contribute towards research and development in the field of media services; and
- to promote public awareness on the right of access to information and protection of privacy;
23 Moneys of Fund
The Fund shall consist of;
- such moneys as may be raised by levies imposed in terms of section 24;
- such moneys as may be payable to the Fund from moneys appropriated by an Act of Parliament for the purpose of the Fund;
- any surplus of income over expenditure at the end of the
Commission's financial year appropriated in terms of paragraph (b); and
- any other moneys to which the Fund may be lawfully entitled.
24 Levies
(l) Every mass media owner shall pay the prescribed annual levy to the Fund.
- The dates on which the levies to the Fund become payable and the manner in which they shall be paid shall be as prescribed.
- Where any mass media owner fails to pay the whole or any part of a levy within seven days after the date when it is due to the Fund, the owner shall be liable to pay to the Fund an amount equivalent to double the levy due.
- The Commission may, by action in a competent court, recover the amount of a levy or penalty payable in terms of this section.
25 Holding of Fund
(l) The Fund must be administered by the Commission.
- All moneys received on behalf of the Fund shall be paid into a banking account and no money shall be withdrawn therefrom except by means of cheques signed by such persons as are authorised in that behalf by the Commission.
- Any part of the Fund not immediately required for the purposes of the Fund may be invested in such manner as the Commissions after consultation with the Minister may determine:
Provided that such moneys shall not be invested directly in any securities issued by a mass media service company.
- Financial Year of Fund
The financial year of the Fund shall be the period of twelve months ending on the 31st December in each year.
- Accounts and Audit of Fund
(l) The Commission shall cause proper books of accounts of the Fund to be kept, together with adequate financial and other records in relation thereto, and within three months after the end of the financial year to which the accounts relate, shall submit the accounts to the Comptroller and Auditor General for audit in terms of subsection (2).
(2) The accounts of the Fund shall be audited by the Comptroller and Auditor-General, who shall have all the powers conferred upon him by section 9 of the Audit and Exchequer Act [Chapter 22:03] as though the assets of the Fund were public moneys or State property.
I thank you.
HON. BITI: Mr. Chairman, to put it on record, it is not there. I have no problem with what stands there. I know that it is contained in the Constitution but the obligation of these records being tabled by the appropriate Minister to Parliament. Some of the Bills we have done that obligation has been put. Minister, can you add that one on the obligation of the Minister bringing the report to Parliament – [HON. MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections.] – That is the problem about implying because if there is a rogue Minister he will not bring it. So, Minister should be told that he is mandated to table audit reports and the Bill to show what has been happening that period, just like it happens what all other parastatals and commissions. The Human Rights Commission inserts in our pigeon holes. Their financial records and their other records should be brought to Parliament. It is a standard provision.
HON. ZIYAMBI: Thank you Mr. Chairman. This clause has nothing to do with tabling of reports in Parliament – [HON. BITI: Inaudible interjection.] –When we have finished we will find a place to insert it. Let us proceed.
Amendment to New Clause 20, put and agreed to.
New Clause 20 , as amended, put and agreed to.
Clauses 21 to 27 put and agreed to.
On New Clause 28:
THE MINISTER OF JUSTICE, LEGAL AND
PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS (HON. ZIYAMBI): Mr. Chairman, I
propose that after Clause 27 we insert a New Clause 28, (Conditions under which Commission may allow self regulation of practitioners with respect to complaints against them)
(5) BY THE MINISTER OF INFORMATION, PUBLICITY
AND BROADCASTING SERVICES: On page 13 of the Bill, in Part V
("General Provisions"), insert the following clause after line 40, and renumber the existing clauses accordingly—
28 Conditions under which Commission may allow self-regulation of media practitioners with respect to complaints against them
(l ) In this section, references to - “association" includes a combination of associations by whatever name called with its own constitution and code of ethics, or a combination of media practitioners representative of more than one media profession or specialism or more than one media houses;
"adjudicator" means a single adjudicator or group of adjudicators, including a group of adjudicators acting on behalf of a combination of associations, or a combination of media practitioners of different media professions or specialism referred in the definition of "association'.
- An association of media practitioners that complies with the requirements of this section shall be recognised by the Commission as being the body empowered in the first instance to adjudicate complaints made against any of their members by any other member or by members of the public.
- In amplification of subsection (2), it is a privilege of an association recognised by the Commission under this section that no complainant who is afforded an opportunity to lodge his or her complaint with such an association may approach the Commission except on proof satisfactory to the Commission that the complainant has first lodged it with the association concerned, and no such complainant may thereafter approach the Commission except on appeal from such association or after a lapse of time during which the association has failed to process the complaint timeously.
- Any association of media practitioners may, for the purposes of this section—
- constitute themselves as an association to protect their collective interests (whether in the form of a trust, common law association or company limited by guarantee);
- lodge, together with the prescribed fee, if any, with the
Commission
- an authenticated copy, the constitutive document of their association signed by the persons authorised by the association to be the promoters or steering committee of the association; and
- if the code of ethics of the members of the association is not an integral part of the constitutive document of the association, lodge together with the constitutive document a comprehensive code of ethics governing the conduct of the members of the association.
(4) If the Commission is satisfied that the constitutive document contains adequate provisions for the following matters, the Commission shall recognise the association by publishing (with the approval of the Minister) their constitutive document and (if separate) code of ethics by statutory instrument in the Gazette made under the authority of the
Commission -
- the hearing, processing, arbitration or adjudication of complaints made against any of their members by any another member or by members of the public; and
- the hearing, processing, arbitration or adjudication must be conducted on a part time, casual or full-time basis by at one or more neutral (that is to say, non-member) persons ("adjudicators"") who is or are qualified as follows—
- he or she must have practiced for not less than five years in
Zimbabwe as a legal practitioner; or
- he or she must have been a judge of a court of inherent jurisdiction in Zimbabwe or of any other country applying English or
Roman-Dutch law; or
- he or she must be a media practitioner having qualifications, training or experience in arbitration or alternative dispute resolution which in the opinion of the Commission is adequate; and
- the manner in which complaints shall be lodged with the association and their presentation before the adjudicator or adjudicators within a reasonable time; and
- the manner of the adjudication, which shall have the following features -
- the adjudication may be conducted on the basis of either or both a hearing of the parties, or the submission of written representations in the form of affidavits by both, together with any affidavits by witnesses, if any;
- if a hearing is held, each party may be legally represented but each must bear the cost of his or her own legal representation;
- the adjudicator or adjudicators must be paid from the association's funds, with only a reasonable fee to be charged to the complainant for the lodging and processing of the complaint (and if the complainant wins his/her case, the adjudicator(s) may require the respondent to reimburse the fee to the complainant);
- the expeditious processing of the complaint by the adjudicator(s) within a specified time-frame and the due notification of the adjudicator(s)' decision in written and final form to both parties; and
- if the adjudicator(s) finds that the complaint is justified in whole or in part, provision must be made for at least one or any combination of the following sanctions—
- a written reprimand of the respondent media practitioner;
- retraction and apology at the respondent's expense, which shall be afforded adequate prominence in the medium in which it appears;
- the publication of a right of response at the respondent's expense;
- a recommendation of the suspension or termination of the media practitioner's membership of the association and/or his or her professional disaccreditation; and
- any other sanction permitted by the association's constitutive document or code of ethics;
(vi) after notification of the adjudicator's decision, no further provision for appeal may be made except to the Commission; (e) provision for the amendment of the constitutive document of the association and the notification thereof to the Commission in a timeous fashion; and
(f) provisions for the dissolution of association on notice to the
Commission.
- It is a condition for the continued recognition of an association under this section that the association must make timely written notification to the Commission of the name(s), qualifications and other relevant particulars of the adjudicator(s) appointed by them, and of their resignation, retirement, removal and replacement:
Provided that two or more recognised associations may employ the services of the same adjudicator or set of adjudicators.
- Upon any appeal from the decision or findings of an adjudicator of a recognised association under this section, the
Commission shall have the following powers—
- it may uphold the decision of the adjudicator awarding the costs of the appeal to the association; or
- it may remit the decision or any finding to the adjudicator on the grounds that the adjudicator allowed extraneous or irrelevant considerations to affect his or her decision, or failed to take in relevant considerations or facts, or made any mistake of fact; or
- it may substitute its own decision for that of the adjudicator only where the Commission finds—
- interest in the cause, malice, bias or corruption on the part of the adjudicator; or
- gross irregularity in the proceedings or the decision of the adjudicator:
Provided, however, that before making a finding under subparagraph (i) or (ii), it shall afford the adjudicator an opportunity to make representations on the matter in person or in writing.
- It is a condition for the continued recognition of an association under this section that the association must make timely written notification to the Commission of the name(s), qualifications and other relevant particulars of the adjudicator(s) appointed by them, and of their resignation, retirement, removal and replacement.
- The Commission may on notice to the association concerned, withdraw the recognition of an association for the purposes of this section if the association has been found, on due inquiry, not to be compliant with the conditions of its recognition. I thank you
HON. K. PARADZA: Mr. Chairman, as I have said, we agreed as stakeholders that we have co-regulation of the media to say we must make it clear in the Bill that we must set up a co-regulation framework within the media industry. This is an industry which needs regulation and it must self regulate. As stakeholders, we agreed that let us have a framework which we call co-regulation so that the Government is involved, the stakeholders are involved and those in the media industry are also involved. We want the media because it is a profession and this profession has been abused. Anyone who is able to write an essay can call themselves journalists which is very wrong. We must have a situation where we have the Minister as a member of the Law Society, and has a law firm which employs secretaries and legal aids. These are not members of the Law Society but he is a member of the Law Society because of some qualification. This is what we need in the media. This has been lacking in the media.
Right now Mr. Chairman, we have what we call Voluntary Media Council. It has a few takers because those State controlled media are not part of that. We agreed and we have had a series of meetings and even Mr. Speaker had to dispatch us to Sweden, Denmark, Kenya to specifically study this. We came back and the Minister has adopted the Media Fund which is there in Sweden, to give distressed media houses some kind of lifeline.
It is good and we are happy that they have captured that but they have not captured what we want as stakeholders, to say as a profession it must be regulated but in the framework of co-regulation like the Law Society, the Medical Council and the Nurses Council. The definition of media is very broad Mr. Speaker we need to tighten it. We need to have an industry which is regulated in terms of conduct, code of ethics. That is why we need that. No, the amendment is here. They are talking of associations, you can have clubs and those who do dramas Gringo and so forth. Do you call them journalists, if whatever they do is published or you see that on television? No, we need this industry to be regulated so that is the agreed position and as I have said I have a letter which is from the Minister to Parliament to say we agree. The drafters gave us something different.
Mr. Chairman, let me just remind you that His Excellency the President instructed this Parliament to make sure that we reform and media reforms were part of that. These were voluntary reforms. It is not unconditional reforms and if the President says let us reform, why are we not reforming? He even asked me to say go and make sure that you, your colleagues and the stakeholder in the media industry are happy. Mr. Chairman, this Parliament is going to be remembered by this law. We agreed in making sure that we repeal AIPPA and we must make sure that we have progressive laws that make the media industry in this country to function without any other issues. My proposal Mr. Chairman is that we say that for the purpose of exercising disciplinary action against media practitioners who would have breached any law or code of conduct, the Zimbabwe Media Commission with the power conferred on it by Section 249 (1) (d) and (e) and 249 (2) (b) of the Constitution may delegate such power to discipline media practitioners to a board established by the media industry itself.
So this board, we agreed, it should be the Media Council of
Zimbabwe. This board is going to take care of all our disciplinary issues because ZMC becomes now an appellant board. So, the first port of call is if you have any grievances, you go to the council. After the council, if you are not happy, then you go to the appellant which is the ZMC and this is how this profession should be regulated and we have agreed. You do not talk of association because if you are talking of associations, it means any media house is fragmented, the ZimPapers, ZBC, Daily News can say we have our own associations and so forth so this does not make sense.
We want to have one council which regulates the industry and this is a noble profession. I thank you.
HON. BITI: Mr. Chairman, Hon. Paradza makes a humongous sense, this is a profession, the problem now Hon. Chair is that in these days of multi-media platforms, we all think we are journalists those of us who are bloggers on facebook, wananzvi, column or twitter and there are so many of us, varakashi. We now think we are now journalists, we are not. People go to school, get registered and get qualifications. So, let us give that profession the privilege of registration and self regulation.
Mr. Chairman Sir, I belong to the Law Society of Zimbabwe...
HON. TOGAREPI: On a point of order Mr. Chair.
THE DEPUTY CHAIRPERSON: What is your point of order?
HON. TOGAREPI: Hon. Biti claims that varakashi are not journalists, what evidence does he have? As far as I know, they are very much qualified journalists. So, I think it is improper to talk about people who are not here.
HON. BITI: Mr. Chairman, let us allow the profession to self regulate.
THE DEPUTY CHAIRPERSON: Hon. Biti, your debate is good but you must withdraw that statement.
HON. BITI: Varakashi are not journalists, I withdraw but they are not journalists, they are trollers on social media. Let this profession, a foundational profession in the protection of our democracy, legacy of our independence; the liberation struggle, some of its greatest heroes were journalists, people like Nathan Shamuyarira, the late and great Willy Musarurwa, Hon. Webster Shamu, Martin Gula Sobbuza Ndebele before he decided to become a lawyer.
Mr. Chairman, let us allow for self regulation and remember self regulation, the Government already has representatives. In the Law Society of Zimbabwe, there is a representatives appointed by the
Minister of Justice, there is a representative from the University of Zimbabwe, the academic community but the predominant players should be journalists themselves. When you commit a misdemeanor, you should be tried and judged by your peers. It is your peers Mr. Chairman who can test the quality or lack thereof of your misconduct.
It is only another lawyer who can tell the gravity of stealing money from a trust fund or not responding lawyers. Equally, it is journalists themselves who should determine misconduct like plagiarism or writing a story without sources or writing a story on non-existent stories. Let the issue of misconduct be tried and heard by the PS. So, we support Mr. Chair, the existence of one board not multiple associations and that board has already been in existence doing fantastic work, the Voluntary Media Council. We appeal to the Hon. Minister to recognise the issue of self regulation. I thank you Mr. Chairman even though I do not think you were listening to me.
HON. ZIYAMBI: Hon. Chair, before I respond to this, I wish to make an insertion on Clause 20, a new subsection 4 on Clause 20 to read as follows; the new subsection 4 will read as follows; “The Zimbabwe Media Commission must submit to Parliament through the responsible Minister, an annual report describing fully its operations and activities, the report being submitted not later than the end of March in the year following the year to which the report relates”. So we just take it from the Constitution.
Another new subsection 5 now, - [THE DEPUTY
CHAIRPERSON: Hon. Minister, what section of the Constitution?] - Section 323, so we now go to Section 250 of the Constitution and you take it as it is. It becomes a new Subsection 5. We now insert what we have been discussing. I hear all of you and I – [HON.
MISIHAIRABWI-MUSHONGA: Just take the existing provisions of the Law Society of Zimbabwe.] – I will deal with it in regulations – [HON.
MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections] - I will deal with it in regulations – [HON. BITI: That will be problematic because if the current Minister goes, the one who takes over might be cunning.] – No, I will deal with it
– [HON. MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections.] –
HON. MISIHAIRABWI-MUSHONGA: I think you were busy
working on that provision and you rarely heard. To a larger extent, it works even for a lot of the problems that we are having. It deals with the mischief of what we are having. If you do not create a framework for self-regulation, almost like you have done with the law society, that is when we have the sprouting of people who are pretending to be journalists. Even those who are journalists, because they know they can get away with anything, they do not have anybody who can hold them to account. I also speak as a journalist but as a feminist – there are types of abuses that we have had to suffer as women at the hands of this profession of ours. Without self-regulation, you are literally throwing us to the wolves. So, anything else you have done here, all the good work you have done, if you have not created a framework that can selfregulate like we said – which is why we are saying just take the Law Society one which allows for Government representation also on it so that they are not just having it on their own. They may be the majority but the Government has a hand in it. I beg you.
*HON. NYABANI: Let me contribute a little bit. When we met with stakeholders and agreed, we noted that currently, we cannot do selfregulation but we agreed on co-regulation. If we do well through coregulation, we then move on to self-regulation. That is what we agreed on – [HON. PARADZA: Mr. Chairman, I have an international press card issued by the International Federation of Journalists, I am a journalist of high repute and you cannot just say anyone can be a journalist. No!] –
HON. ZIYAMBI: Thank you Hon. Chair. The Members are debating but they are not putting forward verbatim of what exactly they are proposing. Hon. Chair, these are several amendments which we were not prepared for. I propose that we report progress and seek leave to sit later to complete this.
House resumed.
Progress reported.
Committee to resume: Tuesday, 29th September, 2020.
MOTION
BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE
THE MINISTER OF JUSTICE, LEGAL AND
PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS (HON. ZIYAMBI): I move that
Orders of the Day, Numbers 2 and 3 be stood order until Order of the Day Number 4 has been disposed of.
HON. BITI: I am appealing to the Minister to shift the debate to next week Tuesday because I did not bring my notes and the Bill with me today.
HON. ZIYAMBI: Madam Speaker, my view is that those who want to debate can do so. We are not closing debate on the Second Reading speech today. We will also continue the debate on Tuesday and close the debate and go to the next stage which is the Committee Stage.
THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER (HON. MAVETERA): Thank
you very much for that clarification Hon. Minister. I am sure that is in order Hon. Biti.
HON. BITI: Yes Ma’am.
SECOND READING
CYBER SECURITY AND DATA PROTECTION BILL [H. B. 18,
2019]
Fourth Order Read: Second Reading: Cyber Security and Data
Protection Bill [H. B. 18, 2019].
HON. NGULUVHE: Thank you for affording me the time to say a few words as per this Bill. Before I start to give my views, let me say to the Hon. Members; as someone who has been in the security field since 1977, I do not want to be misconstrued or misunderstood as a fundi in this field, but I feel I should also – as a citizen, give my view so that we are assured that the security of the people of this country is maintained.
After going through this Bill, I have some issues that I want the Minister concerned to take note of. This Bill does not clearly assign any responsibilities to the national security sector because the national cyber security response should be national team work effort and not only one Ministry. When I looked at this Bill, I discovered that it does not give the responsibility of the security sector people. You cannot do without them.
POTRAZ, as the designated data protection authority or cyber security centre must not be able to investigate cyber cases of national security interest and make the necessary decision as it is a civilian outfit. I looked at Section 4 and 5. The other point that I observed is that the data processing authority will have oversight from the Ministry of Information, Communication, Technology, Postal and Courier Services and yet the security sector has no oversight on the cyber security. I looked at Section 8 (d). There is mention of a cyber security Committee whose purpose and composition is not fully explained. If you look at
Section 166 (d) – the Committee reports and gives further advice to the Government through the Ministry whereas from my own experience, there might be a conflict of interest because this is one of the duties of the Ministry of State Security. If we look again at Section 166 (d), can it be clearly stated as to who decides the composition and chairmanship of this Committee because it does not state.
Notification of breaches has not been specified as per international standards which is usually two days. I want you to check Section 19. The Bill states that POTRAZ will be the coordinator of Cyber Security in Zimbabwe – this likely means that POTRAZ will coordinate cyber national efforts between public, private and law enforcement agencies.
How they intend to do this is not clear.
I recommend that the head of such an institution must be someone who firmly understands and have a background in national security. If you look at Section 8 (d), it is not clear as to its functions. Section 28 and 29 deals with the security of a company or country to which Zimbabwe data is about to be sent - it is not clear if the current arrangements will consult the security sector because we might have conflicts there with the security people.
Section 33 and 163 is in conflict with Section 4 of the Official
Secrets Act in terms of penalties. Many countries have tried this approach separately, the secret security form from the security sector – they have tried to do it without engaging the security sector but it has proved to be detrimental to the success of this cyber security response. You might consider what is taking place in countries like UK, Israel, USA and Egypt and even here close by in South Africa and see that it is very difficult if you separate these from the security sector reforms. You might have some conflicts and put the security of the country into jeopardy. In the interests of our national security, I propose that the Bill should include an extension of clauses to limit the internet when the Constitution of the country so demands. Last but not least, Section 164 goes some way in resolving fake news. It does not speak to how users can know if a message is true or false. So we need a fact checking provision to be put in place because legislation on its own cannot address fake news. Madame Speaker, those are my few recommendations as far as this Bill is concerned. I thank you.
THE MINISTER OF JUSTICE, LEGAL AND
PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS (HON. ZIYAMBI): Madam Speaker,
I move that debate do now adjourn.
Motion put and agreed to.
Debate to resume: Tuesday 29th September, 2020.
MOTION
BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE
THE MINISTER OF JUSTICE, LEGAL AND
PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS (HON. ZIYAMBI): Madam Speaker,
I move that Orders 5 to 13 be stood over until Order number 14 has been disposed of.
REPORT OF THE SUMMIT OF THE INTERNATIONAL
CONFERENCE ON POPULATION AND DEVELOPMENT (ICPD) -
25 YEARS HELD IN NAIROBI KENYA FROM 12-14 NOVEMBER
2019
HON. KWARAMBA: Thank you Madam Speaker. I would like
to present a report on the delegation on the Summit of the International
Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) – 25 years held in Nairobi, Kenya from 12 to 14 November 2019.
HON. NYABANI: I second.
HON. KWARAMBA:
INTRODUCTION
The summit to celebrate 25 years of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) was convened by the United
Nations Population Fund (UNFP), Denmark and Kenya governments in Nairobi, Kenya from 12-14 November 2019. Participants were drawn from the policy makers, civil societies, researchers, young people, faith leaders and family planning advocates from around the world.
PARLIAMENT OF ZIMBABWE DELEGATION
The Parliament of Zimbabwe delegation comprised of Hon.
Goodluck Kwaramba, Chairperson of the Zimbabwe Parliamentary Women’s Caucus, Hon. Priscilla Misihairabwi-Mushonga, Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Primary and Secondary Education and
Hon. Dr. Ruth Labode, Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Health and Child Care.
The Executive Arm of the Government of Zimbabwe was also in attendance and comprised of officials from the following ministries: Ministry of Finance and Economic Development, Ministry of Health and
Child Care and Ministry of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs.
Other delegates to the summit included representatives from the University of Zimbabwe.
OBJECTIVES OF THE CONFERENCE
The objectives of the summit were:
- To ensure that universal access to Sexual and Reproductive Health rights is part of Universal Health Coverage.
- Identify financing required to complete the ICPD Programme of Action and to sustain the gains made.
- To draw on the demographic diversity to drive economic growth and achieve sustainable development.
- Ending gender based violence and harmful practices.
- Upholding the Right to Sexual and Reproductive Health Care even in Humanitarian and fragile context.
STATEMENTS OF COMMITMENTS FROM ZIMBABWE
The Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC) representative
Dr. J Mberikunashe, a Principal Director in the Ministry read out the
Zimbabwe – Nairobi Statement of Commitment on behalf of the
Minister of Finance and Economic Development Hon. Prof M. Ncube.
ZIMBABWE SPECIF COMMITMENTS FOR THE TWENTY-FIFTH
YEAR COMMEMORATION OF THE INTERNATIONAL
CONFERENCE ON POPULATION AND DEVELOPMENT (ICPD)
25 AT THE NAIROBI SUMMIT
BACKGROUND
- Zimbabwe has been implementing the International
Conference on Population and Development (ICPD)
Programme of Action (POA) adopted by 179 countries in 1994, Cairo. Regular reviews have been done since then to assess progress, identify gaps and challenges and to advocate for policy change in order to achieve national development objectives and priorities in line with commitments reflected in the ICPD POA.
- One such review for Zimbabwe was undertaken in 2018 with full participation of all key stakeholders and for which a country review report was produced and submitted to the African Union Commission (AUC). The 2018 review was on the implementation of the Addis Ababa Declaration on population and Development (AADPD), which was endorsed by African Heads of State at the 2014 AU Summit as the foremost set of commitments on population and development issues on the continent that provides region-specific guidance
on the full implementation of the ICPD beyond 2014 in Africa.
- In November this year, the international community will be commemorating 25 years of implementation of the ICPD POA in Nairobi, Kenya. The Nairobi Summit on
ICPD@25:”Accelarating the Promise” is about renewing and reinvigorating the global commitment to the full and accelerated implementation of the ICPD POA, within the overall context of Agenda 2030 and the SDGs to ensure that no one is left behind.
- The summit will offer an inclusive platform for a broad range of public and private sector stakeholders, Heads of State, Ministers, Civil Society and youth leaders, Parliamentarians, business representatives and others, to come together and agree on a set of twelve global commitments that would collectively advance the ICPD agenda and would finish the unfinished business. The global commitments which have
been developed by a Steering Committee at the global level are organised around the following five themes:
- Universal sexual and reproductive health and rights in the context of universal health coverage. ii. Creating financing momentum. iii. Demographic diversity and sustainable development.
- Gender based violence and harmful practices against women and
- Sexual reproductive health and rights (SRHR) in humanitarian and fragile contexts.
Countries have been requested to come up with country specific commitments that are aimed at complementing and responding to the global commitments outlined above and which will be read out at the Nairobi Summit. Based on the 2018 AADPD Countries Review Report and other relevant national and secretarial documents, the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development and key stakeholders with the support from UNFPA which is the lead UN agency on this process, has come up with a set of country specific commitments as outlined below;
Country Specific Commitments
The country specific commitments under each of the twelve global commitments and the five ICPD themes are as follows;
Global Commitment 1: Intensify our efforts for the full, effective and accelerated implementation and funding of the ICPD Programme of Action, Key Actions for the Further Implementation of the Programme of Action of the ICPD, and Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development.
Government of Zimbabwe commits to:
- Revise the Population Policy;
- Put in place and capacitate a high level National Coordination
Board for implementation of the National Population Policy;
- Capacitate the responsible department in the Ministry of Finance
and Economic Development; and
- Conduct the Population and Housing Census in 2022.
Theme 1: Achieve universal sexual and reproductive health as part of Universal Health Coverage (UHC), by committing to strive for Global Commitment 2 – Zero unmet need for family planning information and services and universal availability of quality, affordable and safe modern contraceptives
- Government of Zimbabwe commits to:
- Avail comprehensive short and long term and permanent
family planning methods at all family planning service provision points by 2030.
Global Commitment 2 – Zero unmet need for family planning
information and services and universal availability of quality, affordable and safe modern contraceptives.
Government of Zimbabwe commits to-
- Curb teenage pregnancies from 21.6% to 12% by 2030; and
- Avail comprehensive short and long term and permanent family planning methods at all Family Planning service provision points by 2030.
Global Commitment 3 – We commit to strive for zero preventable maternal deaths, and maternal morbidity such as obstetric fistulas by inter alia, integrating a comprehensive approach of the essential sexual and reproductive health package, including measures for preventing and avoiding unsafe abortions and post abortion care into national UHC strategies, policies and programmes, and to protect and ensure all individuals’ right to bodily integrity and autonomy, and to provide access to essential services in support of this right.
Government of Zimbabwe commits to:
- Increase by 50% the maternal mortality reduction from the current 651/100 000 live births by 2030.
- Develop a comprehensive national SRHR package and integrate it into the national UHC strategies, policies and programmes; and
- Deploy two trained midwives to provide maternity services at all eligible primary health care facilities by 2030.
Global Commitment 4: Ensuring access for adolscents and youth to comprehensive and age-appropriate information, education and adolescent-friendly comprehensive, quality and timely services to be able to make informed choices about their sexuality and reproductive lives, to adequately protect themselves from unintended pregnancies, gender-based violence, sexually transmitted infections and HIV/AIDS, and to be able to transition safely into adulthood.
Government of Zimbabwe commits to:
- Support all SRHR service provision points provide youth-friendly services;
- Support all schools, public and private, delivering a quality-assured Comprehensive Sexually Education (CSE) package, including HIV information, by 2030; and
- Ensure hard to reach populations such as Persons with Disabilities
(PWD), PLRA, emergency areas, prisons, sex workers, young people in conflict with law have immediate access to comprehensive Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) services.
Theme 2: Address gender-based violence and the harmful practices of child, early and forced marriages and female genital mutilation, by committing to strive for -
Global Commitment 5 – Zero sexual and gender-based violence, including zero child, early and forced marriage, as well as zero female genital mutilation in order to realise all individuals potential as agents of change in their society both socially and economically.
Government of Zimbabwe commits to:
- Align all laws pertaining to marriage to the Constitution of Zimbabwe, Amendment No. 20 of 2013 by 2030;
- Implement the National Plan of Action on Ending Child
Marriages, harmonise marriage laws and set age of marriage at 18 years by 2030;
- Invest resources to provide comprehensive multi-sectoral services for survivors of GBV and to strengthen key institutions;
- Economically and socially empower women and girls to be actively engaged in the country’s development; and
- Finalise and fully implement the Disability Amendment Act to support service access by women and girls with disabilities by 2030.
Theme 3: Mobilise the required financing to finish the ICPD
Programme of Action and sustain the gains already made by Global Commitment 6 using National Budget processes, increasing domestic financing and exploring new and innovative financing instruments and structures to ensure full, effective and accelerated implementation of the ICPD Programme of Action.
Government of Zimbabwe commits to:
- Allocate at least 15 percent of the National Budget to the health sector with specific allocation for SRHR and Family Planning by 2030;
- Improve allocations from the HIV and airtime levies to SRHR and
Family Planning by at least five percent;
- Allocate 10 percent of the Global Fund allocated to Zimbabwe to SRHR and Family Planning as per Global Fund Financing Framework; and
- Finalise and implement the National Health Insurance Scheme.
Global Commitment (GC) 7- Doing what is in our power to increase the percentage of official development aid (ODA) specifically earmarked to ensure universal access to SRHR to complement domestic financing of sexual and reproductive health programmes.
Government of Zimbabwe commits to;
- Ensure that Aid Support is aligned to UN National Priorities which includes universal access to SRHR/Family Planning.
Theme 4: Draw on demographic diversity to drive economic growth and achieve sustainable development by :-
Global Commitment (GC) 8- Harnessing the demographic dividend by investing in adolescents and youths education, employment opportunities and health, including family planning and sexual reproductive health services.
Government of Zimbabwe commits to:-
- Improve youth involvement across sectors through enactment of the National Youth Act and its National Youth Commission;
- Proactively invest in post-secondary school skills building to reduce youth unemployment by half by 2030;
- Promote health for school children through implementation of
the Zimbabwe School Health Policy and Support and support access to contraception of young people to reduce the high teen pregnancy by half by 2030.
Global Commitment (SC) 9 – Building peaceful, just and inclusive societies where all people including the old and the young, people with disabilities, ethnic minorities and indigenous people build societies where they feel valued and are able to shape their own destiny and contribute to the prosperity of their societies.
Government of Zimbabwe commits to:-
- Promote human rights including for the most vulnerable and marginalised populations (older persons, people with disability, children, the poor and victims of natural disasters.
Global Commitment (GC): 10-Providing quality, timely and disaggregated data, investing in digital health innovations and improvement of data systems to achieve sustainable development.
Government of Zimbabwe commits to:-
- Continue strengthening the production of quality, relevant,
timely and where possible, fully disaggregated vital country statistics through the decennial population census programme to inform policy planning,
- Invest in the statistical lead agency ZIMSTAT to offer timely and accurate statistics.
Global Commitment (CG)11-Committing to the notion that nothing about young people’s health and well-being can be discussed and decided upon without their meaningful involvement and participation (“nothing about us, without us”).
Government of Zimbabwe commits to:-
- Legislate for youth consultation in development processes, including budget consultative processes by 2030.
Theme 5: Uphold the right to sexual and reproductive health care in humanitarian and fragile contexts by:-
Global Commitment (CG) 12-Ensuring the basic humanitarian needs of affected populations, including SRHR are addressed as critical components of responses to humanitarian and environmental crises as well as fragile and post-crisis reconstruction contexts, through the provision of access to the full range of sexual and reproductive health services including access to safe abortion where it is legal, to significantly reduce maternal mortality and morbidity under these conditions.
Government of Zimbabwe to:-
- Ensure emergency preparedness across all relevant sectors, by 2030;
- Build or strengthen coordination structures for preparedness and response to emergencies; and
- Support strengthening of the Civil Protection Unit to coordinate humanitarian actors to prioritise prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse and Sexual Gender Based Violence in humanitarian situations. I thank you.
HON. PHULU: Madam Speaker, I listened to the report submitted by Hon. Kwaramba in all. The new Constitution of Zimbabwe, in its Preamble and also in Section 13 in particular, introduces the concept of a right to development. The right to development even though it is not in the Bill of Rights, the language of that section is very clear that as we trudge on towards development, we must begin to implement the right to development. We know that we have got the goals that have been set that we have been following but certainly, our own Constitution now speaks to the importance of development particularly with regard to the area that she was talking about relating to population and development.
As she spoke, I saw that there was also emphasis on the rights of the youths to participate on the rights of women in particular. I do not know whether there was mention to rights of women in the rural areas. Broadly as she was speaking, I could see that the Government undertook and committed to implement a lot of its international obligations as provided for in the International Covenant for Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and also in CIDA. I think for the first time I have read a report where the Government has unreservedly undertaken to comply with the full gamut of its international obligations. I would like to applaud Government for that. I would like to applaud the Minister of Finance for doing so. It seems that it is an indication of Government in this area of economic social and cultural rights to try and implement these. We know that the Government in terms of the Constitution, has undertaken to ramp up development particularly in the case of women, children and people living with disabilities. The political will and the commitment seems to be there.
I would also like to applaud Parliament for attending these sessions and carefully noting down what is happening. We need to translate these commitments into legislation, translate these commitments into policy. I know the Minister of Finance also made an undertaking – actually there is a specific undertaking to translate these commitments into legislation. I specifically heard Hon. Kwaramba mention that and that is to be applauded. The significant issue is that if a report of Parliament has been captured with such clarity and such detail, we as the august House have a duty also to ensure that we push the Executive in their Legislative Agenda, and the Leader of the Government business is here, to amend its Legislative Agenda that was announced as we took up our duty in this House at the beginning of our term. A comprehensive Legislative Agenda was announced. There has not been any amendment to that legislative agenda. I know that it was a heavy and busy Legislative Agenda, and perhaps Government should try to push and complete those pieces of legislation on that original Legislative Agenda as much as they can.
Certainly, when we get reports like these, it is time that they amend, revise or upgrade the Legislative Agenda in order to prioritise – we would not finish in this Session, all the pieces of legislation on that Legislative Agenda but what Government can do is try, reprioritise and rerank those Acts of Parliament in order to include an upgrade to all the Acts of Parliament in as far as they deal with the issue of gender equality, in as far as it deals with the issue of participation of women, participation of youths and participation even in district development plans, and provisional development plans. Every Ministry has something to pick from a report like this.
I would like to applaud the Hon. Members that went to that Committee for appraising us. Now the ball is in our court. I do not know Mr. Speaker what Parliament does to follow up on these kinds of reports so that we can push the Executive because there is no culture of legislation coming from our benches. I doubt that this will happen during our term, but to push the Government and to push the leader of Government business to introduce a review of various pieces of legislation to ensure compliance with the international obligations and also to push policy makers because these commitments must also be translated not only into legislation but also into policy. It appears there is a large amount of work for us to do and we need to bring our heads together to find out what kind of system maybe through our committees to ensure that a report like this filters to the Justice Committee, filters to the Committee on Defence, to the Committee dealing with Lands and
Agriculture, because it touches every sector of Government. I could not sit and not having lend my voice of support. Congratulations both to the
Government and to the Members of Parliament who attended this
Conference for doing such a sterling job. I thank you Madam Speaker.
THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER: Thank you very much Hon.
Phulu. You raised a pertinent point which is worth noting, that as Members of Parliament we are able to be part of the legislative process by making sure that we propose and create certain Bills that will be coming to Parliament. That is noble and indeed I believe that it is something that has not been in this Parliament but I believe in previous Parliaments it has been done. Thank you very much.
HON. TOGAREPI: Thank you Madam Speaker. I would want
to add my voice as well after listening to the report. I was left with nothing rather, to say we are joining other nations of the world in dealing with gender issues progressively. From the report, I realised that most of the things that are being recommended, in Zimbabwe we are already doing something. We have also already, if I look at the Constitution Section 56, provided the framework where we are promoting rights of women, rights of men as well as girls and boys. All those that are disadvantaged are also protected within the systems of our Government. I find that to be very critical. From the report, I realised that they also looked at practical issues of the challenges that are being faced by women and young girls where they are sexually abused. Their rights are not respected and the cultures that we practice in Zimbabwe and everywhere else where these cultures infringe on the rights of women. Our laws in Zimbabwe are already looking at those issues and are progressively building structures that protect the women in every day
life.
I also observed that in Zimbabwe we already have a Gender Commission which always tries to deal with various equalities, where if you look at it, women would not be allowed to access some other positions and rights within the communities and societies. Already in Zimbabwe, we have Chapter 1030 or 31 if I am not wrong, that talks of the Gender Commission; dealing with the responsibility. You remove those barriers that will affect or infringe on the rights of women where they seek to be at the same level with the other gender which is men. I find our efforts being very progressive as a people and I want to applaud our Government for taking a serious look at these recommendations and have already given themselves a responsibility to ensure that we follow to the letter and we establish a society that is responsive to the needs and rights of our society, especially women. I find this very progressive indeed.
THE MINISTER OF JUSTICE, LEGAL AND
PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS: Madam. Speaker, I move that the
debate do now adjourn.
Motion put and agreed to.
Debate to resume: Tuesday, 29th September, 2020.
On the motion of THE MINISTER OF JUSTICE, LEGAL AND PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS, the House adjourned at Five Minutes
to Five o’clock p.m. until Tuesday, 29th September, 2020.
PARLIAMENT OF ZIMBABWE
Thursday, 24th September 2020.
The Senate met at Half-past Two O’clock p.m.
PRAYERS
(THE HON. PRESIDENT OF SENATE in the Chair)
APOLOGIES RECEIVED FROM MINISTERS
THE HON. PRESIDENT OF SENATE: I have a list of Ministers who send in their apologies. Hon. Dr. S. Nzenza, Minister of Industry and Commerce; Hon. Kambamura, Deputy Minister of Mines and Mining Development; Hon. Chitando, Minister of Mines and Mining Development. We are just hoping that the others are coming in. I hope the Leader of the House has managed to encourage them to attend, because honestly we have a complaint in the Senate, where Ministers are not taking it serious that we need answers. This House is also as important as the National Assembly. – [HON. SENATORS: Hear, hear.] – We only have two Ministers and they all send in apologies, then we keep on like this, I do not think we will take in this one.
ORAL ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE
*HON. SEN. CHIEF CHUNDU: My question is directed to the Minister of Home Affairs and in his absence to the Leader of Government Business. We have road blocks 24/7, which is a good thing. What plans does Government have in putting toilets in places which are far away from cities and towns? We have female police officers having difficult times because they work where there are no toilets.
*THE MINISTER OF INFORMATION, PUBLICITY AND BROADCASTING SERVICES (HON. SEN. MUTSVANGWA): Thank you Madam President. I would like to thank Hon. Senator Chief for the question. Government takes very much into consideration the issue of hygiene. We have programmes which are going to start in the rural areas. We are going to have a policy that says where there are many people, there should be proper ablution facilities. If those places are going to be there as permanent road blocks, we are going to make sure that there are ablution facilities.
*HON. SEN. MOEKETSI: Thank you Madam President. My supplementary question to the Minister is we have a place in Chegutu, which hass a road block 24/7 and there are no toilets? I thank you.
*HON. SEN. MUTSVANGWA: I think she spoke about a particular area, can she write it down so that we can forward the issue?
*HON. SEN. CHINAKE: Minister, I would like to know why issuing of number plates is now a problem?
*THE MINISTER OF INFORMATION, PUBLICITY AND BROADCASTING SERVICES (HON. SEN. MUTSVANGWA): Thank you Madam President. I want to say Cabinet this week tabulated work that has been done. It was discussed that number plates must start to be produced. We know that number plates were being manufactured outside the country but we have plans that number plates be manufactured in this country. The Government decided that we must produce our own number plates in the country instead of giving other countries money. The number plates are manufactured using aluminum and other raw materials like tins we use for drinks.
Since the number plates were coming from other countries, it was difficult to acquire them because the country did not have enough foreign currency. Right now, we have met with the Government department responsible to make sure that the number plates are locally produced. There are other substitutes which we can produce in order to save on foreign currency. I would want to thank the Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education, Innovation Science and Technology Development and the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development that have come together in working towards producing number plates.
*HON. SEN. DR. MAVETERA: Thank you Madam President. My supplementary question is directed to the Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services. Since the issue of number plates is known to the country, why are motorists travelling with vehicles that have no number plates not being taken to task?
*HON. SEN. MUTSVANGWA: Thank you Madam President. I want to thank Hon. Sen. Mavetera for the question. This question was also asked in the National Assembly. The duty of the police is to see that all people abide by the law and people must travel within the laws. Many criminals were taking advantage of using cars without number plates but the department of Home Affairs is now carrying out a survey on cars without number plates. That is why Government right now is in the process of making sure that number plates are available.
HON. SEN. B. MPOFU: My question is directed to the Minister of Home Affairs or the Leader of the House. Right now, are people able to apply for passports using United States dollars?
*THE MINISTER OF INFORMATION, PUBLICITY AND BROADCASTING SERVICES (HON. SEN. MUTSVANGWA): Thank you Madam President. I also thank Hon. Sen. Mpofu for his question. I do not know whether the information that he has is sufficient. If he has a particular case that he knows, it will be important for him to submit his question in writing so that investigations can be made. What I know is that people in the diaspora can now apply and pay in United States dollars.
THE HON. PRESIDENT OF SENATE: Thank you Hon. Leader of the House. Hon. Sen. Mpofu, put your question in writing.
HON. SEN. S. MPOFU: Thank you Madam President. I will direct my question to the Leader of the House. There are some prisoners who have acquired some life skills during the time they have been in jail. What is the Government policy on assisting these prisoners financially once they leave jail for them to start their projects? Thank you.
THE MINISTER OF INFORMATION, PUBLICITY AND BROADCASTING SERVICES (HON. SEN. MUTSVANGWA): Thank you very much Madam President. I would also like to thank Senator S. Mpofu for that question. First of all, they are being empowered with these life skills whilst in prison because Government is aware of that need. They are no longer prisons now but are actually called correctional services because we have to rehabilitate the prisoners so that when they get out, they find something to do in order to sustain themselves. In a way, that is Government policy to make sure that they learn all those skills in prisons so that when they go out they have to live a clean life. Thank you.
*HON. SEN. CHIMBUDZI: My question is directed to the Hon. Leader of the House. What are Government plans in relation to challenges that are being faced by police officers manning border posts?
*THE MINISTER OF INFORMATION, PUBLICITY AND BROADCASTING SERVICES (HON. SEN. MUTSVANGWA): Thank you Madam President. I would like to thank the Hon. Member for asking the pertinent question with particular reference to protection of our border areas. It is important. Also regarding passports, these are issues that are continually being spoken about since they affect people. Resources might be limited but Government has a number of programmes targeted on solving that particular issue. Thank you.
HON. SEN. CHIEF MAKUMBE: Thank you Madam President, my question is directed to the Minister of National Housing and Social Amenities. I would like to know if Government has plans to rectify the housing challenges that are faced by people in Manicaland, particularly because of the results of the effects of Cyclone Idai in Manicaland.
THE MINISTER OF NATIONAL HOUSING AND SOCIAL AMENITIES (HON. GARWE): I would like to thank the Hon. Member for asking such a question concerning the effects of Cyclone Idai in Chimanimani. There are a lot of people who were affected, lost their houses and relatives. The Government is busy pulling resources so that this issue is addressed. In the next few weeks, contractors will be engaged so that they start construction in that particular area.
*HON. SEN. CHIRONGOMA: Thank you Madam President. My question is targeted towards the Minister of Transport. Firstly, I would like to appreciate the good job that is being done by those who work at different toll gates. At times because of network challenges we find long queues at our toll gates. Is there anything that the Government can do address the long queues at the toll gates.
*HON. SEN. MUTSVANGWA: Let me say that it is not necessary for people to stay in long queues but Government has plans to make sure that there are no long queues at toll gates.
HON. SEN. CHIEF MATUPULA: My question is directed to the Leader of the House. The communities around the national parks have noticed that there is a mysterious disease affecting wild life heritage, especially our elephants. Are there any measures in place to ensure that by the end of the season we still have wild life in our parks if they come to the bottom of that disease?
HON. SEN. MUTSVANGWA: As challenges do come, as a Government we will continue to work hard to ensure that we protect our wild life and communities. We know that tourism is a big thing in our country and we know that a lot of tourists come from all over the world to see our wildlife. So the policy is very clear; I was not aware of the disease which the Hon. Senator has referred to – again, it is an issue which I will talk to the Minister of Environment, Tourism and Climate to make sure that the disease is given maxim attention.
*HON. SEN. RWAMBIWA: Thank you Madam President, my question is targeted towards the Leader of the House. We know that the opening of schools is imminent; there are some children who commute to school. So I would like to find out what Government is doing, particularly in making sure that children use safe transport to school.
HON. SEN. MUTSVANGWA: Thank you Madam President. I would like to thank Hon. Sen. Rwambiwa for asking such a pertinent question. Yes, we know schools are going to be opening soon and every parent is concerned. The Government wishes that all school children be protected. Therefore, the President has tasked the Ministry concerned to look into the issue and make decisions regarding school children or their mode of transport. These are decisions that are taken after wide consultations.
Looking at the opening of schools, the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education, the Hon. Minister Mathema went around the country gathering information through consultations, talking to teachers, school children and identifying the different challenges. Government has seen it fit to allocate a budget of $600 000 000 to make sure the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education has protective equipment for pupils so that every student has a mask so that even schools that were used as quarantine centres have sanitisers and enough PPE. Government understands that this is important.
Looking at transport challenges, ZUPCO falls under Hon. J. Moyo’s Ministry. It is going to cater for transport for all students and particularly those who will be opening soon, the Form Fours, Six and Grade Seven. They are going to be covered. These are decisions that were taken by Government and a lot of measures have been taken. We have come this far because the Government of Zimbabwe does not want to lose the ground that has been covered so far. Thank you.
*HON. SEN. CHIEF CHARUMBIRA: Thank Madam President. The Hon. Minister who is also the Leader of the House is doing a good job. Regarding the ZUPCO issue, we have seen that a lot of buses are coming and they are affordable, however ZUPCO buses are not plying rural areas. So, my request is that they also consider allocating buses to rural areas. I thank you.
HON. SEN. MUTSVANGWA: Thank you Madam President. Let me thank Hon. Sen. Chief Charumbira for his question. This issue of ZUPCO buses is an issue that came because a lot of rural buses were not ferrying people because of Covid-19. However, during the last two weeks, the Cabinet decided that when tourism operators were allowed to operate then airports were also opened then intercity buses were allowed to go back to operate between big cities. So, we are going stage by stage. We also need to look at rural buses being guided by the situation on the ground. I thank you.
*HON. SEN. CHIEF CHARUMBIRA: My question is directed to the Minister of National Housing and Social Amenities. We have noticed that illegal settlers continue building where they are not supposed to build houses. What is Government doing about that issue? I thank you.
*THE MINISTER OF NATIONAL HOUSING AND SOCIAL AMENITIES (HON. GARWE): I would like to thank Senator Chief Charumbira for that pertinent question. The question is in two parts. The first part is a legal issue which is the human settlement policy. Madam President our Ministry is nine months old and we have been working hard to address a number of issues particularly promulgating a law which covers human settlements. I believe that by the end of October, we will be having that policy.
The second question speaks to illegal settlements and bylaws of different councils. If you still remember, few years back, because people wanted to build houses in areas that are serviced, then Government engaged cooperatives and private developers so that they would come and service roads, water reticulation and sewer disposal. They were tasked to allocate stands being guided by different laws. They were given development permits with conditions. However, because at times as human beings, they decided to resale these stands without servicing the roads, without running water and without proper sewage systems.
Government having saying that this was not in tandem with the President’s Vision 2030, which aims at achieving development by 2030 - So, our Ministry was given a task to engage these developers so that we regularise all settlements. We are moving around cities addressing all irregularities. Let me emphasise that Government is not demolishing peoples’ houses but Government is going to service roads, water reticulation and sewage disposal systems. Government is going to engage developers and other contractors so that these areas are serviced. Developers are supposed to pay contractors who will be working in all these new settlements. I thank you.
*HON. SEN. RAMBANEPASI: My question is directed to the Minister of Energy and Power Development. Let me thank the Hon. Minister for what they did to PetroTrade. Now we have access to PetroTrade without any pressure. We appreciate what you are doing, you are doing a good job. We thank His Excellency President E. D. Mnangagwa who guided you in order to value Senators and Members of Parliament. My question is that suppose I am not feeling well and I send my driver who might be a relative to go to Petrotrade, what do we do if the petrol attendant says if the Hon. Member is not there, we cannot serve you? This is despite tge fact that the car is properly written and they know that it is a senatorial car. That is my question.
THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF ENERGY AND POWER DEELOPMENT (HON. MUDYIWA): Thank you Madam President. I want to thank the Hon. Sen. Rambanepasi for appreciating the good job that we did as a Ministry. I remember at one time Hon. Senators spoke about fuel challenges, but let me come to the question that was asked by the Hon. Sen. When the Hon. Sen. sends her driver to Petrotrade, at times the driver is not given fuel. This is not proper – you need to take our phone numbers so that if you come across such challenges, then you can communicate with us. Write down the challenges so that we can make a follow-up as a Ministry. You will be having your coupons and so, what reason does the petrol attendant give you? That should not happen. Senatorial cars, coupons and the driver that is allocated to you is what is important with or without the Senator’s presence, the senatorial car should be filled. I thank you.
*THE HON. PRESIDENT OF SENATE: However, we are also urged not to share these cards as Hon. Members.
*HON. SEN. CHIEF NTABENI: I would like to ask the Hon. Minister whether Petrotrade serve other people in other towns or it is only serving those who are in Harare.
*HON. MUDYIWA: Let me thank the Hon. Sen. for asking such a pertinent question. Petrotrade is supposed to serve all cities and towns throughout the country but the challenge is that they were not having enough fuel to service the whole country. I believe that is the challenge that Petrotrade has been facing. Secondly, coupons were supposed to be used in selected garages in Harare and in other parts of the country and not all Petrotrade garages. However, the main issue is that they do not have enough fuel to service all garages around the country.
*HON SEN. CHIEF CHARUMBIRA: My supplementary is unique. I decided to rise whilst we are looking at policy issues. The Hon. Sen. first appreciated His Excellency E. D. Mnangagwa and we commend that. It is important that we appreciate wherever the contribution is coming from and whatever party it comes from, it is important to appreciate our leaders across political parties. I thank you.
HON. SEN. MATHUTHU: Thank you Madam President. My question is directed to the Minister of Primary and Secondary Education. In his absence, I will direct my question to the Leader of the House. Madam President, what is the policy of Government regarding the payment of school fees because most of the schools in the country are demanding that parents pay school fees beginning with first term, second term and now we are in the third term. What is Government policy? I thank you.
THE MINISTER OF INFORMATION, PUBLICITY AND BROADCASTING SERVICES (HON. SEN. MUTSVANGWA): Thank you Madam President. The issue of school fees remains that parents are supposed to pay for the term when the students were learning. In terms of the policy, the issue is that parents will have to sit down and discuss, and what we hear from the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education is what we should do. Every child should go to school and that is what the Government wants as well as to protect the parents.
*HON. SEN. DR. MAVETERA: The issue is parents are being asked to pay fees for the terms which they did not attend - that is the problem that we are facing.
HON. SEN. MUTSVANGWA: I thank you Madam President and thank you Hon. Sen. Mavetera. If there are problems concerning the payment of school fees, they must go to the Ministry. They will sit down and discuss this issue. What we heard from the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education – their job is to consult with the parents and the schools such that everything will go well. According to the law, the schools must not charge for the time the kids were not at school. If the school is doing that, they must sit down and solve the issue.
*HON. SEN. SIPANI-HUNGWE: My question is does the Government know that schools right now have got Grade 7, Form 4s and Form 6 which are opening on Monday. Many schools have invited parents and they are demanding foreign currency. For example another school which I know is demanding USD400-USD500. What does the Government say or what is going to happen? If you ask many parents who have got school children, they are already informed to pay the school fees but the fees is more than US$500.
HON. SEN. MUTSVANGWA: Thank you Hon. President and thank you Hon. Hungwe. Responding to the issue when the schools are charging parents in US$; we know people in this country are paid in ZWD. The schools must not charge for the time the kids were not at school. If the school is doing that they must sit down and solve the issue.
HON. SEN. SIPANI-HUNGWE: My supplementary question is as follows; does the Government know that the schools have notified parents of children who are opening on Monday, that is Grade 7, Form 4s and Form 6s that they will be charging fees in foreign currency. For example, there is a school which I know demanding US$400 to US$500. What does the Government say or what is going to happen? If we ask many parents who have got school children, they have already been told to pay but the school fees is more than US$500.
HON. SEN. MUTSVANGWA: On the issue of schools charging fees in US dollars, we know people in this country are paid in Zimbabwe dollars. Parents with children who go to these schools must go to the Minister of Primary and Secondary Education, Hon Mathema to discuss the matter. It might be a private or government school, they must not raise schools without Government’s approval. As leaders in this House, it is incumbent upon us that when we see that there are schools which are charging fees in foreign currency it is important for us to raise this issue with the Ministry.
*HON. SEN. GWESHE: My question is directed to the Leader of the House. There is a war in the transport sector, a very scary war. Government said the ZUPCO buses must ferry passengers but the war which has erupted is on which sector is supposed to ferry passengers to work, whether it is ZUPCO or the private registered vehicles. The police are permitting lorries to ferry people to work. My question is - are private players that are not ZUPCO allowed to ferry people?
THE MINISTER OF INFORMATION, PUBLICITY AND BROADCASTING SERVICES (HON. SEN. MUTSVANGWA): What the Hon. Senator is saying is corruption. When there is corruption, as leaders we must make sure that the corruption ends especially police officers who allow lorries to ferry passengers must be reported. Every car is allowed to register under ZUPCO franchise so that they may be allowed to ferry people. I have not heard about lorries ferrying people but if they are there, it is corruption.
+HON. SEN. M. NDLOVU: Thank you Madam President of the Senate. My question is directed to the Leader of the House since the Minister of Lands is not around. As farmers, we face many challenges as we go to banks when we want to apply for loans. We are required to present 99-year leases yet we do not have those. My question is - how best can we get assistance pertaining to this issue?
THE MINISTER OF INFORMATION, PUBLICITY AND BROADCASTING SERVICES (HON. SEN. MUTSVANGWA): I would like to thank the Hon Senator for that question. That is a very specific question which needs a lot of details. The issue of 99 year leases as bankable and offer letters is an issue which I will request the Minister of Lands to come and give a statement to this House. I thank you.
*HON. SEN. CHIEF NECHOMBO: Thank you Madam President for giving me the opportunity to ask my question which is directed to the Leader of Government Business in the House. We appreciate the announcement that was made by Government that schools will be opening soon. They are going to open in different phases and eventually others will follow on the 9th of November 2020. When children go back to school on the 9th of November, when is the term going to end and what calendar is going to be used? Are we going to use the conventional calendar which has been there or the term will overlap into the following year?
Secondly, since schools will open on 9 November, are those in Grade 1, going to proceed to Grade 2 next year or they will continue doing the first grade? I thank you.
THE MINISTER OF INFORMATION, PUBLICITY AND BROADCASTING SERVICES (HON. SEN. MUTSVANGWA): Thank you Hon. Sen. Chief Nechombo for that pertinent question concerning the welfare of children and what is going to transpire during this term. Government understands and appreciates that it is important that children go back to school. What pains us is that some were doing online lessons while others were not. The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education has been busy trying to rectify the different challenges. Right now, the Ministry is planning to make sure that children go to school.
Since he asked a specific question which he wanted to know how long the term will be, this is not ordinary and we are under extra ordinary circumstances. We know that children will be writing examinations but possibly the term might overlap into the following year. The Ministry will continuously look at different stages. We also know that there are some children who are supposed to go to Grade 1 next year. If those who are in Grade 1 remain in that grade, it means those who were supposed to be in Grade 1 in 2021 will not be going to school. So students will proceed to the next grade of their education. I thank you.
HON. SEN. CHIEF MATHUPULA: Thank you Madam President. On the issue of opening of schools, there are some schools which are charging a certain amount to parents saying it is for buying sanitisers and the like. There are reports that Government is going to make sure that all materials needed are provided so that students and teachers can use when they open schools. Can we have clarity as to whether parents are paying or they are getting money from Government? Thank you.
HON. SEN. MUTSVANGWA: Thank you Madam President. I would like to thank Hon. Sen. Chief for that question. Government’s concern as we re-open schools is to make sure students and teachers are safe. So there is a budget for masks, sanitisers, disinfectants and the like. If there are schools that are charging parents, take it up as leaders to advise them that Government has a budget for that, including rural area schools. I thank you.
Questions Without Notice were interrupted by THE HON. PRESIDENT OF SENATE in terms of Standing Order Number 62.
MOTION
BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE
THE MINISTER OF INFORMATION, PUBLICITY AND BROADCASTING SERVICES (HON. SEN. MUTSVANGWA): I move that Orders of the Day, Numbers 1 and 2 be stood over until Orders of the Day, Numbers 7 and 8 have been disposed of.
Motion put and agreed to.
MOTION
ANNUAL REPORT OF THE NATIONAL PEACE AND RECONCILIATION COMMISSION FOR THE YEAR 2018
THE HON. VICE PRESIDENT K.C.D. MOHADI: Madam President of the Senate, I hereby table the National Peace and Reconciliation 2018 Annual Report as distributed to the Hon. Members. Allow me to give a summary of the National Peace and Reconciliation Commission (NPRC) 2018 Annual Report.
The NRPC is a constitutionally established body whose overarching mandate is to ensure post-election justice, healing and reconciliation. In 2018, the NPRC had a newly appointed Chairperson, substantive Executive Secretary and obtained Treasury concurrence to recruit 32 members of secretariat. In the year under review, the NPRC was involved in:
- Conflict prevention and peace building activities before, during
and after elections;
- Facilitating the signing of the Peace Pledge by the 21 Presidential candidates for the harmonised elections. This intervention contributed to the peace that prevailed across the nation before, during and after the elections;
- Engagements with Government, Non-Governmental and political actors following the violent 1 August, 2018 demonstrations in the country and
- The launch of the Five-Year Strategic Plan for the period 2018 to 2022, which is currently being implemented.
Madam President, in their report, the Commission makes the following recommendations to this august House for consideration:
- that existing laws be strengthened to include elements of hate speech by public officials, institutions, media houses and citizens in public places, social, print and electronic media platforms;
- that organisations and institutions should develop programmatic activities that promote the development of positive communication skills;
- that capacity building programmes be undertaken to strengthen and sharpen investigative and prosecutorial skills of enforcement agencies, prosecutors and the judiciary in relation to hate speech;
- that the current National Development Strategy being developed prioritise devolution.
- That Parliament expedites the enactment of the Provincial Councils Act in line with the Constitution in order to operationalise devolved provincial structures;
- That Government supports the deployment of monitoring and evaluation of staff in all its departments to monitor support programmes for fairness, adequacy and non-partisanship;
- That security services should mainstream peace studies in their pre-service curriculum and involve interested stakeholders in curriculum development;
- That the public be educated on the security services internal complaints handling and feedback mechanisms;
- That the National Peace and Reconciliation Commission’s multi-stakeholder peace committees be adequately resourced;
- That the NPRC and Government agencies be well resourced to execute mandates as set in Section 7 of the Constitution.
Madam President of the Senate, the recommendations of the NPRC seek to contribute to social cohesion, unity and tolerance among Zimbabweans. Further, the recommendations seek to contribute to positive policy and environment of peace, as well as an improved architecture for conflict prevention at national and sub-national levels. I so submit Madam President.
THE HON. PRESIDENT OF SENATE: Before I call for debate, we proceed to Notice of Motion Number 8 so that once we start debating, we will be debating on Motion 7 and 8.
MOTION
ANNUAL REPORT OF THE NATIONAL PEACE AND RECONCILIATION COMMISSION FOR THE YEAR 2019
THE HON. VICE PRESIDENT K.C.D. MOHADI): Thank you Madam President. I hereby table the National Peace and Reconciliation 2019 Annual Report as distributed to the Members.
Madam President, allow me to give a summary of the National Peace and Reconciliation Commission (NPRC) 2019 annual report. In 2019, the NPRC’s thrust was to engage the communities on the ground, which included:
- The establishment of Provincial Peace Committees as part of its strategy to develop infrastructure for conflict prevention, complaints handling and investigations;
- Engagements with and collaboration with various stakeholders such as traditional leaders, political parties, civil society organisations and the security sector;
- Preparations for public and private hearings to help victims of past conflicts secure closure, healing and reconciliation;
- Pioneering programmes to promote social cohesion as well as conducting scenario analysis programmes in order to anticipate future potential conflicts;
- Recruitment of secretariat as well as the capacitation of staff to sharpen their skills.
Madam President, the NPRC noted that the year 2019 was very challenging, primarily because of inadequate financial resources as a result of the hyper-inflationary environment.
In the report, the Commission makes the following recommendations to this august House:
- That the State and non-state institutions promote programmes which foster tolerance, equality, build social cohesion among Zimbabweans;
- That Government promote and resource historians to document inclusive story lines that reframe and capture agreeable narratives about Zimbabwe’s history;
- That the national shared vision be promoted;
- That Parliament enact enabling legislation to officialise languages in line with the Constitution;
- That Government promote the tuition of all indigenous languages;
- That the roles of the Fallen Heroes Trust and the ZIPRA War Veterans Trust pertaining to exhumations and reburials be clearly defined and harmonized;
- That Government develop a comprehensive policy to address protection of witnesses, victims and survivors of violent conflicts;
- That political parties have formally recognised constitutions to deal with internal conflicts and self regulating mechanisms to promote peaceful political activism;
- That the amendment of the Mines and Minerals Amendment Bill be expedited; and
- That Government develop a policy to integrate, mainstream or introduce peace education in primary, secondary and tertiary institutions.
Madam President, the recommendations of the NPRC herein will foster enhanced national capacities for sustaining peace, promote healing and reconciliation, as well as inclusive healing and reconciliation process that address legacies of violent conflicts. I so submit Madam President.
HON. SEN. DR. MAVETERA: Thank you Madam President. Allow me to thank the Hon. Vice President, Hon. Mohadi for bringing in a report on the National Peace and Reconciliation Commission. I think we all know outsiders and insiders have described Zimbabwe as one of the most polarized nations among ourselves.
The National Peace and Reconciliation Commission is a very vital cog which is required for this nation if we are to achieve national reconciliation and development. One of the points which have been highlighted is resource constraints. I find it very weighty to say as a Government we cannot put resources for one of the most important Commissions which is a pre-requisite for national development.
I hope as we go into the next financial year, as Members of this august House, we will take turns and see to it that resources are allocated for this important Commission so that it achieves the mandate which it is supposed to.
Therefore, I would like to thank the Hon. Vice President and also to just tell him that the portfolio which he was given is a very befitting and important one for our national development. So, each one of us as legislators, has to make sure that this Commission is well resourced.
The issues that has been raised of cascading the activities of the national peace and reconciliation at provisional level; I think we have been talking about it but as of now there are no visible structures. So, I think our sincerity is very much questionable and whether we want to achieve what we want remains also questionable. We really need to start to walk the talk.
So with those few words, I would want to urge Hon. Members to really look at the Peace and Reconciliation Commission as one of the most important commissions which has been established by the Constitution for obvious reasons. It is a pre-requisite for national development and national unity. We really need to foster unity among our people, but before we do that, let us make sure that we really advocate for the Minister as we go into the next budget to make sure we have visible resources in order to kick start this thing. I thank you.
THE HON. PRESIDENT OF SENATE: Those Hon. Senators who want to debate are free to do so, the Hon. Vice President asked for permission to rush to Bulawayo but promised to answer everything which is going to be debated.
*HON. SEN. CHIEF CHARUMBIRA: Thank you Madam President. First and foremost, I would like to thank the Vice President for personally gracing this House and tabled reports. Firstly he has recommended that the Mines and Minerals Act should be amended, and this matter should reach its logical conclusion.
In the communities where we come from there is now a lot disturbances emanating from ownership of mines with some claiming that they have been given documents by the Ministry of Mines Minerals. Mining now supersedes every other legislation, as chiefs we have to deal with complain from our subject whose fields would have been taken by miners. The issue of reconciliation, unity and peace is enshrined in our Constitution and it gave birth to an independent Commission that looks after National Peace and Reconciliation.
The Constitution was drafted at breakneck speed as people were interested in conducting elections. I was part of the Constitution making team. I thank you.
*HON. SEN. CHIMBUDZI: I would like to thank the Hon. Vice President, Hon. K. Mohadi for bringing such a very important report to this august House. As Parliament we must support this Commission and even our media, we know we have different Houses, if they speak things against the job being done by the commission, as a country, there will be no development. Therefore, I would like to thank the Vice President for bringing the report so that we support and the Commission is well resourced.
On the issue that has been raised by Hon. Sen. Chief Charumbira, the issue of mines; the whole country no longer have peace because of mining activities. We are therefore expecting this Commission to resolve all these problems.
This is the first commission to come into the Senate giving a report headed by the Hon. Vice President, Hon. Mohadi. I thank you.
*HON. SEN. MOEKETSI: I want to thank the Vice President who brought this report. I think within the Commission, we plead that the Chiefs be included in the Commission. Our country is heading in a wrong direction because the Chiefs are not included in some of the things.
Let me move on to mining. Mr. President, things are not well. Those who are giving permission to people to go and carry out mining activities are not doing it in a proper way. Last week I spoke about some of the workers who were unfortunate, the mine collapsed while they were inside. This means that this pit was illegal. If it was lawful, these workers would have been rescued. Right now, these workers are still in that pit.
Mr. President, we must do the process in a transparent manner so that those giving licences must not continue giving papers while people are dying. I went under Chegutu bridge yesterday because my uncle has got road runners so he had asked me to bring some river sand. So, when I went under the bridge, I did not know that the pillar of the bridge used to have some stones which supported the bridge but the stones were removed. It is not surprising if you hear that an accident has happened at that bridge. There are too many people under the bridge doing mining activities.
Mr. President, it is painful. That is why I am suggesting that Chiefs must be included. Do not let us clap hands here while you are being left out in these issues. These issues are happening in the rural areas and this affects you. Zimbabwe is a country of Chiefs, we want the powers to be returned to the Chiefs so that they guide us in some of these important things. Thank you.
THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR MASHONALAND CENTRAL PROVINCE (HON. SEN. MAVHUNGA): I move that the debate do not adjourn.
Motion put and agreed to.
Debate to resume: Tuesday, 29th September, 2020.
On the motion of THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR MASHONALAND CENTRAL PROVINCE (HON. SEN. MAVHUNGA), the Senate adjourned at Six Minutes past Four o’clock p.m. until Tuesday , 29th September, 2020.
PARLIAMENT OF ZIMBABWE
Wednesday, 23rd September, 2020
The National Assembly met at a Quarter-past Two O’clock p.m.
PRAYERS
(THE HON. SPEAKER in the Chair)
ANNOUNCEMENTS BY THE HON. SPEAKER
DEATH OF HON. PATRICK CHIDAKWA
THE HON. SPEAKER: It is with profound sorrow that we learnt about the death of Hon. Patrick Chidakwa, Member of Parliament for Marondera East Constituency on Saturday 12th September, 2020. May I invite all Hon. Members to rise and observe a minute of silence in respect of the late Hon. Member.
All Hon. Members observed a minute of silence.
Our condolences to his family and may his soul rest in peace.
Thank you.
APOLOGIES RECEIVED FROM MINISTERS
THE HON. SPEAKER: Hon. Members, I have the following apologies from the Executive. The Hon. K. C. D. Mohadi, Vice President, Hon. Dr. C. D. G. Chiwenga, Vice President and Hon. Edgar Moyo, Deputy Minister of Primary and Secondary Education.
HON. GONESE: Mine was just a clarification arising from the apologies given because I just counted four apologies. I just wanted the Chair or the Hon. Leader of the House to indicate where the other Hon. Ministers and Deputy Ministers who are not in the House and not on the list of apologies you announced are. Perhaps we could be enlightened as to whether those Hon. Ministers and Deputy Ministers are on their way or they have just been delayed or is it a case of them not abiding by the provisions of Section 107 of the Constitution which provides that they must attend Parliament to answer questions. If they do not, I think the time has come for the axe to fall on those errant Hon. Ministers and Deputy Ministers who persistently without any justifiable excuse continuously absent themselves from their obligations and responsibilities as enunciated in the provisions of both the Constitution and our Standing Rules. So I just thought
that perhaps we could be enlightened why only a few apologies and only a few of those esteemed Ministers and Deputy Ministers are in the House.
THE MINISTER OF JUSTICE, LEGAL AND
PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS (HON. ZIYAMBI): Mr. Speaker, His
Excellency is very clear on Minister’ obligations to attend Parliament. Yesterday, this was highlighted. I believe that those that are not here are delayed and they will turn up. If they do not turn up, then I do not have any excuse - but my thinking is that those that are not yet here are on their way so if Members can be patient a little and field questions to those that are already here and as we go on, we then see whether indeed they are not coming.
THE HON. SPEAKER: Thank you Hon. Minister Ziyambi. At an appropriate time, I do not know whether Hon. Gonese would like to pursue the matter but we will give them the indulgence. For the future, the other Hon. Ministers have been here - I am sure by ten past two or so, and they are on time. From my knowledge of Cabinet time, Ministers are there by ten to nine unless Cabinet time has changed and they respect that protocol. Parliament yes, ten past two they have to be here. So we will wait according to the Leader of Government Business and see what happens. To be added to the list is Hon. Zhemu Soda, the Minister of Energy and Power Development. He is on national duty, but I think the Deputy is here so he is covered. Thank you.
ORAL ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE
HON. E. MASUKU: Mr. Speaker, my question goes to the Minister of Home Affairs. What is Government policy on access to identity documents in rural remote areas pertaining to children born during the lockdown?
THE MINISTER OF HOME AFFAIRS AND CULTURAL
HERITAGE (HON. KAZEMBE): I would like to thank the Hon. Member
for a very pertinent question. During the lockdown of course –
THE HON. SPEAKER: What happened to your iPad Hon. Minister? HON. KAZEMBE: I forgot it at home.
THE HON. SPEAKER: I am going to withdraw it from you because
it looks like it is not of any use to you.
HON. KAZEMBE: Yes, during the lockdown period we were not issuing birth certificates, but we have now partially re-opened the services Mr. Speaker. What is happening now is we are starting with those children born when the lockdown started coming closer towards –
Commotion after Ministers having walked in
THE HON. SPEAKER: Order! Order, Hon. Ministers you are crowded. Will the backbenchers please take the seats at the back there? Hon.
Coventry, you are too close for comfort, if you can move there. Right, order! Order, the Hon. Minister of Home Affairs, please.
HON. KAZEMBE: Thank you Mr. Speaker. I would like to thank the Hon. Member for a pertinent question. Yes, during the lockdown we were not issuing birth certificates, neither were we providing any services besides burial orders - but we have now partially resumed some services within the Central Registry and birth certificates are some of the services that are now being offered. Because we are now aware that there is backlog since the lockdown was declared in March, we are starting with the children that were born in March coming close towards September. People who want birth certificates will call the Central Registry. They are vetted on line and are given numbers and dates on which they can visit the Central Registry. We are doing this to try and avoid crowding.
We have resumed service delivery in that regard. I thank you.
+HON. MATHE: Thank you Mr. Speaker. My supplementary question is; Hon. Minister, there was lockdown and some of the women were unable to go to hospitals and gave birth at their homesteads. What is it that you will do because there are requirements when you are going to get a birth certificate for you to show as documents from hospital? In this instance, they did not go to hospital.
HON. KAZEMBE: Mr. Speaker Sir, I did not get the question, can you assist?
THE HON. SPEAKER: During lockdown, there was a question
of transport. Transport is the issue in the rural areas. How do you reach out there?
HON. KAZEMBE: Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir. In the long run, we are trying to decentralise the Central Registry. In addition, we are embarking on mobile registration and we have already done this in certain areas. In the meantime, we are aware that some people may find problems in getting to where the Central Registry office is but the issue of transport and the issue of availability of transportation in between rural areas, cities and inter cities is an issue that is under discussion within the taskforce with a view to resolving it in due course. I thank you Mr. Speaker.
HON. MISIHAIRABWI-MUSHONGA: Mr. Speaker Sir, the
Minister did not hear the question. That was not the question.
THE HON. SPEAKER: Can you repeat the question?
HON. MISIHAIRABWI-MUSHONGA: Hon. Minister, what
you were asked was because there was lockdown, some of the women were unable to go to hospitals and they gave birth at their homesteads. What is it that you will do because there are requirements when you are going to get a birth certificate for you to show as documents from hospital? In this instance, they did not go to hospital. What have you changed around that policy to ensure that even those that gave birth at home would still be registered?
THE HON. SPEAKER: Thank you Hon. Misihairabwi.
HON. KAZEMBE: Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir. I want to thank
the Hon. Member for clarifying. It is an issue, to be perfectly honest that we have to look at this particular time but I would like to thank the Hon. Member. It is an issue that we will have to discuss with our Ministry and the Ministry of Health because they are responsible for the issuance of birth records at the time of birth. So, it is an issue that we need to deal with Mr. Speaker Sir. I thank you – [HON. MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections.] –
THE HON. SPEAKER: Order, order. Hon. Anele Ndebele, the procedure is; if you are burning with a supplementary you rise up and you are recognised. Do not shout at the Hon. Minister.
HON. MADZIMURE: Thank you Mr. Speaker. In the Minister’s
response to the initial question, he talked about people being required to use internet to register and be given a number so that they are put in a queue. I have not heard of it as a Member of Parliament. Can he explain to this House how this system works and how it is going to work for the people in the rural areas where there is no internet connection and sometimes electricity itself.
THE HON. SPEAKER: I thought the follow up answer indicated
that the Hon. Minister will liaise with the Ministry of Health in order to deal with the mischief of communication. It cannot be better than that [HON. MADZIMURE: Inaudible interjection.] – You did not follow the question. The question was women gave birth in the rural areas, therefore ...
[Hon. Nduna having stood up.]
Hon. Nduna why are you standing up? The documentation required as per hospital records is not there. That is why the Hon. Minister says he will have to liaise with his colleagues and find the best way out to assist accordingly.
HON. NDUNA: Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir. Is there any chance or proposal from the Ministry for a moratorium to grant birth certificates and IDs to those whose parents do not have the documentation to help them get birth certificates in the rural areas? At least six months because some of them do not have parents who have birth certificates or national identities because they were born from parents whose nationality is enshrined in Section 35 after Section 38 of the Constitution, which talks about citizenship to those that were born in Zimbabwe and have been in Zimbabwe for more than 10 years.
THE HON. SPEAKER: I am afraid, that is a new question all together. Keep your question, you can ask it later on.
*HON. CHIKUKWA: Thank you Mr. Speaker. My question is
directed to the Minister of Education and in his absence...
THE HON. SPEAKER: Just ask your question. It is my responsibility to direct the question accordingly.
*HON. CHIKUKWA: Thank you. My question is; since the schools will be opening soon, what is the policy to cater for the school going children by providing buses that will carry children to school?
*THE MINISTER OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND PUBLIC WORKS (HON. J. G. MOYO): Thank you Hon. Member for the question. When schools open, ZUPCO is going to provide buses which are specifically targeted towards students and teachers in urban areas so that children uses buses that are only exclusive to them. Hygiene measures are going to be taken like sanitising students hands, the buses are going to be fumigated after each and every trip. The school children are not going to mix with adults. I thank you.
*HON. NYAMUDEDZA: Thank you Mr. Speaker. I want to find
out Hon. Minister the number of students that is allowed to be ferried in one bus? How many buses have been released to cater for the children only? I thank you.
*HON. J. G. MOYO: Mr. Speaker Sir, before lockdown conditions were reviewed, a bus carried half its capacity but now the lockdowns conditions have been reviewed, I might not have the exact number that each bus is supposed to carry. However, that can be answered specifically by ZUPCO managers. We continue urging people to exercise social distancing even in buses - [HON. MEMBERS:
Inaudible interjections.] -
THE HON. SPEAKER: Order, please do not ask the Minister practical questions. There are different sizes of buses. To ask for a number that is an impossibility.
HON. GONESE: Thank you very much Mr. Speaker. In respect of inter-city travel there has been a relaxation, allowing other operators to come forward, comply with the regulations and then operate. My supplementary question is what is the policy rationale for maintaining the monopoly of ZUPCO in the urban areas when the real issue is to ensure that transport operators are able to comply with the lockdown regulations? Why are they not extending this to other operators who can then come forward and then alleviate the problem of transportation for the learners, teachers and all other urban dwellers? Can you explain why Government has not extended the same latitude to urban areas which has been extended on inter-city travel?
THE HON. SPEAKER: I will spare the Hon. Minister because the question was asked two weeks ago and Hon. Prof. Murwira indicated that it is not strictly ZUPCO buses. There are other buses that have been ropped in and they carry the ZUPCO sticker. I thought Hon. Prof.
Murwira answered that last week.
HON. GONESE: Mr. Speaker, from a policy perspective, this is why I am questioning the rationale for giving ZUPCO that monopoly that all other operators have to come under the ambit of ZUPCO. In respect of inter-city travel, that has now been relaxed and operators can now independently apply to transport passengers on their own accord. That is my question; why the same latitude is not being extended to urban areas.
THE HON. SPEAKER: Outside those that have been identified?
HON. GONESE: Yes, outside ZUPCO.
THE HON. SPEAKER: I get you now, thank you.
HON. J. G. MOYO: Hon. Speaker, it is truly Government policy that we rationalise the urban transport system and we have given every opportunity to every transporter in this country who has either a bus or a commuter omnibus to come and register with ZUPCO so that we rationalise the transportation in the urban areas. In the rural areas, it has been historically the same...
THE HON. SPEAKER: Hon. Minister, are you connected because I cannot see you here.
HON. J. G. MOYO: Thank you Mr. Speaker. I was just saying it is indeed Government policy to rationalise the urban transport system and the choice of ZUPCO is not to create a monopoly at the exclusion of other operators. That is why every operator has been given an opportunity with their vehicles, buses or commuter omnibus to register with ZUPCO so that we can go back to making sure that the routes are well marked and we can rationalise everywhere in the urban areas.
When it comes to inter-city, which is the responsibility of the Minister of Transport, he can answer that part of it. We are very clear what we want to achieve is a rationalised urban transport system in this country. I thank you Mr. Speaker.
THE MINISTER OF TRANSPORT AND
INFRASTRUCTURAL DEVELOPMENT (HON. ARCH.
MATIZA): Thank you Mr. Speaker. We have opened the inter-city to allow for other areas that are interlinked that have been opened for instance tourism. It has been opened so there is need to link the tourists who travel by bus to be able to go to places like Victoria Falls and other areas. So, those have been opened and opened to operators who will satisfy the guidelines set by our taskforce. I am happy to say that many have complied and our roads are being plied by those who did comply. The police are doing a great job to make sure that they comply and it is working very well. I thank you.
HON. NDEBELE: Hon. Speaker, I want to ask my question to the Minister of Local Government, if he may refresh our memory with respect to metred taxis. What is the position regarding those? Are they expected to register with ZUPCO because at most, they only carry two to three passengers at a time? I thank you.
THE MINISTER OF TRANSPORT AND
INFRASTRUCTURAL DEVELOPMENT (HON. ARCH.
MATIZA): Metered transport especially the taxis, we have also allowed them to start operating subject to the guidelines that have been put in place. In fact, we have gone further to allow Traffic Safety Council of Zimbabwe and Driving Schools to allow the testing of taxi drivers as well. The whole chain has been taken care of in terms of metered vehicles. I thank you.
HON. CHITURA: My question is directed to the Minister of Primary and Secondary Education. What measures have you put in place to ensure safety of students who are going back to school?
HON. T. MLISWA: Hon Speaker, is it not appropriate for the
Minister of Higher Education to respond because tertiary institutions are also going through the same thing rather than the Leader of Government Business.
THE HON. SPEAKER: I will allow the Leader of the House to respond and then the Minister of Higher Education can supplement.
THE MINISTER OF JUSTICE, LEGAL AND
PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIR (HON. ZIYAMBI): I want to thank
the Hon Member for the question. Indeed Mr. Speaker Sir, all the measures are being taken to ensure the safety of learners. Like in any other institution that is opening, we will ensure there is sanitisation, wearing of face masks, temperature will be taken and also the social distancing aspect will be observed. All the schools are undergoing a training exercise so that they comply with the requirements to ensure that our learners continue learning. You will also appreciate that at some stage, we have to live with this and therefore we need to prepare to ensure that everything normalises. I thank you.
THE MINISTER OF HIGHER AND TERTIARY
EDUCATION, INNOVATION, SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT (HON. PROF MURWIRA): Higher and tertiary
education institutions are in session. In terms of the universities, they have already finished their final year examinations. What we are doing is to take all precautions that are in the guidelines as espoused by the WHO and the Ministry of Health. So far so good – we have not had any incidences. When we had incidences in July, we actually responded by closing and we went back and perfected our art. It seems to be working but we remain vigilant. I thank you.
HON. MISIHAIRABWI-MUSHONGA: May I request that we
have a Ministerial Statement when the Minister of Primary and Secondary Education is available because the issues around the opening of schools are too many and are causing major problems. It will be important for the Minister to come here and issue a statement from syllabi because we do not know what kids are going to write when they have not been at school. We do not know whether it is true that these masks are there. There is just a lot. If I may request that a Ministerial Statement be given to this House over the issue around schools opening.
I thank you.
THE HON SPEAKER: Hon Members, you are reminded that if
you want to ask questions, you register with your Whips so that there is order in terms of precedence.
HON. MATEWU: My question is directed to the Minister of
Agriculture. Given that urban agriculture is contributing significantly to food security, what is the Ministry doing to promote access to inputs towards this sector of our informal agriculture land use in preparation for the current farming season?
THE HON. SPEAKER: The question will arise under Written
Question No. 22
HON. T. MLISWA: My question is directed to the Minister of
Local Government. What is the role of Government in the cooperatives. For example Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo in Marimba where Government got the title from Rothmans, parceled the land to the cooperatives but now Billy Rautenberg is claiming the land back that he bought and yet the title deeds belonged to Rothmans International and ceded to
Government and now he has a title deed under Marimba Properties.
How did he come to owning that piece of land when it belonged to Rothmans International?
THE MINISTER OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND PUBLIC
WORKS (HON JULY MOYO): Hon. Speaker, the Hon. Member has
asked me a very detailed and technical question which I am very aware is going through so many litigations and I would not be able to give him the details that he is requesting at this particular time.
THE HON. SPEAKER: The matter is sub judice, hence it cannot
be discussed. It is before the courts.
HON. T. MLISWA: May you allow me to put it in writing so that I ask him because I do not want to go into the merits – whether it is sub judice or not....
THE HON. SPEAKER: If it is in writing, you have to allow the courts to do the due process.
HON. T. MLISWA: That is the reason why I said there are certain matters. I would not want to go into the merits of whether it is in court or not, but I think when I pose the question, he will be able to ascertain whether he should respond, or whether it is sub judice or not. I agree that it is quite a detailed issue.
THE HON. SPEAKER: Why do you not wait for the due process
of the court?
HON. T. MLISWA: That is why I was saying it is not there. I would not want to go into the merits and demerits....
THE HON. SPEAKER: Even if you do not go to the merits, there may be consequential factors that relate to the matter and the Minister may be caught on the wrong foot altogether. Just be calm and wait for the courts to do their job. If you have a problem.....
HON. T. MLISWA: The Minister has invited me to his office, I will go there and talk to him.
THE HON. SPEAKER: You may also approach the Chief
Justice to find out how far the matter is through the registrar of the High Court.
HON. BITI: I would like to raise a point of order on the same two issues pertaining to the same....
THE HON. SPEAKER: I have ruled. The issue is before the
court.
HON. BITI: If you .....
THE HON. SPEAKER: Just a minute.
HON. BITI: Thank you Hon. Speaker.
THE HON. SPEAKER: We have found the Forensic report and
we task the Minister to deal with it.
HON. P. D. SIBANDA: My question is directed to the Hon.
Minister of Transport and Infrastructural Development. The Hon. Minister issued an order last week or so ordering the police to impound every vehicle that does not have number plates. May the Minister give us the policy thrust of that order in view of the fact that the country has got a shortage of number plates?
The order came in a manner that said ‘with immediate effect, any vehicle that does not have number plates should be impounded.’ That has made travelling chaotic because people cannot travel with their vehicles. It has also created chaos at the ZIMRA ....
THE HON. SPEAKER: You are now debating Hon. Member.
HON. P. D. SIBANDA: I just wanted to paint the picture of ....
THE HON. SPEAKER: The question is clear.
THE MINISTER OF TRANSPORT AND
INFRASTRUCTURAL DEVELOPMENT (HON. ARCH
MATIZA): Government is cognisance of the fact that there is a shortage of number plates. Those who listened to yesterday’s news heard the interventions by Government to solve this issue once and for all – that is localising manufacturing of number plates. This whole process has been championed by our higher institutes of learning and scientists to come up with a suitable and superior number plate. This has been achieved by our institutions and our scientists. As we speak now, Cabinet has approved the production of number plates locally –
[HON. MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections.] -
THE HON. SPEAKER: Order, order. You are not chairing. Ndichiri panyanga, ehee.
HON. ARCH. MATIZA: Coming to the issue that was raised, there are factors that should be taken into cognisant. Firstly, the number plates came late because of COVID issues in terms of transportation. Secondly, the disbursement of number plates started in July and we noted that there were thousands of registered number plates and people were not coming. As a result of this, there was a spike in crime and accidents and all the other things relating to cars without number plates.
Security became an issue. That is why we intervened and instructed the police to do what they did. I would like to thank the police who executed this efficiently. What then happened is that people started coming in to get the number plates and the place has been congested. The COVID issue was again affecting our offices because we were operating at 15% capacity. We had to increase the number of hours. We now have decentralised to every Province and the number plates are sent there. As we speak, we have number plates that will last us up to the first week of November. We are working on it
Looking at the innovation that has been put in place by Government and looking at what we are doing, efforts are in place. I thank you.
HON. P. D. SIBANDA: Hon. Speaker, I want to put it on record that the Hon. Minister could be misleading Parliament because currently as we speak there are no number plates in a number of cities in this country. That information can be confirmed independently from the CVR. However, my question is this, two years ago Hon. Minister you issued a statement in which you were acknowledging that temporary number plates are recognised as number plates. Your current order seems to have reversed that. Also, if you visit all places that deal with number plates like CVR, VTS and ZIMRA you will find that there is crowding and congestion in violation of the lockdown regulations. What are you going to do to ensure that people do not spread Covid-19 in those areas where people are queuing for number plates? I thank you.
HON. ARCH. MATIZA: Thank you Mr Speaker. What do I do
to make sure that people in those places do not spread Covid-19? There are guidelines that are very specific and if people there are not complying that is a problem. We have institutions that deal with that issue and if that has not come to our attention I am not quite aware of that. On the issue of temporary number plates it was a gesture that was being abused so we had to come in. I thank you.
THE HON. SPEAKER: Order, order, I shall not recognise Hon. Members who shout. The Standing Orders say just stand up and you will be recognised. Do not shout.
HON. MADZIMURE: Thank you Mr. Speaker. Up to mid
August there were no number plates. If we look at the numbers that had accumulated, CVR cannot process more than 200...
THE HON. SPEAKER: What is your supplementary question?
HON. MADZIMURE: My supplementary is the capacity of the CVR to issue number plates to cover for the backlog whilst the cars are impounded and what he is doing about the corruption that is now prevalent where the cars are being impounded. The moment you pay your money you get your car without number plates even at road blocks.
THE HON. SPEAKER: Why did you not report to the police?
HON. MADZIMURE: How do I report it to the police, they are
corrupt.
THE HON. SPEAKER: Order, the Hon Minister has addressed
the issue of congestion through decentralisation of the operations. If there is corruption report them to the police.
HON. O. SIBANDA: My question is directed to the Minister of Youth, Sports, Art and Recreation. We have seen a lot of stories about sexual harassment of female referees in the soccer fraternity. It has been reported through the print and electronic media.
THE HON. SPEAKER: That question does not relate to policy.
That is an incident or incidences.
HON. O. SIBANDA: What is government policy on protecting female employees in football in terms of sexual harassment?
THE HON. SPEAKER: I thought you were talking about
referees now it is employees in general. Alright.
THE MINISTER OF YOUTH, SPORTS, ART AND
RECREATION (HON. COVENTRY): Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir. I
would like to thank my Hon. Colleague for the question. As of right now we have just had the Sport Integrity Bill principles passed by
Cabinet. We are working with the Attorney General’s Office and this is what the Bill will be able to enact; safety and protection of referees, athletes and all stakeholders in terms of abuse, anti-doping, any forms of corruption and match fixing. So, it is work in progress. Currently there is no legislation that is protecting us hence the reason for this Bill which is being drafted by the Attorney General.
HON. P. MOYO: Now that we have seen it is so rampant for females to do sport when is the Minister expecting to put legislation that will protect women in soccer or any sporting activity. What is the time frame?
THE HON. SPEAKER: Haa veduwe. The Hon. Minister said
the Bill is with the AG’s office and the Minister cannot be expected to say when the AG’s office is going to finish but she did indicate concern that the law must come before Parliament as soon as possible.
HON. MISIHAIRABWI-MUSHONGA: My question is directed
to the Minister of Health and Child Care. Could you please explain why government is not providing testing for Covid-19 privately particularly given the fact that every pregnant woman in this country is now required to have been tested for Covid-19 to avoid issues of infection when they do go to give birth? Why is it that Government is facilitating for that private testing for the private sector and losing a lot of money when we do have places in which government could actually be providing for private testing and getting that money to ensure that we pay nurses and doctors who are not going to work right now?
THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF HEALTH (HON. DR.
MANGWIRO): The Government policy does not limit testing of Covid to Government institutions only, it allows private players to come in. The sources of their Covid testing machines or gadgets should be authentic and should have been tested by our national reference laboratories and licensed. So, Government has no policy of saying private cannot test. It is allowed for an individual to choose where they can have their tests. Government also has testing facilities in hospitals and many other places that do test as does the Government laboratories that test for Covid-19.
HON. MISIHAIRABWI-MUSHONGA: I do not think the
Minister understood me at all. The question is where is Government testing privately because as I speak right now Government is facilitating for Lancet to charge people USD65. They are opening another centre in Victoria Falls where they are giving Lancet the latitude to be able to get money for USD65 per person. Why is Government not using their own facilities to privately test and get that money so we can put it in our own pockets? Why are facilitating for private sector.
HON. DR. MANGWIRO: It is not correct that we as Government
are facilitating tests at Lancet. People go to Lancet Private Laboratories at their own volition and Government has got private wards where one can be tested by private practitioners. It is not true that Government does not have private places where people can be tested. It depends on where you look for it. If you go to Parirenyatwa D-floor and B12 are all private, the same thing as UBH. If you want to go private you go but Government, even if you check at the airport, there are private players and the Government is also there. So it depends on where one wants to go but it is not correct that we planned that Lancet should have an outlet in Victoria Falls, that is not correct. Lancet is a private player, if they are doing their work and charging USD65, we did not impose that on them. It is their own volition that they are doing that but if you want to get tested privately, Government has private areas where they can be found.
HON. CHIKWINYA: I truly understand the angle of the Minister to say that Government has facility of testing in the manner in which he has explained but there is inadequate equipment to the extent that why is Government not fully equipping its facilities to the extent of matching the private sector leaving people to opt for the private sector.
HON. DR. MANGWIRO: It is not correct to say that private is testing the majority of patients. Government takes care for almost 80 to 85 percent of the Zimbabwe population and in a pandemic like this, there is no rough thing as saying private cannot test. So we have allowed them to help us during this pandemic period and our hospitals, if you go to NMRL, Bulawayo and Mpilo are fully equipped with extraction machines, and the multiplier machines that give us the virus from a particle are all there. Most of our provincial hospitals now have testing equipment and media to carry the tests or whatever will be used. So it is not correct to say private is doing the majority of the work. The Government carries the bulk of the population and privately you can be tested in Government institutions if there are private facilities but Lancet is doing it and we allow them because in a situation like this anyone who can help us should come in.
HON. T. MLISWA: Mr. Speaker, the point of clarity that I seek is
Government is supposed in its policy to provide affordable health care [[HON. BITI: Section 76 of the Constitution.] – and it seems they are not doing that. The second point is the reason why people are going to the private sector is the time factor on getting results. The question is while you brag about being well-facilitated why is it taking long for the results to go out. It forces people to go to the private sector which is expensive.
HON. DR. MANGWIRO: I think his question is about timing and
coming back of results. It depends on which institution you go to. If one has their sample collected say from Kuwadzana and they are all batched together, say 96 per test. This thing takes about four hours just to get the particle of the virus, and then it has to be multiplied or amplified to become a proper virus for us to then say this is Covid. The problem is there are so many problems that cause delay.
First, it could be the labelling itself that the Honourable is alluding to say this specimen has come from Kuwadzana or Chiredzi. They are all batched together then they take time to distribute. We have since moved in to make sure that the labelling and anything that causes delay is removed from the system and right now we are quite computerised especially from our central referral laboratories that people must get their results.
If someone has been tested and thinks that time has been too long, we also allow them to phone us or anyone else to help us quicken the turnaround time for the PCR testing but otherwise it is not Government policy to delay results. Our policy is that people must be served as soon as they come to the hospital, get treatment or travel wherever they want to go. Our policy is we want to improve the turnaround time so that things get well for everyone.
*HON. KWARAMBA: My question is directed to the Minister of
Lands, Agriculture, Water, Climate and Rural Resettlement. The issue Minister is that people got farming inputs through the command agriculture scheme and people did not pay back. So if you go to CBZ to get access to the command agriculture inputs you find that one is in debt and it is difficult for one to get a loan. People of Hurungwe are worried about this.
*THE MINISTER OF LANDS, AGRICULTURE, WATER,
CLIMATE AND RURAL RESETTLEMENT (HON. DR.
MASUKA): Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir. The question is not really a question. She said that once she has sold her grain, she gets a paper reflecting the amount that she has gotten from GMB. I would advise the Hon. Member to go and engage CBZ and GMB. The loan is acquired from CBZ and the GMB is the one that takes the money to CBZ. There is need for you to expedite the process and ensure that GMB and CBZ address the issue as the rain season is around the corner for you to be able to plough on time. I thank you.
*HON. KWARAMBA: I think the issue of paying back the loan
started when Minister Shiri was still there...
*THE HON. SPEAKER: What is the question?
*HON. KWARAMBA: My question is that the money that is being charged by GMB and the amount that has been charged by CBZ is not aligned. What does the policy say? The GMB gives a statement which shows that you would have paid off the loan but when you get to CBZ you will find that you are still owing. That is what we want to know why there is such discrepancy. When a person wants to access command inputs you cannot get them because CBZ advises you that you still owe some money.
HON. DR. MASUKA: Mr. Speaker Sir, initial process was that when farmers approached CBZ, the, loans were acquired but the loans can only be repaid if one ploughs and delivers grain to GMB which in turn takes the money to CBZ. Whatever you are saying, CBZ must be in the picture. I can only assist in addressing that challenge if you bring the paper work and I have a look at it.
THE HON. SPEAKER: Hon. Kwaramba, I think to get the
intervention of the Minister, if you have got the list of such cases, why do you not pass them on to the Hon. Minister for investigation? That will be quicker.
HON. MUTAMBISI: Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir. My question is directed to the Minister of Energy and Power Development. What is the Government policy with regards to the connection of electricity to
Government institutions in rural areas, for example, schools and clinics?
THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF ENERGY AND POWER
DEVELOPMENT (HON. MUDYIWA): Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir.
I would like to thank the Hon. Member for the question. When it comes to the electrification of Government institutions or rural areas per se, we have got the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) which is responsible for the electrification programme. We prioritise Government institutions like schools, clinics and business centres. I think I am lost somewhere I do not know whether I have answered the question.
THE HON. SPEAKER: The question is – is it the responsibility of the communities to make the connections or is it Government responsibility?
HON. MUDYIWA: REA does the installation of the
infrastructure of electricity up to the institution. In the past, it was the responsibility of the institution to do the tubing and all the other work so that electricity is connected in the building. The new policy now is that the electrification is done up to the connection by the REA. The institutions will be responsible for paying some funds for reconnection because that is done by the ZETDC. REA does the electrification up to the administration or the important buildings that are within the institution. The institution just does the payment of the connection fees.
I thank you.
*HON. MUTAMBISI: Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir. Minister, REA is saying the parents should be paying. We do not know now who is supposed to be paying.
THE HON. SPEAKER: This is now a specific question. Can you give the Hon. Minister details of what is happening in that community so that the Minister can answer accordingly.
HON. T. MLISWA: On a point of order Mr. Speaker Sir. It has been irritating me since I have been in this House that Hon. Members seem to ask what the Government policy is instead of them knowing the Government policy. You should be asking the Minister what he is doing to implement Government policy. All the time I have been here, all the Members of Parliament are asking what Government policy is. Ours is to know Government policy and interrogate the Minister through the Government policy. So, may we stop asking what Government policy is? Sorry to be a headmaster or a teacher but I am a bit fed up with that. It shows that we do not know Government policy ourselves yet we should understand Government policy and interrogate how it is being implemented. I thought I should say that because for years it has been irritating me.
THE HON. SPEAKER: Hon. Mliswa, your point is taken. I hope your colleagues have understood. I have been trying to drive that point unfortunately without much success.
HON. CHIKWINYA: Point of clarification Mr. Speaker. There
is a ruling by you.
THE HON. SPEAKER: On what?
HON. CHIKWINYA: On the issue of whether we should ask
Government policy or should we ask on Government implementation. The Hon. Leader of Government business is on record to say he does not speak of implementation but speaks on policy. We want guidance once again from you. Should we ask what Government policy is or should we ask what the implementation mechanism on a Government policy is?
Can you guide us accordingly?
*THE HON. SPEAKER: Order. In Shona they say kuudza mwana hupedzisira. I have agreed with Hon. Mliswa. You are flogging a dead horse now.
HON. MADZIMURE: The Government provides the
infrastructure like the power lines...
THE HON. SPEAKER: That is not a question; follow Hon. T.
Mliswa’s advice please.
HON. MADZIMURE: The policy says the rural electrification.
THE HON. SPEAKER: What is your question?
HON. MADZIMURE: My question is to effect the supply of power you need transformers...
THE HON. SPEAKER: You are debating, what is the question?
HON. MADZIMURE: My question is, does Government policy allow people to pay for the transformers which must be supplied by
ZESA as the policy says?
THE HON. SPEAKER: Hon. Member, did you hear Hon. T.
Mliswa. What is Government policy on a, b, c, finish.
HON. MADZIMURE: What is Government policy on
transformers – [Laughter.] – how else can we ask the Ministers? Why are they not supplying transformers that is not the question?
THE HON. SPEAKER: Order, please do not make the Chair laugh. What is Government policy on transformers? What does that mean?
HON. MADZIMURE: Mr. Speaker, I said on provision the law
says...
THE HON. SPEAKER: Change your statement. What is
Government policy on provision of ....
HON. MADZIMURE: Exactly this is what I said.
THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF ENERGY AND POWER DEVELOPMENT (HON. MUDYIWA): The policy is that REA which
does the electrification in the rural areas provides for the whole infrastructure, the power lines and the transformer up to the connection of electricity. That is the policy.
HON. NDEBELE: What is the percentage of penetration of rural electrification under the REA programme since its inception?
HON. MUDYIWA: Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir. That is a specific question which require me I have to go and get the figures and bring them to this House.
THE HON. SPEAKER: Let us give the Minister time to find out the percentage of penetration.
HON. NDEBELE: Has she researched on the percentage of penetration? – [AN HON. MEMBER: Penetration.] -
THE HON. SPEAKER: Order, it is unparliamentary to use the word ‘she’ referring to the Hon. Minister. We say the Hon. Minister.
HON. NDEBELE: Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir for that correction. Has the Hon. Minister researched on the percentage of the reach out of these – [Laughter.] –
THE HON. SPEAKER: There is nothing wrong with the word
penetration.
HON. NDEBELE: Yes, I agree Hon. Speaker. May she also...
THE HON. SPEAKER: May the Hon. Minister...
HON. NDEBELE: May the Hon. Minister also kindly apply her mind to the application of the policy that she just referred to on REA supplying the full spectrum of the equipment that is required because I know for certain I have been on a waiting list and I have been told...
THE HON. SPEAKER: You are now debating. When the
statement is made, you will then ask a question about your experience.
HON. NDEBELE: May she also canvass why...
THE HON. SPEAKER: Order Hon. Member, you are refusing to
be corrected. I said you refer her as Hon. Minister, not ‘she’, please sit down now.
HON. G. BANDA: Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir. My question is directed to the Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs.
What is Government policy with regards to the credit bureau that is continuously blacklisting people without any court orders?
THE HON. SPEAKER: I did not follow the question.
HON. G. BANDA: What is the Government policy with regards to the credit bureau that is continuously blacklisting people without any court orders?
THE MINISTER OF JUSTICE, LEGAL AND
PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS (HON. ZIYAMBI): Thank you Mr.
Speaker Sir. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the Hon. Member for the question. The Bureau de Changes are governed by an Act of Parliament which is the Banking Act. Any violations, there is a due process that has to be followed by whoever is aggrieved and I think the best advice is for whoever is aggrieved to follow the due process. If they exhaust all the local remedies, then they can approach the courts. I thank you.
HON. NDUNA: My question is directed to the Minister of Home
Affairs as it relates to section 35 up to section 38 of the Constitution.
What is Government policy relating to giving of birth certificates and identity documents to people who might then be termed internally displaced persons who have been born in this country and have been living in this country for over 10 years but do not have identity documents? What is Government policy in relation to giving them a moratorium for them to acquire the same? We continue to perpetually have generations without birth certificates or identity documents.
THE MINISTER OF HOME AFFAIRS AND CULTURAL
HERITAGE (HON. KAZEMBE): I would like to thank the Hon.
Member for asking such an important question. Mr. Speaker Sir, there are so many ways of getting a birth certificate even if your parents were dislocated. There are a number of requirements, quite a cocktail of them, to say the very least. So, I am sure those in those situations should be able to get birth certificates either by bringing to the Central Registrar their relatives and in some cases I am aware that even the local chiefs can assist in ensuring that such people get birth certificates.
There are a number of ways which ensure that those people are taken care of. I thank you.
HON. NDUNA: I thank you Hon. Minister for your well rounded response. I ask a supplementary as follows - is there a way you can provide a moratorium for those who do not have birth certificates or identity documents who have not been able to get birth certificates or identity documents under the set rules and conditions so that you invoke and align the Birth and Death Registration Act that speaks to 42 days after birth for somebody to get a birth certificate and for Section 35 and 38 of the Constitution that says no matter what, you need to a have citizenship according to birth certificates and identity documents according to that section. Align the Birth and Death Registration Act and the Constitution. A moratorium of about six months, no questions asked of people to get birth and death and identity documents. I thank you.
HON KAZEMBE: To be perfectly honest, I did not really get the question. What I heard is a moratorium but I will attempt to answer. There is no need for a moratorium in the first place because it is quite open because there is no threshold or specific period within which someone should be able to get a birth certificate.
Secondly, the Hon Member referred to a situation where somebody has just been born and they want us to give them time. I am seeing some inconsistencies Madam Speaker because initially, the Hon Member had asked that how can we allow people whose parents may have been relocated or may not be within the same location. I am not so sure how that is feasible with someone who has just been born. They are born and all of a sudden the parents disappear. Nonetheless, like I mentioned earlier on, there are a number of requirements that can be provided for such people so that they can get birth certificates and there is no threshold or specific period, so there is no need for a moratorium. I thank you.
HON. NDUNA: I request that I put explicitly my presentation in writing to the Minister of Home Affairs so that he can effectively, eloquently, efficiently respond to this very gigantic, magnus and very important issue of birth certificates and identity cards.
HON. CHINYANGANYA: My question is directed to the
Minister of Local Government and Public Works. What is Government’s policy concerning the naming and denaming of roads?
THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND PUBLIC WORKS (HON M. CHOMBO): Thank you very much
for that pertinent question on naming and denaming of roads. The naming and denaming of roads and streets is done through gazetting through the Ministry. When you are changing names of roads, the local authority has got the powers or mandate to do the renaming.
HON. CHINYANGANYA: I want to thank the Deputy Minister
for her response. There is a policy that says there are no roads that should be named or renamed after living people. My question is why is it that Government finds pleasure in rewarding people after they have died in naming roads after them instead of naming roads using names of people that are still alive?
HON. M. CHOMBO: There is no policy that really binds
Government that you have to restrict yourself to the living only. This has been going on since time immemorial that most of the roads or streets are named after the departed. I thank you.
HON. CHINYANGANYA: There is a circular that was written by the former Minister of Local Government, Hon Kasukuwere addressed to all local authorities saying that no living person should be accorded the honour to be named after a road.
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: May the Hon Member put that
question in writing and the Minister will research on that.
HON. TOGAREPI: What is Government’s policy where it is
apparent that the local authority has totally failed its citizens in terms of service delivery? Do we keep it there? Do we do something to ensure that the interest of the people are protected?
HON. CHIKWINYA: The Hon Member may assist the House by the tools which they have used to come up to ‘apparent’, otherwise we are shooting in the dark. What tools have been used to come up to apparent? Is it an audit, survey or vote? Where are you getting the term
‘apparent’ from?
THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT,
AND PUBLIC (HON. M. CHOMBO): According to the Constitution,
we can only replace – I think he is trying to say are we going to keep the few councillors that are left; The Constitution says only 50%, let us say they have been relieved of their duties...
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Maybe you did not get the
question correctly. Hon. Togarepi, may you please repeat your question.
HON. TOGAREPI: Let me repeat the question and also add what Hon. Chikwinya wants to know. We have done a lot of investigations on local authorities. Audits have been done. We now know that this is a corrupt authority, this is ....
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Hon. Togarepi, may you
please go to the question?
HON. TOGAREPI: What is Government policy where it has become apparent or very clear that this local authority is no longer performing to the expectations of the citizens of that local authority?
HON. M. CHOMBO: When we found out that the local authorities are not performing as per standard, we have carried out investigations and where somebody has been found corrupt, they have been suspended or the corrective measures have been taken. That is what has been done so far.
*HON. MAKONYA: My question is directed to the Minister of Health and Child Care. Where are you getting the statistics for people who have recovered from COVID 19 because these people - including Members of Parliament here, have not been re-tested after the ten days?
How do you then know that the virus is no longer in one’s system?
*THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF HEALTH AND CHILD
CARE (HON. DR. MANGWIRO): This virus, SARS-Cov 2 ‘dies’ in the system after ten days and will be visible in the blood. Even WHO has confirmed that after ten days, there is no need to retest because the virus will no longer be active. If you are tested, one will still test positive after those ten days but that does not mean that the virus is still in your blood. Panenge pachingoonekwa hudanzu danzu hwe virus but does not cause illness. That is what we use in diagnosing.
If someone has been put in a quarantine centre after coughing or having lung infection – when the person starts to heal, we know that the virus is now dead. If a person continues to be sick, it will be the heart, lungs or kidneys that will have been damaged, but if one had a headache and was coughing, we say that person has been healed.
*HON. MAKONYA: I would like to know if the Minister is doing follow ups by calling the affected/infected people and getting the statistics?
*HON. DR. MANGWIRO: If a person was in an isolation centre, as doctors and other specialists make some observations; they check if a person could not breathe properly or was coughing, and if those symptoms are no longer there, then the person is healed. Testing whether the virus is there or not after 10 days does not add any value to a person’s healing. A healed person has records that show they were positive and sick but if you are found positive but not feeling sick in terms of headaches, diarrhoea or failing to pass water because the kidneys are not functioning properly, we can only say you are healed if the symptoms clear.
For instance jaundice, because of liver dysfunctionality if the eyes clear and become white again we know you will have been healed. I want to guarantee you that as government, we document everything on people who will have contracted COVID-19. You can be found positive and may not even know you are sick. Such people, after staying in isolation for 10 days we know they will be well. We will be making follow up using the knowledge gained from our experience with this disease. For those in hospital failing to breathe properly – let us say the saturation was around 50 to 70, the person needs to get to 98% saturation but it could be stopping at 48 or 39. If we see the person improving saturation to around 90 we know the person is healed and all information is documented.
The major issue is that all the statistics that we give you pertaining to recoveries is coming from an analysis of the patients’ history as well as follow up made on all people affected. Some of them we physically follow at their homes and others we go to their work places. Some even phone us telling us they are healed but we do our work professionally, so there is no way we can say someone is healed; without having seen the person. If the person had breathing problems because of damaged lungs, we cannot say a person is healed when they are not. Some people can live for about two months before getting healed, but in most cases we make follow up on such cases wherever they will be. I thank you.
Questions Without Notice were interrupted by THE HON.
DEPUTY SPEAKER in terms of Standing Order No. 64.
ORAL ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS WITH NOTICE
RESURFACING OF MURAMBINDA- BIRCHENOUGH ROAD
- HON. NYASHANU asked the Minister of Transport and
Infrastructural Development to explain to the House when the Murambinda- Birchenough road resurfacing will commence.
THE MINISTER OF TRANSPORT AND
INFRASTRUCTURAL DEVELOPMENT (HON. ARCH.
MATIZA): Mr Speaker Sir, Murambinda-Birchenough road was allocated funding in 2019 (ZWL 9 million) to construct 10km. The department of roads only managed to construct and resurface 2.5km due to inflation that eroded the funds and also because some funds were channelled towards cyclone Idai disaster. Commencement of road resurfacing works in most provinces this year has been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. A lot has been done by the government to save lives and in this regard, the 2020 budget for the road development programme has been re-prioritised to focus on road sections that are at priming stage.
Funding for the resurfacing of such roads was released by Treasury two weeks ago and resurfacing is expected to start soon in all provinces. With regards to Murambinda-Birchenough Road, there is a 2 km section on Base 1 and therefore not part of the re-prioritised primed sections.
Thus resurfacing of this road shall continue next year upon release of the 2021 budget funds. I thank you.
*HON. NYASHANU: Madam Speaker, I would like to let the
Hon, Minister know that this road that we are talking about is a very important road when speaking of Buhera. It has been many years since this road has been prioritised for rehabilitation. I have seen that the road was being fixed by people from his Ministry using hired equipment. My request to the Hon. Minister is if it is possible to get contractors with own equipment who can do a good job - because those we were hiring equipment from were taking a lot of time, and at times they withdrew their equipment from the road,thereby causing no progress at all as at times they would just do 5 metres and leave. This is my request to the Minister.
*HON. ARCH. MATIZA: Thank you Madam Speaker, I want to
thank the Hon Member for his request. As government, we are in the process of doing away with hiring equipment and start using contractors. So contractors can tender their bids and sign contracts to do the work. It is something we have started looking into to phase out hiring of equipment.
REGRAVELLING OF RUPIKE-NYAMANDE-NYIKAVANHU
ROAD
- HON. MARONGE asked the Minister of Transport and
Infrastructure Development to inform the House when the RupikeNyamande-Nyikavanhu road in Masvingo South Constituency will be regravelled.
THE MINISTER OF TRANSPORT AND
INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT (HON. ARCH.
MATIZA): Madam Speaker, Rupike-Nyamande-Nyikavanhu road is a gravel road which is under the District Development Fund (DDF) and DDF will again be able to respond to timelines of gravelling of this road.
I thank you.
DEVELOPMENT OF SPORTS AND RECREATIONAL FACILITIES
IN MBERENGWA EAST CONSTITUENCY
- HON. RAIDZA asked the Minister of Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation to inform the House when the Ministry is going to develop sports and recreational facilities in Mberengwa East Constituency.
THE MINISTER OF YOUTH, SPORT, ARTS AND
RECREATION (HON. COVENTRY): I would like to thank the Hon. Member for his question and as we see in Section 32 of the Constitution of Zimbabwe, it states that the State must take all necessary measures to encourage sporting and recreation activities including the provision of sporting and recreation facilities for all Zimbabweans. With that being said, right now the active project that the Ministry is pursuing is a project where we would like to initiate reconstruction and refurbishment of 40 sports recreational facilities around the country.
Right now, there are six that have been initiated starting in
Masvingo, Esigodini, the Concession Country Club, Mufakose, Shurugwi and Wedza. The areas in which the Ministry are looking now, the way in which we have started to target these areas are areas that have limited access to sport or recreation facilities that have very high numbers of communities that need access to these very important recreational facilities.
It is also my plea Madam Speaker, that in this august House Hon. Members also deploy their influence in their respective constituencies to lure development partners that will be able to establish the sporting and recreational facilities that are needed throughout the country. We know that we have 270 constituencies, 73 districts and 1 963 wards, and we need all of those constituencies to have viable sporting and recreation facilities. Again, I would like to thank the Hon. Member. We also look at ensuring that when we start moving forward and looking at the next phase we include his constituency to be looked at. Thank you.
THE HON. SPEAKER: I am being advised that the Minister has indicated that he has already answered questions 14, 15 and 16. So we will refer to the Hansard.
WRITTEN SUBMISSIONS TO QUESTIONS WITH NOTICE
RESURFACING OF THE MATSVANGE-MASHOKO AND
CHIKUKU-MAKUVAZA ROADS
- SITHOLE asked the Minister of Transport and
Infrastructure Development when the resurfacing of the MatsvangeMashoko and Chikuku-Makuvaza roads in Bikita South Constituency will commence.
THE MINISTER OF TRANSPORT AND INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT (HON. ARCH. MATIZA): Mr. Speaker Sir, the rehabilitation and construction of Matsvange-Mashoko and ChikukuMakuvaza roads in Bikita South constituency have been prioritised under the first 5 year National Development strategy from 2021-2025. Hopefully funds being availed the roads will be surfaced under the five year programme.
REPAIRING OF TUGWI RIVER BRIDGE
- SITHOLE asked the Minister of Transport and
Infrastructure Development to inform the House when the bridge across
Tugwi River which links up the resettlement areas in Ward 26, Save
Valley Conservancy, Ward 3 and Mashoko hospital will be repaired.
THE MINISTER OF TRANSPORT AND
INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT (HON. MATIZA): Madam
Speaker, the road which links up the resettlement areas in Ward 26, Save
Conservancy, Ward 3 and Mashoko hospital is under strict District Development Fund (DDF). DDF is therefore in a better position to answer this question. I thank you.
OPENING OF A NEW BRANCH FOR THE EMPOWERMENT
BANK IN LUPANE
- HON. M. NKOMO asked the Minister of Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation to inform the House on the Ministry’s plans to open a new branch for the Empowerment Bank in Matabeleland North’s provincial capital of Lupane so as to cater for the needs of the youth in the province.
THE MINISTER OF YOUTH, SPORT, ARTS AND
RECREATION (HON. COVENTRY): EmpowerBank’s medium to
long term plan is to have physical presence in all the 10 provinces of the country to fulfil its financial inclusion mandate. Physical branches come with a heavy financial burden to the Microfinance Bank whose balance sheet is still weak. Therefore, EmpowerBank is currently consolidating its current position in the market before opening more physical branches.
The bank currently has branches in the following provinces:
- Bulawayo (the branch is also responsible for Matebeleland North and part of Matebeleland South and Midlands provinces).
- Harare (the branch is also responsible for Mashonaland West,
Central and East Provinces).
- Masvingo (the branch is also responsible for parts of Matebeleland
South and Midlands provinces).
- Mutare (the branch is also responsible for part of Mashonaland East province).
The bank is in the process of recruiting bank agents across the country with a view of having at least an agent in all the districts of the country. The agents will allow EmpowerBank customers to easily access its products across the country.
Currently, EmpowerBank services can be accessed through its:
- Outreach programmes wherein bank staff visit districts in collaboration with the Ministry of Youth, Sport, Arts and
Recreation officials;
- ZimSwitch enabled Debit card on POS Machines; and
- Mobile banking.
STRATEGIES TO ALLEVIATE PLIGHT OF YOUTHS
- HON. E. MASUKU asked the Minister of Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation to explain to the House the strategies that are being implemented by the Ministry to alleviate the plight of youths under the prevailing conditions of the Covid 19 pandemic.
THE MINISTER OF YOUTH, SPORT, ARTS AND RECREATION (HON. COVENTRY): The initiatives being
implemented to alleviate the plight of youth during this Covid 19 pandemic:
The Ministry is doing the following:
- SMEs Relief Fund;
- Artists and Sports Relief Fund;
- Financial inclusion, financial literacy and loans for projects through EmpowerBank; and
- Consistent dialogue with youth and youth groups in order to stay connected and up to date with challenges they may be facing. This has helped us keep our leadership informed and able to make delivery on how to bring relief.
PLYING OF ZUPCO BUSES IN DUSTY FEEDER ROADS OF
NYAJENA
- HON. MARONGE asked the Minister of Local Government and
Public Works to inform the House when the Zimbabwe United Passengers Company (ZUPCO) buses will be allocated to ply areas with dusty feeder roads such as Nyajena in Masvingo South Constituency.
THE MINISTER OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND PUBLIC
WORKS (HON. J. MOYO): Mr. Speaker Sir, Zimbabwe United
Passenger Company (ZUPCO) is in the process of rebuilding the robust DAF 825 bus suitable for all terrain for its reintroduction on the unsurfaced routes in the rural areas. The reintroduction of the bus is scheduled for the beginning of November, 2020. Currently, the fleet that is available is suitable for tarred roads only.
GRADING OF ACCESS ROADS IN MASVINGO SOUTH
CONSTITUENCY
- HON. MARONGE asked the Minister of Local Government and Public Works to inform the House when access roads in Masvingo South Constituency will be graded considering that the roads are in a state of dilapidation since this rehabilitation exercise was last done three years ago.
THE MINISTER OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND PUBLIC
WORKS (HON. J. MOYO): Mr. Speaker Sir, there are three road authorities in Zimbabwe namely; Ministry of Transport and
Infrastructural Development – for primary or trunk roads, the District Development Fund - for tertiary or link roads and the local authorities – for tertiary access or tertiary feeder roads. The access roads that Hon. Maronge is asking for fall under the jurisdiction of the local authority and in this case, Masvingo Rural District Council. It must be noted that due to various challenges, road authorities have not managed to regularly maintain their respective roads.
The local authority thus has taken it upon itself to maintain all roads in the district including those that are under the care of the District
Development Fund (DDF) and the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development, albeit with limited resources (one motorised grader and fuel shortages). The reason for grading all the roads being that, one cannot fly to an access road but has to pass through primary or trunk and tertiary-link roads that need maintenance. The single grader that Masvingo Rural District Council has was on breakdown and is scheduled to start grading a tertiary (main link) road – Bhati-Ngomahuru Road in Wards 21 and 34, which is under Masvingo Central Constituency. It will then go to all wards in Masvingo South. This is subject to availability of fuel since most fuel suppliers are not accepting local currency (ZW$) yet ZINARA disbursed funds to local authorities in local currency.
EXPEDITION OF THE FOOD DEFICIT MITIGATION
PROGRAMME
- HON. MARONGE asked the Minister of Public Service,
Labour and Social Welfare to explain to the House measures being taken by the Ministry to expedite the Food Deficit Mitigation Programme in view of the fact that vulnerable persons in some parts of Masvingo South Constituency such as Wards 24, 26 and 28 have not received maize for the past months.
THE MINISTER OF PUBLIC SERVICE, LABOUR AND
SOCIAL WELFARE (HON. PROF. MAVIMA): The Government of
Zimbabwe through the Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare is assisting food insecure households and individuals affected by the recurrent dry spells that have affected the country during the 2019/2020 farming season as well as those affected by the COVID 19 pandemic. The Food Deficit Mitigation Programme has been rolled out to all the 10 provinces of the country. The eight rural provinces are receiving support in kind whilst cash for cereals is being paid to urban areas. The in-kind support where a household receives a 50kg bag of cereal is targeting 735 455 households on a monthly basis.
The Ministry is aware that some parts of the rural population has gone for more than a month without receiving their monthly allocation of grain due to the current grain shortages that the country has been experiencing. The Government is seized with grain importation which has been hampered by the COVID 19 travel restrictions which has witnessed slow movement of grain into the country. With the relaxation of COVID 19 restrictions, more grain will be expected in the country. To ensure no one dies of hunger, the Ministry is working with development partners to ensure that grain is readily available in all rural areas.
ALLOCATION OF AGRICULTURAL INPUT ASSISTANCE TO
PERI-URBAN FARMERS AND URBAN PLOT HOLDERS IN
GWERU URBAN
- HON. B. DUBE asked the Minister of Lands, Agriculture,
Water, Climate and Rural Resettlement to inform the House the Ministry's plan regarding the allocation of agricultural input assistance to peri-urban farmers and urban plot holders in the Gweru Urban area, particularly Ridgemont and other surrounding areas.
THE MINISTER OF LANDS, AGRICULTURE, WATER, CLIMATE AND RURAL RESETTLEMENT (HON. DR.
MASUKA): Hon. Member, I am pleased to inform this House that the Government input programmes are dedicated to provide farming inputs to all legally resettled farmers with a view to achieve food selfsufficiency, hence the rolling out of the Presidential Climate-proofed (Pfumvudza) Inputs Programme and the Grains Import Substitution Programme dubbed Command Agriculture. Accordingly, all deserving farmers should approach Agritex in their respective areas for the necessary guidance on registration and assistance on access to inputs.
MOTION
BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE
THE MINISTER OF JUSTICE, LEGAL AND
PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS (HON. ZIYAMBI): Madam Speaker, I move that Orders of the Day, Nos. 1 to 36 be stood over until Order of the Day, No. 37 has been disposed of.
Motion put and agreed to.
SECOND READING
CYBER SECURITY AND DATA PROTECTION BILL [H. B. 18,
2019]
THE MINISTER OF INFORMATION AND
COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY, POSTAL AND COURIER
SERVICES (DR. MUSWERE): Madam Speaker, I rise to present my second reading of the Bill speech, which is the Cyber Security and Data Protection Bill [H. B. 18, 2019]. The purpose of the Bill is to consolidate cyber related offences and provide for data protection with regard to the declaration of rights under the Constitution and the public and national interest, to establish a cyber security centre and a data protection authority, to provide for the functions, provide for the investigation and collection of evidence of cyber crime and unauthorised data collection and breaches and to provide for admissibility of electronic evidence for such offences. The Bill will create a technology driven business environment and encourage technological development and lawful use of technology.
I now turn to the specific clauses Madam Speaker. Clause 1 sets out the Short Title of the Bill, date of commencement. Clause 2 provides the objects of the Bill which are to curb cyber crime and promote cyber security in order to build confidence and trust in communication networks. Clause 3 provides for the definitions of terms used in the Bill. Clause 4 sets out the scope of application of the Bill to include the processing data wholly or partly by automated means.
Clause 5 provides for the designation of the cyber security centre with the Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (POTRAZ). A cyber security centre is an integral part of the cyber security efforts of a country. It provides and operates in an advisory role to the various actors in the cyber space. It coordinates cyber security efforts by operating the national computer incident response team. Globally, national regulatory authorities stimulate competition to provide the infrastructure for the transportation of data by making a performing market analysis and encouraging the development of next generation networks. The telecommunications operators play a critical role in the data economy regarding the provision of a reliable identifier using exchange data to limit the proliferation of false data. The telecommunications regulator is better placed to control such operations.
It is proposed Madam Speaker that the cyber security centre shall be managed by a Committee of eleven members chosen for computer and
telecommunications, law Q & R t445505 23rd
September 2020 and policy knowledge and skills in respect of any aspect dealt within the Act as follows. One representative nominated by each of the following; the Ministry of ICT, Postal and Courier Services, the Ministry of Higher
Education, Science and Technology, the Ministry of Justice, Legal and
Parliamentary Affairs, the Ministry of Defence, the Postal and
Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe, the Zimbabwe Republic Police, the National Prosecution Authority, the Central Intelligence Organisation, the Prisons and Correctional Services. One representative chosen by the organisation representing Information Technology Communications Sector and Computer Professionals, one person with appropriate information technology expertise chosen by the National Association of non-governmental organisation to represent civic society.
Madam Speaker, Clause 6 provides for the functions of the Cyber
Security Centre which will be among other functions to advice Government and implement Government policy on cyber crime and cyber security. The Cyber Security Centre shall also promote and coordinate activities and coordinate activities focused on improving cyber security and prevention of cyber crime.
Clause 7 and 8 provides for the designation of the Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe as the data protection authority and functions thereof. Madam Speaker, Clauses 9 to 14 provide the minimum standards and general rules for a data controller and for the processing of data. As data is an integral component of ICT and operates across the territorial borders and jurisdictions, there is need for the providers of goods and services to be disciplined and exact in the manner in which they handle data. The Bill outlines the rules permissible and non-permissible of the transfer of data outside the Republic of Zimbabwe and the requirements for the authorisation and non- authorisation of the same.
This is provided in Clauses 28 and 29. The obligations of collectors, processors, storage and communicators of information and telecommunication systems are prescribed minimum standards. Clause 30 Madam Speaker requires the authority to provide and approve codes of conduct and ethics to be observed by the data controller and categories of data controllers.
Clause 31 provides for the management of a whistle blowing system by the authority and Clause 32 provides for the Minister to make regulations in consultation with the authority. The other offences and penalties under this Bill are set out in Clause 33. Madam Speaker, Clause 35 deals with consequential amendments to the Criminal Code by the introduction of this Bill. The Criminal Law, Codification and Reform Act [Chapter 9:23] by the repeal of Section 163 to 166 which I therefore expanded in scope and application.
Madam Speaker, Clause 163 (a) to 163(e) deals with hacking and to prevent interfering, impairing the functions of a computer system which house data which is vital to the country that the incapacity of such would have an impact on security. It further deals with security and protection of data on computer so that data is not obtained, installed, downloaded or modified illegally by means of technology. It also curbs acquisition possession, production, and selling, procuring, distribution for the use imports designed or adapted for the purpose of or damage to the property by committing an offence.
Clause 163(f) in this part is when an offence is committed in aggravating circumstances if committed or in furtherance of the commission or attempted commission of a crime against the State specified in Part III of the Criminal Code.
Part II of the Bill deals with the offence relating to electronic communications and materials and are provided in the following clauses: Clause 164 deals with the transmission of data messages inciting violence or damage to property. Clause 164 (a) deals with the protection of citizens from receiving threatening messages. Clause 164 (b) deals with cyber bulling and harassment, it also deals with any data message or intimidation which is send to coerces, harass or intimidate. In 164 (c), in section 6, to punish any person who distributes, makes available or broadcasts data containing an identifiable person knowing it to be false intending to cause psychological or economic harm.
Madam Speaker, transmission of data message with intimate images without consent is dealt with in Clause 164 (e) whilst production and dissemination of racist and xenophobic material such as the use of language that turns to lower the reputation of feelings of persons for the reason that they belong to a group of persons, distinguished on the grounds set out in section 56 (III) of the Constitution which clearly stipulates that every person has the right not to be treated in an unfairly discriminatory manner on the grounds of their nationality, race, colour, tribe, place of birth, ethnic or social origin, language, class, religious belief, political affiliation, opinion, custom, culture, sex, gender, marital status, age, pregnancy, disability or economic or social status or whether they are born in or out of wedlock.
The protection of any person whose identity is acquired, transferred, or possessed or used by using a computer or computer information system with intend to commit or assist in commission is provided for in Clause 164 (g). Madam Speaker ,offences against children are set out in Clause 165 and 165 (a) which are pornography involving a child or exposing pornography to children.
Madam Speaker, issues of procedural law are provided in the following clauses, which is 165 (b) which deals with the search and seizure in electronic evidence and 165 (c) which provides the manner and form in which data is preserved for use in terms of investigation. This is where the Magistrate may, on application made by the police officer in a prescribed form that there are reasonable grounds to suspect or believe that traffic data associated with specified communication is required for the purposes of investigations.
Subsection (a) orders any person in control of such data to or preserve itto collect, record, preserve the traffic data associated with the specified communication during a specified period. The obligations and immunity of a service provider who has not initiated or modified the transmission or selected the receiver of a transmission as provided for in Clause 166.
Madam Speaker, Clause 166 (a) deals with the jurisdiction issues of courts in Zimbabwe when dealing with offences in this Bill, for instance a court in Zimbabwe shall have jurisdiction to try any offence under this Act where the offence was committed wholly in part. Subsection (a) is about any offences committed within Zimbabwe by any person in or outside Zimbabwe using a computer or information system or device software or data located in Zimbabwe. Subsection (b), on a ship or aircraft registered in Zimbabwe. Section C subsection (c), by a national permanent resident of Zimbabwe or a person carrying on business in Zimbabwe whether or not the offence is committed in Zimbabwe.
The admissibility of electronic evidence is provided in Clause 166(b). The court upon conviction may order forfeiture to the State of proceeds of such offence covered in Clause 166 (c). Madam Speaker, Clause 166 (d) provides that the Cyber Security Committee may, with approval of the Minister, issue such guidelines as may be necessary for the carrying out of the provisions of this Act as relates to its functions under the Bill. Madam Speaker, I now move that the Bill be now read a second time.
HON. GANDAWA:
1.0. INTRODUCTION
The Cyber Security and Data Protection Bill (H.B. 18, 2019) was gazetted on 15 May 2020.The Bill intends to address cyber-crime and increase cyber security in order to build confidence, trust and the secure use of ICTs. The Cyber Security and Data Protection Bill is an advanced, modern Bill that aims to consolidate cyber-related offences, establish a Cyber Security Centre, provide for investigation and collection of evidence of cyber-crime, provide electronic evidence for such offences, and encourage lawful use of technology. It will create a technology driven business environment and encourage technological development and the lawful use of technology. The Bill also seeks to amend certain parts of the Criminal Law, (Codification and Reform) Act
[Chapter 9:23] by repealing sections 163 to 166.
2.0 METHODOLOGY
2.1 The Joint Portfolio Committees on Information
Communication Technology, Postal and Courier Services, Information,
Media and Broadcasting Service and Thematic Committee on Peace and
Security had a meeting with the Officials from the Ministry of ICT, Postal and Courier Service on 15 June 2020.The purpose of the meeting was for the Ministry to unpack the Bill for Members.
2.2 The Committees conducted public consultations on the Bill in terms of Section 141 of the Constitution from 5 to 10 July, 2020. The Committees covered part of Harare, Midlands, Masvingo, Bulawayo, Mashonaland West, Mashonaland East, Mashonaland Central, Matabeleland North and South provinces.
2.3 During the hearings, the Committees received submissions from youths, pensioners, church representatives, business organisations, representatives from media industry, government officials, resident associations, and the general public. The
Committees expressed their heartfelt gratitude to all stakeholders who contributed at the public consultations and those who made written submissions.
2.4 The Joint Committees also had a virtual hearing on Zoom to cater for interested people who were not able to participate in the hearings.
3.0 SUBMISSIONS ON THE CYBER SECURITY AND
DATA PROTECTION BILL
3.1. In all areas visited by the Committee, members of the public were aggrieved because they were not aware of the content and context of the Bill. In addition, they were concerned about the bill being too technical for ordinary citizens especially those in remote areas. Members of the public in different areas were of the opinion that the Bill was supposed to be compiled in different recognised languages in the Constitution. It was therefore, submitted that before Parliament engage on public consultations, there was need to conduct awareness and unpacking of the Bills.
Stakeholders highlighted that there is need to provide for two separate Bills; the Cyber Security Bill and the Data Protection Bill in accordance to international standards and best practices, for instance the SADC Model Law on Data Protection and the African Convention on Cyber security and Data Protection. Stakeholders highlighted that by combining the two legislations, the Bill becomes difficult to understand.
3.2 CLAUSE 1: APPLICATION
3.2.1 Stakeholders recommended that the date of commencement of the Bill should be clearly defined because a good law should not apply in retrospect.
3.3 CLAUSE 2: OBJECTIVES
Stakeholders noted that the objective of the Bill does not accurately describe its provisions. They mentioned that the provisions of Bill regulate the collection, processing, transmission, storage and use of personal data by the data controller. It was stated that the Bill creates new offences relating to cyber-crime and its investigations, therefore the objective of the Bill must be amended to include the criminalisation of computer and network related crimes
3.4 CLAUSE 3: INTERPRETATION
Clause 3 of the Bill defines a data controller as “any natural person or legal person who is licencable by the Authority.
Several stakeholders including Google were concerned about three issues on this provision which are as follows:
(i) the definition of a data controller in its present form suggests that a data controller must be licenced by the Authority. This is the only reference in the Bill to a licencing requirement. (ii) The powers of the Data Protection Authority (the Authority) under Section 8 of the Bill do not include the power to licence data controllers.
(iii) It is unclear whether persons or entities seeking to collect, record or otherwise process data within Zimbabwe will require any form of licensing or registration with the Authority.
Stakeholders suggested that the Bill should have an inclusion of a comprehensive definition describing what entity or person qualifies as a data controller.
The stakeholders highlighted that definition of “data controller” is limited to natural or legal persons licencable by the Authority. This means the Bill’s application is currently limited to persons providing telecommunication services. It was submitted that the definition needed to be broadened to include public bodies and any other person who determines the purpose and means of processing data.
Stakeholders indicated that the Bill in its current form aims to regulate the collection, processing, transmission, storage and use of personal data by telecommunication licence holders and excludes the entities who collect personal information such as banks, insurance companies and hospitals. They recommended that definition of a data controller should be widened to include these entities since they are not currently licencable by POTRAZ.
Members of the public mentioned that the definition of “critical database” does not include a definition of what “critical data” is. It was submitted that there is a need to specify what “critical data” means, particularly because the Bill in the amendment of Section 163 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act [Chapter 9:23] seeks to make it an offence “to copy, move, add or change critical data”. This makes it imperative to define the term because of its inclusion as an essential element of the offence of hacking.
It was submitted that the definition of “code of conduct” seems to extend to IT resources and internet for the data controller which is extremely wide definition. The stakeholders recommended that IT resources be removed from the definition of code of conduct and confirm the definition to IT processes, which means any processes related to the data controller or processor.
Stakeholders suggested that ‘Personal Information’ definition can be expanded to include objectives and subjective elements of personal information.
3.5 CLAUSES 5-8…
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Hon. Gandawa, is your gadget muted?
HON. GANDAWA: I think the link is going on and off. The link must be a bit bad; it is going on and off. I am sure Members will also benefit from the Hansard. We will provide the soft copy.
Clause 5 to Clause 8: DESIGNATION OF THE CYBER
SECURITY CENTRE AND DATA PROTECTION AUTHORITY
WITHIN POSTAL AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS
REGULATORY AUTHORITY OF ZIMBABWE (POTRAZ).
There were mixed views from the people regarding POTRAZ being the Cyber Security Centre and Data Controller. There were concerns from some stakeholders that if POTRAZ is established as the Cyber
Security Centre and Data Controller, this would limit the effectiveness, efficiency and independence of the board since POTRAZ reports to the Executive. They pointed out that the POTRAZ Board was appointed by the Minister hence the board would be a rubber stamp of the Executive decisions. The stakeholders proposed a separate institution as a Cyber Security Centre that is appointed by Parliament and reports to Parliament. Alternatively, it was proposed that POTRAZ should report to and be accountable to Parliament in the discharge of this new role as the enforcement of human rights requires oversight by a body independent from Government.
Other stakeholders however, were of the view that POTRAZ is the perfect Cyber Security Centre as it already has the requisite data and infrastructure in place.
3.6 CLAUSES 9 – 14: STANDARDS AND GENERAL RULES
FOR A DATA CONTROLLER FOR THE PROCESSING OF DATA.
The stakeholders indicated that the principles in the Bill needed to be expanded as it relates to the aspects of processing of data as the current drafting makes data subjects rights after-thoughts and hidden in the Bill’s text.
3.7 CLAUSES 13-14: SENSITIVE INFORMATION, GENETIC DATA, BIOMETRIC SENSITIVE DATA AND HEALTH DATA
Stakeholders highlighted that the Bill is not explicit on the issue of sensitive information. Stakeholders were not sure if they will be consulted first before their information and data is used. The stakeholders pointed out that government institutions and network providers already had personal information and at times the information is already used without their consent.
Stakeholders submitted that Section 13 (1) (c) of the Bill gives the Authority the power to determine circumstances where the processing of data is prohibited despite the consent of the data subject. It was highlighted that this provision gives wide powers to the Authority to prevent the collection of sensitive data, even for legitimate purposes where for instance:
- the data subject has freely and voluntarily consented to the collection or processing of his or her personal data;
- all the necessary disclosure requirements have been met; and
- there is no real risk of infringement of the data subject’s right.
In relation to consent, it was recommended that Section 13 (1) of the Bill should clearly set out the circumstances under which consent is considered unequivocal and freely given to avoid any confusion surrounding the nature of consent that has been provided.
3.8 CLAUSE 19: SECURITY BREACH NOTIFICATION
Members of the public highlighted the need for the provision to stipulate a timeline under which the security breach should be communicated rather than leaving the provision open to interpretation on what “undue delay” means.
3.9 CLAUSES 23 and 24: OPENNESS OF PROCESSING AND ACCOUNTABILITY.
Stakeholders highlighted that level of openness must manifest throughout the Bill by registering all data controllers in a register that is open for public inspection. They noted that accountability must be listed as one of the duties that controllers are required to comply with. This principle should be included in the Bill for the Authority and Data Controllers.
Stakeholders also stated that the Bill does not speak to algorithms and explained that algorithms mutate due to the developments in artificial intelligence hence the Bill might have been overtaken by events, by speaking to the 1990s state of affairs.
3.10 CLAUSES 26 AND 27: PROTECTION OF RIGHTS OF
DATA SUBJECTS
Children representatives submitted that there is need to accommodate the right to be heard when considering consent given on behalf of a child. They indicated that this was in line with Article 12 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child which provides that State parties shall assure to the child who is capable of forming his or her own views, the right to express those views freely in all matters affecting the child, the views of the child being given due weight in accordance with the age and maturity of the child.
Stakeholders submitted that there should be a provision for data processors and service providers to protect and ensure children rights are upheld. It was mentioned that the Bill should incorporate the five core provisions which are namely:
- Clear on minimum age limits on content.
- Protections for accounts that are opened by under eighteen years.
- Management inappropriate or illegal content posted on their platforms
- Use of age verification and identity authentication solutions.
- Clear safeguard to ensure children rights online
The Committee was informed that the Bill of rights sets out rights and freedoms that the people of Zimbabwe are entitled to by virtue of being human beings. These rights are constitutional rights and therefore legally binding. These rights include
- freedom of expression (protected in section 61 of the
Constitution);
- freedom of the media (Section 62);
- access to independent and impartial news.
- right to personal security (Section 52),
- right to dignity (Section 51),
- right to privacy (Section 57),
- right to petition and demonstrate (section 59)
Stakeholders were concerned with the rights that the Bill is likely to violate. They highlighted that the Bill should include rights of data subjects as a standa-lone clause as the Bill does not adequately address and protect data subject rights. These rights include freedom of expression, right to privacy and many other fundamental rights.
Stakeholders strongly recommended Section 164 relating to electronic communication be thoroughly revised to bring them into line with the constitutional provisions relating to freedom of speech and freedom of media.
The public highlighted that new rights have emerged over the years due to the coming into age of the internet. Therefore, there is need to include new rights in the Bill such as the right to oblivion also known as the right to be forgotten. Thus, information uploaded on the cyber space should have a specific timeline to be disregarded and should be forgotten.
3.11 CLAUSE 31: WHISTLEBLOWER
The Committee was informed that much of the cases of corruption were being unearthed by whistle-blowers. The public underscored the need to put necessary safeguards to protect whistle-blowers in the statute as well as other concrete steps in the handling of investigations that result from whistle-blowers revelations.
3.12 CLAUSE 163: UNLAWFUL INTERFERENCE WITH COMPUTER SYSTEM
The Committee was informed that this Bill stifles innovation and creativity by completely criminalising hacking without recognising the potential benefits of ‘ethical hacking’. They pointed out that ethical hackers identify loopholes and vulnerabilities in computer systems and use them to strengthen cyber security systems technologies and applications.
3.13 CLAUSE 164E: TRANSMISSION OF INTIMATE
IMAGES OR VIDEOS WITHOUT CONSENT.
Stakeholders highlighted that information on social media platforms is shared through forwarding messages. Effectively, anyone who forwards or distributes messages should be criminalised in terms of this Bill. They indicated that the Bill should be clear on determining the source of the criminal activity.
Some stakeholders proposed that on Clause 164 (f), the Bill should also include the terminology that criminalises the recording of upskirting, and nudity. It was suggested that any person who unlawfully and intentionally records an image or video without the person’s consent should be guilty of an offence and liable to a fine not exceeding level 10 or to imprisonment for a period not exceeding five years or to both such fine and such imprisonment.
3.14 CLAUSE 165: CHILD PORNOGRAPHY
The stakeholders submitted that the term ‘Child Pornography’ should be replaced with the term ‘child sexual abuse material’ throughout the Bill so that it broadens the focus of the law towards other child sexual harassments and violence to children within the cyber space. It was suggested that any person who unlawfully and intentionally produce, offers, distributes and possess child sexual abuse material should be guilty of an offence and liable to a fine not exceeding level fourteen or to imprisonment for a period not exceeding ten years, or both such fine and such imprisonment.
3.15 CLAUSE 165A: CYBERGROOMING OF CHILDREN
The stakeholders suggested a penalty of a fine not exceeding level 10 for any person of the age of eighteen or above who unlawfully and intentionally, through information and communication technologies, proposes to meet a child who has not reached the age of consent to sexual activity as set by the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform Act) [Chapter 9:23] for the purpose of engaging in sexual activity with him or her.
4.0 COMMITTEE OBSERVATION
4.1 The Committees were of the view that admissibility rule should not be restricted to criminal acts established under the Bill, but to all criminal offences recognised under the laws of Zimbabwe.
4.2 The Committees agreed with stakeholders that POTRAZ should not be designated as the Cyber Security Centre and Data Protection Authority. The Committees suggested that the functions that the Bill assigned to the Cyber Security Centre need to be carried out by an independent body due to the sensitivity of matters relating to cyber security.
4.3 The Committees also supported the need to include in Section 31(1) of the Bill, provision for the guarantee of the protection of whistleblowers.
4.4 The Committees were in agreement with stakeholders that Clause 26 of the Bill should protect the rights that are enshrined in the
Constitution of Zimbabwe.
4.5 The Committees were of the view that the Cyber Security Centre and Data Protection Authority should also be separated into two standalone pieces of legislations.
4.6 The Committees further supported the need to criminalise the recording of up-skirting and recognition of the rights of children on Clause 164E.
5.0 RECOMMENDATIONS
In light of the above submissions and observations, the Committees make the following recommendations;
- Clause 2 - objectives of the Bill should clearly describe its provisions.
- Clause 3 - The Bill should be amended to improve on definition of terms as they should be clearly defined.
- The need to split the Bill into two; namely the Cyber Security Bill and Data Protection Bill.
- Clauses 5-8 should establish an independent body which is set up as the Cyber Security Centre and Data Protection Authority instead of POTRAZ being the Cyber Security Centre and Data Protection Authority.
- Clause 31(1) of the Bill should be amended, to have a clause that guarantee the protection of whistle-blowers in terms of handling investigations.
- The Bill should be amended and have a clause that provides for the right to oblivion, that is the right for deleting information and records of the past in the cyber space, and clearly spell out the data retention period.
- That the Bill should be amended to include a stand-alone clause that recognises the rights of data subjects which are enshrined in the Constitution namely;
- right to personal security (section 52), ii. right to dignity (section 51),
iii. right to privacy (section 57), iv. right to petition and demonstrate (section 59) and
- the right to freedom of expression (section 61).
- That Clause 19 should be amended to include the time under which security breach should be notified.
- The Bill should strike a balance between the protection of national security and the exercise of rights of ordinary individuals.
- Clause 164E of the Bill should be amended to include the terminology that criminalises up-skirting and recording of nude images without a person’s consent.
- Clause 165 on child pornography should take into cognisance offences relating to child sexual abuse materials such as using social media to lure minors for the purposes of exploitation.
6.0 CONCLUSION
The introduction of the Cyber Security and Data Protection Bill is welcomed as it is drafted to apply to all sectors of the economy. It will put in place one of the final pieces of much needed data protection reforms. The Bill is a baseline legislation that will operate concurrently with other legislation. Effective modern data protection laws are central to securing public trust and confidence in the use of personal information within the digital economy and the fight against cybercrime. Members of the public have raised many different scenarios about the protection of individuals. However, Government must strive to ensure a proper balance on how best to use the proposed Bill to effect a positive outcome for the public and the private sector. I thank you.
THE MINISTER OF INFORMATION COMMUNICATION
TECHNOLOGY, POSTAL AND COURIER SERVICES (HON.
MUSWERE): I move that the debate do now adjourn.
Motion put and agreed to.
Debate to resume: Thursday, 24th September, 2020.
MOTION
BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE
HON. TOGAREPI: I move that we revert to Order of the Day
Number 33.
HON. MPARIWA: I second.
Motion put and agreed to.
MOTION
LIAISON AND COORDINATION COMMITTEE ANNUAL REPORT
FOR THE FIRST SESSION OF THE NINTH PARLIAMENT
Thirty Third Order read: Adjourned debate on motion on the Report of the Liaison and Coordination Committee Annual Report for the First Session.
*HON. KWARAMBA: Thank you Madam Speaker. I would like
to thank our Chief Whip for presenting the LCC report in this august House. The report touched on a number of issues that transpired, so what concerns me is that in this august House we have 22 Committees.
We also have the Zimbabwe Women’s Parliamentary Caucus which is comprised of all political parties, MDC and ZANU PF. We meet as we discuss various issues.
However, we face a number of challenges in our meetings because these committees have different responsibilities. We are supposed to meet on Fridays, but because of the Covid-19 pandemic we are not meeting. However, we have made a number of plans to meet on Fridays.
I would like to appreciate that the Parliament Administration allowed us to meet on Fridays and the fact that a budget was set aside for these meetings. The other point is that our Committee has a lot of female parliamentarians and we teach our Honourable female Members of Parliament a lot of things. Women parliamentarians always remain doing parliamentary business as men leave this House engaging in other things. They do not engage in any other deals but they are committed to their parliamentary duties. I would like to appreciate that commitment. However, what surprises me is that this Committee which is comprised of all women and chaired by myself, Hon. Kwaramba is not much recognised.
I would like to propose that this Committee should have the same status as other Committees. We must not be despised and looked down upon. If we are a Parliament which has gender balance, why is it that people look down upon us? Myself, as the Chairperson, I deserve that status that is given to other chairpersons of other Committees. This is a concern that I want the LCC to look into. Just like the Public Accounts Committee which is like any other Committee, we share reports; we chair meetings so that female parliamentarians are capacitated.
Looking at the debates and contributions that are made by female Members of Parliament, these robust debates prove that women are capacitated and are able. So my plea is that let us empower female Members of Parliament. Parliament should not discriminate against a certain gender because we have the same responsibility of representing our constituents.
HON. TOFFA: Thank you Madam Speaker. I would like to thank you for the opportunity to contribute to the report that Hon.
Togarepi brought to this august House. I would also like to support our Chairperson for the Women’s Parliamentary Caucus with regards to the way the Women’s Caucus is treated.
The Constitution is very clear about gender equality and yet the women’s Parliamentary Caucus is being treated like a second class citizen. I would urge that the Women’s Parliamentary Caucus be given equal status as Hon. Kwaramba, our Chairperson has alluded to. We need to be given a day which is not Friday because it is a day as well where we will be going back to our constituencies and families. So we need a day during the week where we are treated equally. We are being given a day at the end of the week, it is almost like a favour is being done to us. As a Women’s Parliamentary Caucus we ask that we be given a day during the week.
Madam Speaker, if you look at the contributions or the evaluations that are done to women Members of Parliament, you will find that every Member of Parliament that is female is graded as to how often they have participated in Parliament and their contributions in Committees. This is done by the civil societies. However, I have never seen the men being graded. You will be surprised how many men have actually not participated in any debate in Parliament. So we should be equally graded as well. We need to make sure that when the nation is looking, they are not only looking to see what women are doing and say women are doing nothing, whereas that same treatment is not given to men. I would like to say that the way parliamentarians are being evaluated is also very unfair. We need also to see how men have not contributed in Parliament and so on. Just to support Hon. Kwaramba, our very able
Chairperson of the Women’s Parliamentary Caucus. I would like to thank her for bringing this up. We have been talking about it in the corridors. Thank you.
*HON. CHIKUKWA: Thank you Madam Speaker. The Chief
Whip mentioned that we need to talk about the welfare of Members of Parliament because this motivates MPs if they are also represented. I saw this when we were discussing about vehicles because Government made payment for these vehicles. The Chief Whip engaged companies to provide MPs with vehicles. However, the Chief Whip also spoke about what is expected from Hon. Members of Parliament, how they are expected to conduct themselves. So, I believe that the report that was presented is a report which was comprehensive and it demonstrated what the Chief Whip is expected to do in this House. This made us to realise the role of the Chief Whip in the National Assembly. I thank you.
HON. NDIWENI: Thank you very much Madam Speaker.
Madam Speaker, I want to thank Hon. Togarepi for the report that he presented. Every incident that happens makes people think and see whether they are going positively ahead or you are making one step forward and two steps backwards.
Madam Speaker, I want to draw your attention to the impasse that we had in Parliament whereby Committees can be incapacitated and see if we were moving forward. Upon assessment, there are some grey areas in our Standing Rules and Orders. We want to promote what we call democracy but then let us look at jurisdictions that we want to copy, mainly the American jurisdiction, other jurisdictions and so on.
Madam Speaker, if one has to look at those jurisdictions you realise that what they are preaching is not what they are practicing. Why am I saying this Madam Speaker? It is seldom that you find in those jurisdictions non ruling party Members chairing a committee. Every Committee is chaired by the ruling party member and the opposition are ranking members. So we try in our Parliament to promote democracy and leave opposition party members chairing committees. I personally feel we should have a relook so that the ruling party chairs all Committees because we are ruling. We are the ruling party and the opposition are ranking members. They do checks and the balances but they should not chair Committees. I gave an example of the Americans, they have all their Committees chaired by the ruling party members.
If we maintain the current scenario, the other alternative is that we need to have a situation whereby if we have the ruling party chairing a Committee the opposition should be a ranking member who is appointed. Let us remove this idea of having an acting Chair voted for because there will be no continuity.
HON. GABBUZA: I just want to give support to the report presented by the Liaison Committee Chairperson. It is our report and we totally agree with him and the issues raised in that report are very correct and to some extent they need the support of the whole House. However Madam Speaker, there are a few things that I need to bring to your attention which could be added to the report. If you look at the volume of the output of work by Portfolio Committees, particularly the reports clearly there is a problem. It is not like in the other previous sessions of Parliament. Generally, the number of reports that have been presented, some Portfolio Committees had almost nil and yet we are moving towards the end of the session. What needs to be addressed particularly in most of the Committees is the composition of the Committees. The composition of the Committees in the sense that we get some
Committees which out of the number of persons that are recorded to be members of the Committee, you might find 50% are just names and they have never attended a single meeting of the Committee and because of that, you find in most cases the number of no show meeting, the number of aborted meetings because of lack of quorum continuously increases.
This is affecting the work of the Committees.
Secondly, one issue which needs to be addressed is the process through which reports goes through in the system of Parliament before they are presented. This is another problem that needs urgent attention from the Administration of Parliament. Reports are agreed in the Committee and it will take another one month or so before they are presented mainly because we find the process a bit slow as Chairpersons. Sometimes in the report there is a deadline set and we want the Ministry to have done this by the 31st of October and 31st of October comes and you present the report and the report is not yet ready for presentation.
So, it forces Committees to relook at the recommendations especially where deadlines are put. Sometimes by the time you present the report, the deadline that you will have set in the report only gives the Ministry or the Executive just one week because we will be left with one week as quoted in the report. This is quite serious and it needs urgent attention from the Administration of Parliament. Not only that, we find this as one of the major challenges, the Committee agrees on undertaking fact finding visit to a particular area and the process of approving that fact finding visit, if it takes too long, you miss some certain targets. In the end, you might eventually not even undertake that visit because the process of approval, I think we find it a bit too slow and we would appeal to the Administration of Parliament, through you Mr. Speaker, to come up with a quicker way of addressing or perhaps put up some time so that a report or if a proposed trip is put before the table or it goes through the system, it may not take so many days or beyond so many days so that there is some bit of urgency in attending to some of these issues.
As we speak, we have a report that has been in the system of Parliament for a month and small nitty-gritties made the report to be thrown back, reconsidered, send it back and another item is raised. As you do that, you can imagine Mr. Speaker if this was a petition, the petitioners become impatient or the problems that they had raised in the petition may be overtaken by events by the time you go to seek out the problem or to attend to the petition – that problem might no longer be of urgency. I think it is important that when our systems attend to these issues, time must be of the essence so that urgency is looked at. These are some of the things that I wanted to raise or bring to your attention so that if possible, the work of the Committees can be expedited if these issues are attended to.
+HON. MABOYI: Hon Speaker, thank you for recognising me. I thought that we were supposed to be called because the Committee belongs to us but that is as well good. Thank you Hon. Chief Whip for bringing up this matter for the Women’s Committee. I want to talk about the women not being handled well at Parliament especially if we are women. Why are we always being given Friday to hold meetings because as women we also have to travel to our constituencies?
If we spend some days here, I will give an example of myself. On
Saturday, I have to drive the whole day to my constituency and on
Sunday return back here. Why are we given Fridays – is it because we are second class citizens? This should be amended because we also contributed to Parliament that we should be there. So, may you please take note of that? You should not always give us a Friday because they need us in our constituencies.
If a woman stands up in Parliament and makes a mistake they laugh because we all learn from mistakes even though there are some other people with degrees. We are made a laughing stock outside Parliament. You should teach those who do not know. May you please recognise us as well and help us. There is nothing new about being a parliamentarian because as women or men, we are all hear to learn. You should give us a chance so that we can be raised aboard. So, may you please give us another day other than a Friday because on Friday I will be going back to my constituency for we are at par with you people who have got constituencies? Thank you.
HON. C. MOYO: Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir. I have got three
items to highlight. The first one is on the capacitation of new members. I think from the report, after having more than 160 newly elected MPs, there is no deliberate programme specifically for only new Members of Parliament so that they can acquaint themselves to the terrain of Parliament. I think that is first thing rather than to have an induction comprising of those who know how to contribute in Parliament and the newly elected. The moment you have more than 160 Hon. Members, I think there is need for a deliberate programme for only newly elected Members of Parliament so that they can be capacitated.
The second thing is, you realise that when we were trying to contribute as newly elected Members of Parliament, the Presiding Officers would pinpoint those Hon. Members who have been there because they are already known by and just try to say no, Hon. Member in a black suit, you know that kind of thing, the Presiding Officers will prefer to point those who are maybe in their second term or third term because they are already known. Therefore maybe it is disadvantaging the newly elected Hon. Members. So I think that must be corrected in future.
Then the second one, Mr. Speaker Sir, is on travel visits. I am a member of the Industry and Commerce Committee as well as Foreign Affairs and International Trade Committee. You will hear that the chairman was in South Africa on reengagement and next time you hear our chairman was in Equatorial Guinea on reengagement. What it means is we are capacitating maybe only the chairman and not all Hon. Members of that particular Committee. I think something must be done to ensure that as much as a chairman can have more visits, but we can also expand so that the other Hon. Members will benefit from those travel visits. So I think rather than to have the chairman globetrotting, let us also open so that Hon. Members of that particular committee will benefit from the experience they can gain after those visits.
Lastly Mr. Speaker Sir, especially in Foreign Affairs and International Trade Committee, I think I need to highlight that so that tthe relevant committee will look into that so that the Committee will be run efficiently and effectively. You realise that when the chairman is not there, he will say I am appointing someone to be the chair on that very day. You try to highlight that sorry Hon. Chairman, the fact that you are not there, let us do things procedurally and he will say I am the Chairman, I will tell you how things are done and especially you, newly elected MP. So the moment he highlights in that regard, it means he is disadvantaging us as newly elected Members, but he is also doing things unprocedurally.
So I think we need to follow how things are done. As much as we are newly elected, we are also able to read and see how things are supposed to be done properly. I think those are my submissions Mr. Speaker Sir. If these are looked into, I think we will run our Parliament effectively and efficiently.
HON. TOGAREPI: Mr. Speaker Sir, I move that the report be now adopted.
HON. MPARIWA: I second.
Motion with leave, adopted.
On the motion of THE MINISTER OF INFORMATION
COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY, POSTAL AND COURIER
SERVICES (HON. MUSWERE), the House adjourned at Ten Minutes
to Six o’clock p.m.
PARLIAMENT OF ZIMBABWE
Wednesday, 23rd September 2020.
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
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE VICE PRESIDENT K. C. D. MOHADI’S OFFICE (HON. MARAPIRA): 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.
Motion put and agreed to.
MOTION
PRESIDENTIAL SPEECH: DEBATE ON ADDRESS
Third Order Read: Adjourned Debate in reply to the Presidential Speech.
Question again proposed.
HON. SEN. CHIEF CHARUMBIRA: I move that the debate do now adjourn.
HON. SEN. MATHUTHU: I second.
Motion put and agreed to.
Debate to resume: Thursday, 24th September, 2020.
MOTION
BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN VICE PRESIDENT MOHADI’S OFFICE (HON. MARAPIRA): I move that Orders of the Day, Numbers 4 and 5 on today’s Order Paper be stood over until the rest of the Orders of the Day have been disposed of.
Motion put and agreed to.
MOTION
REPORT OF THE THEMATIC COMMITTEE ON HUMAN RIGHTS, SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS (SDGs) AND GENDER DEVELOPMENT ON THE ENQUIRY INTO PEOPLE’S ACCESS TO CLEAN, SAFE AND PORTABLE WATER
HON. SEN. KHUPE: I move the motion standing in my name that this House takes note of the First Report of the Joint Committee of Human Rights, Sustainable and Development Goals (SDGs), and Gender Development on the enquiry into people’s access to clean, safe and portable water.
HON. SEN. S. MPOFU: I second.
HON. SEN. KHUPE: Thank you Madam President for giving me this opportunity to move this motion. It is a very important motion and it is an eye opener.
INTRODUCTION
The Government of Zimbabwe gives top priority to rural Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) and has made significant progress in the water and sanitation front since attaining independence in 1980. However, the current economic difficulties have resulted in widespread collapse of rural water supply and sanitation infrastructure. In March 2020, Human Rights, Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and Gender and Development Thematic Committees conducted a joint inquiry into water provisions in towns and rural areas. The Committee visited the following areas: Midlands Province (Redcliff and Kwekwe), Matabeleland South, (Matobo RDC), Matabeleland North (Umguza RDC), Mash East (Chivhu Water Treatment Plant), Masvingo (Masvingo Water Treatment Plant, Mucheke and Mwenezi Rural District Council).
The Committee received submissions from both residents’ associations and council representatives, Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) representatives, business community, Zimbabwe National Water Authority (ZINWA) and the general public. Key findings and recommendations of the joint Committee are contained in this report.
OBJECTIVES
- To assess the provision of safe, clean and portable water to residents in urban and rural areas in the country in line with Sustainable Development Goal 6 - “ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all’’.
- To assess the challenges being faced by women and girls in accessing safe, clean portable water.
- To appreciate the challenges faced by local authorities in supplying clean water to residents.
METHODOLOGY
In February 2020, the Joint Committee invited the Zimbabwe National Water Authority (ZINWA), the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Water, Climate and Rural Resettlement and also the Ministry of Local Government for oral submissions on the state of water supply situation in cities and rural areas across the country. The Joint Committee visited different water treatment plants in seven provinces which are Mashonaland East, Manicaland, Masvingo, Matabeleland South, Matabeleland North, Midlands and Harare in March, 2020.
BACKGROUND
The right to water entitles everyone to have access to sufficient, safe, potable, physically accessible, and affordable water for personal and domestic use. Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) number six is on the need to ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all. The presence or absence of a safe, sufficient water supply and improved sanitation facilities has a disproportionate effect on the lives of women and girls. According to United Nations (UN), at global level 3 in every 10 people lack access to safely managed drinking water services.
UNICEF (2019) Report states that in Zimbabwe, particularly in rural areas access to adequately improved sanitation lags significantly behind at 35 percent. The 2019/2020 rainfall season was characterised by low rainfall in many parts of the country which resulted in low inflows into dams and the decrease in ground water table has negatively impacted on national water security. Water supply challenges are not new, chronic incidences of cholera outbreaks in major cities since 2008 are indicative of lack of a safe drinking water supply and constrained sanitation systems. Sustainable Development Goal Number 6 speaks to the need for all countries to ensure by 2030, sustainable provision of clean water and sanitation.
Section 77 (a) of the Constitution states that every person has the right to safe, clean and potable water. Pursuant to this provision, the Government in 2013 adopted the National Water Policy whose vision is to ensure the availability of good quality and affordable water in adequate quantity for all at all times. Section 7.2 of this policy provides that Local Government in its respective urban and rural areas is responsible for the provision of water supply and sanitation services as a devolved function. Local Governments are designated by this policy as Water Service Authorities and as such are responsible for the provision of water supply and sanitation services.
FINDINGS OF THE COMMITTEE
Low per capita supply of water
The joint Committee was informed that majority of cities and local authorities in the country were not able to provide expected average supply of water per person each day, that is the per capita supply of water. According to the Ministry of Local Government, each person should receive an average of 200 litres of water per day.
The Committees made the observation that Chitungwiza, Norton, and Ruwa were unable to supply adequate litres of water to their residents since they get water from Harare, whose source itself is burdened with a growing population and water infrastructure that
is in need of upgrading and rehabilitation. The Committee further observed that with the exception of Kwekwe, most cities and towns could not supply water for 24 hours. The majority of local authorities could barely manage to supply water for 15 hours but have an average supply of 13.5 hours.
The Committee was further informed that most councils could not meet the required mega litres of water supply per day. For instance, Masvingo was said to be supplying 24 mega litres instead of the required 50 mega litres; Harare 190 mega litres instead of 200 mega litres; Chitungwiza 14 mega litres versus 75 mega litres; Mutare 29 megalitres against 80 mega litres; Gweru 20-40 mega litres against a requirement of 80 mega litres; Chiredzi 4 mega litres against a requirement of 10 mega litres; Chegutu 4 mega litres against a requirement of 12 mega litres.
Due to failure in meeting the expected per capita supply of water by councils, some cities such as Masvingo through partnership with Non-Governmental Organisations have made efforts to drill boreholes for residents to access clean water. During public hearings in Torwood, Redcliff, Mucheke, Mwenenzi RDCand Rusape, the Joint Committee members were informed that water shortage was badly affecting girls who would end up absenting themselves from school as they had to spend long hours looking for alternative sources of water for household consumption. Older women in Chipinge also complained that carrying water for long distances affects their health as their old age does not allow them to do tiresome chores.
In addition, residents reported that they would go for days without water risking outbreaks of water borne diseases such as typhoid, cholera and diarrhoea. Residents said that water is often delivered during the night and this results in the increase of cases of gender-based abuse and violence against women and girls. The Joint Committee was dismayed to note that in both rural and urban centres, lack of access to adequate water disproportionately affects the livelihoods of people with disabilities, particularly women.
It is the considered view of the Joint Committee that low per capita supply of water to residents does not only retards achievement of SDG number 6, but it is a violation of section 77 (a) of the Constitution, and disproportionately affects women and the girl child due to two reasons. First, women are responsible for the fetching water, which is often time consuming and arduous. Secondly, women have specific hygiene needs during menstruation, pregnancy and child bearing which also require a lot of water.
Depleting water sources
The Joint Committee was concerned to be informed that the prolonged dry spell, coming in the background of a poor rain season in the previous year had hit hard on most councils' water bodies. For instance, Harare City had to decommission Prince Edward Dam, thus affecting supply to the Greater Harare area which includes Chitungwiza, Ruwa, Norton and Epworth who are serviced by water from Harare City Council. Below is a table showing the dam levels which supply water to respective towns.
Table 1: Water levels in water sources
Local authority | Water Source | Percentage Full |
Shurugwi Town | Shurugwi | 23.1% |
Gweru City | Gwenhoro | 17% |
Amapongokwe | 63% | |
Whitewaters | 51% | |
Bulawayo City | Ncema (Lower) | 2.6% |
Insiza | 16.8% | |
Inyankuni | 52.9% | |
Mzingwane | 12% | |
Mtshabezi | 12% | |
Karoi Town | Blocley | 20.5% |
Karoi | 24.6% | |
Beitbridge Municipality | Beitbridge | 13.1% |
Mutare City and Chipinge Town had adequate levels of water with water sources at 92% (Odzi and Small Bridge) and 100% (Bangazaan Dam) full respectively. The Joint Committee was concerned that with depletion of water sources for most cities and towns, water security, which is a key human right issue especially for women might remain elusive for the country as we approach 2030.
Obsolete infrastructure
The Joint Committee was informed by the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Water, Climate and Rural Resettlement, the Ministry of Local Government and local authorities that aged infrastructure and distribution networks contribute to high non-revenue water between 40 percent to 60 percent water losses in most cities and towns. The water infrastructure in most local authorities (treatment plants, water distribution networks, pumps, etc) have outlived their lifespan. The Joint Committee was concerned about the dilapidated equipment at Morton Jeffrey Water Treatment Plant in Harare installed in 1953, and is now incapacitated to adequately supply water to the Harare, Chitungwiza and Norton. Obsolete and damaged pipes were said be the main cause of leakages and contamination of drinking water at Morton Jeffrey and Nyamandlovu. The Joint Committee was however pleased to receive reports that five pumps were being refurbished to draw clean water from less polluted Darwendale Dam. In Kwekwe, it was noted that two of the three pumps at Dutchman’s Pool Water Treatment Plant are not functioning and as a result, the plant could not pump water at its full capacity of 90 mega liters per day.
In addition, the plant was said to be in need of a new motor. In Torwood, the Joint Committee was told that the pipes were installed in the 1930s and were obsolete, hence incidences of constant bursting and leakages resulting in huge amounts of water losses and contamination. In Chipinge, the Committee noted that some of the infrastructure was affected by Cyclone Idai and no efforts had been made to refurbish them. The Joint Committee made the observation that without a massive capital injection through PSIP loans and Government grants to various Municipalities towards rehabilitation and upgrading of water infrastructure there will be no achievements.
Provision of Water to new housing developmentand urban residential areas which are not connected to municipal water
The Committees made an observation that new housing developments in a number of urban local authorities are sprouting without water reticulation infrastructure, hence were not connected to municipal water supply system. Examples include Whitecliff, Hopley, the greater part of Harare South Housing cooperatives, Caledonia in Harare as well as Rangemore Estate in Bulawayo, Gimboki and Federation in Mutare and Victoria Ranch to mention a few. Residents in these areas resort to unsafe water sources such as deep and shallow wells in the process exposing themselves to water-borne and contaminable diseases such as typhoid and cholera. The Joint Committee was of the view that without water and sewer infrastructure and easy access to clean water, women, children and household's sanitation and hygiene will remain untenable.
Non-payments of Rates by Citizens
The Joint Committee was informed that most of the local authorities were owed huge amounts of money in rates by their residents. The none payment of bills by residents was also attributed to the ministerial directive of 2013 to write off all council debt which had seriously affected all local authorities. Since then, some residents have taken advantage and never paid their dues awaiting another write off. This inculcated a culture of not paying for council services. There are no deterrent sanctions for none payment. Furthermore, economic challenges have made sewer and water tariff charges unaffordable, for instance the Joint Committee was informed that 70 percent of Torwood residents in Redcliff were former employees of the now closed ZISCO Steel who were not able to pay water tariffs to Kwekwe City Council. At Nyamadlovu Growth Point, the Committee was told that villagers who were receiving water supplies from ZINWA were charged high rates which they could not afford.
The Joint Committee was informed that Kwekwe City Council was owed ZWL$43 million by rate payers in both Redcliff and Kwekwe City in respect of water, while Harare City Council was owed ZWL$800 million by its rate payers. Efforts to engage debt collectors or installation of prepaid meters were not well received in most local authorities and these were still at pilot stage. All local authorities across the provinces submitted that residents should pay their rates so that councils will raise revenue to procure requirements such as spare parts and treatment chemicals.
Inadequate treatment chemicals
The Joint Committee was deeply concerned when told that treatment chemicals were in short supply. The treatment plants import chemicals and thus, they need foreign currency in a situation where the rates were being paid in local currency. This has been a hindrance in accessing adequate chemicals water treatment. Big treatment plants such as Morton Jeffrey Water Works in Harare requires more than ten chemicals to treat water thus, there is a great need of foreign currency. The joint committee was glad to note that there were towns such as Rusape who kept three months buffer of chemicals although they face other challenges.
Poor tariff setting
The Joint Committees noted that there is contention between councils and residents regarding the setting of a viable water tariff. In most instances, councils have settled for very uneconomic tariffs which would see them failing to raise enough revenues to sustain their service. For instance, Kwekwe City charges US$0.80c per cubic meter against a treatment cost of US$11.00 per cubic meter. Local authorities such as Chivhu charges at below cost of producing. The council charges water in bands. The charge for the first 10 cubic meters was $3.42, which is a pro-poor band and is sold at below cost of producing the water. The production per cubic meter of water is above $5 but they sell the first 10 cubic meters below cost of producing to enable everyone to have access to water. This is contrary to provisions of the National Water Policy, section 1.3.5 on User Payment for Service that users will cover at least recurrent costs of operation and maintenance of water supply and sanitation (WSS) infrastructure. Further, section 6.14 on water pricing stipulates that water pricing will reflect the full costs of provision of water for all uses (capital and recurrent costs). The Joint Committee was concerned that due to poor tariff water setting, councils were forced to subsidise water services from other performing funds, a situation which is not sustainable in the medium to long term.
Provision of clean water in rural areas
The Committees were told by the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Water, Climate and Rural Resettlement that domestic water supplies were at crisis level in some rural areas, with women and children being the most affected as they have to travel long distance to fetch water for household use. Ground water levels and yields of boreholes were reported to be declining with some boreholes having already dried up. During public hearing in Nyamadhlovu, Umguza District in Matabeleland North Province, the Committees received reports from Village Eight (8) residents, that although the area was endowed with huge underground aquifer from which water is pumped to supply Bulawayo City, local residents did not have access to clean water. Submissions from Village Two (2) informed the Committee that residents walk long distances ranging from four to five kilometres daily to fetch water. Still at Nyamadlovu public hearing, the Committee was dismayed to receive reports that villagers lose a lot of livestock due to water shortages.
At Maphisa Growth Point, Matobo District, Matebeleland South, submissions from councillors were that villagers walk distances of more than 10 kilometres to fetch water at Agricultural and Rural Development Authority (ARDA). In Mwenezi, the Committees were informed by the Rural District Council that domestic water supplies were at crisis level in most of its wards, with women and children being the most affected as they have to travel long distance to fetch water for household use. The Joint Committee is of the view that this violates the targets for SDG goal number 6, which stipulates that water access points should be at a maximum of 500 meters from every household, and the maximum waiting time to collect water should be 15 minutes. In the same vein, section 7.5.6 of the National Water Policy states that in rural areas, each borehole and deep well will supply at most 250 and 150 people respectively, and at an average distance of 500 metres.
In Maphisa Growth Point and Mwenezi Grwoth Points, the Committee was told that the areas had gone for more than six months without running water, a situation that negatively affected the sanitation and hygiene situation of the business centre, schools and hospitals and clinics in the area. Chiefs, councilors and NGOs also informed the Committee that the majority of boreholes which were the main sources of clean water were no longer functioning due to breakdown or depletion of water tables to lower levels of 70 meters deep.
It is the view of the Committee that this situation is a gross violation of section 77 (a) of the Constitution on Right to Food and Water, which provides that every person has the right to safe, clean and potable water. Under the same section, the State and its agencies are enjoined to take reasonable legislative and other measures within its resources available, to achieve progressive realisation of this right.
Pollution and siltation of water sources
The Joint Committee was informed by Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Water, Climate and Rural Resettlement that pollution of water bodies such as rivers and dams was one of the major threats to water supply particularly for urban water supply. The main cause of the pollution was reported to be raw sewage discharges, poor land use practices in catchment areas, leaching of fertilisers in urban agriculture areas resulting in eutrophication and growth of weeds and plants in water bodies. Pollution affects water supply services sustainability due to high costs of water treatment. The Joint Committee was told that this is common to at least 70 percent of the urban centres in the country which discharges raw sewerage back to water supply sources. The Joint Committee was informed that unlike Mutare and Kwekwe, Lake Chivero which supply water to Greater Harare was located in downstream and was excessively polluted from industries and raw sewage form Harare and Chitungwiza.
Sewer and water treatment plants in small towns
The Joint Committee was informed that most of the small towns close to bigger cities did not have independent water authorities. Ironically, Norton which is home to water sources such as Darwendale, Lake Chivero and Morton Jeffrey Water Treatment Works owned by Harare City Council buys water from Harare City Council. Redcliff relies on water supply from Kwekwe's Dutchman’s Pool Treatment Plant. Since Chitungwiza cannot fully depend on Harava and Seke dams, Harare City Council provides the water supply by-passing Prince Edward Treatment Plant. The Joint Committee was concerned that these dormitory towns owe millions of dollars in unpaid water tariffs to cities that supply them with water. As a result, they will remain incapacitated to develop their own water infrastructure.
Power Cuts
The Joint Committee noted that electricity load shedding has been a major challenge in the distribution of water. In towns such as Chipinge and Rusape, the water treatment plants do not have a dedicated powerline. Load shedding affected the pumping of water. Treatment plants run for 24 hours per day to provide adequate water to the citizens.
The constant load shedding has affected the daily distribution of water as most treatment plants do not have a coping mechanism to counter power cuts. In Rusape, the local council complained that electricity was being provided at an average of 6 hours per day and the water treatment process takes about two and half hours. This means that the process is being interfered and interrupted. Rusape and Chipinge Town Councils were appealing to the Ministry of Energy and Power Development and Ministry of Local Government for solar driven treatment plants other than generators which are expensive to maintain and could also face challenges of getting fuel.
RECOMMENDATIONS
Given the findings of the Joint Committee inquiry outlined above, it is imperative that urban and rural water supply be given top-most priority by Government and local authorities. The Joint Committee is recommending the following measures and hopes that relevant authorities will consider the recommendations seriously and move with speed to address identified policy gaps and water supply bottlenecks.
The Ministry of Local Government and Publics Works should engage the private sector as part of Public-Private Partnership by 31 December 2020 and facilitate investment in rural water supply infrastructure.
The Ministry of Local Government and Public Works should ensure that local authorities prioritise funding from the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development under Inter-Governmental Fiscal Transfer system for the development of new water infrastructure and rehabilitation of the existing infrastructure in the2021 Budget.
The Ministry of Local Government and Public Works and the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Water, Climate and Rural Resettlement should ensure that at least three boreholes per each community are drilled in towns, cities and rural areas for communities to access a borehole within a vicinity of one kilometre. The 2021 Budget should include a provision for borehole spares and consumables to ensure repairs are done immediately.
The Ministry of Local Government and Public Works and the local authorities should adopt Gender Responsive Budgeting (GRB) on water, sanitation and hygiene programmes in the 2021 Budget.
The Ministry of Local Government and Public Works should by 31 December 2020 come up with a plan to ensure that small towns such as Norton, Chitungwiza and Redcliff have their independent water treatment plants by December 2022.
The Ministry of Local Government and Public Works should ensure that Redcliff Municipality should undertake feasibility studies and construction of Redcliff Water Treatment Plant from water sources such as Dutchman's Pool and/or Konmara Aquifer by December 2021.
The Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Water, Climate and Rural Resettlement should facilitate the construction of Muda Dam which will supply Chitungwiza Municipality by December 2022.
The Ministry of Local Government and Public Works should ensure that local authorities overhaul old and install efficient and transparent billing system to ensure that rate payers pay for water that they use and more revenue will be generated by 30th December2020.
The Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Water, Climate and Rural Resettlement and the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works should speed up the construction of Kunzvi Dam, the installation of facilities to draw water from Darwendale such that the City of Harare will get water from less polluted sources by 31 December 2021.
CONCLUSION
It is the view of the joint Committee that there is no serious commitment from both Central Government and local authorities to ensure continuous supply of clean, potable and safe water to the citizens. Despite the conducive legislative and policy framework and sound institutional arrangements, delivery on the water supply front remains seriously constrained by resource challenges, hence the current low and poor-quality water provision service. Based on the submission made and as witnessed during the tour of water treatments plants in various provinces, it is the Joint Committee's considered view that if Government and local authorities do not urgently address the above-mentioned water supply bottlenecks, the country might be sitting on a time bomb in terms of national water security. There is high risk that the country, come 2030 will not meet its SDG target number six of ensuring access to safe and clean water and sanitation for all.
This is also a violation of section 77 of the Constitution relating to the human right to access to water. More importantly, women will remain marginalised since lack of access to water disproportionately affects women and the girl child. To ensure consistent supply of this precious commodity, the Joint Committee therefore calls for Government and local authorities, to urgently adopt a holistic approach to address water supply bottlenecks and challenges, in particular the need for massive capital investment to overhaul water and sewer infrastructure in both rural and urban areas. That is the end of the motion Hon. President. I thank you.
+HON. SEN. S. MPOFU: Thank you Mr. President for giving me this opportunity to support the report that has been tabled by Hon. Khupe. I would also like to thank the three Committee members who took some time to go and see how difficult it is for people to access water. The three Committees that took their time to go for this tour are Gender, Human Rights and SDGs. Almost all these people who took part in this tour amounted to about 60 members.
I am happy because I am also one of the members that went for this tour to see how people access clean water out there. One other objective of this tour was to see the challenges that women and girls face in accessing clean water. Firstly, we called upon the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Water, Climate and Rural Resettlement because it is the one that is responsible for water. We also called upon ZINWA which is responsible for making sure that provinces access water. We also consulted councils to find out what challenges they face in making sure that their people get clean water. From what we gathered, we realised that ZINWA indicated that the water challenge is not only a problem of cities, but it is a problem that is being encountered by people in the rural areas.
Challenges that are facing different towns in accessing water is that quite a number of people have moved from rural areas to towns and towns continue to grow every now and then. Quite a number of towns and cities face challenges with regards to getting clean water to the people. We realise that quite a number of people are faced with challenges of going for maybe a day or so without clean water and this has resulted in people being affected by diseases such as diarrhea. In towns, people mainly use toilets that require water and if there is no water town dwellers normally face challenges of being affected by water-borne diseases.
A number of dams are failing to get enough water due to siltation and this is causing a lot of challenges in making sure that towns access water. Therefore, it is important that councils and Government make sure that dams are desilted. For example, here in Harare, there is a dam called Prince Edward. This dam is no longer in use yet this same dam is the one that used to provide water to places like Chitungwiza, Norton and Ruwa. This then results in people continuing to face water challenges.
Another challenge is with regards to machinery that helps pump water to these towns and cities. Most of the equipment is old. Since towns and cities are growing, council needs to make sure that they always refurbish their equipment because most of the equipment and machinery is old and most of the spare parts are no longer accessible. Therefore, it is important that Government takes part in helping these councils access new equipment so that people continue to access clean water.
Another challenge is with regards to water cleaning chemicals. It is a problem accessing these chemicals because most of these chemicals can only be accessed outside the country and as a result, there is need for the Government to get foreign currency to be able to access these chemicals outside the country. In the rural areas, most of the boreholes and wells have run out of water. They have run dry because most of the areas are no longer receiving rainfall. For example, there is Nyamandhlovu residents who have continued to express their dismay in the fact that they stay in the aquifer area but despite this they do not get water.
Water is drawn from the Nyamandhlovu aquifer to Bulawayo yet the same people that stay around this aquifer are no longer accessing water. Why, because their boreholes and wells have dried up and water is drawn from their area to assist Bulawayo. Most of the people that stay in this area, their boreholes have dried up because those people that have money have sunk their boreholes deep down resulting in the shallow boreholes drying up or getting less water.
In Mapisa, people in this area are saying they walk for about 10km to look for water. Mapisa Town does not have water as we speak and in these areas you realise that there are clinics, hospitals, schools and businesses that require water but the water is inaccessible. The distances that they travel out of their town to look for water is too much. So our plea as a Committee is that Government and council should sink more boreholes and make sure that people access water from less distances so that they avoid travelling long distances to look for water.
Having women and children walk long distances to look for water creates problems. Let us say a married woman goes for such a long distance and encounters challenges on the way, when the husband asks, they will quarrel and this leads to gender based violence. This is why we are saying Government should help by sinking more boreholes so that women and girls travel shorter distances to fetch water.
We also need to make sure that women are engaged in gardening so that they do not go to look for vegetables from faraway places. If there is water they will be able to do their gardening in the area and accessing of vegetables will not be a problem. This reduces gender based violence because women will get their vegetables closer home. What this Committee encourages Government is that they should look closely into this water issue. For example, this year there was not enough rain and right now even our livestock is suffering due to lack of water. I thank you.
*HON. SEN. CHIMBUDZI: Thank you Mr. President for according me this opportunity to add a few words on this report which has been moved by Sen. Khupe, seconded by Sen. Mpofu. A lot has been said already in terms of clean water and sanitation. The report has been articulated well and touched on a number of things that we came across. When we arrived at Chivhu water plant, ZINWA officers were not ready. There were a lot of tall grass and trees but because they heard that the Committee was visiting the plant, the grass was cut probably in the evening or on the day we arrived, which is a very bad practice when you are in charge of such important areas.
When we went to Mwenezi, Masvingo is a dry province as we all know. Mwenezi people were crying that there is no development in the area due to lack of water, but they have a foresight that there are three big rivers there. They wish that Government could help them to tap that water close to the people. They were saying even though there are those rivers, their hospital is not getting enough water. In Masvingo, Mucheke township, we saw that there is no good blood between the council and the people. I think it is because when the local authority cuts off the water, people are not consulted and they do not even know for how long they will go without water. This is bringing bad blood between the local authority and the residents. The people were lamenting that at least they should be made aware that in two days time water would be closed and for how long.
In short Mr. President, let me say that our local authorities as has been articulated by the report, people are not paying their rates. The local authorities on their own do not have the capacity to make people pay. So Government should be involved because there is no development in local authorities if people are not paying for services because machines have to be serviced and chemicals have to be bought to purify the water. If councils are not getting any money, they are incapacitated. I think the Government should help our local authorities in coming up with ways of how people can pay for the services so that the local authorities achieve their mandate. If the Government is silent and does nothing, like what the report is saying that the Government cancelled some debts, people anticipate that Government will do the same. Since they have the powers to write off debts, it means they also have powers to make people pay. If they do not do that they are not assisting local authorities and they would not be able to fulfill their mandate. With these few words, I thank you Mr. President.
HON. SEN. KHUPE: I move that the debate do now adjourn.
HON. SEN. P. MPOFU: I second.
Motion put and agreed to.
Debate to resume: Thursday, 24th September, 2020.
MOTION
REPORT OF THE 46TH PLENARY ASSEMBLY OF THE SADC PARLIAMENTARY FORUM
Seventh Order read: Adjourned debate on motion on the report of the 46th Plenary Assembly Session of the SADC Parliamentary Forum.
Question again proposed.
*HON. SEN. MBOHWA: Thank you Mr. President. Let me take this opportunity to thank Sen. Mohadi who brought this report on where she visited the Parliamentary Forum with the Speaker of the National Assembly in Namibia. The theme of the meeting was about health of all the SADC countries that they should be in good health. From the report, there are things that I was impressed with, in Zimbabwe we have our own challenges but we are not really lagging behind when it comes to what the SADC countries are looking at when it comes to health issues.
When we look at HIV, Zimbabwe is well ahead because we have our theme, which says that we should have zero new HIV infections. Zimbabwe has plans on the ground like the AIDS and National Aids Trust Fund. We know that it is very painful when we look at our economy, as workers - for that money to be deducted, we complain but when this SADC Parliamentary Forum looked at it, they noticed that it is painful but we reap fruitful results. When we look into the issue of HIV, way back it was very difficult. I remember my aunt’s child when she was infected, there was a lot of stigmatisation and we were also afraid as care givers, but now if I know that the Hon. Member next to me is HIV positive, I am not afraid of him/her. We are now well informed and we are aware that we can associate with anyone whether HIV positive or negative. Also people should not be afraid of disclosure because medication is there and you can live longer with the virus.
We have a slogan which says that someone can look healthy whilst they are HIV positive because Zimbabwe is following all the guidelines. There are also laws that say everyone should get help without any stigmatization. Even lesbians and gays, can get assistance at public hospitals without any problems. Even those who do illegal abortions, they can still get assistance from the hospital if you develop complications. In Zimbabwe there is a policy on access to health services.
If you look at people with diabetes, medication is free. We are facing some challenges now because of sanctions - because we no longer get allocation of medication from partners as we used to do. Zimbabwe is really trying its best that everyone should have access to health. Even if we look at this pandemic of COVID -19 – I think Hon. Members agree with me that there was speculation that when it came to Zimbabwe, we would find dead bodies on the streets - but with the little that we have, we used it wisely. The masks that we are putting on are part of the health challenges, which means we are not lagging behind when it comes to health issues. The decrease in new HIV infections means that we are also there as a supper power.
She also talked about the youths, I want to express my support on the issue that if there are people going out especially Parliamentarians, I think also the youths should be included. For example, with this pandemic, if we go only us who are old, it means that we will be infected because our immune system ages with us. They talked about gender – Mr. President I want to talk about Gender Based Violence (GBV). This Committee that went out said that the laws of GBV should be tightened because during this lockdown, in rural areas, even in the urban areas, there was a lot of violence. Men were also being beaten by their wives. In the process, children were affected and a lot of marriages were broken. So these things should be nipped in the bud.
They also talked about the fact hat women should be seen coming up on higher decision-making positions. Our wish is for 50/50, if it was not the issue of quota system, it means that even in here there would be no women. In the National Assembly, there are very few women from both sides of the parties. My suggestion is that we should start with our party constitutions where we really look and try to bring in women so that those party lists should have one third of them being women. If we put women on the forefront, the whole nation will prosper. Hon. Senators, when we go to our parties, we should spearhead for that because we can cry for 50/50 - but if it does not start with the parties themselves, we will not win it.
If we upgrade women, you will realise that Zimbabwe is not really lagging behind because if you look at our State Ministers, we have five men and five women. When it comes to Ministers we have a sizeable number coming from the women. If there are few women in Parliament it means we will not have many ministers because the basket will be small. However, with these commissions coming up, there are women also coming up. We should also aim for the higher positions like the Minister of Defence is a woman. At our party structures, the National Chairperson is also a woman.
One other thing Mr. President is that there should be laws which protect women when it comes to mining. I think that is one of the issues that they touched on that women should be given land, access to mines and also be involved in manufacturing as well.
Lastly, what I really wanted was what Angola articulated and what was supported by Malawi that yes, we can see things from a different point of view because when I am coming from my party and I am told it is not right, I will agree. We can have corruption in our country but also sanctions are playing a role, for example if one is labeled a prostitute, people will be afraid to associate with me - hence they will run away. Therefore, Zimbabwe cannot get true friends because it has been labeled as a bad country.
So yes, there are corrupt people but I would like to applaud what SADC is doing in uniting Parliamentarians is Southern African countries. The SADC Parliamentary forum is advocating that parliamentarians in Southern African countries should go and raise motions, debate on this sanctions issue in order that they be removed without any conditions being set out. As Zimbabwe we cannot go anywhere because of that.
I want to thank this Portfolio Committee because if these Parliamentarians are heard, the sanctions will be removed and we are only left with dealing with corruption. Therefore, investors will be able to come because that label would have been removed. I want to thank the mover of the motion, Senator Mohadi who traveled around and brought us this history.
HON. SEN. RAMBANEPASI: Thank you Mr. President for giving me this opportunity to debate on this motion. I want to start with the issue of HIV/AIDS; I would like to applaud our Government for making efforts to looking for medicines for this virus disease from our friends in the SADC region. The disease is no longer scary, however if one decides to keep the disease to themselves, they will die and those who open up will get much help.
I would want to comment on the issue of women, this issue demands a lot of attention. We can do campaigns but when it comes to enjoying the benefits, men will always begin to position themselves in areas where they know there is much benefit. These men will start decampaigning women saying these women are not capable of holding such position. They can even send the youths to defame women, so, 50/50 must not only be on paper, but it should be something that should be practiced. It must be recognised that the women are very hard working in party structures.
Amongst ourselves as women also, we de campaign each other. For example, they know that Rambanepasi works day and night but instead they choose to vote for a man.
Mr. President, even at funeral scenarios, men always come during the evening when they just want to drink beer when during the day a woman would have worked tirelessly, cooking and singing at the funeral. It is the same also towards the end of the five year term, men start to campaigning, running around to garner support when all this time the women had been working tirelessly in the party structures to get things right. I thank you.
HON. SEN. MOHADI: Thank you Mr. President, I move that the debate do now adjourn.
HON. SEN. RAMBANEPASI: I second.
Motion put and agreed to.
Debate to resume: Tomorrow, 24th September, 2020
MOTION
DISCHARGE OF CHILDREN UNDER CHILD CARE FACILITIES
Eighth Order read: Adjourned debate on the need to alleviate challenges associated with the early discharge of youths from child care facilities.
Question again proposed.
HON. SEN. TONGOGARA: I move that the debate do now adjourn.
HON. SEN. MOHADI: I second.
Motion put and agreed to.
Debate to resume: Thursday, 4th September, 2020.
MOTION
ABOLITION OF DEATH PENALTY
Ninth Order read: Adjourned debate on the motion on the repeal of the death sentence and the provisions in the Criminal Law and Codification Act.
Question again proposed.
*HON. SEN. CHIMBUDZI: Thank you for this opportunity to add my voice on this motion which was tabled by Sen. Makone. She talked about death penalty and what we think and what the generality of Zimbabweans think as well. I think it is good that in Zimbabwe, we should come up with laws that last. As this House, I think we should take time debating on the merits and demerits of the death penalty especially consulting people on what they think about the death penalty. We can have people who support and those who do not support but as a nation, when we come together, we can come up with a law that is favourable to all the people because this death penalty was brought by the whites but when we look at it, you find that it was only used against blacks, this did not apply to the whites.
Mr. President, as people of Zimbabwe, we should take our time to look at the law especially now that we are an independent country. People can come up with different ideas but in the end, we can come up with a good law which applies to the way that we are living. So, I want to thank Hon. Sen. Makone because she gave us time to scrutinise this law to seewhether it helps us as people of Zimbabwe. I think we should consult people on what they think about the death penalty. Thank you.
HON. SEN. DR. MAVETERA: I move that the debate do now adjourn.
HON. SEN. RAMBANEPASI: I second.
Motion put and agreed to.
Debate to resume: Thursday, 24th September, 2020.
MOTION
REPORT OF THE WOMEN POLITICAL LEADERS GLOBAL FORUM HELD IN ICELAND
Tenth Order read: Adjourned debate on motion on the Report of the Women Political Leaders Global Forum.
Question again proposed.
HON. SEN. TONGOGARA: Thank you Mr. President, I rise to wind up the debate on the report of the delegation to the Women Political Leaders Global Forum held in Iceland from the 18th to the 20th November, 2019. Mr. President, I wish to express my utmost gratitude for the contributions you made to the debate of the report. Your passion for issues affecting women in Zimbabwe, Africa and globally speaks volumes of very civilised nations where the role of women is special, political and economic spheres are recognised. The issues raised and debated upon by the august House include but are not limited to access to food, gender based violence, universal health coverage and menstrual health. The fact that many members of the Senate took the floor debating this motion proves that the HeforShe initiative which the Hon. Speaker of the National Assembly is a champion is yielding results. It is therefore my hope that the relevant Ministries and Thematic Committees will take up the recommendations and implement them wisely for the betterment of women in Zimbabwe and across the World.
Let me take this opportunity to thank the President of the Senate Hon. M. M. Chinomona for the leadership and guidance before, during and after the conference. Her spirited contributions left a mark at the conference and Zimbabwe is indeed on the map as far as women political leaders are concerned – all because of the President of the Senate. I also wish to thank our support staff Mr. C. K. Gavi and Mr. E. Gorogodo who sat throughout with us in the meetings providing current statistics for the delegation to make informed contributions.
Mr. President Sir, I move that this House takes note of the Report of the Women Political Leaders Global Forum held in Reykjavik, Iceland from 18th to 20th November, 2019 be adopted. I thank you
Motion put and agreed to.
MOTION
REPORT OF THE THIRD WORLD PARLIAMENTARY FORUM ON SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS HELD IN BALI
Eleventh Order read: Adjourned debate on motion on the Report of the 3rd World Parliamentary Forum on Sustainable Development Goals.
Question again proposed.
HON. SEN. MTSHANE: Thank you so much Mr. President. I would like to thank you for giving me this opportunity to wind up my motion on the World Parliamentary Forum held in Indonesia last year. Allow me to extend my sincere thanks to the Hon. Members who contributed to the motion. Despite the fact that we attended as either Thematic or Portfolio Committees internationally, it helped us to assess whatever progresses we have made in our country and if there are any gaps to fill those gaps. Despite the financial problems in particular that this country has, Zimbabwe has made some strides in the infrastructure development through its funding through its partners, through the transitional stabilisation programme PSP which is in line with SDG 17, which deals with strengthening of domestic resources.
I recall Mr. President that the MDGs that ended in 2015, most of the programmes that were undertaken were sponsored by donors but the SDGs, specifically say that whatever is done in various countries must be done from local resources, hence Zimbabwe is trying its best also to find its own resources to fund its own programmes through its own resources. With those few words, I would like to move for the adoption of the report...
An Hon. Sen. having passed between the Member speaking and the Chair
THE HON. DEPUTY PRESIDENT OF SENATE: Order Hon. Senator.
HON. SEN. MTSHANE: Thank you Mr. President. I now move That this House takes note of the Report of the 3rd World Parliamentary Forum on Sustainable Development Goals held in Bali, Indonesia from 4th to 5th September, 2019.
Motion put and agreed to.
MOTION
REPORT ON THE 74TH SESSION OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF THE AFRICAN PARLIAMENTARY UNION (APU) HELD IN BANGUI
Twelfth Order read: Adjourned debate on motion on the Report on the 74th Session of the Executive Committee of the African Parliamentary Union (APU) held in Bangui.
Question again proposed.
HON. SEN. MOHADI: I move that the debate do now adjourn.
HON. SEN. CHIMBUDZI: I second.
Motion and agreed to.
Debate to resume: Thursday, 24th September, 2020.
MOTION
REPORT OF THE 2019 ST. PETERSBURG INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC FORUM (SPIEFG) HELD IN RUSSIA
Thirteenth Order read: Adjourned debate on motion on the Report of the 2019. St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEFG).
Question again proposed.
HON. SEN. MAVETERA: Thank you Mr. President Sir. I rise to wind up this motion on the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum which was held from the 6th – 8th of June, 2019. Allow me Mr. President to thank the sponsors of that trip and also the leader of the delegation who was none other than our Madam President of the Senate who provided able leadership to this important international occasion; the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum. It is a constant event which tried to present an opportunity for countries to come and showcase their countries as investment destinations and it was befitting that Zimbabwe, as we are scouting for international investment, we send our representative to show case and also learn from what can assist us in attracting foreign investments. I must say this economic forum was quite a big event attended by more than 150 000 people and so many countries. I will not go into most of the things which were discussed but before I go Mr. President, I would want to thank the Hon. Members who debated this motion and also add to what we could actually learn as Zimbabweans in trying to include our economic environment.
Mr. President, the highlights of this forum was promotion of regional cooperation and this forum was dominated by Euro-Asia. We learnt so much that they have actually managed to wean themselves from dependency on the West.
THE HON. DEPUTY PRESIDENT OF SENATE: Hon. Senator, there is no need for you to start, just wind up.
HON. SEN. DR. MAVETERA: Thank you Mr. President. So just to sum up Mr. President, we learnt from this meeting that we need stronger institutions which we are trying to do as Zimbabweans to improve our investment climate. There were very strong recommendations which actually affect us which I recommend that they be adopted.
With these few words Mr. President, I move that the Report on the St Petersburg Economic Forum which was held from 6th to 8th June, 2019 be adopted.
Motion put and agreed to.
On the motion of THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR MASHONALAND CENTRAL PROVINCE (HON. SEN. MAVHUNGA), the Senate adjourned at Twenty Four Minutes past Four o’clock p.m.
PARLIAMENT OF ZIMBABWE
Tuesday, 22nd September, 2020
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
TABLING OF A REPORT
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: I wish to bring to the
attention of the House that Section 12 of the Audit Office Act Chapter
22:18 states as follows: any report transmitted in terms of Section 10 or 11 (a) to the Minister or (b) to the appropriate Minister shall be laid by the Minister or appropriate Minister as the case maybe, before the National Assembly on one of the seven days on which the National Assembly sits next after he or she received such report.
Where the Minister or appropriate Minister fails to lay any report before the National Assembly, in terms of Subsection 1 within the period specified therein, the Auditor General shall transmit a copy of such report to the Speaker of the National Assembly for the Speaker to lay it before the National Assembly.
On Monday, 7th September 2020, the Auditor-General submitted the following value for money audit reports: In terms of Section 12 (1) (b), Monitoring Quality of Goods being Imported into the Country by the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, Support of Micro, Small and
Medium Enterprises by the Ministry of Small and Medium Enterprises
Development Corporation; Management of Occupational Health and
Safety in Mining Operations by the Ministry of Mines and Mining
Development; Management of Sewerage Systems by Urban Local
Authorities under the Ministry of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing. In view of the fact that the relevant Ministers have not tabled the said reports within the specified time frame, I therefore lay upon the table the aforesaid reports in terms of Section 12 (2) of the
Audit Office Act [Chapter 22:18].
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. K. PARARADZA: I second.
Motion put and agreed to.
MOTION
ANNUAL REPORT OF THE NATIONAL PEACE AND
RECONCILIATION COMMISSION FOR THE YEAR 2018
Sixth Order read: Adjourned debate on motion on the Annual Report of the National Peace and Reconciliation Commission for the year 2018.
Question again proposed.
HON. TOGAREPI: I move that the debate do now adjourn.
HON. MPARIWA: I second.
Motion put and agreed to.
Debate to resume: Wednesday 23rd September, 2020.
MOTION
BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE
HON. TOGAREPI: I move that the rest of the Orders of the Day be stood over until Order of the Day No. 28 has been disposed of.
HON. MPARIWA: I second.
Motion put and agreed to.
MOTION
CONDOLENCES ON THE DEATH OF HON. MASANGO
MATAMBANADZO
HON. T. MLISWA: I move the motion standing in my name that this House expresses its profound sorrow on the sudden and untimely death on Tuesday, 28th July 2020 of the Hon. Member of Parliament for
Kwekwe Central Constituency, Hon. Masango Matambanadzo;
PLACE on record its appreciation of the service which the late
Hon. Member rendered to Parliament and the nation;
RESOLVES that its deepest sympathy be conveyed to Mrs. Matambanadzo and family as well as Kwekwe Central Constituency members.
HON. MPARIWA: I second.
HON. T. MLISWA: Madam Speaker, Hon. Members, we are aware of the passing on of Hon. Matambanadzo Masango who was a rare individual in many aspects. He always wanted to give you the impression that he did not know what he was doing until he spoke, that showed humility and that he certainly wanted to give way to a lot of people.
Hon. Matambanadzo Madam Speaker will be greatly missed for his contributions in this House which was based on facts. He was fearless in his discharge of duty. He was somebody who ...
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Hon. Mliswa, where is your gadget?
HON. T. MLISWA: Thank you Madam Speaker. Hon.
Matambanadzo, like I said, contributed immensely to national interests in particular. Hon. Matambanadzo was a people’s person who was a member of the ruling party and left the ruling party but still managed to win his constituency, Kwekwe Central which is really a constituency that is well-known for a lot of dirty politics. This is the home of artisanal mining which is backed by a number of politicians for their survival, but being the person that he was Madam Speaker, he managed to prevail over what most people would not do.
As we know that Kwekwe is in the Midlands Province and the
Midlands Province is a stronghold for the politics of this country. Kwekwe being a stronghold for the politics of ZANU PF. A rare attribute of Hon. Matambanadzo was to be able to win that election under the National People’s Party (NPP). The NPP was a party which was formed out of members of the ruling party who had been expelled, expelled out of mere personal issues more than party issues. This was a tendency which had been created in just point out somebody whom you did not like and because of the powers that be, one would then be expelled from the party.
This Madam Speaker certainly exposes what we stand for as Members of Parliament when it comes to national interest. It exposes that the political parties in this country are not worried about the development of this country but them being power brokers in their parties. Power brokers who are building their little empires to be able to control people whom you cannot control and control resources. Hon. Matambanadzo was seen as those people whom they lied about. In all my time of knowing him having been in Kwekwe myself buying a lot of cattle and property at the time he was the District Chairman for ZANU PF. He was loyal to the President, Cde. E.D Mnangagwa. He was loyal to his party but there are people within the party who feared his closeness to the President and gave him a label which is not befitting of Hon. Matambanadzo.
He worked hard relentlessly for the artisanal mining sector in this country. I was the Chairperson for the Mines and Energy Committee as well as the Mining Development Committee. I must say that it was a pleasure to Chair a Committee which had Hon. Matambanadzo because at any given time he would say the right things and the things that most people would not say. Unfortunately, most people do not say the right things; they say things that please people. Hon. Matambanadzo was very clear in educating us on the artisanal mining sector, how important it was. He was one of those practical artisanal miners who also ran his own mine successful.
Hon. Matambanadzo is known as a person who presented a position paper to the Governor of the Reserve Bank, Dr. Mangudya in how this country must carry out artisanal mining where it would benefit the country, it would benefit the people. His proposal was taken on board, most people do not know but the success of the artisanal miners was a result of the proposal that was accepted.
Hon. Matambanadzo was a person who had an extremely intelligent mind. These are some of the examples of men who might not have gotten the full education but full of wisdom and full of the necessary requisites for one to be a leader. This I talk about humility. I talk about participation at full throttle and presenting issues which are detailed where somebody would get through research - but through his experience in whatever he did, he would always come up with the right way of dealing with things.
Hon. Matambanadzo was a kind man. He was once kind to me. For that reason he came from Hurungwe West, Masanga area where I was once a Member of Parliament and equally DCC Chairman, Provincial Chairman and Central Committee Member, he approached me to assist me in acquiring a mine. He said to me I do not want you to even give me money. I will use my money for you to get a claim. Hon. Mliswa the moment you start gold mining you will live nhaka nehupfumi hwevana venyu. That was the man that I am talking about. He was selfless and somebody who was willing to share his wealth.
Honourable colleagues here will attest to the fact that when we went on trips, he was more than happy to pay for everyone himself.
When you were in Kwekwe, you knew you were at home because Hon.
Matambanadzo would be there. This could be said equally of the likes of Hon. Matangira, when you are in Bindura you know that you are at home. Hon. Matambanadzo made us feel at home. He made sure that we travelled well. He made sure he was present and it would be very difficult Madam Speaker to embark on a trip in Kwekwe Central without Hon. Matambanadzo, the difficulty being who would receive you graciously? Who will be able to make sure that you have eaten? Who will be able to make sure that you have gone back and arrived safely?
This is the rare attribute that Hon. Matambanadzo had. Hon. Matambanadzo being a member of the NPP and myself being an independent Member of Parliament shared a lot in common. We had our own ways of communicating. We had our own ways of caucusing in terms of how we would debate issues, how we would tackle issues of national interests. Hon. Matambanadzo would always approach the Speaker for him to be given a chance to talk and at no point would he dare go to the Speaker without passing by and say Hon. Mliswa, can I also add your name to the Speaker’s list for you to ask a question. That is the sort of brother that we are talking about today.
Hon. Matambanadzo Madam Speaker...
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Hon. Members who are not
in the House, please may you mute your gadgets? Hon. Mliswa, you can unmute your gadget?
HON. T. MLISWA: Yes unmuted now, ready to go.
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: You may go ahead Hon.
Mliswa.
HON. T. MLISWA: Hon. Matambanadzo, you will all agree had a certain style of dressing. He was a cowboy. He had a flamboyant life. He liked his tight jeans. He liked boots and he liked his hat. You cannot dress in that manner if you do not have what it takes. If I can just share with Members of Parliament that cowboy boot is about US$500, the jeans equally as much and the hat is about a thousand. So at any given time, he was worth US$2 thousand with what he was putting on. He had the means through his transparent acquisition of wealth through the gold projects that he ran. Hon. Matambanadzo when he was late for a meeting, he would have delivered his gold at Fidelity and would come and say Chairman, I am sorry I am late but I was playing my part in ensuring that the economy grows. I have just delivered 10kgs, 15kgs of gold. This is the sort of person that he was. I recall many times when we would try and finish the meeting on time but he would not be happy until he said what was in his heart. He spoke his mind and we learnt
with time to give him the space to be able to speak to us on issues that he had which were of a developmental nature. Hon. Matambanadzo, unfortunately is one of those people who as I have said before loved his party ZANU PF, the current President but the politics of the Midlands and Kwekwe would not tolerate such a person.
It also teaches us that there are people who would like to be close to the President and the powers that be yet they mislead the leaders. Hon. Matambanadzo was not one who would bootlick. There are people who are in power because they patronise and lie. Hon. Matambanadzo was not that sort of person. He was somebody who was honest in his approach, who did a lot.
In Hurungwe West where he hailed from, he would always talk to me when he left Hurungwe West on what was on the ground. He would say Hon. Mliswa, you need to go to Masanga School. The bridge is not looking good, can you go and assist. Not only would he just ask me to go and assist, but he would also give his assistance to that area. He was somebody who Hurungwe West today though he came from Kwekwe, will never forget their son of the soil who was very much in sync with what was going on.
We saw Hon. Matambanadzo ailing and we all saw that here. He was a fighter. Not many people would be able to be given so much time in the state that he was in. At some point we all looked at him when he walked in and we said, waal is this Hon. Matambanadzo? As people who have a heart you could not say much; you just watched but still he never at all put that as a focus to anything he wanted to do. It was never an impediment. He still came in Parliament. He still wanted to speak in Parliament to represent national interest. He still would go and approach the Speaker so that he is given an opportunity to speak. Today, I see other Members of Parliament who are well to do health-wise but have never said a thing. This is the man who had national interest at heart.
Hon. Matambanadzo told me that, ‘Hon. Mliswa, I am going to China. I do not know, I might be back and I might not be back but extend and convey that message to the Speaker’. I conveyed the message to the Speaker and the Speaker being a man of compassion said, ‘why did he not come and tell me so that I also see him and also wish him all the best?’. He would not go without the necessary protocols of ensuring that the Leader of the House, the Speaker know where he is. The Speaker asked me, ‘do you have his contact details so that I can also get hold of him and wish him the best”. He would be with his wife whenever we went away and still in high spirit despite the challenges health wise he was facing. What worries and concerns me is - shall we always go to China for treatment when we are sick? If anything had happened to him in China, the State had the resources to fly him back but the resources of flying him back and expenses of an out of the country funeral is more expensive than the money that had been set aside for him to be taken care of by a good institution. When is our health sector going to be meaningful to a point that we do not have to go to China? For those who cannot afford to go to China who are not like Hon. Matambanadzo who had his own means and who was a well known gold producer, what do they do?
Madam Speaker, Hon. colleagues of Parliament here, lessons must be learnt and when lessons are learnt, we must be in the forefront of pushing things which will not affect one of us tomorrow. I am hoping that in unison and in the good memory of Hon. Matambanadzo, we push for a good health sector in our country. I want to say that Hon. Matambanandzo used to talk to me about how party politics was not developmental. He was the only Member in Parliament of NPP and a lot of politics had been happening and lamented the fact that he belonged to a political party because nothing ever gets done; it is a smear campaign. My Hon. Brother here Hon. Ziyambi Ziyambi recently has been smear - campaigned and these are people within his party who do not like him yet it is false. That is how bad party politics is...
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order Hon. Mliswa, is your gadget on?
HON. T. MLISWA: Yes, I think it is fixed now. We want to remember Hon. Matambanadzo as a good man. A man who was always smart, he dressed his own style, he did things his way and you would appreciate that. It is not many people who live their lives the way they want to live it, they always live for others. He lived his life to the fullest, we must also be able to talk about the good that somebody does. We seem to be in the habit of talking about the bad that people do, even the former late President of the Republic of Zimbabwe, R.G. Mugabe. On his first anniversary, nothing was said about him yet if you look at his history and the good he did, we did not say that. It talks a lot about us as a people but tomorrow you are next. Would you want people to also talk about the good things you did. We seem to want to focus on the bad.
I want us to attribute this debate to the good things that Hon. Matambanadzo did that we remember him for. Hon. Matambanadzo was a family man, a man who gave his family what he wanted, and a man who amongst other man, will stand tall. Madam Speaker, there is a difference between a man, a father and a husband, I want to say this. There are other people who are men but not fathers. They are other people who are fathers but not men, they are other people who are men, father but not husband. Hon. Matambanadzo was a man, a father and a husband, the three things that mark ubuntu for a man, he was that.
We must get lessons from him that he was proud to be with his wife. Most of us here; for me, I am still single, I can be with anybody.
Most people here never travel with their wives – [Laughter.] – may they learn to travel with their wives. He was not shy to be with his wife and introduce her. I am watching you gentlemen, husbands and fathers. I am looking for an opportunity when you introduce us to your wives vana maiguru vanamainini, we are looking forward to that.
Madam Speaker, he certainly was proud of his wife, he was proud of this family and he is a man who fended for his family in all aspects. Hon. Matambanadzo, Madam Speaker, without wasting much time because a lot of members want to contribute, was somebody who left vacuum in the politics of Midlands, Kwekwe. Never will there be another Hon. Masango Matambanadzo. He was a unique character - [HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear.] – Kwekwe is a difficult constituency to win and I remember in one of his campaigns, he was put on the shoulders by the supporters. He was speaking and they had him on their shoulders for hours while he addressed. The question that I have for the colleague Members of Parliament is how many people can do that for you in your constituency? It was because he stood for the people. He represented the people effectively, he was always there for the people of Kwekwe, the people of Kwekwe Central will never be the same again without the Late Hon. Matambanadzo. These are the sort of Hon. Members and people of this nation who deserve a street to be named after them even in the high density. How do we remember him for what he did? You could not talk about artisanal mining without talking about the Late Hon. Matambanadzo. You could not talk about politics in its entirety without mentioning him. The Late Hon. Mambanadzo will be missed solemnly in Hurungwe West where he comes from and one of the things which I really lament is that I moved this motion because I felt in my heart that if I do not do it, no one would. May I implore all of us that when somebody dies, may we be humane and forget about which party he belongs to. May we all come here and contribute to what the Hon. Member did. May I challenge the parties to say even if I am not a member of your party, when I am no more, when God decides to take me, may you just allow me to be debated on as a member who served in this House for national interest.
The task that we have is a mammoth task and one of us is no longer with us. We know the burdens that we have when you are a Member of Parliament, the resources that you spend which you never get back, the remuneration which you get here is not in-tandem with what is going on today but we are still here. That alone is good enough for us to debate on any member who has represented this country in this august House. This august House must be above politics, it must show ubuntu first because we are an example of the people, and we are the face of the nation. So, I implore colleague Members to debate on the good of the late Hon. Matambanadzo, what he did in regards to his role of being a Member of Parliament.
Madam Speaker, I really want to convey my condolences to his wife, family and the Matambanadzo clan for they have lost not only a Member of Parliament who represented national interest but he was the father, the provider. It is very difficult for us to even imagine what will happen to them.
Madam Speaker, let met also end by saying Members of Parliament die in this House without even getting a car but when they are dead, they do not get a car. I do not understand that thinking. May we give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar. They say wafa wanaka. When one passes on, we do not give the family the car which was due to them – [HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear.] – which would have been one of the packages for the conditions of service. One might have had debts and loans for the car. I say this so that if there was something you owed the late Hon. Matambanadzo, if he had not been given his car, let it be released. May it start with him. There is a start because the debt becomes a burden for the family and they are unable to pay back. In future, you find the family in the streets and people talk about the family of a former Member of Parliament being on the streets.
Out there, people think we have a lot of money as we sit in here but we do not have anything. Coming to this House is because of our patriotism and loving our work with the intention of furthering the interests of the nation. Our salaries are between US$170 to US$212 per month and we have to use that to pay school fees, buy fuel and take care of the family. That is why I am saying how much pension is owing to Hon. Matambanadzo and is it going to be helpful? We will see the family struggling to make follow-ups on pension and it is a mere $5, how is it helpful? May I propose that with the existing package, if there is any amount owing to the late Hon. Member; give the family according to the prevailing auction rate so that they have something to take care of the family.
I thank you Madam Speaker for giving me this opportunity to move this motion. He was my son-in-law though he is no longer with us. We were good friends because we were both in the ZANU PF party and we both had our characters smeared by others – [Laughter.] - We also both won against ZANU PF – I thought you were going to clap hands – [Laughter.] – So I am thankful that Hon. Matambanadzo remained loyal to the statutes of the ZANU PF party but those who were not loyal sold him out. He was loyal to the party and you cannot do anything to remove ZANU PF loyalty from him, he remains a hero. I expected him to be declared a Provincial Hero because of the work that he did.
Moving forward, why do we not automatically make any Member of Parliament a Provincial Hero, not because you will get anything but to show that you worked for the nation. We do not qualify for the honour of national hero – [HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear.] – I thank you Madam Speaker and I hope all will contribute well to the motion on the passing on of Hon. Matambanadzo. We know that the Kwekwe Central Constituency will not be the same without him, there will be war. He was the peacemaker for Kwekwe Central Constituency and many people knew that he was a responsible Member who acted like the bull of the community. Bull of the community, may you rest in peace, may you go well. The work that you left us to fulfill as Members of Parliament, we will continue to do with artisanal mining so that your desires will be carried forward. Thank you very much.
*HON. MPARIWA: Thank you Madam Speaker Ma’am for
giving me this opportunity to speak on the hero to Parliament. Let me thank Hon. Mliswa for the motion to appreciate and remember those who have departed from among us. Without this opportunity, we as
Parliament will not be able to know anything about our departed fellow Hon. Members like Hon. Masango Matambanadzo. We used to call him by the nickname, ‘blackman’. That is how we knew him. He was a Member of Parliament for Kwekwe Central. If he debated, no one would desire to add to his content. There is no one who stands up and make it known to people that they attained Grade 2. Such humility Madam Speaker makes us to see maturity and ubuntu in a person. In terms of empowerment, I heard it from Hon. Blackman as he related to the activities he used to carry out with the community in his Constituency. He used to employ some people so that they would be empowered so that they desist from engaging in criminal activities. This can only be done by someone who is humble before men.
He was a very honest person even when talking about issues to do with his Constituency. To be a representative of people is not a small task but the late Hon. Member of the Korekore tribe taught us a lot of things. Even if one comes from a faraway place like Hurungwe, it is possible to go and be a leader in Kwekwe where the Hon. Member stood for two years. We hope that Kwekwe will be able to find a representative who is of the nature of the late Hon. Matambanadzo. We grieve for Hon. Matambanadzo because as Parliamentarians, friends and relatives who used to work with him, he related very well with us as colleagues. It is not easy to sit in this august House and someone just comes to sit by your side because they are happy to do so despite the current social distancing. When I received the news of his passing on, I felt empty. Yes, we knew that he was not feeling well but when we get sick we expect God’s blessing of healing and life but that was not so because his time was due. Madam Speaker, we say to the family of Hon. Matambanadzo, they should not look at this as their own loss. Even those from his party, NPP –
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Hon. Mliswa, can you mute
your gadget.
HON. MPARIWA: Thank you Madam Speaker. I was saying,
the NPP Party should not look at their own loss because the loss is for the whole of Zimbabwe as a nation, Parliament and Hon.
Matambanadzo’s family. The Kwekwe Constituents should be able to embrace their loss in the sense that the time was due. However, we pray that the family that was left will be able to move on with their lives the same way it was when Hon. Matambanadzo was still with us. The Kwekwe Constituency should be developed the same way it would have been developed in the presence of Hon. Matambanadzo. Madam
Speaker, I remember Hon. Matambanadzo saying, ‘my colleagues, I could have gone back to seek medical attention but there is no financial support. That was the last time I spoke to him at length and I heard that he would not come to Parliament.
I would like to thank some Hon. Members in this Parliament. No one segregated him because he was sick. God gives us time to survive and do our work. He gives us time to remember and to forgive. During his time, Hon. Matambanadzo had a chance to mix and mingle with friends and relatives whilst he was sick, but he still continued representing people. A few people do that whilst they are sick.
Madam Speaker, allow me to sing a short gospel song before I sit down.
Hon. Mpariwa sang a song - Vagoni zvavo vanogona basa, vachariona denga rababa; vachariona denga rababa. Thank you Madam Speaker. May the black man’s soul rest in peace.
Baba Matambanadzo-Masango, Mukorekore aive akakwana akadadisa seProvince – akanomira kuvatorwa asi haana kunyadzisa.
He did not go there to defame his own. May his soul rest in peace.
*HON. TOGAREPI: I would like to thank Hon. Mliswa who brought this motion on Hon. Matambanadzo who passed on.
Hon. Matambanadzo was a free man who would speak his mind all the time. He respected all the people that he spoke with. If he had something in mind, he would come and say out his idea patiently. I remember he once came to me and said that most of our gold in this country is being stolen. He said he had some ideas on how to stop this.
He said he would want to have a meeting with Fidelity and Reserve Bank, but they did not want to meet with him. I had no idea about gold mining, I just listened to what he was saying. He came back and asked me to accompany him to meet Reserve Bank and Fidelity officials and I
did.
I did not know that he was very knowledgeable about gold mining. I just accompanied him as a Member who had brought an idea that is affecting our country. Our President is always opposing people who steal and he had a noble idea that people should not steal the country’s resources. When we went to the meeting, I saw how knowledgeable he was concerning mining. He had faith that gold would improve economic growth. He wished that this gold would be mined and sold for the economic growth of this country.
Hon. Matambanadzo showed me a very good example of opposition politics. He was not like some of these errant Members of the Opposition who only see bad things in their country. He strived that his country would develop. He always said he would not sell his gold on the black market but he would sell it to Reserve Bank. When given little money, I would tell them to give them the appropriate amount. Some just take the gold and go and sell it on the black market and this is detrimental to the development of our country. Hon. Matambanadzo was important to miners and he worked hard to ensure that this country would develop.
I applaud my party ZANU PF because it did a good job. It raised Hon. Matambanadzo and Hon. Mliswa. We are a party that raises people to be good people. We should be saluted.
HON. T. MLISWA: On a point of order, the Hon. Chief Whip – Hon. Togarepi is correct but my political background is that my father was ZAPU then I went into ZANU PF. They are different. Yes, I ended up in ZANU because of the unitary code but I was ZAPU.
*HON. TOGAREPI: Hon. Mliswa was one of the leaders in ZANU PF who knows that there is no longer ZANU or ZAPU. We now have ZANU PF. He learnt all the good qualities in ZANU PF.
Even when Hon. Matambanadzo was ailing, he would strive to be in this House and he would debate meaningfully. He was dear to this House and to the Kwekwe constituents. Members of the Opposition should copy what Hon. Matambanadzo did; when he was in Parliament, he respected this country’s leadership, Parliament leadership and the Constitution of this country. He would consult in whatever he did or said. He was determined to develop his country. I thank you.
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Hon. Members, I am
reminding you to observe social distancing.
HON. TOFFA: Thank you Madam Speaker. I would like to first of all thank Hon. Mliswa for bringing this debate to the table. Hon. Matambanadzo surely deserves the honour. He was definitely a great black man. Hon. Matambanadzo and I met in Kwekwe where I was born. So, when I spoke to Hon. Matambanadzo I used to say my brother. I would like to attest to what Hon. Mliswa said that whenever you passed through Kwekwe and you had a problem and you phoned Hon. Matambanadzo, which I used to do whenever I drove through Kwekwe, it was just a habit and I would say my brother I am passing through Kwekwe.
I remember the one day, but I cannot remember which Hon. Members were in my car but it was the time of fuel shortages and I only had 10 litres which would not take me to Bulawayo. I phoned Hon. Matambanadzo and he said Hon. sister I am at my mine and I said I do not know how I will get to Bulawayo. He actually left where he was and he said come to my house. I drove to Amaveni where Hon.
Matambanadzo’s shop is and we went into his shop through the back. He had a beautiful little garden which was green and he took me to a room where he gave me some fuel. I told him I only needed 20 litres and he said no let us fill up the car and I said it was fine. We filled the car and I asked Hon. Matambanadzo how much I should pay and he said no you are not paying anything, you are my sister.
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Hon. Toffa, please may you
put on your mask.
HON. TOFFA: Thank you Madam Speaker. Hon.
Matambanadzo refused to take payment from me and he gave me that fuel which I was very grateful for. Hon. Matambanandzo, was a person who always reminded Members of Parliament when he stood up to debate that he was a grade two drop out. Actually, he inspired me as a Member of Parliament – sorry I get very emotional when I think about him. He would speak and in most instances I always remember he would say handitika, murikunzwaka, handitika. That would be Hon.
Matambanadzo.
I remember before the 2018 elections when Hon. Matambanadzo came to me and he said my sister, I want to show you that I will take Kwekwe. Kwekwe people believe in me because I work with the people and he surely did show me. I actually did not believe that he would win against ZANU-PF, but he did. He would also come to me and say I believe in your leader, I believe in Chamisa and he would give us tips on what to do. Hon. Matambanadzo was very confident in himself and in what the people would tell him. He was a leader that listened to the people. He was a listening leader.
Hon. Matambanadzo also had community projects. He once told me of a project that he had where members of the community were contributing and he had groups of women that he gave the opportunity to go to China to order stuff. He also encouraged a lot of people to go into mining and the women to engage in mining. There was also a time when I tried my hand in mining and Hon. Matambanadzo told me if I needed anything he would help me get mining equipment and so forth.
He encouraged and loved the youths.
I remember the day that he passed away. I did not know that he had passed on. I parked at OK to buy some water and because I knew most people in Kwekwe knew who he was and I knew he was sick. I
asked how Hon. black man was feeling and these guys looked at me and said he just passed away this morning. I was shaken and devastated on the passing on of Hon. Matambanadzo. I would like to take this opportunity to pass my condolences to the Matambanadzo family, the Kwekwe community who gave him a hero’s send off for they acknowledged the work that he did in that community. We have indeed lost an Hon. Member who took his duties at Parliament very seriously and actually believed in Zimbabwe and the brotherhood of Zimbabwe and Zimbabweans. May his dear soul rest in peace. Thank you Madam Speaker maam.
*HON. MATANGIRA: I want to thank you Madam Speaker for
giving me a chance to also say something about the life of Hon.
Matambanandzo.
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Hon. Matangira please put on your mask properly. You may go ahead.
*HON. MATANGIRA: Alright, my nose is big Madam Speaker. I want to thank the mover of this motion Hon. Mliswa. You are not different from Hon. Matambanadzo. Love is God, Love is the real person
HON. MADZIMURE: Madam Speaker, the regulations are very
clear. You cover your mouth and nose. If Hon. Matangira cannot do that then he must sit down. He is exposing us. You must cover both the nose and the mouth.
*HON. MATANGIRA: He just wants me to look like a baboon. Thank you Madam Speaker. |Hon. Matambanadzo was a person who was loving and caring. I knew Hon. Matambanadzo way back when we were both miners. His hand is imprinted in the founding of the Zimbabwe Mining Federation where we were together in Masvingo during the time when Hon. Zvobgo was the Minister of Mining. He never changed ever since I knew him. The foundation that was dug by
Hon. Matambanadzo in his life was strong. This foundation, what is it? In this House if there was no ZAPU, ZANU, ZIPRA and ZANLA, even the opportunity to form the opposition would not be there because there was no democracy. This man was a man among other men.
We used to joke together to say, ‘why did they call you Blackman when I am darker than you?. We should both be nicknamed Blackman.’ But truthfully, let us acknowledge the good works that were done by
Hon. Matambanadzo and let us thank the party that put the foundation that made him to be a person who was transparent and said, ‘I will not disown my mother because she is old.’ We know such things do happen that after growing together, Hon. Ndebele and I can disagree.
Those of the Shava totem also have sub-divisions; Mufakose, Mutemasanwa, Shava-Museyamwa, Sekemutema and Vhuramai. They all come from the same root, hence they are all Shavas. That is why
Hon. Matambanadzo was known as Hon. Matambanadzo in the Second Republic of NPF but because of his nobility and transparency, it was because of the mentorship and grooming that he got from ZANU PF. Hon. Mliswa said all of us were there. You do not disown the midwife because the children have come of age.
As it was said by the Hon. Chief Whip, he never at any one time belittled the Government. A race that is won by 22 people only has one wager. What is important is that we should acknowledge and accept who has won and allow those in the majority to rule. We agreed that in
Kwekwe Central, Hon. Matambanadzo of the NPF won the
constituency. He never fought with anyone. He is a man who believed in democracy...
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Hon. Matangira, can you use one language?
HON. MATANGIRA: The difference is that Hon. Matambanadzo was a Grade Two drop-out. I only did Grade Two and dropped out of school as well. I am also not educated but Hon. Matambanadzo was more knowledgeable than those with degrees who say if I have not won no one else wins. He never said that if he lost he would cause any havoc. If the devil is to give you an opportunity some day for you to be the ruling party and those whom you used to oppose now become the opposition, what will you do? We have learnt this from Blackman.
Blackman was a contributor in the Mines Portfolio Committee. From his experience and his knowledge in mining, I remember he used to debate in this House that the issue of diamonds that is a bone of contention in Chiadzwa, why do we not take artisanal miners there and give them six months to demonstrate and see how much yield we will get that will get to the nation. He said this in comparison to the big mines. His anthem was, ‘give us a chance because the country is mining diamonds.’ The Chief Whip went to RBZ with Hon. Matambanadzo. We should be bringing the diamonds that the artisanal miners are getting.
My colleagues, it is only God who can allow someone to die and as Members, let us work together. Let us not take an opportunity such as this to say all the negativity we want. When we look at English
Literature, the day Julius Ceasar died, Mark Anthony said ‘I have come to bury Julius Ceasar, I did not come for anything else.’ Honestly, Hon. Matambanadzo, when he was in the opposition, we used to support him and his ideas.
So the opposition needs to support the ruling party for the development of our country. If there is something that you know can deter development you should come and we discuss. Are you going to laugh when you see me fall? Let us come together and support our
Government. Let us support our President, Cde. Mnangagwa. When things are bad in the country, they will not only affect me but will affect both of us.
Madam Speaker, in conclusion, I want to say may the soul of Hon. Matambanadzo rest in eternal peace. If there is a heaven, we hope that we will meet on resurrection and that one day we will be able to reunite with him. I thank you.
HON. MATEWU: Thank you very much Madam Speaker. I am
going to be very brief and I am not going to waffle a lot. Firstly, I want to proffer my deepest condolences to Hon. Matambanadzo’s family for the passing on of such a good man. With the two years that I have got to know him personally in this Parliament, Hon. Matambanadzo was a very eloquent man...
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Hon. Matewu, are you connected?
HON. MATEWU: Yes I am connected, I can see it.
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Can you unmute your
gadget?
HON. MATEWU: Thank you. Hon. Matambanadzo was a very eloquent man who respected the decorum of this House. He was a man who always like what Hon. Mliswa said always wore appropriately unlike other Hon. Members who we see here. Hon. Matambanadzo never at all spoke about petty political party politics like what I have been hearing from those who were now using this platform to try and misdirect where he came from. Let me say Hon. Matambanadzo stood firm for what he believed in. He often more than once spoke in his vernacular language. He was very passionate about miners. I know that during his time he was once the Vice President of the Zimbabwe Miners Federation. He was someone so concerned about the welfare of artisanal miners. He was also concerned about how we can deregulate the mining sector and wanted to influence so much the Mining Act to come back to Parliament. Hon. Matambanadzo did not just stand up and speak but when he stood up, you could hear him speaking a lot of sense in everything that he said.
Today, as we remember him, let us remember that we can all follow suit and be the kind of man that he was to both political parties. I remember when he came back from China, he said in this House that the day he got sick, his body turned yellow. He said this as a point of order. He was very grateful to Members of Parliament who had been calling him during his time of illness and he was so gracious that he spoke to everyone and respected everyone regardless of political party.
I want to remind Hon. Members opposite who have cited ZANU PF party as the one that brought him up and everything else but he left that party because what he saw. I do not know what he saw but he left and went to do something else, such a man of principle because he had people at heart. With that Madam Speaker, may his soul rest in peace and may we always remember the efficacy that he had. Can we in the future and now, respect each other as Members of Parliament? Thank you very much.
*HON. CHIKUKWA: Thank you very much Madam Speaker for
giving me the opportunity to add my voice to the debate on the motion.
Most people say when one is dead, he is gone but what we are debating in this august House is heart rending. We should all know that there is a time when we will not be on this earth. If we are leaders, we should know that such a day will also come and what will people say about us. I know we are going to have a lot of motions like this one because we have lost many of our Members. Every week we are losing a Member and we should know that God is communicating something to us. Let us love each other and criticise each other less. Let us work towards developing our nation. Everyone who is in this House needs to be of service. We all need school fees for our children and their up keep. Let us know that we shall all leave this earth when the day comes. I thank you.
HON. MUSAKWA: Thank you Madam Speaker. I want to add my voice to the debate following the death of Hon. Matambanadzo. We worked with him in the Mines Committee. He had a passion for the development of small scale miners. He also had a passion for the reduction in side marketing of minerals, gold included. All this is in line with the Vision 2030 enunciated by His Excellency, our President Mnangagwa. I hope from him we can learn how together as a Parliament we can move forward and propagate national goals as a common purpose for a united House, trying to improve the lives of our people together. I thank you Madam Speaker.
HON. T. MLISWA: Thank you Madam Speaker. Let me take this opportunity to thank Members of Parliament who debated on this motion. I want to thank Hon. Mpariwa who seconded the motion and who was able to sum it up with a song. We tend to sing political songs but this was fitting for a man of Hon. Matambanadzo’s stature. I want to also thank Hon. Togarepi the Chief Whip who spoke about background politically. The impediments of various qualities which he had as a leader attributing a lot to the ruling party being a Chief Whip of the ruling party. I cannot say anything else but to make sure that his party has a stake in everything; we will not argue that today, he certainly did that. I also want to thank Hon. Toffa who chronicled how she was stuck in Kwekwe and he was there to help her with the fuel challenges without even asking for money. He left his mine to assist, that talks a lot about the kindness of the man.
Madam Speaker, Hon. Chikukwa contributed as well as a woman of faith and gives a great send off to a man we never knew his faith but I have always known that if the presents of God is there, then you certainly do God’s work. God’s work is not just about going to church. It is about your deeds. I also want to thank Hon. Matangira who also spoke about the experience in the mining sector during the days of the former Late Eddison Zvobgo and Hon. Musakwa who knows him very well, when he was in the Committee he contributed a lot and knew what he used to do. He pays attention to detail so he would not just stand up to contribute without really having picked one or two things from the Late Hon. Matambanandzo. May I thank all Hon. Members for their contributions and Madam Speaker may I merely thank you for giving us the opportunity to debate on Hon. Matambanadzo’s death. May his soul rest in peace and we convey our sympathy to Mrs. Matambanadzo, the
Matambanadzo family, Kwekwe Central, Midlands Province, the mining sector especially gold and the country at large. He is indeed a hero in many ways. It is just that we always believe that heroes are those who are at the heroes acre but they are also those who are not there who are heroes. Everybody is a hero where they come from. I thank you
Madam Speaker. I move that the motion be adopted.
HON. MPARIWA: I second.
Motion with leave, adopted.
MOTION
BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE
HON. TOGAREPI: Madam Speaker, I move that the rest of the Orders of the Day be stood over until Order No. 29 has been disposed
of.
HON. MPARIWA: I second.
Motion put and agreed to.
MOTION
CONDOLENCES ON THE DEATH OF HON. SEN. RTD. AIR CHIEF MARSHALL PERRANCE SHIRI
HON. T. MLISWA: Madam Speaker, I move the motion standing
in my name that this House expresses its profound sorrow on the sudden and untimely death on Wednesday 29th July, 2020, of the Hon. Sen. Member of Parliament for Mashonaland Central, Air Chief Marshal (RTD) Perrance Shiri:
Places on record its appreciation of the services which the late
Member of Parliament rendered to Parliament and the nation; and Resolves that its deepest sympathy be conveyed to the Shiri family and Mashonaland Central Province.
HON. TOGAREPI: I second.
HON. T. MLISWA: Madam Speaker, it is with profound sorrow to learn the sudden and untimely death of the Hon. Sen. Member of
Parliament for Mashonaland Central, Rtd. Air Chief Marshal Perrance
Shiri known as ‘Gudoguru’ during the liberation struggle. Mr. Speaker Sir, never will this country experience a leader who was humble, a leader who was magnanimous, a leader who was people oriented, a leader who was down to earth. A commander, soldier, patriot, nationalist, people minister, a giant, an assuming voice par excellence, who was a father, a brother, an uncle and a people’s person.
The Late Rtd. Air Chief Marshall Shiri was a man who would talk to anybody and would get along with anyone. I recall a meeting with him in 2000 when I was on holiday and had just returned from England. I went to the ZANU PF Headquarters to listen to the former Late Vice President, Joseph Msika talk about the land reform. It was a time when a decision had to be made whether to go ahead or to abandon the land reform. The Service Chiefs and leaders of the party where all there, the repossession of our land had started and the Air Chief Marshall walked towards me and said are you Temba Mliswa and I said yes and he said I have been following you. At that point in time I was the Chairperson of the Zimbabwe Alliance in the United Kingdom which was responsible for supporting this country from a propaganda point of view. My secretary was Bright Matonga. We had been defending the land reform and the country in the United Kingdom.
I was at Luton University doing my degree in Sport and we had a number of lectures on the land reform including the likes of Brian Kagoro, the lawyer whom we invited to talk about it. We invited the likes of Mutumwa Mawere and Edwin Manikai to come and talk to the people in the UK on the Land Reform and what was happening.
The late Rtd, Air Chief Marshal Perrance Shiri then said to me, ‘Ooh, so you are the one whom I have been reading about defending the land reform?’ I said, yes, indeed. He said to me, ‘come with me.’ He took me to where all the Service Chiefs were and introduced me saying,
‘do you know this young man?’ Some who have read about me through sport – I was not a politician then, I was a sports man, they said, ‘yes we do, he is into sport and all that.’ He said ‘no, he is the young man who is defending us on the land reform in England and we must support him.’ He said to me, ‘whatever you need, come and see me, here is my number, my office is open for you, in fact, come to my office for lunch tomorrow.’ He took a liking of me and became my brother. He even entrusted me with his son, the late Tito, who passed away of cancer. He signed an affidavit that I should travel with him around the world to get treatment. If my signature was there on the surgery, it would go ahead.
He said to me, ‘it is difficult for me to see my son whom I have a lot of hope in, in this situation, he had cancer.’ He said to me, Temba, with all the power I have, I realise that I do not have power over this disease. I will break down if I am to see my son in this state. May you please go with him.’ I went around to Malaysia, South Africa with his son, Tito Shiri. One day he called me and said, ‘where are you? I said, I am in town and he said, ‘do you have a passport?’ I said, yes, he said, ‘can we meet at my office, I want us to go to Zambia.’ I arrived and the two of us drove. He taught me a lot and shared a lot of things with me as a young man.
One of the questions he asked me was, ‘do you know who tried to kill me,’ when he was nearly assassinated. I said, I do not know. He said, ‘do you think I do not know being a military person, I have the Airforce intelligence which briefs me and so on.’ He said, ‘but what are people saying out there about this?’ I said, no, they just think it is politics within. He said, ‘but within, with who?’ On that day that he was nearly assassinated, he called me and said, ‘let us meet at the hospital but I can tell you I am at this place and we meet.’ He had his comrade friend who was a ‘nobody’ called Comrade Sato. He said ‘make sure you get hold of Sato so that he can come.
He asked me, ‘do you really think I was responsible for killing people in Matebeleland?’ I said, but you were the commander. He said, ‘but would I command without taking instructions?’ I listened to him speak. He said, ‘I was never a General, there were commanders in the army and we worked through instructions.’ He said, ‘I have never had an opportunity to defend my position to the public because I am a military person. I am very disciplined Temba, but I work under instructions.’ He said, ‘unfortunately, those whom I work under and whose instructions I take are not prepared to stand by me and say, we give him instructions. We had an airforce commander and an army commander and a Ministry of Defence and all that.’ I said to him, but for as long as you do not give that side of the story, it would be difficult.
He said, ‘unlike you, you are a civilian, I am a military person, discipline
is critical.’
He did not say he was not involved in what happened in Matebeleland, but he was a soldier who takes instructions. How many people have been killed out there by soldiers on duty? Mr. Speaker Sir, if we have to go after the number of people who were killed and those who killed them whilst on duty, why today would we want to point out to one man. I would be emotional about this because he is not here to say and it would be unfair for me not to say what I know about this. So, why are we also not bringing all the other soldiers who killed people and say, why did you kill? We choose to say, because he was a commander in Matebeleland and he had other commanders above him, he is responsible.
There is no amount of blame that you can give to a police officer for being given the order to shoot or an army person. We have Generals here, General Mayihlome is here, he went to the struggle and is a
General. I do not want to ask him how many did he kill because that is not important. I want to ask how many other people were discharging their duties according to the Constitution and leadership? Hon. Nguluvhe is here, he was part of the struggle. I do not want to ask him how many people did he kill and the areas that he killed the people but it was the time of the struggle. I am trying to pinpoint other war veterans and Generals who are here, I cannot see them. I want to emphasise that Hon. Mhona is here and I am hoping that he will be one of the people to contribute to this debate because he knows the man, he was the Member of Parliament for him. He would bring you together as young people and say you must work together.
Agriculture was being turned around in no time. He learned from people. He learned from Hon. Mudarikwa, the cowpeas he produced, he would tell him as well as General Zimondi. As a young man Hon. Speaker Sir and Hon. Colleagues, I am proud to say that I am one of the few young men who ever enjoyed a lunch with three ZANLA
Commanders, Mabhengi who was at Gaza, Shiri who was in Tete
Province and Zimondi at Manica. They said to me, you are the only young man who had ever had lunch with three living commanders of the struggle. I remember once, Cde Patrick Zhuwawo coming to me saying,
‘what do these commanders find in you for them to have lunch with you?’ Cde Musariri, the late DDG would all sit down at the Great Hall and I will be with them having lunch.
One day I was in a car with Generals, the late General Chimombe, Cde Shiri and Cde Zimondi, I was listening as they spoke of the struggle. I must say that, because of the values and association, I started understanding the role of the struggle, what patriotism was and what being a nationalist was. Being a nationalist does not require you to be ZANU, MDC or any other party, it requires you to be a Zimbabwean first. The Americans have their country to protect. First is yourself to protect your country under the morals and values that you have leant. Firstly, you shall defend your country, protect, love your country and love thy neighbour. Unfortunately, when we talk about patriotism and nationalism, we now become political, yet there are people who loved Joshua Nkomo and were not ZAPU. There are people who loved the late Mugabe who were not ZANU. The majority of them are such people. That love for the country can only happen when you understand the role that the late Rtd Air Chief Marshal Shiri played in the struggle. When you talk about the founding principles of the struggles and those who have been disciplined, he had what we call meekness. The word meekness for those who do not understand is when you have so much power but you never use your power. In Marondera, when you visited his farm, he would say, ‘my things are being stolen here and it is people who are send so that I am frustrated, but I know who is stealing from me, what must I do?’ I said, why do you not report to the police? He said no Temba, if I report to the police with the position I have as the commander of the Air Force, people will be overzealous. They will go and arrest and beat up people for no reason because they want to impress me as a commander. I have the air force security which can do it. I asked him what he was going to do because people were stealing from him – he said he had decided to transfer to Mashonaland Central. He asked for all my trucks to load his belongings and go to Mashonaland
Central.
Here is a man who was an Air Force Commander for twenty-five years. He was a ZANLA Commander; he was a member of the national Joint Operations Command (JOC). He was a farmer – he loved farming but would never want his position to be felt. Instead of getting people arrested, he decided to move away. How many of us would want to move away when you have your things being stolen and you have so much power? You would use that power to descend on the people but he decided to leave and he left.
When he went to Mashonaland Central, they did not like him. He would say they do not like me because I do not come from here but I understand that they are young and immature. I liberated this country and I can be anywhere where I want to be. Even if I go to Matabeleland today, no one will question. The same way that we have got generals who were in the struggle who are Ndebele and were in the struggle who are in Mashonaland West like General P.V. Sibanda and Retired Lt Gen.
Nick Dube in Hurungwe.
I am talking about us being Zimbabweans and being where we want to be not because of your tribe. When they were in the struggle, they never thought to say we are liberating this zone; no. If it was the attitude of these men – and the reason why I am giving an example is those who fought for the struggle and led the struggle do not show that they went to the struggle. The ones who did not go to the struggle make more noise. If we are to say Hurungwe was liberated by ZIPRA, let all the ZIPRA Commanders be there. ZANLA liberated this area – let them be there; where would we be as a country? I am trying to say that if we are to respect the likes of the late Retired Air Marshal Perrence Shiri, we must be one. We must respect the values and principles of this struggle.
The moral of this struggle was to liberate this country.
He survived an assassination just as he was passing the bridge, they hit him. They hit him on the left and he had to drive with his right to get to a compound where he called to say let us meet at this hospital. Up to today, thankfully, no one has ever been arrested for wanting to assassinate the late Chief Air Marshal. Where was the system? A man who liberated this country and up to this day, no one has been caught, but we have got the army to deploy on the streets. We do not have an army to investigate what happened to the Commander. He had access of the Air Force where he would deploy people but he did not. That is one of the most painful things that he said. He survived the struggle. He liberated Zimbabwe but people wanted to assassinate him and you still keep quiet. There is no report and nobody has been taken to court. He is no more and today we say he is national hero. Why are we being hypocritical? What is his family saying today?
These are the issues which he went to the grave with in his heart. Those who knew him will attest to this. He could not talk to anyone because of the discipline that was inculcated in him. He worked hard and was totally incorruptible. Today if you hear people in the Air Force they say to you; he said we would budget according to what we had. One of the commanders in the Air Force said we do not like to be like the army, we want to be different. If the army is doing things their way, let them do their way but we have our way of doing things. He wanted everything to be accounted for.
There is nothing that you can throw at him that can stick for saying he was corrupt but he had everything. He was never involved in a tender in the Air Force yet he controlled the budget of the Air Force. He lead a simple life. He was humble even at his house. He believed in being on a farm building something new which he would work hard for. When I gave him my trucks to move his equipment from Mashonaland East to Mashonaland Central, unbeknown to me, he put 25 herd of cattle and 200 goats to say thank you. That is the man that he was. I said no I had done it out of my own will – I do not need anything but on return, these were escorted and arrived. He instructed my driver and said give these to Temba and say I said thank you.
Neither would he abuse you for the good you did. He would always want to settle with you. The vision that he had for farming was practical because he practised farming. He understood farming. He would talk to everyone to get ideas so that this county is what it is. In his wisdom, the President saw it fit to appoint him as the Minister of Agriculture and Lands, which is the heart of the nation. Finance is not the heart of the nation. You cannot control finance and there are no resources coming through. Agriculture and the mining sector are critical but agriculture is what we are known for. The President put him at the core of the country’s development. When there were too many issues on the land in terms of illegal settlers, most of them by ZANU-PF members - but because of the late Ret Chief Air Marshal, you could not go to him and say I am ZANU-PF, because he would tell you I am ZANU-PF. The President made sure that all these issues would be dealt with once and for all.
Who today will deal with these disputes on the farms? Whereas politicians when we are excited, we think we must allocate land yet we do not have the right to allocate land in the name of the party. The party which clearly is very clear about how the land is allocated through the district lands identification committee and provincial lands identification community then the Minister. It does not talk about Hon. Mliswa parcelling land or a chief parcelling agricultural land. The chiefs have their area but there is chaos in terms of that and the only person who could bring order to it was him because you could not go to him and say I am the chairman of this district in ZANU-PF and as a result I am untouchable. It did not matter with him and it was never going to work.
Who will solve those problems?
He was a man who when in uniform he was in uniform and when he wore civilian clothing he was a civilian. The war veterans have lost a commander who they could go to and talk to freely without fear. A commander who would listen to them. When there were problems in the war veterans of this country – the Mutare conference saw Jabulani Sibanda elected as chairperson. He presided over because the war veterans we want Shiri and no one else. Yes, there were other commanders who were there why did they not name any other commander but Shiri, it was because they knew he was fair. Indeed that was the last successful election the war veterans ever had. After that there has never been an election because with him you had to be calm.
He was somebody who respected humankind. He is somebody who believed in listening and responding and giving you a chance to talk.
When S.I. 162 of 2020 was brought up and talked about us giving back the land to the whites Madam Speaker, he was not here but read in the Hansard and called me to his office and said you brought it up. He had his legal team there and I said yes, but this Statutory Instrument constitutionally is great but politically it is not good and you are a commander and already there is a complaint in Mazowe that you are taking war veterans’ farms though it is Government policy, it does not do you any good. He was listening and he asked what I thought he should do. I said bring Mwonzora, Mangwana, Madhuku and Biti here to talk to you about this constitutional matter. He said are you sure that it will not be politics because I do not like - and I said no Mwonzora and Mangwana were part of the constitution making process, it is critical.
I am not a lawyer. Madhuku is a professor in law and Biti is a brilliant constitutional lawyer. They spoke and he asked where he was getting it wrong. This is a man who was a ZANLA commander who is ZANU-PF 200% but when it came to national issues he humbled himself and picked up the phone to understand what the law says and to ascertain whether he was right or wrong. How many of us are able to do this yet today even when there are issues of unison, you do not come because you fear your party. However, because he was a commander and knew his country was first, he wanted to make sure that the right decision is made pertaining to this.
He would learn. A man with two or three masters if not mistaken. Brilliant scholar. After the struggle he became a commander but started educating himself. You would see people who would say he is in class and he participates. He could have had a PHD. When you spoke to him there was content. There was attention to detail and he would listen. With his deep voice which we shall forever miss because that resembled the peoples ‘s commander’s presence. I remember Mr Speaker when I was dating this girl and I took her laptop. I was young and I had introduced to the late Rtd Chief Airmarshal Shiri and she remembered him saying if he gives you problems I am the one who can deal with him. She called him and he asked her to come to the office at the airforce. Unbeknown to me he called and asked where I was and I said I was in town and in his deep hoarse voice he asked me to drop everything and get to his office as soon as I could.
I got there and I see this girl there. He told me to go and get the girl’s laptop and bring it back with 30 minutes. You never take a girl’s computer. I went, took the computer and came back. He told the girl that she should not break up with me and told us to kiss and go and have lunch. That was the man. One day he said to me you cannot handle women like that Temba. Be a gentleman, why did you take her computer, are you the one who bought it and even if you did buy it – he taught me that. He taught me when I saw him opening a door for any woman or lady, and he said this is how you treat a woman Temba. This is a man who is a guerrilla but this is the man who is a gentleman. I am trying to talk about two sides of a man who was in the struggle and you would think that he knows nothing but when he came he was a gentleman and he taught us that.
He loved his son Tito. Whatever he did was for Tito but sadly Tito passed on. He had not looked at his will and in his will he had left everything to Tito. When Tito passed on I saw a man who with all the power that he had he just did not know what to do. He had pinned his hopes on his son. He took him to Watershed to do agriculture so that he could run all the operations on the farm. Tito could drive a tractor and he could do anything. Tito was his hope. When Tito passed on, I saw a man who with all the power that he had just did not know what to do. He had pinned his hopes on his son. He took him to Watershed to do agriculture so that he could run all the operations on the farm. Tito could drive a tractor and do anything. Tito was his hope, a son that he had taught how to do things.
When I was persecuted, he told me not to go to anybody’s office or to a politician. He asked how much money I needed for a lawyer. What you need is a lawyer, you do not need politicians. He told my sisters whenever they needed money to do law to come to him. He would say,
‘do not go to any politician and do not see anybody’. His son was a man of high security alertness, but was on crutches. Tito went to him and said, ‘I want to go and see uncle Temba in prison.’ He said, ‘you cannot go since I have not gone.’ Tito went back to him and said, ‘but it is me I want to go and see him.
He instructed his drivers not to drive Tito to Central Prison and Tito got out of crutches and was heading towards Central Prison to come and see me. The father ordered the drivers to put him in a car and to bring him. Tito came to see me, a young man and he said ‘uncle Temba, I have come to see you. How are you? Do you have any message for dad’? I said no. I got out of prison, he called me and said, I did not at all want Tito to come and see you Temba because I like you so much and everybody knows in the security that I like you. Whatever you do they blame me and I wanted to protect my son’.
I stood as an independent candidate and I met him one day at great war for the first time. He said, ‘I do not want to talk to you. Get away from me, I do not want to talk to an independent’. I did not understand. I went and I said to my sisters, I saw the Air Marshall and I called him but he did not want to greet me. He said, ‘get away you are an independent’. Time went by and I was distraught. Then the G40 thing started and we started talking. He said one day I will explain to you why I did not greet you.
We went to Insiza for the livestock programme with the Vice
President, Rtd Gen. Chiwenga and he said, ‘Temba come and sit here’. He said, today let me tell you why I did not want to be associated with you. My colleagues said that I was sponsoring you as an independent.
Today I want to ask my colleagues a question – ‘who is better? You also used to hang around with Kasukuwere, Zhuwao and Jonathan Moyo. Who is better today, Temba or Jonathan Moyo? Ha-a, he said I wanted to clear myself so that you know?
You were associated with the G40 people, Temba was not. Can I equally say this is who you are? He said Temba, I wanted you to understand this because it was in my heart. The Vice President was there and he called him Shefu, ndanga ndichida kuti Temba azive nekuti aisa zviunderstanda nekuti zvese zvaita Temba maiti ndini ndinomutuma.
Temba ane pfungwa dzake. He is independent. I understood him and I said I understand and we continued.
The last supper, that month we met we had dinner at Smicks’ Place. When Smicks was having dinner, he said please invite Temba to the dinner he would be very happy. I went there, I was a bit late but he was there. As usual, him joking - haumise vanhu vakuru, hamuna discipline imimi. He had his fiancé and said she is young Temba, I will be attacked but you know how to defend. I can be sick anytime and who will look after her. I have decided to marry this girl. Smicks asked ‘you have decided? He said ‘yes, have I ever come to you with anyone that I have said I want to marry?’ He said no, you are right and this is the first.
We had dinner, zumbani and everything. We were sitting down;
Smicks’ wife and her husband said have a whisky and he said no today I am not drinking. Two weeks later he said, Smicks can you do a dinner with Temba’s two sisters; Mary and Nobuhle and Temba. He wanted to confirm with Smicks again and sent a message to Smicks to say, is
Temba and his two sisters coming because he was so fond of my two sisters. All he said was ‘Mary, you can send Temba to do anything you are the Shefu and if he refuses you can come to me’. Whenever he saw
Mary was there, he would say ‘carry Shefu’s drink, she is your Shefu’.
We had dinner all of us at a table and were introduced. He said to my Mary, come and see me tomorrow at the office, I need to give you an offer letter. Mary, you are working so hard. Mary went with the schedules for him to sign and he said, no I want to sign for you. From what we hear, that is the last offer letter he signed. He said ndakupa munda Mary chienda unorima. Seven days later we heard his driver was involved in that situation. We all went to get tested and we were okay.
The next thing is, he is not feeling well. Aah okay, he is a commander. He was supposed to have been admitted in a hospital but he decided no, he could deal with it. He was at home, called his security to come and get him to the hospital. He got a call to say Smicks could not,
Temba could not but, ‘I have blood pressure and sugar, may you come.’ In no time, I received a phone call to the effect that he is no more. The Air Marshall had energy to get to the car, sat in the back of the car and was breathing the last gasp of breath - that was it.
No one ever thought that we could lose a man in such a way. He was a man who could have gotten help because he was a friend of the Chinese. The Chinese liked him and could have done anything for him but he decided to still remain humble and pass away in such a manner. He was....
THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER: Hon. Mliswa, may you wrap
up your debate please. Thank you.
HON. T. MLISWA: I thought the person who moved has no time. I thought those were the rules. Sorry Mr. Speaker, but when I speak about this, it is emotional and it has a lot.
THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER: I understand.
HON. MLISWA: He is not one man we can finish in one day. His Excellency the President in introducing everybody at the funeral said, I want the three to stand up. Vice President Chiwenga, stand up.
General Zimondi, stand up. He said there is one person missing here, thus Perence Shiri. These were my boys in the struggle. What I want to kill is a notion that the President and the Vice President do not get along. You are mistaken and let me warn you. You are playing the wrong politics. He then said, I appointed him the Minister of Agriculture because I wanted him to work with his friend. They know each other, they were together and I wanted him to work with his friend because they are close historically.
He worked tirelessly in Mashonaland Central. Mashonaland was the powerhouse of G40. Kasukuwere is no easy boy from political point of view. It took the likes of Hon. Musanhi with resources and strategy, combined with the late Rtg. Chief Air Marshal Shiri to win that province. Without the two working together, Mashonaland Central was gone. The G40 had resources and Hon. Musanhi gnashed the resources. The Commander had strategy. He used to sleep in the car, working for the party, working for the President. He was absolutely loyal to the
President. If there is anything the President is missing Mr. Speaker Sir,
is a man who is loyal to him, who will tell him the truth, who harbours no ambition, who once called me to his office to say, ‘I really did not want to be a politician, I do not want kutukwa. I am a military person but I have been called to serve the country; who reminded me that I am not after power. I have been Air Force Commander for 25 years. At your age Themba, I had done it all. I was a ZNLA Commander when I was young, so what power do I need; but I am here to serve the country.’
He reminded me when he was young when he was at the Zimbabwe
Military Academy in Gweru and said, ‘you are not naughty,’ I was naughty. He narrated how he ordered a tanker out of the barracks to go and have a personal fight -that is how naughty I was. He said, ‘how would shoot tyres with a gun, you are not naughty Themba and I used to drink.’
So there is nothing that he never went through in life but he constantly was disciplined in knowing and respecting people. He meant well at any given time. I remember him calling me to the office and saying, you know Themba how do you do your social media? I would like all the MPs in Mashonaland Central. You are always educating your constituents, how do you do it?’ He said, ‘you, Nguluvhe and Chinotimba seem to be doing well, how do you interact? I want to invite you but I want you to also put a programme for me where I want Hon.
Musanhi to go around, do the programme together in Mashonaland Central constituency by constituency. By nature I am a political strategist, I am sure you know that.’ He would tap into my brain and say, ‘how did you use to run your province as chairman?’ He would sit down and would be writing. I said to him every constituency, go and visit with Hon. Musanhi because there are some other people who think you are not getting along. He said ‘that is a good idea and Hon. Musanhi will lead the programme constituency by constituency.’ Unfortunately, COVID hit it. I had done a programme for him. He said, ‘I want you to come and talk to them about social media, how best they can be writing reports and so forth on the events that people are doing because a lot of things are being done and no one is covering that.’
I am trying to demonstrate that no matter the power he had, he still was humble enough. He had humility to still consult and he consulted the best. How did you win Norton? I would tell him. ‘How did you get the war veterans on your side’ - I would tell him and he would pick notes. He called war veterans together and asked them if they knew me and would talk to me. He would be there to pick your brains for the betterment of this country. A commander par excellence, a guerilla, gudoguru but still he was able to talk to everybody and anybody at any
level.
Today, the commanders and the generals we know want to be felt.
They want you to salute them. Now you cannot. The ZNLA Commander of the Air Force and he does not want you to salute him; you are caught on the wrong side. Nyembe must be felt. The late was not about that Mr. Speaker Sir. He never wanted. I remember in this House when he remarked that do not behave like baboons. I went to him and said you were misunderstood. He said what should I do? I said, come to Parliament and apologise. Mr. Speaker Sir, indeed he came and apologised that ‘I am sorry, I withdraw those remarks.’ How many Ministers here who have never been to the struggle who have no liberation credentials are arrogant? Who are they going to learn from?
In Mashonaland Central where Hon. Musanhi is as a politburo member, he would always say that people do not know. They do not understand my relationship with Hon. Musanhi but these are young children in politics. They do not understand how we work. It would be good for me to also say that he had a lot of respect for Hon. Musanhi.
Politics will always have people who are good at lying, bootlicking. The commander did not like that. If you wanted to talk about somebody else, bring them there, let us talk. He was security conscious. If you want to go anti-Government or anti the President, he would leave quietly. He allows you to continue but he totally disconnects himself from what is going on and he leaves. The next time he calls you and say, usandiunzire vanhu vakadaro kuti ndisangane navo, handizvifarire. You must know. From there, you would know what he would have ordered. The Air Force of Zimbabwe where all barracks have been named, I would wish for a barrack to be named after the Rtd Air Marshall Perrance Shiri. Now that they have all been named, there must be a Perrance Shiri School of Ideology where people are taught tolerance which lacks in our people. As a farmer, he was on the verge of building chalets which he was proud of on his farm. It is a programme that he had which talks about farming and it enables you to see what he will be doing. You would see his work from ground to top.
Some of the people, you will only see it on the top, there is no ground work, where is the ground work? This means that you are stealing and you are corrupt. Any structure which is solid, people must see it. My father always told me that you must create wealth so that people can account for it. My father told me that if you cannot account for anything, do not do it, anything you do you must account for it. Everything left behind must be accounted for. He is a role model for any young person. He is a role model for any generation and he understood business. He always said to me can you invite Shingai
Mutasa to come and talk because I like his business thinking. He is out of politics, he likes to just think about business and I was able to do that. He talked about the resuscitation of the fertiliser industry and agriculture through pfumvudza which is there, which is his brain and he lived it for us to be able to take care of.
Mr. Speaker Sir, may this be an opportunity for my colleagues Hon. Members of Parliament to talk about the good that this man did. It will be totally inhuman to talk about what a man did when he cannot defend himself when he is no more. I hasten to say do not associate him with gukurahundi, he was just a commander when they were other commanders. If we decide to talk about people being killed let us bring every soldier who has been to war before the courts and ask them why they killed. He was never the Commander of the Army and he was never part of the Commander of the Air Force. Even if he was Commander of the Army, there is a Commander-in-Chief who they take instructions from. So, he must never be tainted with something which other people gave orders to. Unfortunately the true story of gukurahundi will never come out because the Commander-in-Chief at the time was the former Late President R. G. Mugabe. He was there and nobody had the chance to ask him and when you are in that position, no one else can speak for you but yourself.
Parliament could have exercised its role on oversight by inviting him to come just like we did with the diamonds. He talked about the US$15b that went missing. We invited him to come because we wanted to understand. The various Committees had an opportunity to invite him to also find out about gukurahundi since he was the Commander-inChief and he was the President at the time. For us to talk about who was in charge of gukurahundi when the principal is no more, I think you are opening old wounds; may the souls of those people who passed away rest in peace. May we never again have such an experience as a people? May we have a leadership which forgives and ask for forgiveness. In that spirit, we are able to move as one nation and we are able to safeguard the pain, joy and interest of the people who sacrificed for this country, the late Joshua Nkomo, the late Josia Tongogara, the late Nikita Mangena, the late Herbert Chitepo, the late Ziyapapa, all those that we know about can only be happy when we are in unity and we are tolerant of each other. They could tolerate the white man at the time when the white man had an agenda to totally kill people but today why can we not be tolerant to each other? May we learn the tolerance of Gudoguru the late Rtd Air Chief Marshall Shiri in that he could talk to anyone because he was Zimbabwean and he put Zimbabwe first?
Mr. Speaker Sir, in closing, I want to say let us not celebrate our heroes when they are no more. Who today will talk about the history of Shiri when he is no more? Hon. Mudarikwa will say a bit and the rest will say a bit but who will tell the true story of Perrance Shiri, what he went through, we have lost. The sad part about the former late President R. G. Mugabe is that no one can tell us the history about him yet he was an icon. So, it is important for those who write to use their talents to go to these people because one chapter of history is gone. At the end of the day, the history that we are told is no history because the real people who experience what we are supposed to relate as history are no more. So, I really want to take this opportunity Mr. Speaker Sir, with your patients, colleague Members of Parliament, for giving me this opportunity to really talk about a man who in my life, I am really alone; a man who I could listen to, a man who could come and talk to me, a man who could give me direction. I am not an easy person to talk to, and I am not easy to take instructions from anybody but this is a man who would drive to my house and say what are you doing? What you are doing is wrong. I no longer have that person in my life. He was a great man and may his soul rest in peace. May he meet his beloved son Tito and may they protect the interest of this country and what he fought for.
I thank you Mr. Speaker Sir.
HON. TOGAREPI: Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir. I want to thank
Hon. T. Mliswa for his contribution towards our hero Rtd Air Mashall Perrance Shiri. He was one of our greatest leaders and he fought for the freedom of this country. He gave his life for all of us to be free. He was a man who loved his country, who gave his life to the freedom of our people and continued to love his country even after independence. He defended the freedom that we got from the protracted liberation struggle.
He was a commander during the war, in 1977; he was part of the High Command, the highest body in the struggle which would make decisions that would give direction to the struggle.
Hon. Shiri was also known to me personally, he is one of the leaders I spoke to freely, the person I would talk to as if I was talking to a person of my level. I could argue with him, sit across the table with Hon. Mliswa here and Major General Zimondi at the Chinese there where we used to eat. At one point in my political life, I faced challenges. You know when you face challenges, many people come to you and give you advice to behave and speak in a certain way, but he was one person who would give you the correct advice. He would never mislead you or advise you to go against principles, he was a principled man, a man of few words but the words which would give you proper
direction.
At one point, he found us with a friend of us, some know him as he is now leading the Apostolic Faith Section, his name is Jamaya. He came to us and found us talking about things and how they were happening in our country, obviously with challenges in our mind, thinking that things had gone haywire, were not going to be recovered.
However, he came to me and said, ‘Cde. Togarepi, this country was fought for and this is one country where people died to see freedom and it is one country that you should never think not even a minute that young boys, people of shallow political background can take it from the people of Zimbabwe.’ He gave us confidence, that one day as a people, we will be free, the revolution will never die. He is one person who could easily read when there is a challenge and he if felt there is one person who would have been affected by what would have happened; he would quickly call you and I think what he would be feeling was, because of what would have happened, he would figure out this boy might get lost. He would call you and ask if you are well, how you would be feeling and if you are very angry. He will then tell you that, that is what happens in the struggle and you can only survive by being patient because the revolution will never betray you if you are straight forward.
Hon. Shiri was an intellectual. When people look at people in uniform, they think they cannot be articulate on issues but Hon.
Members here in Parliament will tell you and agree with me that Hon.
Shiri was one of the best Ministers we have ever seen in this country –
[HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear.] – he was punctual, patient with Members of Parliament when they asked questions and he would be well researched on any issue that you would want to know about concerning his Ministry. He was very articulate and passionate about his Ministry. Some ministers are such that you would ask yourself if they actually come from that Ministry but with Hon. Shiri, you would not doubt the confidence and the love and passion that he had in the Ministry of
Lands, Agriculture, Water and Rural Resettlement. He was a special Minister in my view. I could tell even from the body language between him and the President, the President was proud of Hon. Shiri when he was heading the Ministry. He was so happy. Hon. Shiri was just a rare breed of ministers, a person who was very loyal to the duties that he was given by His Excellency, the President.
Hon. Shiri was a well decorated officer but when he interact with anyone, you would not see that, he would simplify everything and reduce himself to every level. When he came as a Minister to provinces, I will talk about my province in Masvingo, you would interact with him and share anything. He would listen to anyone and look for answers there and then, that is very rare. When some people get to the top there, they believe they are no longer touchable but with Hon. Shiri, our great guerilla, gudo guru as people knew him, he was a humble man but very firm in what he did, a very principled man.
Hon .Shiri played a very important role during the land reform programme. Some people did not believe that land could be transferred from the white minority to the black majority but he was one of our military people and leaders who fought for the freedom of this country who assured every Zimbabwean that, this was the right time for us to take what belongs to us, our land. He played his role and he was there to mobilise the people of Zimbabwe to stand their ground and have their land. He was there when the commanders of our security forces coined the straight jacket statement, that this country has its path already defined. This is the country for the people of Zimbabwe and the foundation given by the liberation struggle, the foundation that was laid by the blood of the people who fought for the freedom of this country cannot be changed. Zimbabwe cannot be sold or taken away from the people of Zimbabwe. Our land belongs to us and we belong to our land. He stood firm. He remained with everyone who believed in the virtues of our liberation struggle. This is a man that we should all salute.
As people of Zimbabwe, our Constitution has it that we must respect the veterans of the liberation struggle – the guerrillas, those who were arrested for fighting for our freedom; the Chimbwidos and the Mujibhas. These people must be saluted today. The Constitution says so but we still have people among us who do not respect these people who gave us freedom. Comrade Shiri was a dedicated loyal son of the soil. We must be proud of him. Books must be written to salute this great son of the soil. He was a commander par excellence. I really pray that as people of Zimbabwe and Members of Parliament, we lead by example in whatever we do when we meet and associate with generals;
Cde Maihlome who is here and many other generals that are here;
Chimbwidos and ex-detainees who are here, let us give them respect.
Without these people, it was going to be difficult for us to have a
National Assembly with 99% of black people determining their future. These people need our respect. If we do not respect our own history or where we have come from, the future of this country will be doomed because if we do not know our history or what we have sacrificed as a people, the danger is; some say even in the Bible – those who do not know their history will be colonised again. The best salute we can give to Cde Gudoguru Perrence Shiri – an illustrious son of the soil is to be loyal to Zimbabwe; to give it all our effort to respect the founding principles of our country, to be united as a people. He respected everybody. He would interact and answer questions from every one even from the opposition but he remained firm and guided by the founding principles of our revolution.
I hope as we interact with the people of Zimbabwe, we remind them of gallant sons like him that in whatever they do in their lives, they follow his footsteps. As a people, we were lucky to have lived during the same time and interacted with our heroes, our commanders. We want to thank the leadership of this country led by His Excellence, our President Cde E.D. Mnangagwa for having recognised this great son of the soil and given him the responsibility to defend the land which was the main grievance that led us to fight the colonial regime to liberate Zimbabwe.
THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER (HON. MUTOMBA): Hon.
Chief Whip. You have five minutes left.
HON. TOGAREPI: Thank you. When the news came of the
passing on of our leader, Cde Perrence Shiri, it was devastating. Sometimes when you look around on a Wednesday, you see ministers here and some absent. When you looked around during his time, he would always be present. He would not miss a session when we asked questions as Members of Parliament – he respected Parliament.
Parliament should insist that other Hon. Ministers do the same.
Our President has lost a friend, a colleague – who was their commander during the armed struggle. I was lucky to be in some of the meetings that our President chaired. When he gave instructions to Cde Shiri, you could tell the brotherly-comradely relationship they had. He was so confident about giving him instructions and they would be executed. That is why he was coming to Parliament without absenting himself. The President has implored all Ministers to be in Parliament on
Wednesday – those who were ‘cooked’ in the pot of the revolution respect their leader, but some decided to absent themselves. To Comrade Shiri, I will say go well son of the soil; our commander, our leader; our friend, our teacher and a man who was principled. I implore every one of us Members of Parliament – let us be like this man. Protect the interest of our people and our country; love our country, whatever differences that we may have politically - but we are all Zimbabweans. Let us be like him who sacrificed everything until his last day. He gave
it all to the people of Zimbabwe to his land, to his brothers and sisters.
We have to respect and try by all means to follow the example of Cde Shiri. I thank you.
HON. DR. MASHAKADA: Thank you Hon. Chair for this
opportunity. I also rise to pay my tribute to the gallant son of Zimbabwe the late Air Chief Marshall Perrance Shiri who passed on quite unexpectedly and almost suddenly.
Mr. Speaker Sir, we all know that the world over, veterans of struggles or of wars are celebrated and are respected by their citizens across the board, irrespective of political affiliation or ideological differences. The Americans will unite when they remember their fallen heroes in the Vietnam War. Whether republican or democrat, they unite to honour their generals. The Japanese will unite to honour their fallen heroes at Hiroshima and Nagasaki despite political differences because they are Japanese. The Belgians will unite to commemorate fallen heroes at Waterloo. The French will unite to commemorate their fallen heroes at Dunkirk. I can go on and on to demonstrate how nations respect their veterans and generals who brought independence or defended their country from enemy attacks.
I rise here to affirm that we as the MDC-T salute and recognise our fallen heroes and our veterans of the liberation struggle. This is the way in which I also want to salute and remember this great icon of
Zimbabwe, the late Perrance Shiri. He fought a bitter war to liberate all of us. At a very tender age, he left school – at Mt St Marys in Wedza. He went to Mugagao training centre, went back to Mozambique and was assigned to the front as a commander in the Tete province. I am sure there were so many ZANLA guerillas that had been trained in China, Russia and some in Cuba, but here was a young man who the ZANLA High Command saw fit to deploy to the front at such a tender age. Surely, it really talks a lot about his qualities as a leader and a guerilla fighter. He liberated this country, he liberated all of us and that is one important point I want to state.
Liberation fighters did not go to war to liberate one inch of the country or to liberate one political party or its supporters. They belong to all of us. They are our national liberators, not MDC or ZANU-PF. That is the honour that we should all give them. That is why we supported the War Veterans Bill because we realised that these are the men and women who sacrificed their lives for all of us. Perrance Shiri was one of those towering figures in that struggle and I want to salute him. I agree that he was a humble man; very unassuming, but looking at all his credentials, he was a decorated fighter but one would not discern that when you looked at him. He was indeed very humble and this country has lost a great man in the form of Perrance Shiri.
We, in the opposition support war veterans and respect them as I have already said. The other misconception is that the opposition does not support the land reform programme. Perrance Shiri went to the war because of the land question and as the MDC-T, we affirm our support for the land reform programme. Having said that, I still believe that what Perrance Shiri fought for and others is still unfinished business because liberating a country as Perrance Shiri did and building a nation is a very difficult proposition. We have seen many revolutions that failed to transition to good governance and democracy in Africa because liberation is not an end in itself but a means to an end.
In the journey of this nation getting the land is one of the victories that war veterans fought for, but there are so many other victories that we must achieve. We need to see economic development in this country. This country is rich and blessed with all mineral resources. The legacy of Cde. Shiri would not be fulfilled if we do not develop this economy, grow this economy, and do not give people jobs or give livelihoods to our people, farmers, the poor and artisanal miners. Let the people have livelihoods. Let us look after this economy and let us not destroy this economy.
Corruption destroys this economy. It is a cancer and Hon. Perrance Shiri would turn in his grave if we do not deal with corruption because he was one person who did not want to see a corrupt country. He was forthright as all the speakers before me have alluded to. So, we need to put our heads together to make sure that we build a strong and united Zimbabwe. It has often been said Hon. Speaker that the late Perrance Shiri was in the forefront of Gukurahundi. I really understand why there is bitterness because if you lost your relative in Gukurahundi, you cannot help but hate the commander of the Fifth Brigade during that time.
However, hating alone is not the solution in this country. We need national healing and reconciliation as well as transitional justice. For this Gukurahundi issue to be laid to rest, let us be open about it and initiate a process of transitional justice where the victims are able to talk. I am happy that the President has already begun that process, going to Matebeleland, listening to the victims and getting them to speak, which is an important step. However, I want to suggest that we want a memorialisation of the victims of Gukurahundi. Let us be open about it, let us build a monument in remembrance of the victims of Gukurahundi and honour and respect the families/relatives of the victims. That will be a big achievement to move beyond this sad chapter of our history.
I will tell you what they did in Rwanda. After the genocide by the
Hutu against the Tutsi which sparked a vicious war in which the Rwanda Patriotic Front finally took over Kigali and liberated the country of genocide forces. After that they sat down and said what has happened has happened. Let us build a memorial museum, do the exhumations, talk freely about it and have transitional justice. To this day, Rwanda has been able to move on. Let us correct the mistakes that our forebears have made and move the country forward rather than just continue to be tied by such unfortunate incidents. Let us come out in the open, do a memorial museum and do a decent burial of all the victims who were not properly buried. If we can compensate whites to the tune of US$3,5 million for the developments made on the farms, it is because we want to respect constitutionalism. It is in our Constitution because we want to respect the rule of law. Why can we not compensate relatives of our own people who died during this unfortunate period of our history?
This Parliament must debate a Bill to compensate victims of Gukurahundi, a Bill to set up a memorial museum and we promote national healing, peace, reconciliation and transitional justice. I think if we do that, Hon. Shiri would rest in eternal peace. I do not think he really wanted to be associated with such alleged brutality, not because he fought a good war for his country and he served his country as Commander of the Air Force and Minister of Agriculture. He was somebody whom I do not think if he was seated there and I was saying these proposals he would be shaking his head. I think he would agree with me that we need to close this chapter but it cannot be closed until we accept and do something about this sad picture.
Mr. Speaker Sir, I want to again pass my sincere condolences to the Shiri family and to ZANU PF who have lost a colleague over the sad loss of Perence Shiri. May his dear soul rest in peace. I thank you.
*HON. RUNGANI: I also want to add my voice thanking Hon.
Mliswa for raising the motion to pay tribute to Hon. Sen. Shiri. I knew Senator Perence Shiri in 1983 in Gweru. He was in good books with my uncle at Guinea Fowl First Brigade. It was three years after independence and as children we enjoyed looking at the liberation of the struggle and to see how they would interact with others. They would come and enjoy a meal after my aunt had cooked. So we would come, watch and listen to them as they spoke displaying their patriotism.
Hon. Shiri loved his people. In Rhodesia, I remember at one time at Fairmile Motel the whitemen could not sit together with blackmen, so they would chase away the blacks. At Fairmile, there is a swimming pool and some white people came and found the black people enjoying themselves. They started dipping their fingers in the blackmen’s drinks. When Hon. Shiri came there was chaos and he fought to ensure that the blackmen were recognised. That is what made us admire him because he fought for the black majority.
When we came here to Parliament and he saw me, I reminded him of the teachings that he had given us and I told him that we were still holding on to that form of patriotism. Hon. Shiri was a person who wanted food security in this nation. We heard the first speaker saying he was a Minister who was hardworking. Hon. Shiri left a legacy of the Pfumvudza project and if we are to get adequate rains we will have food security in Zimbabwe.
I can safely say as a Minister, Hon. Shiri was approachable. I can say he was simple and he had a very high rank but he was approachable. It did not matter your level in terms of social status but he was approachable. I told him I was going to visit him at his office but he passed on before I managed to go there. Hon. Shiri was full of love. I am sure we all witnessed it when he came to Parliament. I actually admired and enjoyed his deep voice. We always used to mimic his deep voice.
What I also liked about Hon. Shiri is that he had endurance. You would see him in Kanyemba, promoting Pfumvunda and the next day he would be in Masvingo on the same issue. I urge all Ministers to emulate what Hon. Shiri used to do for the development of our country. With these few words, I want to say Hon. Shiri, what you initiated we will carry it forward and we will continue with Pfumvudza. Hon. Shiri, may your soul rest in peace. I thank you.
*HON. MUSANHI: Thank you for giving me this opportunity to debate on a person that I worked with closely until his untimely death. I want to thank the independent Member of Parliament, Hon. Mliswa for raising this motion which is very important. I had written a few points on what I know about this man. I am deeply saddened that the way I used to view this man is the same view that everyone saw in him. So many things that I wrote about him have already been said by my fellow colleagues. I will dwell on the few issues that have not been mentioned.
Mr. Speaker Sir, I first met Hon. Perrance Shiri in 1978 when I was still a small boy and I was coming from school. He was coming to Rushinga and he was the Commander for the whole wing that covers Rushinga stretching to Mashonaland East going down to Nyanga. That was his area which he commanded. When I first met him in 1978, I realised that he was a man of wisdom. I left school because I was inspired to go and fight in the liberation struggle and two of my brothers had already joined the struggle.
When I met Hon. P. Shiri, he asked me what I wanted to do. I said to him I had dropped out of school to go and fight in the liberation struggle but he said no because already two of my brothers were in the struggle. He asked me what I expected them to eat and wear if all of us were to join the struggle. Mr. Speaker, at first I thought this person was discriminating against me but I later realised that what he said made a lot of sense, that people also needed support in terms of food, clothes and everything that they needed. So, I understood and accepted what he had suggested. I took his advice. I told him that we did not have anything to protect us, Rhodesian Army can come and murder us but he said that everyone is protected by God. I had a feeling of fear when I knew that Hon. Shiri feared God yet he was one of the liberation fighters. I respected him. In our family we are Christians but when I realised that he respected God even though he had joined the liberation struggle, my respect for him increased.
Mr. Speaker Sir, for the time that I worked with Hon. Shiri, in Mashonaland Central Province, he was my Commander. When we engaged in conflict with G40 – Tyson was a tough man but through
Hon. Shiri’s wisdom, he would advise me on what to do. He would say, go and tell your people this and that and do likewise. Those commands that he gave us were strategies that made us to overthrow G40 in Mashonaland Central and for sure in Mashonaland Central, we defeated them.
Mr. Speaker Sir, we then progressed and worked with Hon. Shiri. As I was working with him I realised that Hon. Shiri was a man who was very honest. You could not talk to him about taking shortcuts, he would say no, we do not work like that. He was a servant leader. He is one person within the party who respected even the opposition. I want to give evidence that he could respect people of the opposition whenever they said whatever they said if it had sense. If it was of value, he would take it up.
Hon. Shiri was a loyal cadre, he respected the President and his deputies. Even as you travel together, if the President phoned him, he would stop, speak to him paying attention as if he was actually facing him. If a call came from the Vice President, he would also stop and speak whilst on attention and that would show us that he was speaking to his superiors. The issue of loyalty and respect was a virtue for Hon.
Shiri. He was full of love, he loved his colleagues. If you spend days without talking to him, he would follow up. If two or three days went by without seeing each other, he would phone me and say, ‘son-in-law do you want me to take my daughter, if you do not phone me I will come and get my daughter’. I would apologise and said I have been busy.
Hon. Shiri was a hardworking person. He was committed to his work. He made sure he did his work perfectly. Hon. Shiri was very productive especially on the farms. In my constituency in Mashonaland Central, they know that I would mimic his voice that if there is land that is being under-utilised we would come and withdraw the farm. For people to know that those who are lazy would lose their farms, so by mimicking his voice it actually meant that he was a hardworking man. So, Hon. Shiri will be greatly missed. Personally Mr. Speaker Sir, I am deeply pained. Hon. Shiri is gone before I learnt as much as I would have wanted to learn from him.
Mr. Speaker Sir, I want to say may his departed soul rest in eternal peace and may God be with him. It was God’s will and by God’s will we will meet again. Go well Hon. Shiri! Thank you Mr. Speaker. *HON. SVUURE: Thank you Hon. Speaker for giving me this opportunity I want to say a few words and support the Members of
Parliament who have spoken on tribute to Rtd Air Marshall Perence Shiri. I got to know this man when I was growing up. We heard a lot about him when he was growing up and that he was one of the brave cadres who stood firm for the development of the nation. From the time that I knew him, his bravery and mastery in terms of leading the Air
Force, he was very knowledgeable in terms of the Air Force. As the Commander of the Air Force, I read a lot about him and how he worked hard for the liberation of Zimbabwe.
He is one of the comrades that I respect a lot who showed bravery in the fight for the struggle. In this new dispensation since 2017, he was elevated by the President to be the Minister of Agriculture. I became close to him and I became a Member of Parliament for Zaka Central, I saw him as a Minister who was straight forward and transparent in his dealings as evidenced by his speech.
The questions that we asked him, he would respond with eloquence and had the details at his finger tips. That can only be done by someone who has mastery in his field. I want to support the other Member of Parliament who debated that he was approachable. Yes, he was approachable despite which area you came from, you could talk to him and he was very patient and tried to listen to everyone. He also gave convincing responses; he was not a person who would just respond to you so you could be happy and go away. He was genuine and he would advice on the strategies to take on the matter you will have brought before him.
He was principled and straight forward and hence not a challenge to work with. So, when I heard about is passing away, I was pained. As an individual, I was also looking forward that his appointment to the Minister of Agriculture would lead to production. My prayer is for us to have more ministers like Hon. Sen. Rtd Air Marshal Shiri and I believe that the Government has chosen an equally good Minister to lead the
Ministry of Agriculture. I hope that we still have such kind of leadership. We pray that God has mercy on him and that his soul may rest in internal peace. I thank you.
*HON. MHONA: I want to thank you Mr. Speaker Sir for the opportunity that you have given me on this important motion raised by the Norton legislator Hon. T. Mliswa. Mr. Speaker Sir, I have shown my desire to contribute a number of times reflecting the importance of the issue that is before us. A motion has been raised that touches the hearts of many which shows that the man that we are talking about was is a hero. Mr. Speaker, I stood up to enlighten this House that Hon. Sen. Rtd Air Marshal Shiri and myself came from the same community, same Chief and same Headman.
What I want to say is that this man was of a different caliber. He was an honest man and did not take short cuts in all his work. Most Members of Parliament have said that he was humble and straight forward. As I stand here, if I give you his full background, we will go throughout the whole night. We worked well together and I was the
Member of Parliament for his home areas where he was born. What I stood up to inform this House is that as Parliament, we have lost quite a number of Members of Parliament which teaches us that life is not ours and also teaches us that we spend a lot of time in conflict not knowing that someday we will not be here on this earth.
What I want to say is that we need the spirit of love. Sometimes, it is not even there because if there is love we would want all of us to prosper. Hon. Sen. Rtd Air Marshal was very punctual and he was very humble. I remember you heard from the media in 2018, I went to him and I said that Hon. Senator, it is being said that you want to take the constituency where I come. I indicated to him that I would not want us to contest for the same constituency, so, I advised him to have the constituency. He said no, you are going to stand for Chikomba Central, what the media is saying is something else; I will go to the Senate. I thanked him for his transparency. As we proceeded his young brother also came and wanted to contest the 2018 elections. I approached him and he said we will go to the people and the people will determine who they want. He was a person of integrity and his words were not about nepotism in Chikomba Central, he was transparent. What pains me most is that we have met a lot of deaths in this House but some of the funerals that we attend are an embarrassment. As Members of Parliament we do not go and bury our colleagues, my request is that it will be good that as Members of this august House, we should value funerals. It does not matter whether a person holds leadership positions or not.
When there is a funeral, we must stand as a family in this august
House. I hope and pray that that kind of love will be exhibited in this House. So, I want to believe that if that kind of spirit would be found in each and every one of us even the words of hate that we speak in this House will not exist. It means that they have left a legacy that we need to take up. Mr. Speaker, even if you are to go to war, at one time you have to sit down and negotiate, reach a consensus and resolve conflict.
So, I want to thank all the people who paid tribute to Hon.
Matambanadzo and Hon. Shiri. As a family, if we are to unite Hon. Members, our nation can develop. I want to thank you for the opportunity that you have given me. I want to say to the Shiri family and the whole nation of Zimbabwe, it has been a great loss. I was asked in Chikomba Central when the late Hon. Shiri’s remains were going to come home for the people to pay their last respects and at that time, he was already laid to rest. People were waiting to witness his burial as a hero but this was not done because of the pandemic. This was painful to a number of people in Njanja. I want to thank you Hon. Speaker for giving me this opportunity. I want to implore Hon. Members to take up the spirit of love and call for unity. I thank you Hon. Speaker.
*HON. DUTIRO: Hon. Perrance Shiri is a man whom I knew during the liberation struggle. He was operating in Mashonaland
Central. I knew him as the leader of the war veterans. We knew Hon. Shiri as a person who forgave people who did wrong. We knew him as someone who was patient and humble. He explained to people the aims and objectives of the liberation struggle. He was an understanding person, a farmer who educated people and encouraged them to work hard. Hon. Shiri came to Guruve South ten times and used to visit different constituencies, especially the A1 and A2 farmers and promoting the Pfumvudza project.
Hon. Shiri’s aim was to ensure that each household would have food security. What he wanted to see was the development and empowerment of all households. He was not someone who just talked but was a hands-on person. He would even visit a household whose hut that was falling in and assist. He would eat whatever was provided as he was not selective. The late Hon. Minister was a man of the people and a servant leader.
I would like to thank him because he knew that the young people needed to be groomed in order to be future leaders of the nation. He believed that the country would develop when these young people were empowered. I want to thank him for the education and enlightenment that he gave us. Even now, people no longer wear suits but are wearing work-suits to show that they are hands-on. I thank you Mr. Speaker Sir.
HON. MUNETSI: Thank you very much Hon. Speaker for giving me this time to speak about the late Hon. Perrance Shiri. I am one person who has a very strong heart, I do not easily get shaken by unfolding events. However, one person who shook me and made my heart to bleed is Hon. Shiri. He is one person I respected so much in this House, not because he was a Chimurenga guru, liberator or war veteran but because of his stature, the way he presented himself. He was just marvelous and meticulous. We will miss this man in this House.
I am looking at and talking about a person – I have read history before, I have read about General Tongogara and I want to liken Hon. Shiri to him, strong, courageous, educative, trustworthy, directional and purposeful. I want to say to Hon. Shiri, rest in peace. Thank you.
HON. R. R. NYATHI: Hon. Speaker Sir, I thank you for the opportunity you have given me to pay my tribute to Hon. Shiri. I will say a few words not repeating what has already been said by other Hon.
Members. I have seen it fit for me to talk about this man. I joined the Airforce in 1980 and the Air Marshal at that time was not Hon. Shiri.
However, when Hon. Shiri came to the Airforce, that is when I retired.
What I want you to understand is that, he was a flying officer. If one is a flying officer at the Airforce, it is different from a pilot for commercial flights who fly to Dubai and other destinations. There is need for that person to be an extremely intelligent person who can easily calculate the speed of wind and the speed of fired bullets and also the skill to calculate timely when to release bombs so that they land on the expected place at the right place and at the right time. This requires a person to be disciplined for one to be a leader of the Airforce. I have great respect for Hon. Shiri. I learnt some things concerning his burial that I want to share with you this evening. This man performed ordinary things in an extraordinary way. He was committed and had mastery of his work. Those are some of the things that make one to get an act of gallantly to show that this person is brave and has the capacity to do the extraordinary. That is what differentiates the soldiers and comrades of the army. That is why we then have people who deserve to be at the Heroes Acre or Provincial Heroes Acre because we look at the life and legacy that a person has lived because they would have looked not only at themselves but the country at large.
I also want to say that Cde Shiri’s death was so sudden such that we have learnt something, that we need to live one day at a time. We also learn that life is very short. We need to do whatever we can do or the good things that we can, do in good time, knowing that we are living on borrowed time. I want to support my debate by quoting a verse in the Bible – Ecclesiastes 9:10, which says if there is something that you need to do, do it wholeheartedly because there is no thought, wisdom, knowledge in the world of the dead. Hon. Shiri left us a lot of work. He worked hard and did his part but it is time for us to take the baton and ensure that we develop our nation in every way that we can for it to develop and also to ensure that our economy improves.
I come from Midlands Province and I am a Member of Parliament for Shurugwi North Constituency. Each time I met Hon. Shiri, I saw him humble himself to my level and also to the lowest level – at grassroots. He was humble and would communicate with everyone. He was worth respecting. I would want to say to the Parliament of
Zimbabwe and the nation of Zimbabwe, we are deeply saddened. My deepest condolences for this loss and may his soul rest in peace. I thank you.
*HON. P. ZHOU: Thank you for giving me this opportunity to debate and contribute to this motion and pass my message of condolence on the passing on of Hon. Shiri. We are very thankful to His Excellency for giving us an Hon. Minister.
Hon. Shiri was my husband’s best friend and I knew him before he was a Minister. He was a very good farmer. He always told us that we should be seen to be doing tangible things visible to the people. Of all things that we learnt from him, nothing negative has been said about him with regards to corruption. We feel the pain because of this great loss.
It was God’s time and there was nothing that we could do. We heard that the Minister fell ill and in no time, he left us.
When I was diagnosed COVID 19 positive, I felt the pain and I understand the situation very well. I am very grateful to the late. I am now here and no longer feeling ill. We are very thankful for being given Comrade Shiri as a Minister to us. Everyone is going to carry on with the hard work that he taught us. We all feel the pain and we are aggrieved, but we are thankful for his life. We understand that God gives and takes away from us. I thank you.
HON. TOGAREPI: I move that the debate do now adjourn.
HON. MHONA: I second.
Motion put and agreed to.
Debate to resume: Wednesday, 23rd September, 2020.
MOTION
BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE
HON. TOGAREPI: I move that the rest of the Orders of the Day be stood over until Order No 18 has been disposed of.
HON. TEKESHE: I second.
Motion put and agreed to.
MOTION
REPORT OF THE 46TH PLENARY ASSEMBLY SESSION OF SADC
PARLIAMENTARY FORUM
HON. NDIWENI: I move the motion standing in my name that this House takes note of the Report of the 46th Plenary Assembly Session of SADC Parliamentary Forum held from 10th to 17th December, 2019 at
Swakopmund, Namibia.
HON. TOGAREPI: I second.
HON. NDIWENI: Mr Speaker Sir, this is a report of the 46th Plenary Assembly Session of the SADC Parliamentary Forum which was convened in Swakopmund Entertainment Centre in Namibia, from
10 to 17 December 2019 under the theme: “The Role of SADC
Parliaments in ensuring Universal Health Coverage by the year 2030”.
Thirteen (13) Member Parliaments were represented at the Plenary
Assembly, namely, Angola; Botswana; Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC); The Kingdom of Eswatini; Malawi; Mozambique; Lesotho;
Namibia; Seychelles; Tanzania; South Africa; Zambia and Zimbabwe.
The Speaker’s delegation from Zimbabwe was led by Hon.
Advocate Jacob Francis Mudenda, Speaker of the National Assembly, and it comprised the following Members and Officers of Parliament: - o Hon. Tambudzani Mohadi, Member of the Standing
Committee on Food, Agriculture, Natural Resources and
Infrastructure; o Hon. Goodlucky Kwaramba, Member of the Standing
Committee on Gender Equality, Women Advancement and
Youth Development and Chairperson of the Zimbabwe
Women’s Parliamentary Caucus; o Hon. Dought Ndiweni, incoming Member of the Standing
Committee on Democratization, Governance and Human
Rights; o Hon. Anele Ndebele, Member of the Standing Committee on
Trade, Industry, Finance and Investment; and o Hon. Bacillia Majaya, Member of the Standing Committee on Human and Social Development and Special Programmes.
The following attended the Plenary Assembly as support staff: - o Mr Kennedy Mugove Chokuda, Clerk of Parliament;
o Mr. Ndamuka Marimo, Director in the Clerk’s Office; o Mr. Frank Mike Nyamahowa, Director in the Hon. Speaker’s
Office; o Mr. Cleophas Gwakwara, Principal External Relations
Officer and Secretary to the Delegation; o Ms. Martha Mushandinga, Principal Executive Assistant; and o Mr. Clive Zvimekria Mukushwa, Security – Aide to the
Speaker.
- Official Opening Ceremony
- The 46th Plenary Assembly was officially opened on Friday 13
- December 2019 at the Swakopmund Entertainment Centre, with the 4. Vice-President of the Republic of Namibia, His Excellency, Nangolo
- Mbumba, as Guest of Honour.
Hon. Vice-President Mbumba, welcomed delegates to Namibia, affectionately and popularly known as the “Land of the brave’. The Vice–President explained that Namibia is the driest country in the whole of the SADC Region. He further pointed out that Namibia was the last country to fight two colonial Governments, namely, the German Government, and the old South African Government with unmatched
fortitude.
Hon. Vice- President Mbumba appreciated the role SADC played in Namibia’s fight for independence and pointed out that the country was delighted to host those who supported her quest for freedom and independence. It was an imperative for Namibia to actively support the transformation of the SADC Parliamentary Forum into a SADC regional Parliament.
The President of SADC PF and Speaker of the National Assembly of Mozambique, Hon. Veronica Nataniel Macamo Dlhovo, thanked the Hon. Vice- President for officially opening the Plenary Assembly and welcomed the delegates by firstly, congratulating Namibia for holding peaceful elections and acceding to host the Plenary Assembly shortly thereafter. Hon. Dlhovo emphasised the need to upscale the lobbying process for the transformation of the SADC PF into a
Regional Parliament.
SYMPOSIUM: THE ROLE OF SADC PARLIAMENTS IN
ENSURING UNIVERSAL HEALTH COVERAGE (UHC), BY
2030
The Speaker of the National Assembly of Namibia, Hon Professor
Peter Katjavivi, chaired the Symposium. The broad definition of Universal Health Coverage is a deliberate endeavour to ensure that all people have access to health care and have no financial risk or hardship in doing so. It was noted that measures to eliminate Malaria,
Tuberculosis and HIV and AIDS can only succeed within the context of Universal Health Coverage. Thus, UHC must be viewed in its broadest context as a developmental agenda, a driver of socio-economic development. UHC is indeed a worthwhile investment.
The Symposium was also addressed by Mrs Katjivena, Deputy
Executive Director, Department on Policy Development and Resources Management in Namibia, outlining that since independence, the country’s mission has been to promote integrated, affordable, accessible, quality, equitable health and social services that are responsive to the needs of the population. The country continued to work towards achieving Universal Health Coverage through this mission. Namibia has adopted the Primary Health Care approach as a cost-effective method of delivering health services and bringing health care closer and costeffectively to the people.
It was noted that there are an infinite range of ways of delivering services in health, but no country in the world has reached the apex in UHC. The idea is to come up with new technologies and cost effective means of delivering health services. In this regard, most of the countries that have started making progress have started looking at what is currently available in the health delivery system and trying to define explicitly a set of services that will give the most favourable results on health services.
The Symposium was informed that since independence in 1980, Zimbabwe has facilitated the drafting of strategies, policies and laws to promote UHC. Amongst these, the Legislature came up with a Patients’ Charter in 1996, which provides information on the rights and responsibilities of patients and health providers.
- The Parliament of Zimbabwe has passed multiple legislation that govern various components of health financing functions and the delivery of health care. The main legislation for health being the
Constitution, which guarantees health as a right for all citizens. The
Constitution of Zimbabwe, in Section 76, clearly states that: “(a) every citizen and permanent resident of Zimbabwe has the right to access basic health care services including health service; (b) every person living with a chronic illness has the right to have access to basic health care services for the illness; (c) No person can be refused medical treatment in any health care institution; (d) the State must take responsible legislative and other measures within limits of the resources available to it to achieve the progressive realisation of the rights set out in the
Constitution.”
Zimbabwe also takes pride in having a sustained policy of directing resources to prevention of diseases and maintenance of primary health care. The country also boasts of having a flagship programme, the AIDS levy and National Aids Trust Fund that were established in 1999.
Naturally, the programme may have contributed to the tax burden the country’s citizens, but the value of its fruits far outweigh the negatives. The trickle down effects of the programme have so far resulted in reduction in incidences of HIV/AIDS cases.
The Symposium concluded that, whilst UHC is difficult to achieve, most countries are looking at new technologies and interventions which are aimed at achieving the most favourable results using a cost-effective approach.
THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE REPORT
- The Executive Committee (EXCO) of the SADC Parliamentary Forum
(SADC PF) submitted its report for consideration and adoption. The
Executive Committee met on 6th and 7th November 2019, at 54 Bath,
Rosebank, Johannesburg, South Africa and again on 11th and 12th
December 2019, at the Swakopmund Hotel and Entertainment Centre.
As a result of the report, the Plenary Assembly expressed profound gratitude to the National Assembly of Namibia for hosting the Plenary
Assembly less than a month after holding their general elections. The Plenary Assembly noted that this noble gesture demonstrated the steadfast and exemplary commitment by the Republic of Namibia to the promotion of inter-parliamentary cooperation. In the same vein, the
Plenary Assembly adopted a Hosting Calendar, with the pledge by the
Democratic Republic of Congo to host the 47th Plenary Assembly in
June 2020.
APPRECIATION OF THE THEME
EXCO expressed its gratitude that the theme for the Plenary Assembly resonated with the contemporary global developmental discourse as evidenced by the adoption of the Political Declaration on Universal Health Coverage by the United Nations General Assembly at the seventy fourth (74th) Session of the United Nations General
Assembly High Level Meeting on Universal Health Coverage held on
23rd September 2019 as well as the adoption of a similar theme by the
International Parliamentary Union (IPU) at its 141st Assembly held in Belgrade, Serbia in October 2019.
The proposed theme thus confirmed that the Forum remained attuned to the global development agenda. Additionally, it was opportune to adopt the theme during the Plenary, given the impending official commencement of the SRHR, HIV and AIDS Governance Project (2019-2022) which has a dedicated focus area on universal health coverage.
ELECTION OBSERVATION MISSIONS (EOMS)
The Plenary Assembly noted with concern that the Forum is failing to sponsor election observation missions to Member Parliaments’ elections. The Assembly urged the Secretariat and Member Parliaments to do everything possible to ensure that the region tells its own story on elections than to be rated by outsiders such as the European Union and
Commonwealth observers.
Furthermore, the Plenary Assembly urged the Secretariat to produce an analytical report, drawn from reports of the various observer missions that details the experiences of the different SADC countries in conducting elections and the recommended best practices drawn from these experiences in the context of the SADC Model Law on Elections. In that way, the Forum would create a niche for itself as a leading voice for democratic elections in the region despite the budgetary constraints which continue to hamper the fielding of EOMs.
Implementation of Phase II of the SRHR, HIV and AIDS
Governance Project
The EXCO reported with gratitude the renewed funding of the project by Sweden for a further three years commencing on 1st July 2019 to 30th June 2022. Pursuant to this, the Secretariat had officially written to national Parliaments on 02 August 2019, inviting each
Parliament to participate in the Project by signing Project
Implementation Agreements and appointing SRHR Researchers.
However, the EXCO reported with concern that to date, Project
Implementation Agreements had been signed by only eight (8) national
Parliaments, namely, the DRC, the Kingdom of Eswatini, Lesotho, Namibia, Mauritius, Seychelles, Zambia and Zimbabwe as confirmation of their commitment to implement the Project. Tanzania opted not to participate in the current project, electing to join the programme in its third phase.
Admission of the Parliament of Madagascar as SADC PF
Member
The Plenary Assembly unanimously adopted a resolution for the admission of Madagascar into the SADC PF. The Plenary Assembly made a grandiose and highly-publicised welcome debate on the return of Madagascar to the Forum with the Hon. Speaker, Advocate Jacob Francis Mudenda, making a leading and impassioned speech to welcome
Madagascar as a fully-fledged Member of SADC PF.
Update on Transformation of the Forum into a SADC
Regional Parliament
Pursuant to the negative perceptions in some countries on the
Transformation Agenda, the Plenary Assembly resolved that all Member
Parliaments should play their part in ensuring that the Heads of State and Government as well as Ministers of Foreign Affairs do support the transformation of the Forum into a SADC Regional Parliament. To this end, the Plenary adopted the following strategies:
- A Committee of Speakers, comprising the Hon. Speakers of Angola, Mozambique, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe, be reconstituted without delay to spearhead lobbying efforts to targeted Heads of State and Government;
- The SADC PF Secretariat in liaison with Hon. Speaker
Professor Peter Katjavivi (Namibia) and Hon. Speaker Advocate Jacob Francis Mudenda (Zimbabwe) must expeditiously produce an advocacy strategy detailing how the Committee is going to operate and the revised approach to the transformation which addresses all the concerns of the Heads of State and Government and Council of Ministers; and iii. The Parliamentary Model and Roadmap for Transformation would be discarded since an expensive similar exercise had already been undertaken. The report was submitted to the SADC Secretariat. The Plenary Assembly believed that no positive purpose would be served by repeating the Roadmap. What needs to be done is to produce a script roadmap accompanied by a draft Constitutive Protocol and a revised SADC Treaty which incorporates the transformation protocol as the Parliamentary Model and Roadmap.
Adoption of the Resolution to set up a Trust Fund
Plenary Assembly noted with concern the over-reliance of the
Forum on Members’ annual contributions, some of which were not paid timeously thus adversely affecting the Forum’s balance sheet. To this end, the Plenary Assembly adopted the recommendation by the EXCO to explore innovative financing strategies to fund the activities of the Forum such as the creation of a Trust Fund for Parliamentary Capacity Development where donors, who uphold the values of Parliaments and inter-parliamentary cooperation, have an avenue to donate funds to be used for this purpose. The Plenary Assembly noted that this was the prevailing practice worldwide as international organisations develop Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs) in the mode of a Trust. The Plenary Assembly tasked the EXCO in liaison with the Secretariat to work on the legal modalities to establish the
Trust.
4.7 Motivation for a Model Law on Public Financial
Management
The Plenary Assembly received a report on the dire need to enhance the management of public finances in the SADC region by developing a Model Law on Public Financial Management that seeks to reinforce the powers of Parliament with regards to its sacrosanct budgetary function and ensure that SADC Parliaments can properly exercise their oversight function over the use of public funds.
Accordingly, the Plenary Assembly requested the Secretariat to explore appropriate donor agencies and international financial institutions that could assist in the development of this Model Law.
Increasing the Visibility of the Forum
- The Plenary Assembly expressed grave concern over the absence of a dedicated communication strategy to make the work of the Forum visible at a time when efforts to transform SADC PF into a SADC Regional Parliament were gaining momentum. The Plenary Assembly acknowledged that lately, a lot of important programmes and activities were being conducted under the auspices of the Forum without being adequately publicised. Accordingly, the Plenary Assembly adopted a resolution that the Forum considers enhancing its visibility through engaging a communication specialist, working closely with mainstream media in Member States as well as through other approaches such as the production of a regular e-newsletter which would be circulated to Member Parliaments, regional and international Parliamentary organisations and interested stakeholders.
- The Plenary Assembly also requested the Secretariat to utilise the social media, the Forum’s website and any other means of information dissemination that would enhance the visibility of the Forum.
TREASURER’S REPORT
The Plenary Assembly noted that Zimbabwe, among other
Member Parliaments, had fully paid her subscriptions up to 2020. This payment has assisted in raising Zimbabwe’s standing in the regional body since the country is a critical player in most of the initiatives at the Forum. It was noted, with appreciation, that there was no country that was in arrears for more than 12 months. Member Parliaments still in arrears were urged to pay up.
MOTIONS ADOPTED DURING PLENARY ASSEMBLY
In tandem with its constitutive mandate, as the policy making and deliberative body of SADC PF, the 45th Plenary Assembly discussed
and resolved on various issues raised in the motions.
Motion for the adoption of the Report of the Regional
Parliamentary Model Laws Oversight Committee
The Plenary Assembly adopted the motion’s resolution in order to enhance accountability in the legislative processes of the SADC Forum’s Parliamentary practices.
The Plenary Assembly further stressed the need for a reporting mechanism to ensure the monitoring and evaluation of the progress being made in respective Parliaments when model laws come into force.
Motion and debate on the Report of the Joint Session of SADC
PF Standing Committees in the SADC Region
- The Plenary Session adopted the theme of the 46th Plenary Assembly which resonated with the Sustainable Development Goals as well as the Political Declaration on Universal Health Coverage issued by the United Nations General Assembly on 23rd September 2019.
- Plenary Assembly endorsed the need to do everything possible in the region to lead advocacy at the regional and international level for the national budgets to finance key health issues, especially those targeted at young women.
Motion and debate for the adoption of the Report of the
Standing Committee on Gender Equality, Women
Advancement and Youth Development
The Plenary Assembly commended the progress made towards the implementation of the youth programmes by Member Parliaments. However, it was noted that some SADC-PF Member Parliaments are still hesitant to include young Members in their delegations to the SADC-PF. A deliberate amendment to the Constitution would be made in this regard to provide for a youth quota in SADC PF delegations.
Motion and debate for the adoption of the Report of the
Standing Committee on Democratisation, Governance and
Human Rights
The Plenary Assembly resolved as follows: -
SADC PF and national Parliaments should not lose momentum on the commendable work done since 1999, when election observation missions were commenced in the region. While elections do not equate to democracy, they remain a critical pillar for the enhancement of democracy. The Model Law is, therefore, a critical tool in democracy building as it covers the entire election cycle.
The region must focus its efforts towards the incorporation of progressive initiatives such as the Model Law on Elections into the national legal and policy frameworks to ensure that the region is in sync with best practices. The Plenary Assembly resolved to task Presiding Officers to champion the adoption of the model law in their respective Parliaments.
Adoption of the Report of the Standing Committee on Human and Social Development and Special Programmes
The Plenary Assembly resolved that:
- Universal Health Coverage be is intricately intertwined with the SRHR Agenda in order to promote holistic health service delivery with adequate financial resources and human capital.
Motion and debate for the adoption of the Report of the
Standing Committee on Trade, Industry, Finance and
Infrastructure (TIFI)
The TIFI Standing Committee reported on the African Free Trade Area issues with regard to the digital economy, sovereign debt, illicit financial flaws, mining sector, renewable energy, access to medicine and public health. The Plenary Assembly urged the national Portfolio
Committees in each Parliament to drive the TIFI agenda.
Motion and Debate for the Adoption of the Report of the Regional
Women’s Parliamentary Caucus
The Plenary Assembly resolved as follows: -
That the Model Law on Gender Based Violence (GBV) be adopted by SADC Member States and domesticated into municipal laws to combat the scourge of gender-based violence.
Motion and Debate for the Adoption of the Report of the Food,
Agriculture Committee (FANR)
- The Plenary Assembly adopted the call on developed countries to deliver on their commitments to provide adequate and additional climate finance in order to maintain the sustainability of the
Green Climate Fund.
- The Plenary Assembly further resolved that there is a need for SADC Governments to ensure the facilitation of the participation of the affected communities in the design, implementation and monitoring of all climate change interventions in the region.
- DEBATES ON MOTIONS BY MEMBER PARLIAMENTS
Developing Cross-border Agricultural Value Chains in SADC as a Catalyst for Successful Implementation of the African
Continental Free Trade Area Agreement (AFCFTA)
- SADC-PF Member Parliaments were encouraged to robustly
interrogate and debate the merits and modalities of regional agricultural value chains as a priority area for SADC’s integration as an enabler towards the successful implementation of the AFCFTA.
Motion on the Lifting of Economic Sanctions Imposed against the Republic of Zimbabwe
In a motion moved by Angola and seconded by Malawi, the Plenary Assembly debated a motion condemning, in the strongest possible terms, the illegal and unjustified economic sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe by the United States of America, the European Union, and their western allies, and called for their immediate and unconditional removal.
The SADC region spoke with one voice in condemning the unjust and illegal sanctions which violate international law and have caused untold suffering to the people of Zimbabwe.
The Plenary Assembly opined that the illegal sanctions undermined
Zimbabwe’s efforts to attract investment and realise its national development goals. Furthermore, the lifting of sanctions imposed against Zimbabwe and the evident regional and continental solidarity has the potential to return the country to its former glory of being ‘the breadbasket’ of the SADC Region.
After the robust debate on the motion, it was resolved that:
- The SADC Parliamentary Forum issues a statement condemning the illegal sanctions
imposed on the people of Zimbabwe.
- SADC PF Member countries should embark on a sustained move to champion debate in their respective Parliaments on the removal of illegal sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe.
- The SADC Parliamentary Forum must draft an emergency item calling for the unconditional removal of sanctions to be placed on agenda for the 142nd Inter-Parliamentary Union Assembly and Related Meetings.
- The region must buttress Zimbabwe’s Parliamentary Diplomacy efforts by engaging in missions in their own jurisdictions championing the need to remove sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe.
The SADC Parliamentary Forum should affirm its intentions and collective voice clear that the unwarranted, unjust and illegal sanctions imposed on the people of Zimbabwe are stunting economic growth in the region and should be removed immediately and unconditionally.
8.0 RECOMMENDATIONS
Recommendation | Action | Timeline | |
8.1 | Debate on lifting of Sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe | -The Hon. Speaker to write and remind SADC PF President Members on the need to debate the matter in their Assemblies. -Parliament to institute a deliberate communication strategy that speaks to the effects of the sanctions on the country. - A Deliberate study by the
Portfolio Committee on Justice, |
April 2020
|
Legal and Parliamentary Affairs and the Thematic Committee on Human Rights on the effects of the present sanctions regime against Zimbabwe which started in December 2001, when the United States Congress passed the Zimbabwe Democracy and Recovery Act (ZIDERA).
Deliberate study on the provisions of the Act which opposes extension of loans or debt cancellations from Multilateral Financial Institutions (IMF, World Bank and AfDB) to Zimbabwe in the context of reengament. |
|||
8.2 | Portfolio Committee on Health and Child Welfare to debate on action plan to assist the country achieve Universal Health Care
(UHC) |
-Line Ministry to meet with Portfolio Committee on Health and Child Welfare to discuss resolutions adopted on Universal Health Coverage.
- Parliament of Zimbabwe, through the Portfolio Committee on Health and Child Care, to play its oversight role by assessing the factors mitigating against the achievement of UHC and making recommendations that will propel the attainment of UHC |
March 2020 |
8.3 | Transformation of the SADC PF into a Regional Parliament | . SADC PF Secretariat in liaison with Hon. Speaker Professor Peter Katjavivi (Namibia) and
Hon. Advocate Jacob Francis Mudenda, Speaker of the National Assembly (Zimbabwe) to expeditiously produce an advocacy strategy detailing how the Committee is going to operate and the revised approach to the transformation which addresses all the concerns and misconceptions of the Heads of State and Government and Council of Ministers. |
March 2020 |
8.4 | SADC Member States to develop comprehensive domestic laws to combat the scourge of gender-based violence which reflect international and regional human rights standards.
|
. -Members of Parliament in the SADC PF delegation to discuss key points on the model law and propagate them to other Members of Parliament through a motion. | March 2020
|
8.5 | The need to deliver on commitments to provide adequate and additional climate finance in order to maintain the sustainability of the Green Climate Fund.
|
-Sustained debate led by
Members of Parliament in all Portfolio Committees including those who participate in COP Meetings. A deliberate effort should be made to ensure that all Members are party to debate on the effects of Climate Change - Oversight on the implementation of the National Climate Change Response Strategy by the Portfolio Committee on Environment.
|
March 2020 |
8.6 | Domestication of the Model
Law on Elections
|
Portfolio Committee on Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs to engage the Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs to make action plans on the necessary steps to domesticate the model law through a motion sponsored by a member of the SADC PF delegation. | March 2020 |
8.7 | Mobilisation effort on Election Observation Missions | -Parliament of Zimbabwe, liaise with donors, stakeholders on the need to mobilise resources for election observation missions
|
February 2020 |
8.8 | Motivation for a Model Law on Public Financial Management | . The Public Accounts Committee in liaison with the Portfolio
Committee on Justice Legal and Parliamentary Affairs to research on important aspects of developing a Model Law on Public Financial Management that seeks to reinforce the powers of Parliament with regards to its sacrosanct budgetary function and ensure that Parliament can properly exercise its oversight |
April 2020 |
function over the use of public finance.
|
CONCLUSION
The Plenary Assembly appreciated the excellent hosting arrangements made by the National Assembly of Namibia, and rendered its gratitude to host Speaker, Professor Katjavivi.
Parliament of Zimbabwe stands to benefit by adopting resolutions of the 46th Plenary Assembly as they summarise the collective concerns of citizens in the region.
Once again, the delegation from Zimbabwe was able to fly the national flag high as they made many pointed and evidence-based contributions on various issues of regional concern. I thank you.
HON. TOGAREPI: Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir. I am here to support and second my colleague Hon. Ndiweni on this special report. I support the views that were raised during the discussions especially where you find that as Africans we now want to champion our own destiny. You realise that as a country, Zimbabwe is leading in ratifying protocols that come to strengthen Africa and African unity. I am very excited with your delegation that was led by our Speaker. The efforts that were put forward culminated into the discussion on various areas.
I want to note the area where you discussed about illegal sanctions that were imposed on the people of Zimbabwe in an effort to destroy us, to dampen our spirits and to abandon the land reform programme. Our brothers and sisters across SADC, across Africa have come to work with us in demanding the unconditional removal of the unjust sanctions. That was an important achievement. As a delegation, you then get favour from our friends, brothers and nations in Southern Africa that these sanctions must go and must go now. It is critical that as Members of Parliament in the august House, Zimbabwean Parliament should also take a stance in support of this important motion that was raised and debated. You can tell that people out there see the unfairness of these sanctions but you find sometimes some of our people failing to realise the logic and the intention of these sanctions which is purely to destroy the people of Zimbabwe economically and politically in any other spheres of life. As long as we are sanctioned they are going to destroy us as a people. We expect t he people of Zimbabwe especially the representatives of the people of Zimbabwe, the Members of Parliament to take a lead in following this example. It is my proposal that as we proceed to debate this motion we take note and actively show the world, SADC and the people of Zimbabwe that as representatives of our people we do not want to see these sanctions. These sanctions must go and our voices must be heard.
I also want to support the efforts by the people of Africa especially SADC for their conscience, for respecting the development of women and youths. These are the majority of our people. If we do not put resources, if we do not concentrate in uplifting this section of our democracy, we will destroy all the impetus to move forward. This was a critical motion.
I want us to look at this as Parliament of Zimbabwe where there is desire to come up with SADC Parliament. It is a critical area and a stepping stone towards uniting Africa. If you look at ECOWAZ and Central Africa, they have made efforts that have to unite those blocks. We can also take the same effort to end up with a regional currency, regional Parliament and base our laws on model laws that can be developed by the SADC Parliament. This will help cement our people because the fear from most politicians and nationalities today to unite countries is to lose ground or political influence. If we are united as
Southern Africa we become stronger as a market and as a political voice. This is a critical motion which Zimbabwe already participates fully and it is encouraging. I am happy that we were included in the committee that is going to stir this into fruition. It is important that we look and participate in a strong way that this is achieved. Mr. Speaker, this was an important mission.
In conclusion, I would like to say we need to have a communication strategy to deal with the sanctions issue. As Parliament and Members of Parliament of Zimbabwe, let us be at the forefront.
SADC Parliament has already given us the foundation to deal with this.
They are with us and it is critical that we start acting with speed and deal with those. Sanctions must go and leave the people of Zimbabwe developing their country. That can only happen if Members of Parliament here who purport to represent the people of Zimbabwe are united against the illegal sanctions imposed on our people. I thank you.
HON. MUNETSI: Thank you Mr. Speaker for giving me time to discourse on the motion. We are Africans and will remain Africans. The world out there must know that an African is an African and will remain African. The issue of sanctions does not change us from being Africans. They can put more and more sanctions but that does not change us from being Africans. We will stand resolute and condemn them to the fullest. We do not like sanctions, they must go. I want to applaud the Committee which went out together with the Speaker and I have seen that when Zimbabweans go out there, they raise high the emblem of Zimbabwe and that is very good. We do not like people just go out there and sit, relax and get allowances for nothing. When you come back with reports of this nature, it gives us vigour to know that we are represented when we go out there.
Thanks for SADC in recognizing the support for youth and women empowerment. I want to believe that if that is done collectively as countries in the SADC, we will climb Mount Everest tirelessly. Thank you.
HON. A. MPOFU: Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir. Firstly, I would like to thank the Hon. Member, Hon. Ndiweni for his report. This report is indeed very important. When you have a home and you see your neighbours supporting the kind of actions that you are doing in order to build and sustain your home, then you know that what you are doing is in the right direction. So, it is very important indeed that when our neighbours do take the front line seat to support our fight against unjust and illegal sanction, it only emphasises that we as Zimbabweans should be prepared to take a stand.
As has already been alluded by the hon. speaker, we are the representatives of the people of Zimbabwe who are actually suffering from illegal sanctions. We represent the very people who are suffering from illegal sanctions and it is only fair to them that we should all be prepared to stand up and add our voice to that. Again, it is very heartening indeed that the Hon. Members who went to represent our country and this august House were able to fly the flag high. A very critical and sensitive issue today is for each country or jurisdiction is the reputation and the image which is given by the citizens of a country as they go out. Therefore, when you get representatives going out and raising the flag high, speaking positively about their own country that indeed is commendable. I would like this august House to really congratulate and pat on the back the Members who actually went out there. We do hope that this kind of action which came up of the SADC Parliamentary Forum should be reflected, particularly in this House going forward by us doing what has been done in other jurisdictions where Members of Parliament representing their people have stood up. All of us, whenever we are out there should stand up and positively about our country rather than denigrate its reputation. I would like to say thank you Mr. Speaker Sir.
HON. R.R. NYATHI: Mr. Speaker Sir, I just want to add my voice in brief about the SADC Plenary Forum that was carried out in Namibia from 10th to 17th December, 2019. What is more exciting in what the other Hon. Members have already spoken about is the care and concern of all other SADC heads of State stating that sanctions must be unconditionally lifted on Zimbabwe. Furthermore, when they state that these sanctions are also affecting their own countries, it therefore means that those people that are having a song to say sanctions are targeted are misled because if they were targeted, they were not going to affect the neighbouring countries and Africa at large. So, I am very glad and I am very thankful for a good job that was done in that Plenary Session that occurred in Namibia. I thank you Mr. Speaker Sir.
HON. TOGAREPI: Hon. Speaker, I move that the debate do now adjourn.
HON. MUTAMBISI: I second.
Motion put and agreed to.
Debate to resume: Wednesday, 23rd September, 2020.
On the motion of HON. TOGAREPI seconded by HON.
MUTAMBISI, the House adjourned at Six Minutes to Seven o’clock p.m.
PARLIAMENT OF ZIMBABWE
Tuesday, 22nd September 2020.
The Senate met at Half-past Two O’clock p.m.
PRAYERS
(THE HON. PRESIDENT OF SENATE in the Chair)
THE HON. PRESIDENT OF SENATE: Order, order Hon. Senators. Before we go on with our Business, may I remind you on social distancing please? You can leave a chair in between so that you are far away from each other.
ANNOUNCMENTS BY THE HON. PRESIDENT OF SENATE
SENATE SITTING ARRANEGMENT
THE HON. PRESIDENT OF SENATE:I wish to inform the Senate that the Senate will be sitting in the Senate Chamber this week. Senators are advised to come to the Senate Chamber in order to register their attendance.
CONTRIBUTIONS BY HON. SENATORS
THE HON. PRESIDENT OF SENATE: To ensure maintenance of social distancing in the Senate, in line with World Health Organisation Guidelines on COVID – 19, as advised by the Ministry of Health and Child Care, Senators are advised to sit in the Gallery as guided by your Chief Whips. Senators are encouraged to follow proceeding in their hotel rooms or from wherever they are. Senators are also reminded to connect to their devices whenever they take part in the debate.
MOTION
BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE
THE MINISTER OF PUBLIC SERVICE, LABOUR AND SOCIAL WELFARE (HON. PROF. MAVIMA): Thank you Madam President. I move that Orders of the Day, Numbers 1 to 3 be stood over until the rest of the Orders of the Day have been disposed of.
Motion put and agreed to.
MOTION
REPORT OF THE 46TH PLENARY ASSEMBLY SESSION OF SADC PARLIAMENTARY FORUM
HON. SEN. MOHADI: I move the motion standing in my name that this House takes note of the Report of the 46th Plenary Assembly Session of SADC Parliamentary Forum held from 10th to 17th December, 2019 at Swakomund, Namibia.
HON. SEN. RAMBANEPASI: I second.
HON. SEN. MOHADI: Thank you Madam President for giving
me this opportunity to give my report on the 46th Plenary Assembly Session of the SADC Parliamentary Forum which was convened in Swakopmund, Namibia from 10 to 17 December 2019 under the theme: “The Role of SADC Parliaments in ensuring Universal Health Coverage by the year 2030”. Thirteen (13) Member Parliaments were represented at the Plenary Assembly, namely, Angola; Botswana; Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC); The Kingdom of Eswatini; Malawi; Mozambique; Lesotho; Namibia; Seychelles; Tanzania; South Africa; Zambia and Zimbabwe.
The Speaker’s delegation from Zimbabwe was led by Hon.
Advocate Jacob Francis Mudenda, Speaker of the National Assembly, and it comprised the following Members and Officers 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, incoming Member of the Standing Committee on Democratization, Governance and Human Rights;
- Anele Ndebele, Member of the Standing Committee on Trade, Industry, Finance and Investment; and
- Bacillia Majaya, Member of the Standing Committee on Human and Social Development and Special Programmes.
The following attended the Plenary Assembly as support staff: -
- Mr Kennedy Mugove Chokuda, Clerk of Parliament;
- Ndamuka Marimo, Director in the Clerk’s Office;
- Frank Mike Nyamahowa, Director in the Hon. Speaker’s Office;
- Cleophas Gwakwara, Principal External Relations Officer and Secretary to the Delegation;
- Martha Mushandinga, Principal Executive Assistant; and
- Clive Zvimekria Mukushwa, Security – Aide to the Speaker.
Official Opening Ceremony
The 46th Plenary Assembly was officially opened on Friday 13
December 2019 at the Swakopmund Entertainment Centre, with the
Vice-President of the Republic of Namibia, His Excellency, Nangolo
Mbumba, as Guest of Honour.
Hon. Vice-President Mbumba, welcomed delegates to Namibia,
affectionately and popularly known as the “Land of the brave’. The
Vice–President explained that Namibia is the driest country in the
whole of the SADC Region. He further pointed out that Namibia was the
last country to fight two colonial Governments, namely, the German
Government, and the old South African Government with unmatched
fortitude.
Hon. Vice- President Mbumba appreciated the role SADC played
in Namibia’s fight for independence and pointed out that the country
was delighted to host those who supported her quest for freedom
and independence. It was an imperative for Namibia to actively support
the transformation of the SADC Parliamentary Forum into a SADC
regional Parliament.
The President of SADC PF and Speaker of the National Assembly
of Mozambique, Hon. Veronica Nataniel Macamo Dlhovo, thanked the
Hon. Vice- President for officially opening the Plenary Assembly and
welcomed the delegates by firstly, congratulating Namibia for
holding peaceful elections and acceding to host the Plenary Assembly
shortly thereafter. Hon. Dlhovo emphasised the need to upscale the
lobbying process for the transformation of the SADC PF into a
Regional Parliament.
SYMPOSIUM: THE ROLE OF SADC PARLIAMENTS IN ENSURING UNIVERSAL HEALTH COVERAGE (UHC), BY 2030
The Speaker of the National Assembly of Namibia, Hon Professor
Peter Katjavivi, chaired the Symposium. The broad definition of
Universal Health Coverage is a deliberate endeavour to ensure that all
people have access to health care and have no financial risk or hardship
in doing so. It was noted that measures to eliminate Malaria, Tuberculosis and HIV and AIDS can only succeed within the context of Universal Health Coverage. Thus, UHC must be viewed in its broadest context as a developmental agenda, a driver of socio-economic development. UHC is indeed a worthwhile investment.
The Symposium was also addressed by Mrs Katjivena, Deputy Executive Director, Department on Policy Development and Resources Management in Namibia, outlining that since independence, the country’s mission has been to promote integrated, affordable, accessible, quality, equitable health and social services that are responsive to the needs of the population. The country continued to work towards achieving Universal Health Coverage through this mission. Namibia has adopted the Primary Health Care approach as a cost-effective method of delivering health services and bringing health care closer and cost-effectively to the people.
It was noted that there are an infinite range of ways of delivering services in health, but no country in the world has reached the apex in UHC. The idea is to come up with new technologies and cost effective means of delivering health services. In this regard, most of the countries that have started making progress have started looking at what is currently available in the health delivery system and trying to define explicitly a set of services that will give the most favourable results on health services.
The Symposium was informed that since independence in 1980, Zimbabwe has facilitated the drafting of strategies, policies and laws to promote UHC. Amongst these, the Legislature came up with a Patients’ Charter in 1996, which provides information on the rights and responsibilities of patients and health providers.
The Parliament of Zimbabwe has passed multiple legislation that govern various components of health financing functions and the delivery of health care. The main legislation for health being the Constitution, which guarantees health as a right for all citizens. The Constitution of Zimbabwe, in Section 76, clearly states that: “(a) every citizen and permanent resident of Zimbabwe has the right to access basic health care services including health service; (b) every person living with a chronic illness has the right to have access to basic health care services for the illness; (c) No person can be refused medical treatment in any health care institution; (d) the State must take responsible legislative and other measures within limits of the resources available to it to achieve the progressive realisation of the rights set out in the Constitution.”
Zimbabwe also takes pride in having a sustained policy of directing resources to prevention of diseases and maintenance of primary health care. The country also boasts of having a flagship programme, the AIDS levy and National Aids Trust Fund that were established in 1999. Naturally, the programme may have contributed to the tax burden the country’s citizens, but the value of its fruits far outweigh the negatives. The trickle down effects of the programme have so far resulted in reduction in incidences of HIV/AIDS cases.
The Symposium concluded that, whilst UHC is difficult to achieve, most countries are looking at new technologies and interventions which are aimed at achieving the most favourable results using a cost-effective approach.
THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE REPORT
The Executive Committee (EXCO) of the SADC Parliamentary Forum (SADC PF) submitted its report for consideration and adoption. The Executive Committee met on 6th and 7th November 2019, at 54 Bath, Rosebank, Johannesburg, South Africa and again on 11th and 12th December 2019, at the Swakopmund Hotel and Entertainment Centre.
As a result of the report, the Plenary Assembly expressed profound gratitude to the National Assembly of Namibia for hosting the Plenary Assembly less than a month after holding their general elections. The Plenary Assembly noted that this noble gesture demonstrated the steadfast and exemplary commitment by the Republic of Namibia to the promotion of inter-parliamentary cooperation. In the same vein, the Plenary Assembly adopted a Hosting Calendar, with the pledge by the Democratic Republic of Congo to host the 47th Plenary Assembly in June 2020.
APPRECIATION OF THE THEME
EXCO expressed its gratitude that the theme for the Plenary Assembly resonated with the contemporary global developmental discourse as evidenced by the adoption of the Political Declaration on Universal Health Coverage by the United Nations General Assembly at the seventy fourth (74th) Session of the United Nations General Assembly High Level Meeting on Universal Health Coverage held on 23rd September 2019 as well as the adoption of a similar theme by the International Parliamentary Union (IPU) at its 141st Assembly held in Belgrade, Serbia in October 2019.
The proposed theme thus confirmed that the Forum remained attuned to the global development agenda. Additionally, it was opportune to adopt the theme during the Plenary, given the impending official commencement of the SRHR, HIV and AIDS Governance Project (2019-2022) which has a dedicated focus area on universal health coverage.
ELECTION OBSERVATION MISSIONS (EOMS)
The Plenary Assembly noted with concern that the Forum is failing to sponsor election observation missions to Member Parliaments’ elections. The Assembly urged the Secretariat and Member Parliaments to do everything possible to ensure that the region tells its own story on elections than to be rated by outsiders such as the European Union and Commonwealth observers.
Furthermore, the Plenary Assembly urged the Secretariat to produce an analytical report, drawn from reports of the various observer missions that details the experiences of the different SADC countries in conducting elections and the recommended best practices drawn from these experiences in the context of the SADC Model Law on Elections. In that way, the Forum would create a niche for itself as a leading voice for democratic elections in the region despite the budgetary constraints which continue to hamper the fielding of EOMs.
Implementation of Phase II of the SRHR, HIV and AIDS Governance Project
The EXCO reported with gratitude the renewed funding of the project by Sweden for a further three years commencing on 1st July 2019 to 30th June 2022. Pursuant to this, the Secretariat had officially written to national Parliaments on 02 August 2019, inviting each Parliament to participate in the Project by signing Project Implementation Agreements and appointing SRHR Researchers. However, the EXCO reported with concern that to date, Project Implementation Agreements had been signed by only eight (8) national Parliaments, namely, the DRC, the Kingdom of Eswatini, Lesotho, Namibia, Mauritius, Seychelles, Zambia and Zimbabwe as confirmation of their commitment to implement the Project. Tanzania opted not to participate in the current project, electing to join the programme in its third phase.
Admission of the Parliament of Madagascar as SADC PF Member
The Plenary Assembly unanimously adopted a resolution for the admission of Madagascar into the SADC PF. The Plenary Assembly made a grandiose and highly-publicised welcome debate on the return of Madagascar to the Forum with the Hon. Speaker, Advocate Jacob Francis Mudenda, making a leading and impassioned speech to welcome Madagascar as a fully-fledged Member of SADC PF.
Update on Transformation of the Forum into a SADC Regional Parliament
Pursuant to the negative perceptions in some countries on the Transformation Agenda, the Plenary Assembly resolved that all Member Parliaments should play their part in ensuring that the Heads of State and Government as well as Ministers of Foreign Affairs do support the transformation of the Forum into a SADC Regional Parliament. To this end, the Plenary adopted the following strategies:
- A Committee of Speakers, comprising the Hon. Speakers of Angola, Mozambique, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe, be reconstituted without delay to spearhead lobbying efforts to targeted Heads of State and Government;
- The SADC PF Secretariat in liaison with Hon. Speaker Professor Peter Katjavivi (Namibia) and Hon. Speaker Advocate Jacob Francis Mudenda (Zimbabwe) must expeditiously produce an advocacy strategy detailing how the Committee is going to operate and the revised approach to the transformation which addresses all the concerns of the Heads of State and Government and Council of Ministers; and
- The Parliamentary Model and Roadmap for Transformation would be discarded since an expensive similar exercise had already been undertaken. The report was submitted to the SADC Secretariat. The Plenary Assembly believed that no positive purpose would be served by repeating the Roadmap. What needs to be done is to produce a script roadmap accompanied by a draft Constitutive Protocol and a revised SADC Treaty which incorporates the transformation protocol as the Parliamentary Model and Roadmap.
Adoption of the Resolution to set up a Trust Fund
Plenary Assembly noted with concern the over-reliance of the Forum on Members’ annual contributions, some of which were not paid timeously thus adversely affecting the Forum’s balance sheet.
To this end, the Plenary Assembly adopted the recommendation by the EXCO to explore innovative financing strategies to fund the activities of the Forum such as the creation of a Trust Fund for Parliamentary Capacity Development where donors, who uphold the values of Parliaments and inter-parliamentary cooperation, have an avenue to donate funds to be used for this purpose. The Plenary Assembly noted that this was the prevailing practice worldwide as international organisations develop Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs) in the mode of a Trust. The Plenary Assembly tasked the EXCO in liaison with the Secretariat to work on the legal modalities to establish the Trust.
4.7 Motivation for a Model Law on Public Financial Management
The Plenary Assembly received a report on the dire need to enhance the management of public finances in the SADC region by developing a Model Law on Public Financial Management that seeks to reinforce the powers of Parliament with regards to its sacrosanct budgetary function and ensure that SADC Parliaments can properly exercise their oversight function over the use of public funds. Accordingly, the Plenary Assembly requested the Secretariat to explore appropriate donor agencies and international financial institutions that could assist in the development of this Model Law.
Increasing the Visibility of the Forum
The Plenary Assembly expressed grave concern over the absence of a dedicated communication strategy to make the work of the Forum visible at a time when efforts to transform SADC PF into a SADC Regional Parliament were gaining momentum. The Plenary Assembly acknowledged that lately, a lot of important programmes and activities were being conducted under the auspices of the Forum without being adequately publicised. Accordingly, the Plenary Assembly adopted a resolution that the Forum considers enhancing its visibility through engaging a communication specialist, working closely with mainstream media in Member States as well as through other approaches such as the production of a regular e-newsletter which would be circulated to Member Parliaments, regional and international Parliamentary organisations and interested stakeholders.
The Plenary Assembly also requested the Secretariat to utilise the social media, the Forum’s website and any other means of information dissemination that would enhance the visibility of the Forum.
TREASURER’S REPORT
The Plenary Assembly noted that Zimbabwe, among other Member Parliaments, had fully paid her subscriptions up to 2020. This payment has assisted in raising Zimbabwe’s standing in the regional body since the country is a critical player in most of the initiatives at the Forum. It was noted, with appreciation, that there was no country that was in arrears for more than 12 months. Member Parliaments still in arrears were urged to pay up.
MOTIONS ADOPTED DURING PLENARY ASSEMBLY
In tandem with its constitutive mandate, as the policy making and deliberative body of SADC PF, the 45th Plenary Assembly discussed and resolved on various issues raised in the motions.
Motion for the adoption of the Report of the Regional Parliamentary Model Laws Oversight Committee
The Plenary Assembly adopted the motion’s resolution in order to enhance accountability in the legislative processes of the SADC Forum’s Parliamentary practices.
The Plenary Assembly further stressed the need for a reporting mechanism to ensure the monitoring and evaluation of the progress being made in respective Parliaments when model laws come into force.
Motion and debate on the Report of the Joint Session of SADC PF Standing Committees in the SADC Region
The Plenary Session adopted the theme of the 46th Plenary Assembly which resonated with the Sustainable Development Goals as well as the Political Declaration on Universal Health Coverage issued by the United Nations General Assembly on 23rd September 2019.
Plenary Assembly endorsed the need to do everything possible in the region to lead advocacy at the regional and international level for the national budgets to finance key health issues, especially those targeted at young women.
Motion and debate for the adoption of the Report of the Standing Committee on Gender Equality, Women Advancement and Youth Development
The Plenary Assembly commended the progress made towards the implementation of the youth programmes by Member Parliaments. However, it was noted that some SADC-PF Member Parliaments are still hesitant to include young Members in their delegations to the SADC-PF. A deliberate amendment to the Constitution would be made in this regard to provide for a youth quota in SADC PF delegations.
Motion and debate for the adoption of the Report of the Standing Committee on Democratisation, Governance and Human Rights
The Plenary Assembly resolved as follows: -
SADC PF and national Parliaments should not lose momentum on the commendable work done since 1999, when election observation missions were commenced in the region. While elections do not equate to democracy, they remain a critical pillar for the enhancement of democracy. The Model Law is, therefore, a critical tool in democracy building as it covers the entire election cycle.
The region must focus its efforts towards the incorporation of progressive initiatives such as the Model Law on Elections into the national legal and policy frameworks to ensure that the region is in sync with best practices. The Plenary Assembly resolved to task Presiding Officers to champion the adoption of the model law in their respective Parliaments.
Adoption of the Report of the Standing Committee on Human and Social Development and Special Programmes
The Plenary Assembly resolved that:
- Universal Health Coverage be is intricately intertwined with the SRHR Agenda in order to promote holistic health service delivery with adequate financial resources and human capital.
Motion and debate for the adoption of the Report of the Standing Committee on Trade, Industry, Finance and Infrastructure (TIFI)
The TIFI Standing Committee reported on the African Free Trade Area issues with regard to the digital economy, sovereign debt, illicit financial flaws, mining sector, renewable energy, access to medicine and public health. The Plenary Assembly urged the national Portfolio Committees in each Parliament to drive the TIFI agenda.
Motion and Debate for the Adoption of the Report of the Regional Women’s Parliamentary Caucus
The Plenary Assembly resolved as follows: -
- That the Model Law on Gender Based Violence (GBV) be adopted by SADC Member States and domesticated into municipal laws to combat the scourge of gender-based violence.
Motion and Debate for the Adoption of the Report of the Food, Agriculture Committee (FANR)
The Plenary Assembly adopted the call on developed countries to deliver on their commitments to provide adequate and additional climate finance in order to maintain the sustainability of the Green Climate Fund.
The Plenary Assembly further resolved that there is a need for SADC Governments to ensure the facilitation of the participation of the affected communities in the design, implementation and monitoring of all climate change interventions in the region.
DEBATES ON MOTIONS BY MEMBER PARLIAMENTS
Developing Cross-border Agricultural Value Chains in SADC as a Catalyst for Successful Implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement (AFCFTA)
SADC-PF Member Parliaments were encouraged to robustly interrogate and debate the merits and modalities of regional agricultural value chains as a priority area for SADC’s integration as an enabler towards the successful implementation of the AFCFTA.
Motion on the Lifting of Economic Sanctions Imposed against the Republic of Zimbabwe
In a motion moved by Angola and seconded by Malawi, the Plenary Assembly debated a motion condemning, in the strongest possible terms, the illegal and unjustified economic sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe by the United States of America, the European Union, and their western allies, and called for their immediate and unconditional removal.
The SADC region spoke with one voice in condemning the unjust and illegal sanctions which violate international law and have caused untold suffering to the people of Zimbabwe.
The Plenary Assembly opined that the illegal sanctions undermined Zimbabwe’s efforts to attract investment and realise its national development goals. Furthermore, the lifting of sanctions imposed against Zimbabwe and the evident regional and continental solidarity has the potential to return the country to its former glory of being ‘the breadbasket’ of the SADC Region.
After the robust debate on the motion, it was resolved that:
- The SADC Parliamentary Forum issues a statement condemning the illegal sanctions
imposed on the people of Zimbabwe.
- SADC PF Member countries should embark on a sustained move to champion debate in their respective Parliaments on the removal of illegal sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe.
- The SADC Parliamentary Forum must draft an emergency item calling for the unconditional removal of sanctions to be placed on agenda for the 142nd Inter-Parliamentary Union Assembly and Related Meetings.
- The region must buttress Zimbabwe’s Parliamentary Diplomacy efforts by engaging in missions in their own jurisdictions championing the need to remove sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe.
The SADC Parliamentary Forum should affirm its intentions and collective voice clear that the unwarranted, unjust and illegal sanctions imposed on the people of Zimbabwe are stunting economic growth in the region and should be removed immediately and unconditionally.
8.0 RECOMMENDATIONS
Recommendation | Action | Timeline | |
8.1 | Debate on lifting of Sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe | -The Hon. Speaker to write and remind SADC PF President Members on the need to debate the matter in their Assemblies.
-Parliament to institute a deliberate communication strategy that speaks to the effects of the sanctions on the country. - A Deliberate study by the Portfolio Committee on Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs and the Thematic Committee on Human Rights on the effects of the present sanctions regime against Zimbabwe which started in December 2001, when the United States Congress passed the Zimbabwe Democracy and Recovery Act (ZIDERA). Deliberate study on the provisions of the Act which opposes extension of loans or debt cancellations from Multilateral Financial Institutions (IMF, World Bank and AfDB) to Zimbabwe in the context of reengament. |
April 2020
|
8.2 | Portfolio Committee on Health and Child Welfare to debate on action plan to assist the country achieve Universal Health Care (UHC) | -Line Ministry to meet with Portfolio Committee on Health and Child Welfare to discuss resolutions adopted on Universal Health Coverage.
- Parliament of Zimbabwe, through the Portfolio Committee on Health and Child Care, to play its oversight role by assessing the factors mitigating against the achievement of UHC and making recommendations that will propel the attainment of UHC |
March 2020 |
8.3 | Transformation of the SADC PF into a Regional Parliament | SADC PF Secretariat in liaison with Hon. Speaker Professor Peter Katjavivi (Namibia) and Hon. Advocate Jacob Francis Mudenda, Speaker of the National Assembly (Zimbabwe) to expeditiously produce an advocacy strategy detailing how the Committee is going to operate and the revised approach to the transformation which addresses all the concerns and misconceptions of the Heads of State and Government and Council of Ministers. | March 2020 |
8.4 | SADC Member States to develop comprehensive domestic laws to combat the scourge of gender-based violence which reflect international and regional human rights standards.
|
-Members of Parliament in the SADC PF delegation to discuss
key points on the model law and propagate them to other Members of Parliament through a motion. |
March 2020
|
8.5 | The need to deliver on commitments to provide adequate and additional climate finance in order to maintain the sustainability of the Green Climate Fund.
|
-Sustained debate led by Members of Parliament in all Portfolio Committees including those who participate in COP Meetings. A deliberate effort should be made to ensure that all Members are party to debate on the effects of Climate Change
- Oversight on the implementation of the National Climate Change Response Strategy by the Portfolio Committee on Environment.
|
March 2020 |
8.6 | Domestication of the Model Law on Elections
|
Portfolio Committee on Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs to engage the Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs to make action plans on the necessary steps to domesticate the model law through a motion sponsored by a member of the SADC PF delegation. | March 2020 |
8.7 | Mobilisation effort on Election Observation Missions | -Parliament of Zimbabwe, liaise with donors, stakeholders on the need to mobilise resources for election observation missions
|
February 2020 |
8.8 | Motivation for a Model Law on Public Financial Management | The Public Accounts Committee in liaison with the Portfolio Committee on Justice Legal and Parliamentary Affairs to research on important aspects of developing a Model Law on Public Financial Management that seeks to reinforce the powers of Parliament with regards to its sacrosanct budgetary function and ensure that Parliament can properly exercise its oversight function over the use of public finance.
|
April 2020 |
CONCLUSION
The Plenary Assembly appreciated the excellent hosting arrangements made by the National Assembly of Namibia, and rendered its gratitude to host Speaker, Professor Katjavivi.
Parliament of Zimbabwe stands to benefit by adopting resolutions of the 46th Plenary Assembly as they summarise the collective concerns of citizens in the region.
Once again, the delegation from Zimbabwe was able to fly the national flag high as they made many pointed and evidence-based contributions on various issues of regional concern. I thank you.
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 23rd September, 2020.
MOTION
DISCHARGE OF CHILDREN UNDER CHILD CARE FACILITIES
HON. SEN. TONGOGARA: I move the motion standing in my name That this House;
MINDFUL that children under Child Care Facilities are discharged from such Institutions upon attainment of 18 years of age,
ALSO MINDFUL that the United Nations Guidelines and Zimbabwe’s National Residential Child Care Standard 6, recommends for a Discharge Plan for each child before leaving the Child Care Facility,
CONCERNED at the inadequacy of follow up programmes by the Department of Social Welfare in monitoring the discharged youths as a way of preventing them from aimlessly roaming the streets;
NOW, THEREFORE, calls upon Government to partner with other stakeholders and private sector to alleviate the challenges associated with such decisions.
HON. SEN. CHIRONGOMA: I second.
HON. SEN. TONGOGARA: Thank you Mr. President.
Background:
Mr. President, the Government of Zimbabwe has ratified the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child in 19190. The Government also ratified the Africa Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child in 1990. These ratifications are statements of the Government’s commitment to the enjoyment, realisation and fulfillment of children’s rights.
Mr. President, albeit ratification of the UNCR and African Charter on the rights and welfare of the child, the plight of a Zimbabwean child still leaves a lot to be desired. From a general perspective, it is only said that the child protection system in our country has not been effective in providing quality care and protection for these children.
In as much as there are several legislative and policy frameworks in place, these are failing to ameliorate the plight of the Zimbabwean child. Interventions such as BEAM, National African Plan for orphans and vulnerable children, the Victim Friendly Initiative and AMTO are needful Interventions but are not funded enough to take care of the needy children.
Admission to the institutional care facility.
Mr. President, even though the Children’s Act, the Government has made the process of placement of children very clear. Section 14 from the Children’s Act subsection(1) reads that any police officer, health officer, education officer or probation officer may remove a child or young person from any place to a place of safety if he/she is in the opinion of that officer, health care, education officer or probation officer, a child in need of care or if there are reasonable grounds for believing that an offence specified in the first schedule is being or has been committed upon or in connection with the child or young person.
This process is premised on the understanding that all children belong to the State and this means whenever a guardian or parent ill - treats a child or abuses them in any form or manner, the state using its officers, has the authority to take that child to a place of safety. However, the processes of replacement has to follow a protocol that is established from the identification to the placement of a child into an institution. Many steps and procedures have to be taken and fulfilled, for instance, placing a child in a place of safety for 14 days whilst the guardian or relative of the child is being looked for or is immediately committed to the institution. When a child is found having been abandoned, neglected, abused or in danger, the department of Social Welfare is notified about it.
Local police are conducted to investigate the circumstances that the child lives in – taking the place report to the Department of Social Welfare and depending on the circumstances and age of the child, he/she is taken to a hospital for a health check up. The police report, probation officer’s report, plus the medical report, and medical record are kept in the child’s file by the institution. The care plan is developed using information in determining whether the child should be placed in a safe place or should be placed in an available suitable institution.
Mr. President, let me acknowledge that the care plan must be done in the best interest of the child such as removing a child from abusive parents as a matter of urgency or ensuring that the child is placed in a specified care centre. The process of admission of children in residential care facilities in Zimbabwe has been simplified by the National Residential Child Care standards as follows:
All children to be placed in a residential care facility shall be formally committed through the Department of Social Welfare with Section 14, 15 and 16 of the Children’s Act Chapter 5.06. On admission, a development plan for each child shall be written. This development plan shall be drawn on the basis of each child’s needs, life situation, origin and social environment. The plan is developed in consultation with the child and his/her family. The probation officer and care giver will include the arrangements that are made for the child’s day to day care, health, education, physical, emotional as well as his/her cultural religious owned linguistic needs.
The department plan will also address the child’s longer term care needs and aim for an eventual family placement. The department plan shall be reviewed regularly but not less than every six months. Preparation for support for living institutional care.
Upon reaching the age of majority which is 18 years, children are discharged from institutions as per Section 24 of the Children’s Act (Chapter 5.06). In Zimbabwe, there are two principles that bind the Institution as to prepare a discharge plan for every child. These are the UN Guidelines and the National Child Care Standards which I will explain briefly below:
The UN Guidelines
The UN guidelines provide clear instructions of how the preparation for a child to leave a care facility should happen. For instance:
- Guideline 132 states that special efforts should be made to allocate to each child, whenever possible, a specialised person who can facilitate his/her independence when leaving care.
- Guideline 133 recommends that aftercare should be prepared as early as possible in the placement and, in any case, well before the child leaves care setting.
- Guideline 134 states that ongoing educational and vocational training opportunities should be imparted as part of the life skill education to young people leaving care in order to help them to become financially independent and generate their own income and;
- Guideline 135 also recommends that access to social, legal and health services, together with appropriate financial support, should also be provided to young people leaving care and during aftercare.
National Residential Child Care Standards (Zimbabwe)
Mr. President, The Government of Zimbabwe proactively responded to the U N Guidelines by coming up with the National Residential Child Care Standards which provide an enunciated plan of how children in a residential child care facility have to be prepared before leaving the facility. This is elucidated through Standard Six, which notes: A Discharge Plan shall be prepared for each child ready to leave care and is to be based on the individual care plan of the particular child. It will detail the process through which a child will become independent, returns to his or her family of origin or moves into another placement’ - section 37 of the Children’s Act, [Chapter 5.06].
Mr. President, let me explain the criteria recommended by that standard 6. Standard 6.1 states that “residential child care facility in consultation with the child and the department of Social Welfare shall plan and implement the discharge plan which shall outcome the following arrangements”;
- The continuing education, training or work.
- Support and follow up for children living with disability including medical, educational, occupational and psychological.
- Support to enable the child to set up and maintain an independent home where living with a standard family or friends is not an option.
- Providing information on available social services benefits for future use and these may include public assistance, health care and other specialist services as may be required by the child.
- Creating and maintaining networks of advice and information in order to support the child in decision making during the discharge process.
- Ensuring an effective and realistic plan is in place for family and community care and that follow up arrangements are in place.
Standard 6.2 states that “particular attention should be paid to ensure that children are prepared to develop and maintain relationships with others; understand their sexuality and establish positive and caring relationships; overcome trauma and establish self esteem and resilience; prepare for the world of work and/or for further education, develop practical and independent life skills”.
Life after leaving care facility
Mr. President, according to the Government policy, living care preparation should be an ongoing process. The child should start being prepared for life after care way before they reach the age of 18. As has been noted earlier, the Government provides that when an individual reaches the age of 18 the individual will no longer be applicable for Government grants and therefore should leave a child care facility.
Mr. President, it is very painful to report to this House that the preparation for discharge policy is not being followed in most care facilities. The Government generally does not have a mechanism to follow up on the young people who would have been discharged. In essence, their argument is that these would be adults able to assert themselves and find a way to survive. The Government and care institution position is also that they are continuously overwhelmed by the numbers of children in need of help, let alone focus on adults who have had a chance.
On the other hand, some of the young people who would have been weaned off find it difficult out there. This results in unwanted situations like early marriages for the girls and others sometimes roam the streets as streets youths. Mr. President, there is not enough preparation that is being done to make sure that the children when they go out they will be able to fit into different communities. Some of the care facilities are creating artificial lifestyles for the children since they are not allowed to work and the caregivers do all the work. This kind of setting has created what would be called a sense of entitlement by the children where they always expect to receive from people without doing anything. Such a mindset makes them unable to fit into the communities where they are expected to work.
Mr. President, at national level, no convincing data can be found on the outcomes of children who have left the alternative care system. Even at the institutions, some do not have any information of the whereabouts of the children who have left their care facility. This therefore points to a fact that there are inadequate resources and programmes to follow up on children, the youths who are discharged from institutional care. In short Mr. President, the Government does not have programmes specifically made for children upon discharge from the residential care and this is a long standing issue which needs critical consideration in our National Social Welfare Policy Framework.
Some of these children if not properly discharged, may find themselves back on the streets and they end up being street kids. There is therefore need to come up with an effective after care policy. Government should partner with other stakeholders and private sector to solve this problem since it is failing to do so alone.
Recommendations
My recommendation is that Government and the residential child care facilities must have a clear policy in line with the national residential child care standards and carry out agreed procedures relating to the planned and unplanned conclusion of their work with children to ensure appropriate after care and/or follow up throughout the period of care. The residential child care facilities should systematically aim at preparing the child to assume self reliance and to integrate fully into the community, notably through acquisition of social life skills which are fostered by participation in the life of the local community. This calls for the Government to tailor some programmes that keep tracking the life of the youth after discharge from institutional care. I thank you Mr. President.
^^HON. SEN. MOHADI: Thank you Mr. President for giving me this opportunity so that I second and support the motion which is before this august House. Firstly I will talk about the kids who are put in secluded places, like orphans where they are taken care of by other people. Those children lack parental care and love. When those children leave those places,we find them roaming the streets where they would not be having enough food or shelter. They will not even afford to further their education, actually they would not have anyone to take care of them. This is very painful – each and every child has the right to education, health, shelter and enjoy social life but with these children it is very difficult for them to enjoy these rights. They do not have anyone who will respect those rights. They end up being taken to different homes where they are facing different challenges again.
At those homes, children do not have close monitoring and they end up being mischievous. Some of them end up running away from those homes and no one makes a follow up to find where they went because those homes do not have proper statistics of children living in those homes. They do not have any means of checking who is not there and the like. These children are supposed to have someone who takes good care of them whilst in those homes. When they are in these homes, I urge the Department of Social Welfare to look after these children to know the statistics so that they are able to tell so and so is missing.
Mr. President, I urge all parents to take care of their children. It is disheartening to meet these children whereby they will be asking for food aid in the streets. They ask for assistance from anyone in the streets because there is no one who takes care of them. Some elderly people take advantage of these little boys and girls who are living in the street so that they get assistance through them. They do not see that this is not healthy for these kids to be found sleeping in the streets. Even if it is raining, they would not be having proper shelter.
The Department of Social Welfare should record details of those children when they are admitting them into those centres so that they will be able to follow up. This becomes very challenging, especially those who have friends and relatives who will be visiting them and they would ask more about the child and where they will be when they visit them. In addition I want to urge the Department of Social Welfare, which is a medium or long term solution. These children need to be seen going to school, they need to prepare to go for vocational training centres; they need to further their education after reaching the age 18. I am also looking forward to seeing these children; these little boys and girls having counsellors who will be working with these children whereby they will be doing interviews with them, trying to shape their lives. In these centres or homes, they will be having food, whereby they will be given assistance, but when they are comparing the life in the homes and the life on the streets, they will be free to do whatever they want to do.
So these children need to be taken care of. Mr. President Sir, I think I have said a lot about these children who grew up in the centres or homes for quite a long time. I urge all legislators, some of us stay here in towns and they come from different constituencies. I urge all the legislators from different constituencies to help or assist these street kids or street children, especially if they are asking for help. We need to help them as parents. Sometimes you need to have time to ask or listen to his or her story – why are you not going to school and things like that. We need to shape them as our children. By giving time to these street kids, I think we can help one or two of them not to go back to the homes or institutions, but they will end up changing their life. I thank you.
HON. SEN. TONGOGARA: Mr. President Sir, I move that the debate do now adjourn.
HON. SEN. MOHADI: I second.
Motion put and agreed to.
Debate to resume: Wednesday, 23rd September, 2020.
MOTION
BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE
THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR MIDLANDS PROVINCE (HON. SEN. MAVIMA): I move that Orders of the Day, Numbers 6 and 7 be stood over until the rest of the Orders of the Day have been disposed of.
Motion put and agreed to.
MOTION
ABOLITION OF DEATH PENALTY
Eighth Order read: Adjourned debate on the motion on the repeal of the death sentence and the provisions in the Criminal Law and Codification Act [Chapter 9:23] and other statutes.
Question again proposed.
HON. SEN. DR. MAVETERA: I move that the debate do now adjourn.
HON. SEN. CHIFAMBA: I second.
Motion put and agreed to.
Debate to resume: Wednesday, 23rd September, 2020.
MOTION
REPORT OF THE WOMEN POLITICAL LEADERS GLOBAL FORUM HELD IN ICELAND
Ninth Order read: Adjourned debate on motion on the Report of the Women Political Leaders Global Forum.
Question again proposed.
HON. SEN. TONGOGARA: Mr. President Sir, I move that the debate do now adjourn.
HON. MOHADI: I second.
Motion put and agreed.
Debate to resume: Wednesday, 23rd September, 2020.
MOTION
REPORT OF THE THIRD WORLD PARLIAMENTARY FORUM ON SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS HELD IN BALI
Tenth Order read: Adjourned debate on motion on the Report of the 3rd World Parliamentary Forum on Sustainable Development Goals.
Question again proposed.
^^HON. SEN. MOHADI: Thank you Mr. President for giving me the opportunity to add a few words on this motion. It is a very important motion which talks about the SDG’s. We need to know about the meaning of the SDG’s; the most important thing is that Zimbabwe as a country signed a memorandum of understanding about these SDG’s whereby poverty eradication is supposed to have been eliminated after some years. We have to follow each and every step of our SDGs and it will help us in understanding all those rules. As Zimbabwe, we need to know what it means following all these steps.
When we are talking about equal rights, we will be looking at men and women. However, we still have to know a lot about it and not just knowing about the signing of those equal rights between men and women. We need to do more investigation and monitoring concerning these SDG’s. This will assist us as a country to ascertain where we are going - whether we are achieving or we need to do more about these.
With regards to these SDG’s and the gender issue, we will be looking at these millennium development goals whereby we could not make it when we were following those steps and rules. Now that we are coming back to the SDG’s - are we following, is there any assessment with regards to poverty eradication? What have we done in achieving our goals? When we are looking at these SDG’s they do have time limits; do they have time limits?
When we are looking at the health sector we should be able to know about the achievements, we should have the records on where we are achieving and if there are any challenges, they should be taken care of.
Looking at the motion where we were debating about the children’s rights and health issues. Are we achieving these rights? If not, what are we doing about these? Every legislator in this august House needs to be pioneering in these programmes and we should be in a position whereby we are working together with our communities. If we are not involving them in these programmes, it will just be like a person who is walking and looking at their shadow. This person will end up walking alone because there is no one who will be helping them. As a country we need to involve the communities when doing such programmes. I thank you.
HON. SEN. CHIEF MTSHANE: I move that the debate do now adjourn.
HON. SEN. MOHADI: I second.
Motion put and agreed to.
Debate to resume: Wednesday, 23 September, 2020.
MOTION
REPORT ON THE 74TH SESSION OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF THE AFRICAN PARLIAMENTARY UNION (APU) HELD IN BANGUI
Eleventh Order read: Adjourned debate on motion on the Report of the 74th Session of the Executive Committee of the African Parliamentary Union held from 14th June, 2019 in Bangui, Central African Republic.
Question again proposed.
HON. SEN. DR. MAVETERA: I move that the debate do now adjourn.
HON. SEN. RAMBANEPASI: I second.
Motion put and agreed to.
Debate to resume: Wednesday, 23rd September, 2020.
MOTION
REPORT OF THE 2019 ST. PETERSBURG INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC FORUM (SPIEFG) HELD IN RUSSIA
Twelfth Order read: Adjourned debate on Report of the 2019 St Petersburg International Economic Forum.
Question again proposed.
HON. SEN. DR. MAVETERA: I move that the debate do now adjourn.
HON. SEN. RAMBANEPASI: I second.
Motion put and agreed to.
Debate to resume: Wednesday, 23rd September, 2020.
On the motion of THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR MIDLANDS PROVINCE (HON. SEN. MAVIMA), the Senate adjourned at Four o’clock p.m.
PARLIAMENT OF ZIMBABWE
Thursday 17th September, 2020
The Senate met at Half-past Two O’clock p.m.
PRAYERS
(THE HON. PRESIDENT OF SENATE in the Chair)
ORAL ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE
HON. SEN. CHIEF NGUNGUMBANE: Thank you Madam President for affording me this chance to ask a question. I will direct my question to the Minister of Youth, Sports, Arts and Recreation. Minister, can you inform this House about the status of our local football stadiums. Are they ready to host the national team when it is due to play Algeria?
THE MINISTER OF YOUTH, SPORTS, ARTS AND RECREATION (HON. COVENTRY): Yes, Hon. Senator, our national stadiums have been renovated; that is the National Sports Stadium and Barbourfields. We are only left with two outstanding issues at the National Stadium, that is the procurement of the buffet seats and the electronic ticketing which is now being procured through the tendering process.
This past weekend, there was an inspection team that has been visiting the two stadiums, the one in Barbourfields in Bulawayo and the other one at the National Sports Stadium. They are the inspection team that writes the report on behalf of Zimbabwe that they then send to CAF. Once they have shared that document with me, we will attach the letters of two outstanding procurements, the buffet seating and the electronic ticketing which we will send to CAF for it to make the decisions.
However, at the moment, it is looking very positive to have our national team playing, the grounds are looking very good in terms of all the other aspects that CAF had wanted upgraded, including the lighting, the changing rooms, the medical room etcetera.
HON. SEN. CHIEF NGUNGUMBANE: In the unlikely event that CAF does not approve of our stadia, has the Government made any contingency plans to ensure that the National team and FC Platinum that will be representing this country in the champions league will find alternative stadiums to use?
HON. COVENTRY: Confederation of African Football (CAF) has not spoken or sent any reference to any of the stakeholders that the resumption of play will be within this year. So, we are at this point in time, very positive that we will be approved for our games to go on. If at any point in the next few weeks we see that CAF is not going to be positive with the upgrade that has been done, we could then start to look at other things but until we have confirmation as to when these games will take off, there is no reason for us to not be confident in the upgrades that we have done to pass CAF inspections.
HON. SEN. CHIEF MTSHANE: My question is directed to the Minister of Industry and Commerce. Hon. Minster, it is Government policy that all retailers must display their commodities in both foreign and local currencies. However, that does not seem to be the case, can you explain when this will start functioning.
THE MINISTER OF INDUSTRY AND COMMERCE (HON. DR. KANHUTU-NZENZA): It is important that the consumer is fully informed on what currency they must use, whether it is USD or ZWL. So, it is important that we ensure that the retailer complies with the requirements. So, as to whether it is Government policy; it is important that we must ensure the consumer is provided with the right information and this falls under the Consumer Protection Act. I thank you.
*HON. SEN. TONGOGARA: With regards to the Government policy, is there a monitoring process that is going on to make sure that when laws are put in place, consumers’ rights are not violated.
*HON. DR. KANHUTU-NZENZA: Thank you for the question. It is the Government’s desire that the consumer pays a price that equates the goods they would have purchased. Therefore, that is the reason why we have the Consumer Protection Act which is due to be launched soon. This was done to ensure that, for example, when you get into a shop and take goods from the shelf, there must be an expiry date, price and it must not be labeled “do not return if not in good state’.
So, My Ministry actually has a team which is going around operating under the umbrella of an organ called the Trade Measures. This team is found in each province. They move around with a scale to, for example, measure a 500 ml bottle to check if it is correct. This team can just approach any shop without notice. They will be having their own 500 ml to see if those in the shop are really 500 ml. So, this group is in all provinces and giving us reports of what is happening. It is true that there are shop keepers that are doing that dubious act. If you are caught in the act of selling things against the law and if you are giving people a product that does not satisfy them, you will be arrested because it is an act against the law.
*HON. SEN. DR. MAVETERA: Thank you Madam President. I want to ask the Hon. Minister what rate the business people are using because you find in some situations there are USD but again in the local currency, you find a rate of Z$120.00 but the official is Z$83.00. We do not know what you are doing as a Minister to help protect the majority of Zimbabweans?
THE MINISTER OF INDUSTRY AND COMMERCE (HON. DR. KANHUTU-NZENZA): Thank you very much for your question. As human beings, we find people who are naughty and people who do acts that are amusing. If the official rate of the day is Z$90 and others are offering Z$120.00, that is against the law but this monitoring group that I have mentioned is going around the provinces. If they find such acts going on, they go to that particular shop. They are not getting into each and every shop but what I promise is that we are working in all the provinces.
THE HON. PRESIDENT OF SENATE: I am requesting Hon. Senators to connect to your tablets through the links sent to your e-mails. Those who want to contribute should do so using your tablets to enable those outside to follow the proceedings. Would you please comply? Yesterday I encouraged you to continue using gadgets so that we get used to them. I thank you.
*HON. SEN. RAMBANEPASI: Thank you Madam President for this opportunity that you have given me. I am very happy with the responses that we are getting from the Minister. I would like to thank the Hon. Minister where she said that there are groups going around in provinces. The issue of eco-cash was good to have it on radio or on television. Businessmen are refusing to sell their products or groceries using eco-cash. If you are given Z$5000.00 to go and buy groceries, businessmen will still refuse to sell their products in Z$ using eco-cash.
*THE MINISTER OF INDUSTRY AND COMMERCE (HON. DR. KANHUTU-NZENZA): I would like to thank you once again for the question. It is a big problem in the rural areas since businessmen want cash. At times they refuse to take in Z$ saying they want USD. There is an organisation for retailers but it is mainly for urban people – they do not have many members in the rural areas. What has been mentioned is good if it is broadcast on radio or even on television for people to be enlightened in the rural areas so that if our grandmothers have money on eco-cash, they are able to buy groceries using eco-cash. We are going to work on it with the Minister of Information to have it on radio and television so that people are educated. Thank you.
*HON. SEN. SHUMBA: Thank you Madam President. My question goes to the Minister of Agriculture. In the rural areas, cotton farmers are crying. Cotton is being bought in exchange for groceries whereas the farmers would have suffered during the farming process and yet when it comes to selling someone gets groceries, just bars of soap and cooking oil. My question is - what is the cost of cotton? When we look at tobacco farmers, they get their money in USD, how about cotton? Cotton farmers are getting soap as payment – is that Government law? Thank you Madam President.
*THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF LANDS, AGRICULTURE, WATER, CLIMATE AND RURAL RESETTLEMENT (HON. KARORO): I would like to thank the Hon. Sen. for the question that she has asked. It is a very good question that is being asked in different parts of the country by rural farmers. The situation for cotton farmers in the rural areas - what is happening is that when the season started for selling cotton, there was a problem; there was a liquidity challenge in our fiscus.
There was an agreement between farmers and the organisation that facilitates the buying and selling of cotton. The agreement was that if there is a need they can be given groceries as you have mentioned but this was between cotton organisations and farmers. Some are giving different suggestions. The point was - if someone wanted a grinding mill, would she/he be able to have that in exchange for the cotton but it was a different agreement. As we speak right now, some have grinding mills and others have irrigation equipment. that is not Government policy to say if farmers sell their cotton they get groceries instead of cash. It was simply an agreement between organisations and farmers and not that it is a Government policy. Thank you Madam President.
*HON. SEN. SHUMBA: Thank you Madam President. I wanted to know because farmers are suffering a lot. For example, where I come from in Mwenezi, farmers are getting groceries only. What exactly is Government saying? Is it Government law to say farmers should get groceries? What is the exact price of cotton? At times you get poor quality soap bars.
*THE HON. PRESIDENT OF SENATE: Hon. Sen., I think this has been outlined very clearly. The response was very clear. This has been mentioned.
*HON. SEN. SHUMBA: Those who do not have an agreement, will they get a clear price to say how much it is.
*HON KARORO: Yes, we may laugh in this House but this is a very important issue. I come from a constituency where farmers are cotton growers and they want the same clarity on that situation. The issue at hand is, we had a meeting with the Ministry of Finance looking at the problems that cotton farmers are coming across. It was agreed that if nothing is done, cotton farmers will refuse to continue farming cotton.
The Finance Ministry promised us that the problems that they faced were being rectified and it two weeks they promised that all this will be fixed and they will see an improvement. When Ecocash was closed, farmers were encouraged to open to FCA accounts so that they could be assisted accordingly. The banks went to the rural areas because farmers could not travel to towns, so they helped them open accounts. The banks promised that in two weeks time farmers would start getting their monies.
HON. SEN. B. MPOFU: My question is directed to the Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Water and Rural Resettlement. What is the Government’s plan to restore clean water in our cities?
THE MINISTER OF INFORMATION, PUBLICITY AND BROADCASTING SERVICES (HON. SEN. MUTSVANGWA): I thank Hon. Mpofu for that question which is very critical because water is life especially in times Covid-19. Water comes under the Ministry of Agriculture and they are here. They will be able to answer.
THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF LANDS, AGRICULTURE, WATER AND RURAL RESETTLEMENT (HON. KARORO): As I indicated Madam President we are going to issue out a Ministerial Statement in this House today. That question I am sure is adequately catered for.
*HON. SEN. CHIEF CHIKWAKA: Thank you Madam President. My question is directed to the Minister of Agriculture. My question is on the issue of inputs. When we took agro loans from CBZ we had an agreement that we signed for. The interest that is being charged by the banks compared to what the farmers got after harvesting was too much for us farmers to go to the land. Farmers are having a problem in communicating with the banks. Farmers are having a problem because they cannot apply for a top up let alone make a fresh application. How can Government help us because the interests that are being charged to farmers shot up unexpectedly? What should farmers do and we need clarity on that.
THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF LANDS, AGRICULTURE, WATER AND RURAL RESETTLEMENT (HON. KARORO): I would like to thank the Hon. Senator for that question. I would want to say it was the first time that the Command Agriculture Programme was handed over to the banks for them to coordinate and facilitate the programme. You should bear with us because this was our first time handing over to the banks because it is a learning curve for us as a Ministry. Farmers raised that concern to say we do not understand the deductions and the interests and we engaged the banks. We mentioned the problems that farmers were facing from the banks. The answer that we got from the banks was that nothing had changed as far as interests were concerned.
The problem is that farmers just sign the forms so that they get inputs. When it came to reading the terms and conditions of what they were getting from banks, very few of the farmers took time to read. They just signed for the sake of inputs. What we agreed is that farmers should be encouraged to look at the contracts they were having with banks so that they fully understand what they were agreeing to so, that they would not be shocked later when these deductions or interest are availed to them.
Farmers need to be protected and what Government is doing is that farmers should get an agreement or communication in form of an agreement to say this is how much we are going to deduct from you so that they know exactly and fully understand the contracts that they are signing so that farmers are no shocked at the amounts being deducted because a lot of farmers are crying out. Farmers should be protected - inasmuch as they need inputs, they also need to be protected.
*HON. SEN. CHIEF CHIKWAKA: Thank you for that clarity. Now that you have fully explained to us, the farming season is upon us and farners need seed for farming. What then should we do? Last time there was drought and farmers were not able to get inputs. What exactly is our position? Both of us, the farmers and the banks, have leant; so what is the way forward? What is our position? Farmers want to know what we are going to do now that the farming season is upon us. Is there guarantee that we are going to get inputs? People should be able to continue farming.
*THE MINISTER OF LANDS, AGRICULTURE, WATER, CLIMATE AND RURAL RESETTLEMENT (HON. KARORO): Thank you Madam President. I would like to mention the problems that banks are facing and they said we should meet as farmers and banks. The money that is being used by banks to fund these programmes, though we did not have much rainfall as we anticipated, others never took anything to GMB because the problem is we have people who are crying foul when it comes to the deductions that banks took from them. We have a problem also that other farmers amongst those who were funded never took anything to the GMB and that has caused a very big problem to the banks. How do they fund other new farmers this farming season?
We should encourage farmers to take their proceeds to GMB. Banks are giving conditions to say those who are going to be considered for Command Agriculture should have taken their maize to GMB, if not then there is a problem.
Then we come to small holder farmers. They do not have a problem. They fall under the Presidential Programme of getting inputs. There is not much of a problem that side. The inputs they have started receiving under that programme, the Presidential Programme. We have given you some papers so that you understand how the programme works. We are trying to fix all those languages so that all farmers in their respective languages understand fully what the Government wants to achieve. When it comes to Presidential Inputs, the programme has started but for Pfumvudza programme, we are only being given now.
*THE HON. PRESIDENT OF SENATE: Hon. Minister, you are not going into issues you will explain in your Ministerial Statement
*HON. SEN. RWAMBIWA: Thank you Madam President. My question goes to the Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Water, Climate and Rural Resettlement. My question is on the issue of Pfumvudza that he was about to talk about. Nonetheless, I would like to thank him for the work that he has done. His Pfumvudza programme is good but my question is we have the elderly who are not able to do what they explained to us. Would those people be able to get inputs because of their age? They have a problem in implementing what they were taught. Right now, because of low rainfall, they are not able to sell anything.
*THE HON. PRESIDENT OF SENATE: The Hon. Minister will explain in his statement to the House.
*HON. SEN. CHIMBUDZI: Thank you Madam President. My question goes to the Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Water, Climate and Rural Resettlement. Your livestock scheme, as Government, can you ask yourself whether this is benefiting women at all? Are women benefiting from this programme?
THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF LANDS, AGRICULTURE, WATER, CLIMATE AND RURAL RESETTLEMENT (HON. HARITATOS): Thank you Madam President. When we are looking at our population amongst farmers, 54% is women if I am not mistaken. The programme does favour women, it actually benefits women but as a Ministry, we have a policy to help women as well as youths. In short, it does help women. Thank you.
*THE HON. PRESIDENT OF SENATE: Can you elaborate?
*HON. HARITATOS: Thank you Madam President. This is an ongoing policy programme. It did not start today, it is ongoing so it will help women. Thank you.
HON. SEN. NTABENI: Madam President, my question goes to the Leader of Government Business. I stand to be corrected if I have made a mistake. Government drilled boreholes in the rural areas. There was no casing done to those boreholes. After drilling, the walls collapsed. We went to DDF and they could not assist us. So what is the solution?
THE HON. PRESIDENT OF SENATE: Can you put that question in writing so that the responsible Minister can explain on that specific issue.
*HON. SEN. CHIEF MAKOMBE: Thank you Madam President. My question goes to the Leader of the House or the Minister of Health and Child Care. What we want to know is, does Government have a programme of building district hospitals in every district across the country because as we speak right now, Buhera does not have such kind of an institution despite its large population. This is the only place where there are no farms since colonial rule. We do not have a hospital of such stature.
*THE HON. PRESIDENT OF SENATE: This is a question where we expect you Hon. Senator to bring beforehand. The Minister may have an answer.
*THE MINISTER OF INFORMATION, PUBLICITY AND BROADCASTING SERVICES (HON. SEN. MUTSVANGWA): Thank you Madam President. Government’s aim is that each province has a district hospital and because of COVID-19, it was Government’s intention to make sure that every province, every area has a district hospital so that people are assisted. In terms of policy, it is Government’s intention to say each and every district should be having a hospital. Specifically for Buhera, they can write straight to the Ministry of Health and Child Care to hear what exactly is their position with regard to that situation. Thank you.
THE HON PRESIDENT OF SENATE: I think you have understood that you should get a written question so that when the Minister of Health comes to this House, he is able to fully explain about your situation as Buhera.
*HON. SEN. CHIRONGOMA: Thank you Madam President for giving me such an opportunity. I will direct my question to the Leader of the House though it is specifically to do with the Ministry of Environment, Tourism, Climate Change and Hospitality Industry. Looking at the problem of veld fires overseas, when they start, there is no specific timeline. My question is, what measures has the Government put in place with regard to veld fires because we have problems in rural areas? We are getting information from people to say there are fires. People come from as far as Mhangura to Chinhoyi to report these fires and they know the individuals who start fires but it seems there is no Act to deal with such acts by rowdy people. Is it possible that centres like Mutorashanga and Mhangura be in a position to have people in office to look at such situations and what happens to those people who would have started fires?
*THE MINISTER OF INFORMATION, PUBLICITY AND BROADCASTING SERVICES (HON. SEN. MUTSVANGWA): The Environmental Management Agency which falls under the Ministry of Environment has the responsible to look at such issues of veld fires. It is Government’s policy that forests be protected and people should not start veld fires as they are destructive to a lot of natural resources. So, we will discuss with the Minister of Environment especially considering this dry season we are in so that he can take measures to have culprits arrested because causing veld fires is a crime. So it is an issue of re-enforcement. Thank you.
*HON. SEN. CHIMBUDZI: My question goes to the Leader of the House but first, I would like to congratulate her on the new position – [HON. SENATORS: Hear, hear.] - What has Government done with regard to the disabled looking at the spread and effects of COVID-19? What have they done is as far as informing this group of people?
*THE MINISTER OF INFORMATION, PUBLICITY AND BROADCASTING SERVICES (HON. SEN. MUTSVANGWA): I would like to thank all Hon. Senators for the congratulatory message. In response to her question on COVID-19 and the disabled, the Government sprung into action as soon as the problem was made known to Government. A taskforce was put in place to inform people on how we can fight the pandemic. Even those living with disability in Zimbabwe, our first action was to put programmes on television and we also published pamphlets for those using Braille with the assistance of Midlands State University which also published books. We also use various artists with different skills to inform the disabled. They do sign language and everything since it is important that everyone is catered for when it comes to informing people about this pandemic. The positive results that we are seeing now are the results of Government’s actions. Government is acting upon it, everyone is being informed. We should wash our hands, temperature should be checked and masks should be worn. That is the only way we can win against this COVID-19 pandemic.
*HON. SEN. CHIEF CHUNDU: My question goes to the Minister of Defence and War Veterans and in her absence, I will direct it to the Leader of the House. What measures are being taken by Government to assist those war veterans in the rural areas who are not able to come into town so that they can be vetted? Where they are, they do not have anything to get them to the vetting venues. So, what is the Government position in helping such war veterans?
*THE MINISTER OF INFORMATION, PUBLICITY AND BROADCASTING SERVICES (HON. SEN. MUTSVANGWA): The Hon. Senator has asked a very important question that is close to my heart. Those non-combatants who went to Chimoio, Botswana or Zambia, time has come for them to be looked at. They made it possible for people to win the battle against colonial rule. They played a vital role during war. Looking at this Bill, the Ministry of Defence and War Veterans will look at everyone who should go for vetting. It is known indeed that there are war veterans who are not able to come to vetting venues. It is written and the policy is that they will go everywhere especially the Chimbwidos and Mujibhas. It is easy if the process could be done in the rural areas. It is going to be easy for you as a Chief to relay that information to the Ministry to say there are people who are not able to come to town for vetting so that they can be assisted. It is known indeed that there are war veterans who are not able to come to vetting venues in towns and cities. When this was put down in writing, this issue was well known and the policy is that all areas will be visited for the purposes of vetting. It is even easy to vet ex-detainees and war collaborators in rural areas where they were operating from and where there are many people who knew about them. As the Chief, if you are in your areas, you know that there are those who did not get this message or there is no one to do the vetting. It is important to pass that information to the Ministry of Defence and War Veterans. We hope that all these war veterans will be vetted and receive what they are supposed to benefit from. I thank you.
*HON. SEN. TONGOGARA: Thank you Mr. President. I would like to ask the criteria that are used during vetting. This is because sometimes we realise that someone who joined the war of liberation in the 70s is assigned to vet someone who went to war in 1960. How is this done? I thank you.
THE HON. PRESIDENT OF SENATE: I encourage you to put that question in writing. It is very specific and requires an in-depth knowledge of the whole process. I think asking the Leader of Government Business to attend to that question is really going beyond what she can do. Please put it in writing and you will be adequately answered by the relevant Minister.
*HON. SEN. SIPANI-HUNGWE: Thank you Mr. President. I would like to congratulate Hon. Sen. Mutsvangwa for being appointed the Leader of the House. We now have a female Leader of the House – [HON. SENATORS: Hear, hear.] – meaning that women are coming of age and we have the wisdom.
I wanted to ask the Minister of Primary and Secondary Education but in his absence, let me ask the Leader of the House. I thank the Government that it has allowed examination classes to go back to school and write their examinations. However, the problem is that boarding schools were being used as quarantine centres for Covid 19. For this reason, parents are not sure as to whether these boarding schools are safe for their children to begin to live in these same places. Are these places clean to an extent that children will not be infected by this pandemic as these children will be living and sleeping in the same rooms where those who were quarantined were also living? Can you assure this House and the nation at large on whether these places are clean and safe for our children to live in without being infected by the disease? I thank you.
*THE MINISTER OF INFORMATION, PUBLICITY AND BROADCASTING SERVICES (HON. SEN. MUTSVANGWA): Thank you President of the Senate. Let me thank Hon. Sen. Hungwe. Thank you for your congratulatory message especially focusing on women issues. I also give thanks to all Hon. Senators – [HON. SENATORS: Hear, hear.] – Let me say, the COVID 19 pandemic brought so many challenges which are painful and have led to children being absent from school. I have grandchildren who keep on complaining and asking me to go and tell the Hon. President to open schools because they are feeling the pain of staying at home.
For this reason, the Government took a position to allow examination classes to resume their studies and write examinations starting with June exams which have been undertaken. The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education worked very hard to travel around the country in order to engage all stakeholders like teachers, parents, teachers’ unions and so on so that they all understand what will be happening. This enables a smooth procedure on the whole process. In June, examinations were written without any problems. Currently, we are preparing for examinations for Grade Seven, Ordinary Level and Advanced Level to be conducted well so that we advance forward.
You will note that if Ordinary Level examinations are not conducted this year, it means we will be having two batches of Ordinary Level classes next year including Grade ones. So, the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education continued to engage all stakeholders to ensure that this is done.
It is true that when borders were closed, the President indicated that our children who were abroad should be allowed to come back home without any problems. So our children travelled back home from all different countries around the world and schools were used as quarantine centres. However, a deadline was set for preparations to be made in terms of cleaning the schools so that children could go back to school. Deep disinfection was done in all those schools which were previously being used as quarantine centres. It is Government policy to ensure that children and their teachers are well taken care of and protected when they go back to school. Money amounting to $600 million was released in order to buy protective clothing like masks and disinfectants to ensure that our teachers’ and children’s lives are preserved.
*HON. SEN. MOEKETSI: Thank you Mr. President. Firstly, I would like to congratulate the Leader of the House. Thank you Hon. Minister. My question is directed to the Minister of Mines and Mining Development and in his absence, to the Leader of the House. Mr. President, in Mashonaland West, we have encountered a problem where a family got trapped in a mine; a father, his two children and two grandchildren. There are five people trapped in this mine shaft. I would like to ask if this mine shaft is documented at law or it is on of those shafts being used by illegal artisanal miners? As I speak, these people are still trapped in the mine. The rescue team which has been assigned to rassist the trapped family are failing to do so as the mine shaft continues to fall inside the moment they reach where the trapped miners are located. I thank you.
THE HON. PRESIDENT OF SENATE: Thank you Hon. Moeketsi but again, that is a very specific question which requires intricate knowledge about the issue of the mine you are talking about; the papers, the circumstances and so on. I recommend that you put that question in writing so that next week or when we sit again, the Minister of Mines and Mining Development will be able to respond with sufficient knowledge and detail to that question. I thank you.
*HON. TSOMONDO: Thank you Mr. President. My question is directed to the Minister of Home Affairs but I cannot see him. So I direct my question to the Leader of the House. I am thankful and happy to congratulate you Hon. Minister Mutsvangwa for your newly appointed post by the President. Thank you. My question is - we have the neighbourhood watch who assist at the roadblock and so forth. They are not paid for their job. What is the Government policy on giving them COVID-19 allowances that others are getting?
THE HON. DEPUTY PRESIDENT OF SENATE: Thank you Hon. Sen. Tsomondo. Again, that is a very specific question which requires you to put it in writing so that you can get a competent answer. I am sure the Leader of the House will not deal sufficiently with that question.
Questions Without Notice were interrupted by THE HON. DEPUTY PRESIDENT OF SENATE in terms of Standing Order No. 62.
ORAL ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS WITH NOTICE
ADVANCEMENT OF SPORTS
- HON. SEN. CHIMBUDZI asked the Minister of Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation to explain to the House:
- a) the measures being taken by the Ministry to advance sports in the country; and
- b) how the Ministry identifies talented youths in various sporting disciplines thereby promoting sport as a source of employment for the youths.
THE MINISTER OF YOUTH, SPORT, ARTS AND RECREATION (HON. COVENTRY): Thank you Mr. President and thank you to the Hon. Senator for the question. There are two measures being taken by the Ministry to advance sport in the country. Recently, we had two principles for two separate Bills being passed by Cabinet. We are now working on the draft Bill with the Attorney General’s Office. The first one is the Sport Integrity Bill which we will look at, being able to identify ways and areas in which to help with better good governance in terms of structures in sport. We will also be talking about being able to safeguard our athletes from any form of abuse. What will also be detailed in that Bill will be details around anti-doping and how to prevent doping in sport.
The second Bill on principles that were passed by Cabinet this week was to amend and repeal the Sports and Recreation Commission Act and the Wrestling and Boxing Control Act which still does not allow for women to box. We are upgrading all these Bills and we are working on the drafts now. That will allow us to have a more unified structure with our National Sports Associations where they will have to sit at the table. There will be a national sports strategy put into place led by this new structure and that will clearly clarify roles and responsibilities of all the specific sporting structures in the country.
In terms of the Ministry being able to identify youth in the various sporting disciplines and promoting youth as a source of employment, the Ministry is taking on a project to resurrect community centres across the country. We would like to have attained 40 of these centres by the end of the year. Unfortunately with COVID, we are a little bit behind but we are still pushing forward to try and get at least one to two per province for this year completed. These centres will have a holistic overview of the Ministry where there will be space for youth activities, sport activities and art activities. In that Act, we will work with National Associations of Sport to identify talent from a very young age and be able to figure out how to then work with that young talent as they grow up and how to get them into the specific sporting club systems. Those are two areas that we are focussing on and two very specific goals that we have as the Ministry for identifying talent. Thank you Mr. President.
IMPLICATIONS OF NOT MEETING THE FEDERATION OF INTERNATIONAL FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION (FIFA)
- HON. SEN. TONGOGARA asked Minister of Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation to explain to the House the implications of failing to meet the Federation of International Football Association (FIFA) deadline of refurbishing the country’s football stadiums.
THE MINISTER OF YOUTH, SPORT, ARTS AND RECREATION (HON. CONVENTRY): Thank you Mr. President. The question is not necessarily written in the right way. I am not sure if Hon. Sen. Tongogara would like to rewrite it. We have no implications right now that we are facing from FIFA. FIFA is the international federation for soccer. Right now, the refurbishments were requested from CAF which is the continental association. FIFA has a different set of guidelines of which some of those do follow into CAF but right now the refurbishments and the deadline we are trying to meet is from CAF. We are on track with meeting those deadlines. We are resubmitting another form to show the updates that have been given so far and that will be sent to CAF for them to evaluate us. Thank you Mr. President.
THE HON. DEPUTY PRESIDENT OF SENATE: I am advised that the Minister Agriculture, Water and Climate is going to give a Ministerial Statement. I now recognise the Hon. Minister.
MINISTERIAL STATEMENT
STATE OF WATER SUPPLY SOURCES
THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE, WATER AND RURAL RESETTLEMENT (HON. KARORO): I am going to issue out a Ministerial Statement ....
Hon. Minister Karoro stood up to make a Ministerial Statement without using a gadget.
THE HON. DEPUTY PRESIDENT OF SENATE: Order, order Hon. Minister, I am going to request you to speak in front of a gadget so that Hon. Members who are within the precincts of Parliament can follow your Statement, so perhaps with some kindness from Hon. Minister Mudyiwa, you can lend your fellow Minister your gadget.
THE HON. DEPUTY MINISTER OF LANDS, AGRICULTURE, WATER AND RURAL RESETTLEMENT (HON. KARORO): I am going to issue out a Ministerial Statement on the state of water supply sources in urban areas. Mr. President, I will request Hon. Senators to take note of any issues that need clarification or questions so that after this Ministerial statement, they can seek clarification. After I have finished this Statement Mr. President, as per our request, we have another Ministerial Statement on Pfumvudza, since Hon. Senators have been raising a lot of questions on this programme. So Hon. Haritatos will issue another Ministerial Statement on Pfumvudza.
Mr. President, the Ministry of Lands, Agricultural, Water and Rural Resettlement has a mandate to manage water resources for the State and to ensure sustainable development and equitable distribution of the country’s water resources to all Zimbabweans at an affordable price. This is buttressed by Section 77 of the Constitution of Zimbabwe which states that every person has the right to safe, clean and potable water. The country has experienced two consecutive years of drought due to climate change which has hampered water availability for both urban and rural communities.
Predictions of a better 2020/21 rainfall season have been given by the Meteorological Services Department and this should see a substantial improvement in the current water supply situation. However, even under these circumstances, precautionary measures are continuously required. Cooperation and collaboration between the Zimbabwe National Water Authority (ZINWA) and Local Authorities is, therefore, an imperative in addressing the current water challenges faced in the rural and urban communities, now and into the future.
Mr. President, ZINWA currently operates and maintains over 530 water supply stations across the country; mainly serving small towns, growth points, service centres, Police and Defence Establishments, Prisons, schools and hospitals. These 530 stations supply 31.5 million cubic metres per annum (93%) against the total demand of 34 million cubic metres per annum of the 32 urban local authorities ZINWA supplies 20. As a water management authority, ZINWA also assists local authorities in the discharge of their functions under the Rural District Councils Act [Chapter 29:13] and the Urban Councils Act [Chapter 29:15] with regard to the development and management of water resources in areas under their jurisdiction and in particular, the provision of potable water and the disposal of waste water in accordance to ZINWA Act 20:25 Section 5 (e). ZINWA is responsible for providing raw water to all sectors as well as supplying treated water to the small local authorities, which do not have the capacity to do so.
Local Authorities such as Harare, Bulawayo, Gweru, Mutare, Masvingo, Chipinge, Kadoma, Kwekwe, Chegutu, Chinhoyi, Rusape, Plumtree, among others, have been servicing their areas of jurisdiction with water and sanitation facilities for quite some time now, with ZINWA coming in to assist during crisis periods, at the request of Central Government. This was the case during the cholera outbreak in 2008/09. Local Authorities such as Beitbridge, Gwanda and Victoria Falls have suggested the take-over of water supply services roles from ZINWA and there is current consideration of these requests. A guiding framework for such recurring requests and operational modalities has been developed.
Water Supply Status and Challenges
Mr. President, besides the drought-induced challenge of unavailability of raw water, urban water supply in most cities is facing additional challenges due to limited conveyance, pumping and treatment capacities, shortage of chemicals as well as power outages. The City of Bulawayo, has mainly been drawing water from three sources, Upper Ncema, Lower Ncema and Mzingwane - until they were very low and decommissioned whilst the biggest dams -Insiza, Inyankuni and Mtshabezi- remain with substantial amounts of water which could last the City up to11 months at 155 Mega litres (ML) per day. It is unfortunate that the City of Bulawayo has made limited investments in improving abstraction capacity which could have assisted in addressing the water challenges.
Similarly, the City of Gweru has not been able to abstract water from Amapongokwe Dam for many years due to a pump breakdown at the dam. This has limited the City to abstract water from Gwenoro Dam only leading to the declining water levels in the dam currently at 26.5% full. The City of Harare has not been abstracting water from Manyame Dam for the past 10 years due to a broken-down lift pump at Morton Jaffray until December 2019 when the Government of Zimbabwe intervened. The Ministry is concerned that high water losses in most of the local authorities is due to leakages from old distribution systems. The losses range between 40% to 60% for most authorities and we would implore respective local authorities to address this issue urgently.
Gweru water sources are currently at 33% full and can supply the City for approximately 9 months. There is a need for the local authority to manage demand, improve pumping from Amapongokwe Dam and restrict water supply to 45ML per day. As for the medium to long term strategy, the Gwenoro Dam wall has to be raised by 9 metres and a new water source at Lubongo Dam should be constructed to meet the growing demand.
Karoi has five months supply left from its combined water from its two supply dams, Blockey and Karoi dams that are at 25% full. There is a need for water demand management by the local authority and for Blockley Dam to be raised, in the medium term.
With the current level of 41% full in Shurugwi Dam, Shurugwi has eight months supply left. Strategies include managing demand, abstracting from disused mine shafts and, in the long-term to abstract water from proposed Lubongo Dam.
With water levels at 20% full from Chesa Dam, Mt Darwin has only one and half months supply left. In the short term the centre can draw water from Ruya River as releases can be made from upstream dams such as Lilistock. However, the Chesa dam is very small and cannot last the centre for six months, even if it fills during the rainfall season, hence an additional raw water source is required urgently.
Mutawatawa water levels stand at 20% full of supply with only less than two months of water supply left. The situation also requires pumping from Ruya River.
Mr. President, I will now focus on centres with moderate water supplies. Bulawayo water sources are at 22% full, which can last the city for 11 months. Some of the efforts being made to address the water supply for Bulawayo include the following: - When Government intervened in March 2020, Bulawayo was pumping 3 mega litres a day from Nyamandlovu Aquifer.
Through the Government support, an additional seven mega litres per day was yielded from Nyamandlovu Aquifer to add to Bulawayo’s demand of 155 mega litres per day. The intervention added another 10 mega litres per day. Rehabilitation of 20 boreholes by ZINWA at Epping Forest is ongoing and an additional 10 mega litres per day to the city. A total of 42 boreholes are now operating at the aquifer. The system was also stabilised through the major rehabilitation of the 522 mm and 400 mm and still pumping mains to minimise water leakages and bursts.
Introduction of booster stations by the Government along the Mtshabezi pipeline, that is without duplicating the pipeline to increase the daily pumping capacity to 25 mega litres from 17 mega litres per day.
Government plans are also underway to increase raw water pumping from Insiza and Inyankuni Dams by addressing the pumping bottlenecks along the two lines. Meanwhile, Gwayi-Shangani Dam has received a disbursement of ZWL 550 million from Government and the target remains to complete the dam by December 2021. This will provide a lasting solution to the water supply challenges to Bulawayo and the region.
Mr. President, commendable progress from 37 mega litres per day to 79 mega litres per day through ZINWA intervention has been made in Bulawayo, much more needs to be done and time will tell.
Kwekwe – with a combined 25% full from the supply dams has seven months supply left at 31mega litres per day, even though there is enough supply to next run off season. Greenham Dam needs to be constructed in the medium terms.
Chegutu – Chegutu Town with a combined 50% full of supply dams has 12 months supply left at 23 mega litres per day which is enough supply to next run off season.
Gwanda – with a combined 62% full of supply dams has 11 months supply left at 20 mega litres per day and getting water supply augmentation from Mtshabezi Dam. The completion of Tuli-Manyange Dam will improve the water security for Gwanda.
Plumtree has 12 months supply left at 13 mega litres per day from its source which is at 34% as is enough to next run off season. However, additional sources need to be developed in the long term.
Chivhu – it has 11 months of supply at 9 mega litres a day left from Chikomba dam which is 53% full in supply dams, which is enough supply to next run off season. Furthermore, Chivhu Dam is expected to be completed by December 2021 to enhance water security for the town.
Mr. President, Chipinge’s water source, Bangazaan Dam is at 98% full and will last the centre for the next 13 months at 8 mega litres per day.
Mutoko’s Nyadire Dam at 53% full has 6 months supply left at 4 mega litres per day. However, there is need to monitor demand. In the long term, a new water source is required.
Murehwa water source is currently at 85% full and can supply the centre for at least 17 months at 4 mega litres per day.
Mvurwi’s Pembi Dam is at 58% full and has 7 months supply left at 5, 5 mega litres per day. However, there is significant base flow which is currently flowing into the dam from the perennial river feeding the dam. More water is also available from the nearby Eastwards Dam which can be easily constructed and functional in two months.
Rushinga with 50% full in supply dams has 17 months supply left at 3 mega litres which is enough to supply to next run off season.
Insukamini within 21% full in supply dams has five months supply left at 4 mega litres per day.
Mr. President, I will now focus on centres with relatively safe water supply. Greater Harare source are left with 18 months of water supply at 800 mega litres per day. There is a need for rehabilitation of distribution network to minimize losses which are up to 60%. There is also a need to improve management of effluent discharges into the water sources estimated at 145 mega litres per day. Construction of Kunzvi and Musami Dam by 2022 and 2025 respectively is required to augment water to the city by 600 mega litres per day.
Mutare City has 14 months at 97 mega litres per day of water supply left from the Odzani Dams which is being augmented through pumping from the Pungwe River. Osborne Dam can also supply the city if a treatment plant is constructed. The existing sources are adequate up to 2030.
Kadoma has 27 months left, there is need to monitor demand on annual basis. However, the existing resources are adequate up to 2030.
Beitbridge – although Beitbridge has 3 plus months left, the town has a huge water supply back up from Zhovhe Dam which is at 58,8% full.
Marondera is more than 30 months left at 13 mega litres per day of raw water supplies. The sources are enough to supply to the city up to 2030.
Mr. President, Rusape town has more than 30 months left at 9 mega litres per day. There is need to maintain adequate reserves for the town when releasing water for irrigation from Rusape Dam.
Bindura, Shamva and Glendale – they have 12 months left from their sources. Mwenje and Acadia augmented by Masembura Dam which is at 60% full. The Bindura Dam is also under construction and is expected to be completed by 2021.
Masvingo and Chiredzi – these have more than 30 months left at 30 mega litres per day though there is a need to maintain adequate reserves for the town when releasing water for irrigation from Lake Mutirikwi. The construction of the Tugwi-Mukosi Dam has lessened the burdern on Lake Mutirikwi for water releases to the low veld. This has allowed storage in Mutirikwi to be mainly reserved for Masvingo Town.
Concession, Sadza, Wedza, Buhera, Murambinda, Inyati Mine, Inyati Center, Bikita, Nyika, Zvishavane, Mberengwa, Mashava and Zaka have more than 30 months left of raw water supply from their sources. There is a need to maintain adequate reserves for the rural service centres when releasing water for irrigation.
Mr. President, Gutu and Mpandawana Growth Centre currently has 23 months left at two mega litres per day from their sources.
I will now focus on borehole rehabilitation. The cumulative number of boreholes rehabilitated since the outbreak of the COVID pandemic is 3 355 against a target of 9 800. The numbers of non-functional boreholes continue to increase due to new breakdowns and drying up water sources. This programme has been supported largely by cooperating partners under the rural WASH projects which ended last year although low costs sustainability measures are ongoing. More resources are required to sustain this vital programme and the release of the requested Z$277 million from Treasury should ensure that all the non-functional boreholes in the country are repaired.
Borehole Drilling for COVID-19 and Drought Relief
The total number of new drilled boreholes during the COVID-19 stands at 224 boreholes out of a target of 394 boreholes. The reported numbers of water points drying up are increasing leading to the demand in new boreholes. The increased demand of boreholes calls for the need to strengthen ZINWA through the allocation of requisite financial resources including acquisition of advanced rigs with capabilities for both air and mud drilling as the water table had greatly receded. Treasury has disbursed Z$20 million to the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education for the drilling of 80 boreholes in the most urgent needed schools in order to assist with their reopening.
ZINWA and DDF are leading the drilling efforts by the Government with ZINWA covering three provinces and DDF the rest. Deployment has been made this week and the intention is to complete by end of November, 2020. Other interventions for COVID-19; so for 40 piped water schemes were rehabilitated by Government during the COVID-19 period across the eight rural provinces.
In conclusion Mr. President, we have entered the most precarious phase water wise, being the driest phase of the year and following two years of successive droughts. While we continue the hard work to improve the water supply, we look forward to a predictable better rain season, we must continue to use available water sparingly and corroboratively, we will win. I thank you Mr. President.
THE HON. DEPUTY PRESIDENT OF SENATE: Thank you Hon. Minister. I think you can take note of the clarifications which you want. We might as well go to the second ministerial statement on Pfumvudza and then we will get clarifications at once at the end of the statement from the Minister.
MINISTERIAL STATEMENET
CLIMATE-PROOFED PRESIDENTIAL INPUTS PROGRAMME FOR THE 2020/21 SEASON (PFUMVUDZA)
THE MINISTER OF LANDS, AGRICULTURE, WATER CLIMATE AND RURAL RESETTLEMENT (HON. HARITATOS):
- Background and introduction
- Speaker Sir, the Pfumvudza Programme has been adopted by the Government as a measure to address the problems of low productivity, low production and low profitability of farming which continue to negatively affect the food security situation in the country. Because of the low productivity and low production, the country has become a perennial net importer of cereal grains amounting to USD800 million annually. This, increases pressure on the fiscus to source foreign currency for grain importation, which could be channeled to other productive sectors of the economy, if we produced sufficient amounts for our country. The Pfumvudza concept is an attempt to reverse this insalubrious state of affairs.
- The low productivity has been caused by a number of factors, among them poor agronomic practices, poor soils, the impact of climate change and failure to approach agriculture from a business perspective by both farmers and our extension system. Climate change impacts are characterised by poor rainfall seasons, prolonged mid-season dry spells, very high temperatures during the growing season and the early cessation of the rains. Thus, the adoption of the Pfumvudza concept, which is based on conservation agriculture principles, will help climate-proof agricultural production, and in particular the food production sub-sector.
- The adoption of the Pfumvudza concept also addresses other production related issues. As the concept applies conservation agriculture principles, it is one way of reducing soil loss (soil erosion) in our arable areas. It also assists farmers to increase productivity, thus getting higher yields from small areas.
- Speaker Sir, the Pfumvudza programme targets particularly the smallholder farmers who are most vulnerable to the calamities and vagaries of climate change.
- The Pfumvudza concept aims at ensuring food, nutrition and livelihood security at household level. This Pfumvudza Programme, is the flagship programme in the implementation of our Government’s Agriculture Recovery Plan. The programme requires that each farmer establishes three plots: two plots with cereal crops (maize and/or traditional grains), one of which will provide for the farmers’ food self-sufficiency, and the production from the second plot will be sold to GMB to contribute to the National Strategic Grain Reserves and raise household income. In the process, we are also commercialiSing smallholder farming in Zimbabwe. On the third plot, farmers in the high potential areas will receive soyabean seed, while these in the low potential areas will receive sunflower seed that the farmer can sell-off to earn income.
- Under the Pfumvudza Programme, the Government will provide, through the Presidential Inputs Programme, inputs to 8 million smallholder farmers who are all expected to have done holing out of their plots and mulch collection in preparation for the season by end of September 2020.
- Each household is supported with a standard input package to produce one tonne of cereals and 0.2 tonnes of oil seeds (sunflower or soyabean). Expected total output shall, therefore, be 1.8 million tonnes of cereals and 360 000 tonnes of oil seed.
- This model intends to address household food security as well as the commercialisation of smallholder farming in Zimbabwe.
- The inputs will be issued in a package that provides seeds, agricultural lime, basal fertilizer (1x50kg bag), top dressing (1x50kg bag) and Fall Armyworm control pesticides.
- Programme Targets
- Targets have been set for Provinces based on their household populations. These targets have been communicated to Ministers of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution. It, therefore, follows that each Province will produce at least 250 000 tonnes of cereals and a corresponding 45 000 tonnes of oil seeds. The national production is expected to be 1.8 million MT of cereals and 360 000MT of oil seeds, both sufficient to meet human consumption requirements for a year.
- Progress on Implementation of Pfumvudza Programme
- All the 5 294 Agricultural Extension Workers and Agricultural Extension Supervisors across all provinces have been trained on the concept.
- A total of 3 255 378 farmers (1 483 195 males, 1 772 183 females) have so far been trained by the extension workers as at 4 September, 2020 and the training of farmers is a continuing programme.
- Extension workers are expected to Train, Track and Monitor the farmers until harvest. This is dubbed the TTM Extension Service Approach. So far 525 439 households have prepared their Pfumvudza Farmer training and establishment of Pfumvudza plots by the farmers is work in progress and we are targeting over 1.8 million households by October 2020.
- Soil samples taken for analysis stand at 43 635 as at 4 September, 2020 of which 13 756 samples have been analysed.
- Timelines of Operations
- The key preparatory activities for Pfumvudza (holing out and mulch collection should have been done in July and August). We urge farmers who have not done so to expeditiously work on this before the end of September in readiness to plant with the first planting rains.
- The distribution of inputs has started and the anticipation is that this should be completed before end of October 2020.
- Expected Programme Impacts
5.1 Increased productivity and production (at least one tonne of grain from each household)
5.2 Household and national food self-sufficiency plus surplus.
- Reduced impacts of drought.
- Livelihoods improvements.
- Programme Publicity
- Series of radio, T.V and digital media programmes are being aired nationally and are ongoing
- Pamphlets, videos, information disks have been produced
- Each school of the 9 000 rural schools should establish 10 plots of Pfumvudza.
- TTM Approach, each extension officer is given a target to train, track and monitor at least 350 households.
- Engagement of political and traditional leadership, civil society and other partners has been initiated to harmoniSe approach and ensure successful implementation.
- The tertiary institutions within the Ministry have also been engaged to set up demonstration plots that can be used for learning purposes by farmer groups.
- Each Agricultural Extension Worker will establish a Pfumvudza demonstration plot in his/her working area and is given a target to train, track and monitor at least 350 households (no upper limits).
- Way forward
- Farmers who have not started are being encouraged to start holing out and mulch collection and have their plots ready before the rains.
- Soil sampling and analysis is being vigorously pursued across the country.
- The Pfumvudza Programme, like all other agricultural programmes, requires a robust and a well-capacitated extension provision system for technical training, tracking and monitoring. Through support from His Excellency, the President Dr E.D Mnangagwa, a total of 5 000 motor-bikes will be availed to frontline extension staff. Delivery of these has started with 414 having been delivered to provinces as at 4 September, 2020. Training of Agricultural Extension Workers in motor-cycle riding is ongoing with 284 so far trained and 139 tested with 129 passing the test. The other batches of motor cycles are being shipped into the country.
- Additionally, an agriculture-wide robust and cost-efficient Agricultural Information Management System (AIMS) shall be launched to assist with area and yield monitoring from December 2020 onwards.
- With these interventions and a predicted better rainfall season, we expect to morph our way out of the perennial food insecurity situation. I thank you, Mr. President Sir.
HON. SEN. DR. MAVETERA: Thank you Mr. President for giving me this opportunity to get clarification from the Ministerial Statements which have just been presented by the two Ministers. Before I start, it will be unjust if I would not thank the Ministers for bringing out such clear and progressive programmes and I hope we will be able to follow it up.
My first point of clarification is on the water situation. It is quite a public secret that Harare has not been having adequate water for a long period. We see that it is classified under the safe zones. What is the Ministry doing to ensure that there is performance and delivery of water to places like Harare where we are adequate but we actually have no adequate water. Unfortunately, this has impacted negatively on the performance of the economy in general because we have health related issues and all those things which come with it.
I find the Pfumvudza Programme very progressive and quite possible to implement. Like some of the programmes which we initiate as a Government, what is the Ministry going to do? Are we going to have a monitoring mechanism so that we track as we go on rather than to track after because we want it to be a success/ Is there a mechanism in place to make sure that there are set targets for each extension worker and if they fail to get those targets, there is timeous intervention so that we will at least manage to harness from the season where we start to implement this. I thank you.
HON. SEN. CHINAKE: I just have two things that need clarification. Kunzvi Dam has been on the cards for so many years and I just want to know how far we have gone with preparations so that we can see something happening? On your report, I did not hear properly, you did not say anything about Zambezi Water Project which was started some years ago but until now nothing is happening.
*HON. SEN. MOEKETSI: Looking at the Pfumvudza Programme, it requires a lot of mulch. Right now our fields are dry. How are people in rural areas going to participate in this programme because it is dry everywhere? How is information being transmitted to people in rural areas so that they get to know?
*HON. SEN. CHIMBUDZI: I would like to thank our Ministers for giving us the Ministerial Statements. The Minister said there are two sectors that are working flat out to provide water, that is, ZINWA and DDF. What is Government’s programme to repair rural boreholes because they are the ones that are down? I did not hear that from the Ministerial Statement.
Secondly, Mt Darwin has a water problem. What measure does Government have to draw water from Runya River to the growth point because that is the only source of water? I thank you.
*HON. SEN. CHIKWAKA: Thank you Mr. President. The other issue was raised by Sen. Chimbudzi regarding rural areas, but I would like to add on something. I did not get anything concerning ZINWA because ZINWA is giving water rights to commercial farmers, especially the white commercial farmers. We have a problem with water of which the resource is running down at the moment yet they are giving rights to farmers who are drawing that water. What is their programme on protecting smallholder farmers, especially the A1 farmers and those in the rural areas? The water is not enough to sustain the small projects being carried out by these people after giving out water rights to huge companies or people who are very rich already who can be able to draw all that water thereby leaving no water for the poor and struggling people. I thank you.
*HON. SEN. TONGOGARA: I would like to thank the Ministers of Lands, Agriculture, Water, Climate and Rural Resettlement for the Pfumvudza Programme which they have launched. I understand a soil analysis was carried out but from this paper, all the holes that were dug are supposed to have lime applied in them. So I would like to find out what sort of tests were carried out that require that all this soil be limed because it means all the crops in the end will have to be limed.
I also did not see from this programme most important traditional grains like ground nuts in this pamphlet because it can be used for oil or peanut butter. I do not know what is happening. Thank you Mr. President.
*HON. SEN. CHIRONGOMA: I would like to thank the Ministers for giving us this important update on agriculture. I really would like to seek clarification. They talked about a lot of dams but they did not give us information on the water levels in Kariba because that is where we generate electricity and it is also used for irrigation. I thank you.
HON. SEN. CHIEF CHUNDU: Thank you Mr. President. I would like to ask the Minister. He spoke about water and he said the water levels are very low at the moment. Indeed, looking at a dam in Karoi that supplies the town with water, we once referred to that dam here in the Senate; we talked about siltation of that dam but we did not get a response. I would like to know what is Government’s programme in terms of desiltation so that the dams can be able to be restored to capacity. At the moment, what is happening is that there is more mud than water so much that the silt can be as high as half a metre. I thank you.
*HON. SEN. SIPANI-HUNGWE: The question that was asked is the one that I also wanted to find out because I did not hear anything about desiltation which is caused especially by gold panners. They are causing desiltation especially in many dams so much that most of the dams are at low levels because of siltation. If you look at Mazowe Dam, it is now dry - everywhere including Jumbo. It is because it is silted. We are saying Government should quickly desilt those dams before the onset of the rain season. I thank you.
*HON. SEN. GUMPO: Thank you Mr. President. I would like to commend Government for these projects, the first one being on water and the second one on food security. My question to the Minister is with regards to food security. How many tonnes is Pfumvudza going to give us and add to food security?
HON. SEN. RAMBANEPASI: I would like to commend the Ministers for elaborating on Pfumvudza and the water problem. I heard the Minister referring to Buhera. He referred to Mnyathi Dam. That dam is now dry. I visited the dam recently. People from Murambinda and surrounding areas no longer have water rights now; they have to fetch water from Buhera South. Even hospitals do not have water.
Secondly, the boreholes in Buhera are no longer working. People are running around looking for water and digging very deep wells to fetch water. So I kindly ask that Buhera gets water. I also would like to ask that Munyathi dam be desilted before the rain season otherwise the whole area will become dry again.
HON. SEN. CHIEF MAKUMBE: Thank you Mr. President. I would also like to make a follow up on the question raised by Chief Ntabeni. There was no casing for boreholes that were sunk. I would want to find the response to that because those boreholes are collapsing since they do not having casing and for a long time have not been working. I would want to find out when that programme can start because those boreholes restore the dignity of the chief who received them.
THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF LANDS, AGRICULTURE, WATER, CLIMATE AND RURAL RESETTLEMENT (HON. KARORO): Mr. President, I want to acknowledge the type of attentive listening that was proferred by the Hon. Members. It just goes to show that our leaders are concerned with the developments in the agriculture sector and I really appreciate that. I will take questions to do with water and my colleague will deal with those to do with Pfumvudza.
Hon. Mavetera, thank you so much for the compliments on the two programmes that our Ministry is doing. In your question, you wanted to seek clarification on why Harare has been placed under the safe zone yet there is no water delivery in the suburbs. We placed Harare on the safe zone in terms of the water source, not the supply side. In terms of the water sources, it really belongs to the safe zone. Why there is no water supply for such a long time is because of the conveyance system. What we are saying as a Ministry is, we are urging all authorities to make sure the issue of conveyance infrastructure is paid attention to. If you look at some of the infrastructure, it has been in place for the past 30 or 40 years and it was meant to cater for a very small population.
Now that the population has grown and more suburbs have been developed but we are still using the same conveyance systems, it means the water will bein short supply. So, as Government, we are working with all authorities to make sure they revamp the water conveyance systems. I am sure most of the questions that have been raised have something to do with what Government is doing in such scenarios where there is water but the conveyance system is not coping with the growing population.
Hon. Sen. Chinake, you wanted to know what Government is doing on the Zambezi Water Project. Thank you so much for that question. I want to assure you that Government is doing a lot and this is a project that will put an end to the water challenges that are being faced, not only in Bulawayo but the whole of Matebeleland region. There are some logistical challenges that are being resolved at Government and partner level because there is a partner from the region who has indicated that they have the capacity to complete the building of the dam.
Hon. Sen. Chimbudzi, you talked about broken down boreholes and like we have indicated, ZINWA and DDF are working round the clock to make sure that we increase the number of boreholes in the affected areas. For now, what I urge you to do is maybe to approach the provincial DDF heads so that they can do something because they have been empowered with the resources and everything they need to make sure they respond to water needs at provincial levels.
You were also worried about the shortage in water supply. The response goes back to the conveyance system. The local authority needs to revamp the water conveyance infrastructure. From the boreholes, the water levels are okay. They are not very bad but it is the conveyance system that needs to be looked at.
I did not get the name but the Hon. Senator talked about siltation in Karoi Dam and there were also other members who echoed the same sentiments on the alarming levels of siltation in their dams. What Government is doing is to scoop, to de-silt the dams and our target is that, not all dams maybe scooped but we want to make sure that we scoop all dams before the onset of the rains so that we take advantage of the normal to above rains that have been predicted by the Meteorological Department. All those with dams that have been silted, expect some work from DDF and Government.
Hon. Sen. Hungwe, you echoed the same sentiments and were also worried about siltation. I am happy you also proffered a suggestion to say we need to scoop all the dams before the onset of the rains and we have taken note of that. Hon. Sen. Rambanepasi, you talked about the broken down boreholes and that there is no water in Buhera, and people are going to the rivers to dig out wells. The response is the same as to Hon. Sen. Chimbudzi.
Hon. Sen. Chief Makumbe, you wanted to know Government’s position on those boreholes that were drilled and were never cased. To be honest Mr. President, I am hearing of this for the first time. I think something was wrong there because honestly, our experts cannot come to your areas, dig boreholes and not case them. I want to assure and promise this House that we will make some investigations into this and some serious consequences will befall those people who did that because it was surely a waste of resources. You cannot go to an area, drill a borehole and never case it. Obviously, it will collapse. So, I am promising Hon. Chief Makumbe and those that have been affected to approach our Ministry as we also want to hear more regarding that.
Mr. President, I want to thank you. Most of the questions were repetitions but I think I have tried to answer your questions. I assure and promise this House that we will make some investigations into this and some serious consequences will befall those people who did that – [HON. SENATORS: Hear, hear.] – because it was surely a waste of resources. You cannot go to an area, drill a borehole and never case it, obviously it will collapse. I am promising Hon. Chiefs, those who have been affected and had boreholes drilled at their homesteads and were never cased to approach our Ministry. We also want to hear more regarding that programme. Mr. President, I think most of the questions were actually repetitive. I think I have tried to answer your questions. I thank you.
An Hon. Senator having stood up for a supplementary question.
THE HON. PRESIDENT OF SENATE: No, there are no supplementary questions. These are not questions, they are just clarifications. I think your issue of the borehole has been noted, you raised that initially during the question time. Hon. Minister, I urge you to follow that issue up of boreholes which were not cased.
THE MINISTER OF LANDS, AGRICULTURE, WATER, CLIMATE AND RURAL RESETTLEMENT (HON. HARITATOS): Thank you Hon. President. I would also like to thank Hon. Senators for such great and in-depth questions as follow ups. It really shows the seriousness of both ministerial statements that have been made and we are grateful to you. The only way forward is to have a united front as we did today.
Hon. President, the question that came from Hon. Mavetera is a very important one because it brought up the issue that yes, we may have a policy in place but is it actually being implemented. So that is equivalent to someone learning at the university and knowing everything, acquiring a degree on paper but when it gets to practice, they cannot practise. This is a major challenge and I am happy that it was brought up because one of the first things that we looked at was the monitoring systems that we have in place.
What we are doing is; I want to read what I have got here. In terms of extension workers, I mentioned in my statement the Train, Track and Monitor (TTM), it is in two parts. The extension workers have their responsibility and we as the Ministry at the national level have our responsibility. While they train, track and monitor - we track, monitor and evaluate. The evaluation is critical Hon. President Sir because there is also life after Pfumvudza. We also want to ensure that we implement and evaluate at the end of the day.
I am happy to tell you that the mechanisms that we put in place dictate that every Monday morning in our senior management meetings, we get these results. It is not that we have trained 534 000, but what have you trained last week, what is the percentage increase? We must always have a reference point. Whilst the numbers always look fantastic, it may have changed by two people, so have we really done anything in seven days? No. Our mechanisms with all the three ministers involved will be part of the design I believe we have. However, like all the designs, it is done by humans and were not perfect and we can only learn from there. Certainly, I believe what we have put in place, I am confident that it will cut out that void, so to speak. Training is always constant but we are certainly implementing and watching.
The question on mulching is actually very disappointing Hon. President Sir. I am also from Mashonaland West as the Hon. Senator is and it is very disappointing to see our people burning. The whole province is burning. I am happy to say when I go to the Southern regional of the country, we do not have that. I am not too sure what is required from us, maybe it is an education thing and as leaders we need to go to the people and talk to them more because it is sad. The Mashonaland West, Mashonaland East, Mashonaland Central and parts of Manicaland and Midlands are blessed with better rainfall. If we feel for example that we have too much hay, do not burn it, let us bale it and send it to the Southern region.
It is a sad thing that she mentioned and it affects us in our Pfumvudza programme because part of our strategy to ensure the effectiveness is not only the holing but the mulching. Mulching is critical for two major reasons Hon. President Sir; the first reason is to retain the moisture. So, if you tour around, you will see the Pfumvudza programmes and the water that could have been poured in two or three weeks will be visible in the soils, you dig a little bit and you will feel it. So, without that mulching, it is risking that form of benefit that we are supposed to get and that is the climate proofing that we are talking about. Yes, the holing we do not want to disturb the soils but the critical component of Pfumvudza is actually the mulching. It also helps with the suppression of weed germination and if we do not have that, it causes problems with weed germination.
We are trying to educate our people in terms of the importance of mulching. There are many other ways of mulching, but I just want to read a list which I quickly wrote down. What is important on mulching is that it has to be organic and we cannot put anything artificial. We have got compost, straw, saw dust, debris, wood shavings – if we have got carpenters in the areas, we can go and ask them for the wood shavings, it helps. Manure - as long as it is organic will certainly help, cotton ginning waste, if there are ginneries since our countries grows a lot of cotton. If there are ginneries close by, we can also ask them for the waste. To them, you are doing them a favour because they throw it away in any case. So we can use that as mulching. The other thing that hopefully can also help is not affected by fires are tree leaves, they can be used for mulching. My hope is that at least one of those can be available so that it is a successful project. However, Hon. President, we need to educate our people in terms of the importance of not burning seed. It is a sad thing that we are seeing in this country unfortunately.
I will turn to the question regarding soil analysis. Thank you very much for picking this up. Hon. President Sir, what is critical with soil analysis is to find out the pH of our soil. We have gone a long time of continuously growing the same thing and we have damaged a lot of our soils around the country. So what lime does is to correct the pH The pH in the soil is important because the acidity in the soil – if it is too acidic it counters our fertilizer. It does not matter how much fertilizer you put, this soil is countering it and it actually kills the fertilizer and you do not have germination and you have other effects, possibly even lower yields or a failed crop at some stage. The challenge comes now in terms of the fact that, we have 1.8 million households. Each household is three plots. Ideally, yes, you would want to test at least one plot but if you just look at the grand scope of things, 1.8 million is quite overwhelming Hon. President.
What we are saying is we have got a database and we will split and do as many as possible but the districts that we are doing, we are taking note of the farmers. Over the next few seasons we should have done the full 1.8 million but I will not stand up here and lie to you that we will do the 1.8 million overnight. We do not have the resources and equipment to test 1.8 million samples in such a short time. At least if we can get close to 100 000 if not more in season 1 because it is an ongoing process and we can continue until we do get to the 1.8 million. If we get to 1.8 million households, we start again because soils do change and we are also conditioning those soils through this conservation that we are doing as well as the application of lime. These things will change and we have to continuously bring it in. I am happy that this question was asked.
The second part of the question has to do with traditional grains. There are three plots on every Pfumvudza Plot. There are two that are under ceareals, which are your maize and all traditional grains. Our traditional grains are critical in the sense that it is an insurance package. We know that traditional grains, if done properly, will yield two to three tons per hectare regardless of whether there is drought or a good season. If it is a good season, it will yield us more but in a bad time, if done properly will yield two to three tones. That is our insurance package. What we have done is to split the country into regions as we know, the natural regions. We know that certain regions do not do so well with maize. We are pushing the traditional grains to those regions that are not so prone to good rainfall, high rainfall. Of course, there is the aspect of the oil seed. On the cereal crops there is maize, sorghum or pearl millet. These are 0.06 ha each and there is two of those plots for the cereal.
As I mentioned in my Statement, one remains as household security for the food security that you keep at your farm. The other yield that comes from 0.06 ha of whatever grain you sell to GMB feeds into our strategic grain reserves. In addition to that, the third plot has the oil seed of 0.06 ha and again the regions that have better rainfall are given soya beans and the regions that do not have such good rainfall are given sunflower. That is a cash crop and that is where you can pay your school fees, buy uniforms and so on.
Traditional grains are critical for our country. I do not want to overstress that point. I think we all know that maize came through slave trade. Maize is not a crop that was Zimbabwean, so to speak, but traditional grains. I think madzimambo edu will agree with me that traditional grains are what we all are supposed to be growing in our country. It is unfortunate that we have turned to maize. If we had remained with traditional grains, I believe we would not have a lot of the medical issues that we have today, the high blood pressure and so on because the traditional grains are very good for our bodies.
The last question that was on my side Mr. President Sir is from Hon. Sen. Gumpo regarding the targets. He may have missed it in my Statement - but basically, in terms of cereal crops we are targeting at least one metric tonne per household. These two plots, combined will give us 0.12 ha. We are hoping if everything is followed well, that we should get one metric tonne of cereal crop which will give us 1.8 million metric tonnes of cereals. In addition to that, we will have 360 thousand metric tonnes of oil seeds. I want the House to understand the importance of this because as a country we consume – I am talking even with adding 500 thousand metric tonnes for strategic grain reserves, we consume about 2 to 2.1 million metric tonnes.
So just with the Pfumvudza programme itself – I am not talking about Command and about private sector, just the Pfumvudza programme will almost make us self sufficient if not make self sufficient. If you look at oil seeds, we only consume between 260 thousand to 300 thousand metric tonnes. If this is successful, we will start producing a surplus of oil seeds in our country. Pfumvudza is not a small thing. It is such a critical component of food security for our nation. Whatever outcomes from Command and any other programme is now more of a bonus to us.
In the coming seasons Mr. President, I doubt that we will have to import even a grain of any crop that we need be it maize, be it wheat. I believe that this will be the last season that we have to import. It will save us a lot of money and that money will be able to go to the productive sector. It will help our industry and help our Ministry of Health so that our hospitals and everything. It is a downward exercise. Mr. President, I am very grateful for the questions and I thank you all for listening. I thank you.
On the motion of THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR MASHONALAND CENTRAL PROVINCE (HON. SEN. MAVHUNGA), the Senate adjourned at Five minutes to Four o’clock p.m. until Tuesday, 22nd September, 2020.
PARLIAMENT OF ZIMBABWE
Wednesday 16th September, 2020
The Senate met at Half-past Two O’clock p.m.
PRAYERS
(THE HON. PRESIDENT OF SENATE in the Chair)
ANNOUNCEMENTS BY HON. PRESIDENT OF SENATE
APPOINTMENT AS LEADER OF GOVERNMENT BUSINESS
THE HON. PRESIDENT OF SENATE: I wish to inform the Senate that His Excellency the President, Hon. E. D. Mnangagwa, has appointed Hon. Sen. Monica Mutsvangwa to be the Leader of Government Business in the Senate with immediate effect.
CONTRIBUTIONS BY HON. SENATORS
I also wish to inform the Senate that in order to maintain social distancing, Hon. Senators can make their contributions from wherever they are connected from. For this reason, Hon. Senators are advised to bring and speak into their gadgets to enable those Senators who are not in the Chamber to follow proceedings. Consequently, any Member who does not bring his/her ICT gadget will not be allowed to speak. In the same vein, members who are not contributing must put their gadgets on mute to avoid interferences in the House.
MOTION
LEAVE TO MOVE SUSPENSION OF STANDING ORDERS NUMBER 50, 61 (2), 125 AND 128.
THE MINISTER OF JUSTICE, LEGAL AND PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS (HON. ZIYAMBI): Madam President, I seek leave of the House to move that the provisions of the Standing Orders Number 50, 61 (2), 125 and 128 regarding the automatic adjournment of the House at Five minutes to Seven o’clock p.m. on sitting days other than a Friday and at Twenty Five minutes past One o’clock p.m. on a Friday; Private Members motions taking precedence on Thursdays after Question Time; procedures in connection with Parliamentary Legal Committee and stages of Bills respectively are suspended with effect from today and for the next series of sittings in respect of Government Business. I thank you
Motion put and agreed to.
MOTION
SUSPENSION OF STANDING ORDERS NUMBERS 50, 61 (2), 125 AND 128.
THE MINISTER OF JUSTICE, LEGAL AND PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS (HON. ZIYAMBI): Madam Speaker, I move that the provisions of Standing Orders Numbers 50, 61 (2), 125 and 128 regarding the automatic adjournment of the House at Five minutes to Seven o’clock p.m. on sitting days other than a Friday and at Twenty Five minutes past One o’clock p.m. on a Friday; Private Members motions taking precedence on Thursdays after Question Time procedures in connection with Parliamentary Legal Committee and stages of Bills respectively are suspended with effect from today and for the next series of sittings in respect of Government Business. I thank you.
Motion put and agreed to.
THE HON. PRESIDENT OF SENATE: While the Minister is sorting out his papers, if I may remind Hon. Members to maintain social distancing. This disease does not even know whrther you are his/her friend, please can we try to maintain the distance. On the front desk, you can even spread to my left.
MOTION
BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE
THE MINISTER OF JUSTICE, LEGAL AND PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS (HON. ZIYAMBI): Madam President, I move that Orders of the Day, Nos. 1 to 2 be stood over until Order of the Day, No. 3 has been disposed of.
Motion put and agreed to.
SECOND READING
ATTORNEY-GENERAL’S OFFICE BILL [H. B. 14, 2019]
Third Order read: Second Reading: Attorney-General’s Office Bill [H. B. 14, 2019].
THE MINISTER OF JUSTICE, LEGAL AND PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS (HON. ZIYAMBI): Thank you Madam President. While they sort out, I hope I will be heard and not be seen by those that are not connected. I rise to give my Second Reading speech for the Attorney-General’s Office Amendment Bill. The Attorney-General’s Office Amendment Bill is an amendment of a law passed by Parliament in 2011, namely the Attorney-General’s Office Chapter 7.19. It contains a commencement clause which has not yet been activated.
Before the Act could be brought into effect, discussions had already begun on the writing of a new Constitution under which it was proposed that the Attorney-General should no longer be the head of the prosecution arm of the office. This arm was proposed to be span off to a new independent entity for the National Prosecuting Authority. The new Constitution provided accordingly when it was brought into force in 2013. The following year, Parliament enacted the National Prosecuting Authority Act Chapter 7.20. This left the Attorney-General responsible for the divisions of advice, international law, legislative drafting and the civil division.
Madam President, the same consideration that motivated the spanning off of the prosecution arm apply with equal force to the remainder of the Attorney-General’s Office, namely the appearance and reality of impartiality in the discharge of its function and the need to retain and hire staff of a calibre, adequate to the discharge of those functions. The Attorney-General’s Office, let me remind you, assist the Attorney-General to discharge his onerous constitutional duty among the most important of which is to promote, protect and uphold the rule of law and to defend the public interest as per Section 114 (4) of the Constitution.
These arguments, for the separation of the Attorney-General’s Office from the civil service, were adequately canvassed back in 2011 when the principal Act was passed and I will not go over them again. The main objects of the present Bill are threefold. Firstly, the Bill will enable the Attorney-General to be assisted by the Deputy Attorney-General. Originally from 2007, each head of division within his office was a Deputy Attorney-General and they were four of them responsible for Prosecution, Civil Division, Drafting and Legal Advice. This number was reduced by redeployment of the original Deputy Attorneys-General down to one only whose post is inexistent by virtue of the Sixth Schedule to the Constitution. There is need therefore, to formalise the appointment of additional Attorneys-General by an Act of Parliament.
Secondly, it is intended that all legal officers employed in the civil service should come under the single roof of the Attorney-General’s Office with the Attorney-General as their head. Presently, public legal officers are appointed on a piecemeal basis to the Attorney-General’s Office and to the several ministries of Government since the Attorney-General is the top legal officer. All those employed outside his office must refer their legal opinion to him. This Bill formalises the fact that every legal public officer is answerable to the Attorney-General for his/her work and therefore must be subject to his discipline and not that of the Ministry in which they are formally employed. The only exception is where a legal officer is employed under the discipline of uniformed or security service. These later officers will not form part of the professional task of the Attorney-General’s Office because they belong to a separate chain of command.
Finally, this Bill put into words what has been recognised in practice before, namely that the opinions of the Attorney-General on a question of law are binding on the Executive unless overturned by a court of law. Accordingly, the opinions of individual legal officers in the Government must be in conformity with that of the Attorney-General on the same matter since the Attorney-General is the principal legal officer of the Government. This applies also to the opinions of the legal officers employed in and under the discipline of a uniformed or security service. However, the opinions of the Attorney-General are not binding on autonomous statutory bodies that employ the services of a private legal practitioner. Autonomous statutory bodies are deemed to be separate from the State and may be sued in their own right.
In conclusion, I urge Hon. Members to pass this law and in doing so, raise another important milestone in the ongoing process of the alignment of our laws to the Constitution. I thank you Madam President and I move that this Bill be read a second time. I thank you.
HON. SEN. CHIEF CHARUMBIRA: I rise to commend the Minister. I have not read the Bill - but listening to what he was saying he spoke a lot of sense. On part one, Government is one Government and when you talk of the head of legal advice in the whole Government, it is the Attorney-General. For some time and for whatever reason, and I want to say at law, it was unreasonable to have lawyers within Government who are not accountable, who do not report to the Attorney-General but are Government lawyers also.
As we all know, the head of Government law is the Attorney-General but we have officers who do not report to him. The best example is in a Ministry where you have some legal officers and when there is a matter against the Ministry, that legal officer would attempt within their own competence - which in my view from what I have seen before, these are less competent than the real Attorney-General’s office. They have less experience and lose most of the cases. They do not benefit from the quality of lawyers who are within the Attorney-General’s office.
In complementing the Minister – these juniors officers tend to lose these cases at ministry level – they go out of Government to hire private lawyers. If the Minister was at liberty to tell us the monies that are lost every year because the lawyer in the particular Ministry is unable even to comprehend the complexity of legal issues involved in a particular case, they then go to a private firm and then they pay thousands of US dollars. We are bleeding the fiscus every year.
I know of a few cases where Ministries have gone to private lawyers where they are charged all sorts of amounts and they pay. Under this new arrangement, the Attorney-General’s office will make sure that instead of going out, they will use the services of senior lawyers who have represented Government before in most complicated cases. I am saying well done Minister. This has been long overdue. All lawyers should report to the Attorney-General’s office because it is one Government.
The misnomer which has existed is where you have a person having graduated in law joins Government as a lawyer and they are lucky to become a Magistrate, for example. Those lawyers who are under the Judicial Service Commission, Prosecutor General, Attorney-General’s office and the Ministry - I am aware that progressively we have taken out the Prosecutor General’s office out of the Public Service in terms of issues of service. The same is happening to the Attorney-General’s office – at the end of the day Madam President, you have law graduates who graduate from university on the same day and join Government.
One is lucky to become a Magistrate and they are given 4x4 vehicles immediately and have these conditions on earth, the other one becomes a Prosecutor and gets the lowest of what a lawyer can get, but they have the same qualifications. The other one joins the Attorney-General’s office and is looked down upon and gets less. The amendments that you are bringing are very progressive because they are bringing fairness, equity and quality to the profession. There are two elements, the parity of conditions of service within those people who have similar qualifications and experience and the second that lawyers in the Civil Service should report to the Attorney-General’s office so that they are not accountable to the Ministry.
Lastly, in comprehending and reinforcing what you have said, sometimes in Ministries, and let me take the liberty to say this: sometimes because the lawyer is less competent, they take a political litigation. They are persuaded by the politician to say let us challenge the case knowing very well that the case cannot be defended. Government loses money in the process yet at the Attorney-General’s office you can be told that the case cannot be defended and let us not lose money unnecessarily. This scenario cannot happen at the Ministry because you cannot tell your Minister that the cases cannot be defended, otherwise you risk being transferred. I thank you.
*HON. SEN. KOMICHI: I want to thank the Minister for his effort in bringing this Bill. I have noticed that the Minister has attempted to align the Bill to the Constitution and this is what we have been clamouring for to have a lot of our laws being aligned to the Constitution of Zimbabwe because we all know that the Constitution of Zimbabwe was written through the input of various stakeholders countrywide. I am happy to witness such effort.
Secondly, I have noticed that in the past the Attorney-General’s office was inundated with a lot of work such as giving legal advice to Government and the President and also prosecuting. This promoted a lot of conflict of interest and now that there is this separation where the office of the Attorney-General will focus on Government, we expect to see quality advice being given to Government so that the principles of the rule of law are adhered to. We are pleased to see such developments.
We also expect the Minister to align more laws to the Constitution of Zimbabwe so that we enhance our democracy and we remove all suspicion that we are not adhering to constitutionalism. Let us take this path so that we are seen as people who respect the rule of law. I want to thank the Minister for that and encourage him to bring such Bills for alignment. We are hoping the Minister will align Section 208 of the Constitution by bringing the Bill on Security Service and also Section 210 on the Complains Committee, we want all these sections to be aligned to the Constitution so that our country can be admired by others to address things that are missing in the Constitution. Thank you.
HON. SEN. DR. MAVETERA: Thank you Madam President for giving me this opportunity to contribute to this very important Bill which has been brought to this august House by the Hon. Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs. I want to applaud the Minister for taking this positive step. We had a new Constitution in 2013 and up to now, we were still struggling. So I must say to the Minister, we really appreciate because this was actually one of the clarion calls on the State of the Nation Address. We were promised that we would be able to align most of our legal instruments to the Constitution and I think this is one of the positives.
Now zeroing on to this Bill Madam President, the Attorney-General is a very important office as it provides legal advice to the Government and we know as Government, we need to operate within the confines of the law and we have had problems where I think one of the reasons which was given why we did not lead as Parliament in terms of aligning laws, was the shortage of manpower within the Attorney-General’s office on the drafting side. So this appointment of Deputy Attorney-Generals - I hope we will not pass this Act and it takes time for the Ministry to implement this because the caliber of the candidate for Attorney-General is equivalent to a high court judge which means that is a very seniour person who should be able to help the Attorney-General so that we work fast to align and give necessary advice to the operation of Government.
I really want to thank the Minister for bringing this Bill and emphasising that let us not just have this Bill gazetted but we want it to be implemented on the ground and I hope we will not just appoint one deputy. I think we have got a lot of legal issues and we would also want to implore on the Executive to make sure that they provide the necessary funding to make sure that this office of the Government is operational and efficient because it defines how the Government is going to perform at the end of the day. With these few words, I want to thank you Madam President for giving me the opportunity to make an input on this and I urge my Honourable Members to really applaud the Minister and hope we will pass it without much problems. Thank you Madam President.
THE MINISTER OF JUSTICE, LEGAL AND PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS (HON. ZIYAMBI): Madam President, I want to thank Hon. Senators for the debate and the support starting with Hon. Sen. Chief Charumbira and his positive comments. Indeed what he was saying are the issues that we want to address. We have had problems where law graduates come from law school, are employed in Ministries but have not been trained anywhere. So what we want to do, like what Hon. Chief Charumbira has said, is all those new graduates join the Attorney-General who then trains them, identifies the requisite skills that they have, posts them to relevant ministries and then supervise them. We feel this will allow us to save a lot of money in terms of losses that we have been making in litigation. Again I want to thank him.
We are also looking at issues of parity in conditions of service across the board in terms of our lawyers and I want to thank again Hon. Komichi for the support and Hon. Dr. Mavetera for supporting the Bill. Again he points out very correct issues that we had shortages in the drafting department. When we recruit and we identify, it means the Attorney-General now will be able to identify those that are very good at drafting, send them over to drafting department, be able to move his law officers around and ensure that the issues that we want dealt with will be done.
So I want to thank the Hon. Members and indeed agree that this is a very progressive Bill and urge the Senators to pass it. I therefore move that the Bill be read a second time. I thank you.
Motion put and agreed to.
Bill read a second time.
Committee Stage: With leave, forthwith.
COMMITTEE STAGE
ATTORNEY-GENERAL’S OFFICE BILL [H. B. 14, 2019]
House in Committee.
Clauses 1 to 9 put and agreed to.
House resumed.
Bill reported without amendments.
Third Reading: With leave, forthwith.
THIRD READING
ATTORNEY GENERAL’S OFFICE BILL [H. B. 14, 2019]
THE MINISTER OF JUSTICE, LEGAL AND PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS (HON. ZIYAMBI): Mr. President Sir, I now move that the Bill be read the third time.
Motion put and agreed to.
Bill read the third time.
MOTION
BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE
THE MINISTER OF JUSTICE, LEGAL AND PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS (HON. ZIYAMBI): Madam President, the Minister of Finance will be joining us soon, so I move that we stand over Order Number 4 and we proceed to do Order Number 5.
Motion put and agreed to.
THE HON. RESIDENT OF SENATE: If I may remind Hon. Senators to connect to the proceedings using the link sent to them. Those who want to debate should be connected to allow those outside to follow proceedings. We also advise Hon. Senators to keep their microphones on mute except when they are debating. I think we are being encouraged to use our gadgets so that we get used to them. We have supporting staff here to help us so that we become acquainted to the gadgets.
SECOND READING
NATIONAL PROSECUTING AUTHORITY BILL [H. B. 20, 2019]
Fifth Order read: Second Reading: National Prosecuting Authority Bill [H. B. 20, 2019].
THE MINISTER OF JUSTICE, LEGAL AND PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS (HON. ZIYAMBI): Madam President, once again it is an honour for me to present the Second Reading of the National Prosecuting Authority Bill before this august House. The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) is a vital vehicle in the criminal justice system. An efficient, independent and well-structured NPA is a must in the fight against crime especially the scourge of corruption. The Bill proposes to amend the NPA Act to improve the governance structure of the NPA.
Madam President, the NPA is established by Section 258 of the Constitution as the body for instituting and undertaking criminal prosecutions on behalf of the State. In terms of Section 259 of the Constitution, the NPA is headed by the Prosecutor-General and must have a board appointed under an Act of Parliament to employee prosecutors and other officers to assist the Prosecutor-General in exercising his or her function.
Madam President, because the NPA is responsible for law enforcement and upholding the rule of law, the Prosecutor-General and all his prosecutors must be independent and exercise their functions impartially. This is emphasised in Section 259 (10) (c) and 260 (1), as well as Section 261(2) of the Constitution. The current NPA Act establishes the board of the NPA and sets out its functions. One of which is to appoint prosecutors and a national director of public prosecutions to supervise them.
Another important function of the board is to make regulations providing for conditions of service of prosecutors and other members of the NPA. The Act also establishes a department of administration under the control of a director to deal with the administrative work of NPA. Madam President, as I have mentioned earlier, the Bill mainly focuses on restructuring the NPA board and reducing new posts within the NPA. At present, the NPA board consists of the Prosecutor-General who is the Chairperson; the Deputy Prosecutor-General who is the Deputy Chairperson; the Director of Administration; a judge or former judge appointed by the Minister after consultation with the Judicial Service Commission, a member of the Civil Service Commission appointed by the Chairperson of the Commission and four other members appointed by the Minister responsible for justice.
The Bill proposes to change this as follows: the Prosecutor-General and the Deputy Prosecutor-General will no longer be Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson. Instead, the President will appoint two of the other members to be Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson respectively. Deputy Prosecutor-General will no longer be members of the board in their own right but will only deputise for the Prosecutor-General on a rotational basis. There will be one extra board member, a civil servant in the Ministry of Justice appointed by the Minister.
Of the other members appointed by the Minister of Justice, one will be a civil servant nominated by the Minister of Finance and Economic Development. Another will be a professional accountant or auditor, nominated by the Minister of Finance and Economic Development again whilst the third will be a lawyer nominated by the Law Society of Zimbabwe. The Secretary of the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), which is currently the post of Secretary of NPA currently held by the Director of Administration, the Secretary will now be the Board Secretary.
Mr. President Sir, this Bill will introduce a provision to oblige the board in consultation with the Minister to appoint one or more Prosecutor General to head divisions or departments of the NPA. The new provisions will replace the existing Section 8, which provides for the appointment of a National Director of Public Prosecutions. The Bill will therefore have the effect of abolishing the post of the National Director of Prosecution, who will be replaced by the Deputy Prosecutor General.
Mr. President Sir, the Bill also gives the present Director of Administration a new title, namely Secretary to the Authority. It will also make a more important change regarding the Secretary. Whereas the current Director of Administration must report to the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Justice, the new Secretary to the Authority will report to the Prosecutor General. This should make the NPA more independent from the Ministry.
Mr. President Sir, in light of the above, I urge Hon. Senators to support this Bill, which is a milestone in creating an independent and efficient National Prosecuting Authority. With those remarks Mr. President, I move that the Bill be now read a second time. I thank you.
HON. SEN. MOHADI: Thank you Mr. President. I rise to thank the Minister for bringing this Bill into this august House. It is well appreciated and it is a very good gesture. However Hon. Minister, you talked about so many appointments that will be made by the President and whosoever will be in charge. I urge that wherever those appointments are made, we would be very happy as women to see other women who have got the qualifications being appointed – [HON. SENATORS: Hear, hear.] – Gone are the days to say that women do not qualify and do not have the qualifications needed as they now have the qualifications and they have fought so hard to get there. I think it is high time for them to also be appointed to those posts so that we achieve our 50:50 representations as required by the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
However, we notice that as time goes on we are very far from getting there. Whenever appointments are made, it is only men; there might be one woman out of five men. We also want to see women becoming Prosecutor Generals if need be because they also qualify to be there. I do not know whether there are extra qualifications for women and men to get to the highest posts. With these few words Mr. President, I support this Bill if all these considerations I am talking about would be taken into effect. I thank you.
THE MINISTER OF JUSTICE, LEGAL AND PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS (HON. ZIYAMBI): Thank you Mr. President. I would like to support what Hon. Sen. Mohadi has said. If the current Bill is aligned to the Constitution, it speaks about that. I am hopeful that we will maintain this. I was whispering to the Minister of Finance and Economic Development that whenever there are two names, you must ensure that you abide to what Hon. Sen. Mohadi has said. So, I believe that is already taken care of. It is work in progress to ensure that we realise that call. With that, I want to thank Hon. Senators and 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: With leave, forthwith.
COMMITTEE STAGE
NATIONAL PROSECUTING AUTHORITY BILL [H. B. 20, 2019]
House in Committee.
Clauses 1 to 9 put and agreed to.
House resumed.
Bill reported without amendment.
Third Reading: With leave, forthwith.
THIRD READING
NATIONAL PROSECUTING AUTHORITY BILL [H. B. 20, 2019]
THE MINISTER OF JUSTICE, LEGAL AND PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS (HON. ZIYAMBI): Mr. President, I move that the Bill be read the third time.
Motion put and agreed to.
Bill read the third time.
SECOND READING
FINANCE 2020 BILL [H. B. 4A, 2020]
Fourth Order read: Second Reading: Finance 2020 Bill [H. B. 4A, 2020].
THE MINISTER OF FINANCE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT (HON. PROF. M. NCUBE): Thank you Mr. President Sir. The Bill seeks to give effect to the fiscal measures that I announced through the 2020 Mid Year Review presented on 16th July, 2020 and in particular avail relief to tax payers, enhance disposable income, promote capital accumulation which is crucial in supporting the economic rebound and also to protect revenue sources. In summary, the Bill provides for the following: Let me start with mineral royalties. The proposed amendment requires that royalties on the sale of minerals should be paid in foreign currency if the amounts from which royalties are withheld are foreign currency amounts. The clause proposes to deem all mineral royalties to be receivable in US dollars unless the recipients of the amounts can furnish invoices or other documentary proof to the contrary.
I now turn to PAYE tax-free thresholds. In order to minimise the tax burden and also enhance disposable income, particularly during this period when a sizeable number of households are yet to recover from the effects of the COVID-19 lockdown, this Bill seeks to alter the income bands used in the calculation of income tax for the remainder of the year of assessment and also increase the tax free threshold to $25000 for the first five months, beginning August to December 2020 or ZW$5000 per month.
The Bill also seeks to exempt from income tax the receipts and accruals of the Victoria Falls Stock Exchange (VFSE) as part of the incentive package to facilitate establishment and full operationalisation of the Victoria Falls Stock Exchange. In addition, the Bill proposes a preferential rate of 5% on dividends distributed from securities on the date of distributiona listed in the official list kept by the soon to be established Victoria Falls Stock Exchange with a view to attract foreign capital. Furthermore, the Bill seeks to exempt the capital gains, tax amounts received or accrued on the sale of any marketable securities that are traded on the soon to be established Victoria Falls Stock Exchange.
I now turn to the IMTT tax. The Bill seeks to tax electronic transactions or rather electronic transfers of foreign currency for transaction purposes. Furthermore, it seeks to review the tax free threshold for local currency transfers from a RTGS100 to RTGS300 or US$5 equivalent and revises the maximum tax payable from RTGS 25 000 to RTGS50 000 on transactions with values exceeding RTGS2.5m.
I now turn to the National Oil Company of Zimbabwe’s Debt Redemption in Strategic Reserve Levy. Mr. President, the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority is empowered to collect the Debt Redemption Levy for the amortisation of the NOCZIM debt and the Strategic Reserve Levy from oil companies that import their own petroleum products. The Bill thus seeks to introduce differential rates for the levies for the importation of petrol and diesel, otherwise than through the use of foreign currency denominated free funds.
Let me turn to withholding tax on cotton sales. Mr. President, section 80 of the Income Tax Act seeks that if persons or PAYEES who enter into contracts with the Government or statutory bodies have not submitted income tax returns for the most recent year of assessment, the Government or the statutory body concerned is obliged to withhold 10% of all payments due to them until the contractor pays the withheld amounts to the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority.
In view of the strategic nature of cotton as a source of sustenance for the majority of cotton farmers, the Bill proposes to exclude from the scope of the definition of PAYEE growers or contracted growers of cotton making a delivery of cotton or cotton seed in accordance with the Agricultural Marketing Authority Regulations (2009).
Let me now turn to the income tax exemption for university infrastructure special purpose vehicles. The Bill seeks to provide for income tax exemption on receipts and accruals of any special purpose vehicles or SPV. Initially wholly owned by the Infrastructural Development Bank of Zimbabwe wherein private sector contractors in return for a share in the equity of the SPV undertake to construct own campus student accommodation at any public institution of higher or tertiary education.
Let me turn to the tax exemptions on COVID-19 allowances. The Bill seeks to amend the scope of remuneration to exclude from the pay as you earn, the COVID-19 civil servants allowances that is the part of the salary of a civil servant or of a civil service pension that is denominated in US dollars. Madam President I move that the Bill be read a second time.
HON. SEN. KOMICHI: Thank you Mr. President. I just want to seek clarity from the Minister. In his last sentence he said civil service pensions are going to be denominated in US denominations, I just want clarification.
HON. SEN. CHIEF CHARUMBIRA: Thank you Mr. President, I also seek clarification, when you say where an employer has not been paying taxes due in view of the deductions for payee, I do not know, maybe I did not get it properly. You then seem to suggest that that ZIMRA in this case withhold whatever they are withholding from their employer in terms payment due to them. The issue is ensuring that the employer will then not pass on the effect of the deductions to the employees. Some mischievous employers will say to the employee, look the payee money was taken by ZIMRA so I will give you half until ZIMRA pays us. It would have been wise in that law to say the employer shall not pass on the effects of the deductions to the employees. The employee shall not suffer as a result of the omission or non performance of the employer in terms of remuneration. Can you clarify on that one?
+HON. SEN. CHIEF NGUNGUMBANE: Thank you Mr. President. I would like the Hon. Minister to explain further when he said civil servants are supposed to be given US dollars. We thank you very much for that. However, there is this issue, almost every service station is charging fuel in US dollars. Therefore, can you clarify on the charging in US dollars? Thank you.
HON. SEN. DR. MAVETERA: Thank you Mr. President for giving me this opportunity to add my voice on the Bill presented by the Hon. Minister. Mr. President, I want to applaud the Minister for the section where he wants to exempt tax payee on the COVID-19. I think that is very progressive. I just hope it may be outside this Bill but that the Minister will actually extend this COVID allowances to the civil service, not to December which we heard but to a future time. Mr. President, I think it is a common cause that our civil servants are not getting enough remuneration and we have acknowledged that as a Government. As such, I hope any measures which are put to try to alleviate this should be put in place until such a time when we can afford to pay our civil servants. So, I want to thank the Minister for that.
Also I would want to applaud the issue of tertiary institutions for student accommodation. I think that is very progressive. This has been a problem and I think we have read through newspapers the social ills associated with lack of accommodation in our tertiary institutions. I hope as a Government, we should not leave that to happen. I think this is a first step in trying to address those. I want to thank the Minister for being sensitive to those important issues.
Lastly, I think the Minister needs to do more in terms of payment of royalties by the mining companies, I think in terms of the amount, even the charges and also the time to pay. I think we can do a lot with those, there are funding loopholes, as a result we always have a deficit in the fiscus where we were supposed to get money from those royalties. I hope the Minister will strengthen measures to make sure that it becomes a bit more effective. Generally, I want to applaud the Minister for this Bill. I think it has got some areas where he shows sensitivity to what is obtaining on the ground.
Lastly, I am a little bit not happy with the tax free threshold of RTGs5 000. I am sure if the Minister is going to the supermarkets and so forth, it is nothing. Moreso, I know you want money for PAYEE to really meet your obligations but we have acknowledged that our civil servants are poorly remunerated. We must applaud them for being very patriotic; I think we need to push that up. I know civil servants are earning 10 000 or less, if they are getting less, we might as well exempt them from paying taxes rather than trying to say they should always be taxed. I think 5 000 is nothing Minister, I think you need to relook at that. It has to be a quid pro quo. The civil servants have actually listened to the Government and say the Government has no money. We give them little amount and want to tax it. I think we are not playing ball Minister. I think this need to be addressed.
HON. SEN. MOHADI: Thank you Mr. President. I want to thank the Minister of Finance and Economic Development for bringing this Bill to this august House. Whenever money is talked about, there is unrest.
Hon. Minister, while you are making all those considerations, I would like to put this forward, taking into consideration the collections that are done by ZIMRA at border post towns, mainly Chirundu, Beitbridge and Plumtree. Is it not possible to leave a certain portion, even a 0, 001% for those municipalities in order for them to develop? It looks so awkward Hon. Minister; let us for instance look at Beitbridge. The town is so dirty, the sewer is flowing all over the shore whereas all the money that is collected by ZIMRA passes through there.
If we also look at the road construction which is only about 5 km and was started maybe 10 to 15 years ago, it has not been completed because of financial problems.
Hon. Minister, when we take into consideration of the Covid-19, in Plumtree Border Post, they do not have a quarantine centre for all those people who are coming through that border. The quarantine centre that we saw when we visited during a Parliamentary Portfolio Committee field tour is just a ground which has no building. We do not know what is the way forward to assist those who need quarantine services at that border. I thank you.
THE MINISTER OF FINANCE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT (HON. PROF. M. NCUBE): I thank the Hon. Senators for their input, questions and requests for clarification. I would like to thank Hon. Komichi; I would like to thank him for the request for clarification regarding the last statement pertaining to the taxes in USD and the allowances for that. This pertains to the COVID-19 allowance of USD75 and the request to the House is that this be tax exempted. We believe that by doing that, we will be giving the maximum benefit to the civil servants who have particularly been exposed to the COVID-19 pandemic. For the health sector, in the Bill, we have requested further tax deductibility of their allowances especially those who are on the forefront of dealing with the pandemic, those in the red zone.
Turning to Hon. Sen. Charumbira who is concerned that the strategy of withholding 10% of whatever needs to be remitted to the cotton producer in lieu of their delay in remitting income tax to the authorities that they may end up passing that on to the employee and the employee suffers. I can assure the Hon. Senator that for a start, that these cotton producers know that they ought to remit the income taxes to Government in the first place and what is really facing them is a delay. So that was already due and then there is a delay but then we are saying let us make sure that we deal with it that way. I do not think there is any risk of it being passed on but you never know. We will be able to plug it pretty successfully.
+On Hon. Sen. Chief Ngungubane who wanted to know that since we have service stations operating in USD, how are we going to be able to purchase fuel since we are not earning in USD. My response to him is that we had fuel paid in ZWL but we know that in purchasing there are challenges whereby there are some people who are changing their ZWL using the parallel market to get USD to purchase fuel. Therefore, we have realised that there is a challenge and we need to change that system to make sure that people can access fuel in ZWL.
I now turn to Hon. Sen. Dr. Mavetera, again he asked about the exemption of tax on the COVID-19 allowance. I think he was applauding this move and thank you for that support. We will make sure that we will maximize the benefit to civil servants all the time especially through this tough time of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Hon. Senator was also wandering whether we could even extend this COVID-19 allowance beyond December and so forth. However, we do not want to make that decision right now, we still have a budget that Hon. Mavetera will participate in and contribute towards. I think we can always pick this up late and see what it is that we could carry forward so as to support our civil servants. However, I can give you the assurance and commitment that we will always support our civil servants; after all, they are our employees as Government. They work very hard and we want to make sure that we give them as much relief and indeed support as possible.
On student’s accommodation, yes he was applauding this and he wants us to do more. We will continue to do more and this was just on the front of accommodation but in terms of just student loans in general, we will expand our support to the Ministry of Higher Education working with the banks to provide more loans for our tertiary students to make sure they are well supported. After all, this is the future in terms of our skills and development for the country.
Hon. Mavetera also made mention to the issue of royalties that perhaps while we are trying to maximize as much as possible but perhaps there are still some loopholes and leakages on royalties. Yes, we are training our eyes and also attention on the issue of fiscal regime of the mining sector in the first place. We are engaging the Minister of Mines to see where we can close loopholes and so forth but in the same time, we are desirous to build a 12 billion dollar industry from the mining sector by year 2023. So we also have to balance providing incentives free to get there, not to over tax it before it gets there balancing that with the need to maximize revenue. That is always a delicate balance for anyone who wishes to provide an incentive for growth but also wishes to make sure that there is maximisation of revenue and that is a balance we keep juggling all the time. However, I can assure you that over time the fiscal regime will carry both incentives clear elements but also elements to ensure that loop holes are tightened.
On the thresholds, he felt that perhaps the ZWL5 000 thresholds on income tax; we have been dealing with inflation, an exchange rate which has been moving upward but now I am pleased to see that the exchange rate is now stable. Thanks to the measures we have taken; from the auction to dealing with the mobile money companies, to tightening things on the fiscal front curtailing gross money supply and also dealing with certain speculative behaviour on the Zimbabwe Stock Exchange. The combination of all those measures which have been undertaken at the same time has produced a stable exchange rate. We are pleased with this.
So, if there is still need that perhaps in order to restore the value of incomes, thresholds need to be increased and so forth, I would suggest that the next Budget is in two months time. We will have another opportunity to review this together – we will do a retreat as usual together and I think this year it will be a virtual retreat because of Covid, but we will have an opportunity to do it again. My desire this time was to give everyone just a relief, for now $5 000 and in another two months we will be back here considering the 2021 Budget in the month of November.
I can again assure him his point explaining that the civil servants need support and that they have low incomes. I agree with him and we will continue to do that. As I speak, we are continuing to engage them in terms of the salary reviews. We are in hot pursuit over that issue and I am confident that we will reach some resolution soon and we will improve the standard of living and the incomes for our civil servants.
I now turn to Hon. Sen. Mohadi and I know that she has made this point before. It is a very persuasive point around border towns being towns of transit in terms of revenues from income tax. Traffic passes through them in areas like Beitbridge, Chirundu, Forbes Border Post which is in Mutare which is a bigger city, may be small Chirundu, Beitbridge, Plumtree, Nyamapanda and other small border posts. These border posts are not seeing good part of these revenues which they help process and while the traffic is in transit, it is putting pressure on the services provided by these cities, their capacity to handle all that volume of traffic. She has made this argument before and she made it the first time at least when I understood it, we were in Beitbridge with her and I had gone to visit the border post and ZIMRA offices.
It is a very persuasive argument but we have not fully reflected on it as to how it would work, whether it would open a Pandora box but it is a very persuasive argument. It is an inclusive growth argument and that is always persuasive to me. Again, it is an issue that with the President’s permission, we should make sure that we chew the bone again during our retreat for the next Budget and see how this House could move forward with this suggestion and I would like to hear from other Hon. Members how they feel about it when we have that debate and contribution.
I have written “quarantine centres” so that indeed some of these resources could help develop quarantine centres in these border towns which are hot zones because they are the frontier zones in terms of receiving retainees and cross-border truckers and others. As I say, it is a persuasive argument to support these border towns. I think Mr. President, that was the last question or comment and I will stop there. Thank you very much. I now move that the Bill read a second time.
Motion put and agreed to.
Bill read a second time.
Committee Stage: With leave, forthwith.
COMMITTEE STAGE
FINANCE 2020 BILL [H. B. 4a, 2020]
House in Committee.
Clauses 1 to 18 put and agreed to
House resumed.
Bill reported without amendments.
Third Reading: With leave, forthwith.
THIRD READING
FINANCE 2020 BILL [H. B. 4A, 2020]
THE MINISTER OF FINANCE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT (HON. PROF. M. NCUBE). I move that the Bill be now read the third time.
Motion put and agreed to.
Bill read the third time.
On the motion of THE MINISTER OF PRIMARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION (HON SEN. MATHEMA) the Senate adjourned at Fourteen Minutes past Four o’clock p.m.
PARLIAMENT OF ZIMBABWE
Tuesday, 15th September, 2020
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
BILLS RECEIVED FROM THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
THE HON. PRESIDENT OF SENATE: I have to inform the House that the following Bills have been received from the National Assembly:- The Attorney-General’s Office Amendment Bill [H. B. 14, 2019]; the Finance 2020 Bill [H. B. 4A, 2020] and the National Prosecuting Authority Bill [H. B. 20, 2019].
MOTION
RECONSIDERATION OF SENATE STANDING ORDER NO. 79
THE MINISTER OF JUSTICE, LEGAL AND PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS (HON. ZIYAMBI): I move the motion standing in my name that Standing Order No. 79 of the Senate Standing Orders be reconsidered and that this House resolves that the 2020 Edition of the Standing Orders of the Senate be adopted;
THAT the Senate Standing Order No. 79 be amended to allow synchronisation with the corresponding National Assembly Standing Order which bans singing in the Chamber and consequently this House resolves that the 2020 Edition of the Senate Standing Orders as amended be adopted.
Motion put and agreed to.
MOTION
BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE
THE MINISTER OF JUSTICE, LEGAL AND PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS (HON. ZIYAMBI): I move that Order of the Day, Number 2 on today’s Order Paper be stood over until Order of the Day Number 3 has been disposed off.
Motion put and agreed to.
COMMITTEE STAGE
CONSTITUTIONAL COURT AMENDMENT BILL [H. B. 11A, 2019]
Third Order read: Committee Stage: Constitutional Court Bill [H. B. 11A, 2019].
House in Committee.
Clauses 1 to 26 put and agreed to.
House resumed.
Bill reported without amendments.
Third Reading: With leave, forthwith.
THIRD READING
CONSTITUTIONAL COURT AMENDMENT BILL [H. B. 11A, 2019]
THE MINISTER OF JUSTICE, LEGAL AND PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS (HON. ZIYAMBI). I now move that the Bill be read the third time.
Motion put and agreed to.
Bill read the third time.
On the motion of THE MINISTER OF JUSTICE, LEGAL AND PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS (HON. ZIYAMBI), the Senate adjourned at One minute to Three o’clock p.m.
PARLIAMENT OF ZIMBABWE
Thursday, 10th September, 2020
The National Assembly met at a Quarter-past Two o’clock p.m.
PRAYERS
(THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER in the Chair)
MOTION
LEAVE TO MOVE SUSPENSION OF STANDING ORDERS NO. 52, 142, 143 AND 146
THE MINISTER OF JUSTICE, LEGAL AND PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS (HON. ZIYAMBI): Thank you Madam Speaker Ma’am. Madam Speaker, I seek leave of the House to move that the provisions of Standing Orders Number, 52, 142, 143 and 146 regarding the Automatic Adjournment of the House at Five Minutes to Seven o’clock p.m on sitting days other than a Friday and at Twenty Five Minutes Past One o’clock p.m. on Friday, referral of Bills to Portfolio Committees, procedure in connection with the Parliamentary Legal Committee and stages of Bills respectively, be suspended with effect from today and for the next series of sittings in respect of Government Business. I thank you Madam Speaker.
HON. BITI: I beg the Hon. Minister to actually specify the business and the Bills that he wants to deal with.
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: You are not connected.
HON. BITI: Can the Hon. Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs specify the Government Business, in particular, the Bills. For instance, he can say the Finance Bill or the National Prosecuting Authority Bill. This is because there are some Bills which are already before the Committees, for instance, the Financial Adjustment Bill and there are certain processes that are taking place there. So, our appeal to him is to specify the actual business in respect of which he is seeking the suspension of the Standing Orders instead of a generic open cheque to him because that would be dangerous Madam Speaker Ma’am.
HON. ZIYAMBI: Thank you Madam Speaker Ma’am. Madam Speaker, the reason why I did not specify is, perhaps this would be the last sitting before we start a Third Session of the 9th Parliament. I deliberately decided to say that so that all that we can do today so that we refer to Senate, we can complete, including the Finance Bill, the agreements that are there, but I am taking note of your concerns regarding the Financial Adjustments Bill. I do not think it is part of what we want to do. So, specifying would tie me down but I want all that we can do today so that Senate can consider next week when we are not sitting and before the State of the Nation Address and the beginning of the Third Session of the 9th Parliament. I thank you Madam Speaker Ma’am.
Motion put and agreed to.
MOTION
SUSPENSION OF STANDING ORDERS NO. 52, 142, 143 AND 146
THE MINISTER OF JUSTICE, LEGAL AND PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS (HON. ZIYAMBI): Thank you Madam Speaker Ma’am. I move that provisions of Standing Orders Nos. 52, 142, 143 and 146 regarding the automatic adjournment of the House at five minutes to seven o’clock p.m. on sitting days other than a Friday and at twenty-five minutes past one o’clock p.m. on Friday, referral of Bills to Portfolio Committees, procedure in connection with the Parliamentary Legal Committee and stages of Bills respectively, be suspended with effect from today and for the next series of sittings in respect of Government business. I thank you Madam Speaker.
HON. DR. LABODE: Madam Speaker, maybe you could clarify what the Minister is trying to say. Is he saying no reports from Portfolio Committees in simpler language for those of us who have missed what he is trying to say when he says no referring things to the committees? I am a bit confused. Can someone put it in simpler language for the rest of us? I thank you.
HON. ZIYAMBI: I want to thank Hon. Labode. Let me try to explain the procedure in the House. When we start sittings at a quarter past two o’clock p.m. we cannot go beyond five minutes to seven o’clock. That is the automatic adjournment time at which business will then have to stop, regardless of whether we have finished what we are doing or not. So, what I explained earlier when Hon. Biti enquired what Government business we want to do is we are going to adjourn the National Assembly and this is the last sitting of the Second Session of the 9th Parliament. What we want to do is to consider Government business on the Order Paper that we can dispose of before the beginning of the Third Session. In order to do that, we need to suspend the adjournment time to enable us to go beyond 7 o’clock and consider whatever we can until we conclude, then we can adjourn at any time even tomorrow morning. I thank you Madam Speaker.
Motion put and agreed to.
ANOUNCEMNT 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 Finance Bill [H. B. 4, 2020].
SECOND READING
FINANCE BILL [H. B. 4, 2020]
THE MINISTER OF FINANCE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT (HON. PROF. M. NCUBE): Madam Speaker Ma’am, the Bill seeks to give effect to the fiscal measures that I announced through the 2020 Mid Year Review presented on 16th July, 2020 and in particular avail relief to tax payers and enhance disposable income, promote capital accumulation which is crucial in supporting the economic rebound and also to protect revenue sources. In summary the Bill provides for the following: Let me start with mineral royalties. The proposed amendment requires that royalties on the sale of minerals should be paid in foreign currency if the amounts from which royalties are withheld are foreign currency amounts. The clause proposes to deem all mineral royalties to be receivable in US dollars unless the recipients of the amounts can furnish invoices or other documentary proof to the contrary. I now turn to PAYE tax-free thresholds. In order to minimise the tax burden and also enhance disposable income, particularly during this period when a sizable number of households are yet to recover from the effects of the COVID-19 lockdown this Bill seeks to alter the income bands used in the calculation of income tax for the remainder of the year of assessment and also increase the tax free threshold to $25000 for the first five months beginning August to December 2020 of ZW$5000 per month.
The Bill also seeks to exempt from income tax the receipts and accruals of the Victoria Falls Stock Exchange (VFSE) as part of the incentive package to facilitate establishment and full operationalisation of the Victoria Falls Stock Exchange. In addition, the Bill proposes a preferential rate of 5%....
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Sorry Hon. Minister, you are not connected, please unmute your gadget.
PROF. M. NCUBE: Furthermore, the Bill seeks to exempt from capital gains tax amounts received or accrued on the sale of any marketable securities that are traded on the soon to be established Victoria Falls Stock Exchange.
I now turn to the IMTT tax; the Bill seeks to tax electronic transactions or rather electronic transfers of foreign currency for transaction purposes. Furthermore, it seeks to review the tax free threshold for local currency transfers from a RTGS100 to RTGS300 and revises the maximum tax payable from RTGS 25 000 to RTGS50 000 on transactions with values exceeding RTGS2,5m or a maximum of US$2000 on transactions with values exceeding US$100 000, That is the equivalent at the exchange rate which was in place when the Mid-Term Review Statement was issued.
I now turn to the National Oil Company of Zimbabwe’s Debt Redemption in Strategic Reserve Levy. Madam Speaker, the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority is empowered to collect the Debt Redemption Levy for the amortisation of the NOIC debt and the Strategic Reserve Levy from oil companies that import their own petroleum products. The Bill thus seeks to introduce differential rates for the levies for the importation of petrol and diesel, otherwise than through the use of foreign currency denominated free funds.
Let me turn to withholding tax on cotton sales. Madam Speaker, section 80 of the Income Tax Act seeks that if persons or PAYEES who enter into contracts with the Government, or statutory bodies have not submitted income tax returns for the most recent year of assessment, the Government or the statutory body concerned is obliged to withhold 10% of all payments due to them under the contracts and pay the withheld amounts to the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority. In view of the strategic nature of cotton as a source of sustenance for the majority of cotton farmers and citizens, the Bill proposes to exclude from the scope of the definition of PAYEE, growers and contracted growers of cotton making a delivery of cotton or cotton seed in accordance with the Agricultural Marketing Authority or Seed Cotton Products Regulations (2009).
Let me turn to income tax exemption for university infrastructure special purpose vehicles. The Bill seeks to provide for income tax exemption on the receipts and accruals of any special purpose vehicle or SPV initially wholly owned by the Infrastructure Development Bank of Zimbabwe wherein private sector contractors in return for a share in the equity of the SPV undertake to construct an on-campus student accommodation at any public institution of higher or tertiary education.
I now turn to the tax exemption on COVID-19 allowances. The Bill seeks to amend the scope of remuneration to exclude from the PAYE the COVID-19 civil servants allowances, that is the part of the salary of a civil servant or a civil service pension that is denominated in United States dollars. Madam Speaker, I now move that the Bill be now read a second time.
HON. DR. MASHAKADA: Thank you Madam Speaker. I want to thank the Minister of Finance and Economic Development for tabling the Finance Bill in the manner he has done and wish to make a few contributions for his consideration. Madam Speaker, if we look at the structure of our revenues in this country, it is very clear that the fiscal space is very narrow. We have been grappling with this problem of creating fiscal space for quite a long time now. Several Ministers of Finance have come in and gone and have actually failed to address this issue of expanding the cake, the fiscal space and also collecting enough revenue to fund, not only recurrent expenditures but also capital expenditures.
Where I am leading to is the fact that perhaps Minister, it is high time you look at the structure of our taxes and revenue in a manner which makes mining the game changer. As you are quite aware, Government has targeted mining sector as the lead sector to grow this economy because it is going to be a 12 billion dollar economy. The taxation structure in the mining industry must reflect that critical position that mining occupies in the economy. You know that mining has overtaken agriculture in terms of contribution to foreign exchange earnings, employment and GDP growth. Going forward, I think the mining sector is going to be the leading sector where revenues for the State can be harnessed.
In this regard, I wish the Minister to consider reviewing significantly corporate tax in relation to mining so that it reflects its strategic scaling in the revenue sources and also want the Minister to review the royalties currently obtaining, even doubling them from their current level. I also want the Minister to review the taxes from exports of our minerals especially considering that...
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Hon. Mashakada, are you connected?
HON. DR. MASHAKADA: Yes, I am connected. So, I am appealing to the Minister to leverage mining as a game changer in generating enough revenues for our country. You know in economics there is this doctrine of natural resource case. We are exporting a lot of our minerals in their raw form and my heart bleeds when I think of platinum exports and then the bi-products that come out of that platinum and how we are losing revenue and even exporting jobs if we are not really taxing our minerals properly. Therefore, let us avoid the natural resource case and be able to harness mining as the driver of our economy and not reap pittance by way of revenue from the mining sector. That is very critical because where we are sitting we are not receiving enough as FDI, we are not accessing international loans as much as we can. Therefore, let us leverage our own natural resources. In my respectful view, mining has not been adequately taxed because there are a lot of mining houses making huge sums of money. Look at Marange Fields, the diamond companies, look at Arosa and all these huge multinational companies that have invested in Zimbabwe; at the end of the day, this economy must grow and get proof that we have got these multinational companies through taxes and channelling those tax revenues to fund the fiscus, to fund the budget. I think that is critical. I will appeal to you to review the tax regime applicable to the mining sector so that we can have more revenues going to the fiscal drag net.
The other issue with respect to your presentation is the tax free income for civil servants. I think we are shooting a moving target. From $5000 per month, it is now $25000. It is a moving target because of inflation because it is impacting on the disposable income. I do not know, what is your view in terms of being able to periodically review the non-taxable income? Outside the normal annual budgeting framework, can we have a mechanism where the tax free component of civil servants income can be self adjusting or renewed periodically rather than wait for the midterm budget review or wait for the annual review? So far, those are my few contributions for your consideration. Thank your Hon. Minister.
HON. BITI: Thank you Madam Speaker. I have a few comments for the esteemed Minister of Finance. The first one is that it would be helpful to quantify to the august House the expected revenue inflows from the revenue measures that are expounded in the Finance Bill that we are debating. It is clear that in the main, there will be an increase in gross revenues. Purely, from a legal point of view, those revenues have to be appropriated to the Consolidated Revenue Fund. They become money that is controlled by this Parliament because this Parliament controls the Consolidated Revenue Fund in terms of Section 300 and 305 of the Constitution of Zimbabwe. That means therefore, Madam Speaker, as a question of law you cannot come up with a Finance Bill that seeks to actualise revenue proposals, that is, tax increases or tax adjustments without as of necessity also coming up with Appropriation Bill that transmit the new revenue proposals into the Consolidated Revenue Fund; which is why I said in my submissions to his Mid-Term Statement it is a Supplementary Budget and an Appropriation Bill was inevitable. He does not like that because under ordinary circumstances, a Supplementary Budget is a sign of failure that you failed to plan properly. In this case, you are appropriating, you are bringing a Financial Adjustment Bill that is proposing adjustments to the tax structure whether reducing as in some instances or increasing. So that makes inevitable and legal the obligation to bring an Appropriation Bill that transmits the taxes into the Consolidated Revenue Fund.
The second point I wish to make Madam Speaker is that since the 7th September 2018, when the Minister took over, he has been intoxicated with a plethora of taxes that are very unprogressive. A progressive tax regime is one that recognises the class status of the citizen, the inequality of the citizen. The preponderance of this particular Minister has been to impose taxes and to rely on taxes that place uneven and unequal burden on the tax payer, irrespective of the status of the tax payer. His most famous and most notorious tax is obviously the intermediated transaction tax of 2% which he imposed on 12th October 2018. That tax Madam Speaker, if you put a 2% transaction tax to Hon. Ziyambi who stays in Borrowdale and to my mother who stays in Dotito, the two are not equal. These taxes which are intoxicated including in the present Bill are unequal. My appeal and submission to him is move away from unprogressive taxes that treat everyone equal. His response foreseeable is that has been the best way of taxing informal sector. There are many ways of netting in the informal sector. Kenya has excellent paraphernalia of taxes that net in the informal sector particularly the matatoos and the transport sector.
The third issue Madam Speaker is the pretence that civil servants are earning salaries, the pretence that anyone still earning in RTGS dollars is earning a salary. Through Statutory Instrument 133 of 2019, Statutory Instrument 142 of 2019 which dedollarised this economy, the Minister effectively devalued the salaries of civil servants including the salaries of esteemed Members in this august House. The salary of a Member in this august House cannot buy a full tank yet in the community, you are an honourable Member of Parliament but your pocket is absolutely dishonourable because the Minister has devalued the disposable income.
Madam Speaker, it does not matter what tax-free threshold you may increase as he proposes to increase. It does not matter whether it is $10 thousand because it does not make a difference as long as civil servants are earning in Zimbabwean dollars. A Grade E5 teacher which is most teachers, who effectively used to earn US$700 as of the 19th February 2019, a day before S.I. 33 of 2020 is now effectively earning US$15. It does not matter what exchange rate you are using, the $83 from the auction or the $113 from Fourth Street, your salary has effectively been devalued.
If you now go on the pricing structure of the economy Madam Speaker, there is a statutory instrument enacted by the President which obliges, through the exchange control regulations, every shop to reflect two prices. The price in US dollar and the price in Zimbabwe dollar, but effectively, when you go into those shops, all the prices are indexed in USD and they actually increase the prices in USD so that there is USD inflation in this economy. Prices are going up in USD inflation but even when you go into that shop with your USD, they discount it at the official exchange rate of 1:83 but 90% of people cannot get money from the auction floor on Tuesday. We are getting our money from Fourth Street where we are getting it at 1:105. So the retailer now and this is a penalty of mismanagement or misgovernance that the ordinary citizens are paying in this community.
If your aunt from the UK or South Africa sends you US$100, when you go into the shop to buy your goods you are buying at an official exchange rate of 1:83 but when you look for that USD, you are not buying it at 1:83 but at 1:110/115. These distortions can easily be cured by accepting the reality, that is acknowledge in the RBZ’s last month acknowledgement which is the fact that the economy refused to de-dollarise because conditions for de-dollarisation were not there. The economy has remained stuck in the USD mode.
Madam Speaker, if you doubt what I am saying and you were to search all of us here, you will not find any of us with a single Z$. All of us in this room have USD, including the Minister himself because the economy has refused – [HON. PROF. M. NCUBE: These are Z$ notes.] – Ah, no you have some USD notes, you actually have millions. We need to bite the bullet and recognise that the regime of multiple currencies has refused to go through the front door. I say through the front door because we are doing it through the back door.
When the authorities pass a law to say there must be dual pricing in USD and in Z$ when you have not repealed Section 21, 22 and 23 of the Finance Act which this House passed as Finance Act No. 7 of 2019 on the 1st of August, 2019, that says the sole legal currency in Zimbabwe is now the Z$, then you are doing de-dollarisation through the back door. If you notice now the finance proposals that have been made by the Minister in the last 12 months have all been following the USD. Recently he passed Statutory Instrument 166 of 2020 which effectively now obliges those who use their free funds abroad to actually pay carbon tax in USD. The Minister of Transport too passed Statutory Instrument 123 (A) of 2020 which obliges Zimbabwean motorists to pay taxes and other vehicle licences in USD. So, if you are asking us to pay all these taxes in USD when we are earning Z$, why do you not bite this dog by the head and simply accept the return of multiple currencies.
Madam Speaker, we are not pushing for the de-dollarisation of the Z$. Let them exist side by side which is what the dualisation Statutory Instrument does but recognise now that multiple currencies are legal tenders in Zimbabwe through the repeal of Statutory Instrument 142 of 2019 as codified by the Finance Act No.2 of 2020 or No. 7 of 2019 which this House passed on 1st August, 2019. As long as our Monetary Policy is in a messy, the citizenry will suffer. Prices will continue to go up.
I see there is a lot of excitement particularly from the Minister and his friend, Governor John Panonetsa Mangudya at the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe by the ‘stuckability’ of the exchange rate. It has remained stuck at 1:83 in the past three weeks – [HON. TOGAREPI: It is stable.] – It is stuck. Madam Speaker, economics is a function of supply and demand. Where supply cannot meet up demand the price of that commodity shoots up. The auction system, the Dutch – [HON. TOGAREPI: Inaudible interjection.] – Mira ka ndimbotaura kana uine shungu wobvisa magirazi wozotaura ndapedza …
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order, Hon. Members!
HON. BITI: Can you rein in on the Chief Whip, Madam Speaker.
Madam Speaker, the Dutch foreign exchange is a fraud on the people of Zimbabwe. It is a fraud in this way; firstly, it cannot be an open auction when there is only one supplier of the commodity and the supplier of the commodity is the Reserve Bank. There has been no other actor who has been supplying the foreign currency, so it cannot be an open market. Many people here are tobacco farmers and every year from February to June, tobacco farmers know how a true market works. Every tobacco farmer, there are hundred thousand new tobacco farmers that were created by the Land Reform Programme. You go to the auction floor which you want, whether you want TLC or Boka, you sell your commodity. There are hundreds of buyers from all over the world, they buy the product.
Where you have got one supplier supplying the product, it is an artificial, rigged and deregist market as Hon. Mashakada would say. It is a controlled market. Secondly, the little bits of foreign currency that they have been supplying, sometimes US$15, 14 or 16 million are way beyond the country’s demands. What the authorities, including the esteemed Minister, should ask is what are those huge importers like ZIMPLATS who are bringing in millions and millions of dollars doing with their foreign currency which they are not selling on the foreign exchange? Madam Speaker, I can assure you that by hook and crook, that money is finding its way in Fourth Street and a lot of it is going into grey imports that are flooding this country.
If you go to Roadport everyday and I wish the Minister could do it, there are hundreds and hundreds of buses that are coming carrying all kinds of goods; televisions, what not what not. It is a grey economy. So because of this distorted Monetary Policy, we are now losing millions and millions of dollars that the malayitshas of this world are dealing with in South Africa, bring in grey imports into this country. The artificial controls are actually guaranteeing huge leakages.
Madam Speaker, to maintain the apparent stuckability of this artificial auction floor, the Government authorities have now moved into, for lack of a better word, a fascist mode. The Monetary Policy now says every exporter 70% of your foreign income is now taken. If you go into retail and you buy, 20% of the USD is immediately taken. We cannot do that Madam Speaker. It is illegal. The RBZ cannot impose a tax where others’ tax export surrender requirements are unconstitutional. They are not controlled by this Parliament. This Parliament controls the Consolidated Revenue Fund and those exports surrender requirements are an income which must be controlled by this august House through him, the esteemed Minister of Finance.
So, we are generating illegality upon illegality but most importantly, we are creating distortions in the economy. Let us have one single pricing system. The dual pricing system is creating havoc in industry. It is creating accounting nightmares. If you run a business, it means you now have two sets of accounts; one that deals with the USD economy and the other that deals with a local economy. Two different tax obligations and interest implications. There is a different interest for the USD and local dollar which does not work; it will not work. I urge the esteemed Minister of Finance, Professor Mthuli Ncube of Cambridge University to revisit the issue of Monetary Policy and the exchange rate because it is throwing distortions.
In conclusion Madam Speaker, I asked the Minister in my contribution to his Second Reading that he revisits the issue of debt in this economy. Debt is put in a premium. His response was I cannot pay the US$1.2 billion which we owe to the World Bank, the US$500 million or so which we owe to the African Development Bank when there is poverty. Fair enough, I like that answer because I used to say so, but why then sign a US$3.5 billion compensation agreement to give money to world-wide people when we have not sorted the poverty in this country? It is a contradiction. It does not work, it will not work. I thank you very much.
HON. TOGAREPI: I would want to applaud the Minister very much for his progressive proposals, especially in relation to the minerals. Generally, they are paid for in foreign currency and it will be an anomaly really, for those minerals then to be paid royalties for in local currency. I think that is a very progressive effort by the Minister and I think we need to look at that widely in other areas where production is done in local or foreign currency. Minerals are sold out mainly in foreign currency but when they pay tax, they pay in Zimbabwean dollars. It is an anomaly and I am happy that the Minister has proposed this.
The other thing around minerals that I would want the Minister to look at is that we know a gold, chrome or platinum mine – outside it is known to be a platinum mine, but I am told by the informed local people that these minerals are associated with other minerals. Are these minerals also contributing to our income as a country or they just declare platinum and they do not declare gold, diamond or any other mineral of that nature that can be associated with that main mineral they claim to be producing?
I also wish to propose to the Minister that most of these people that come to invest in Zimbabwe seem to look for all the financial securities from outside, yet we have vibrant structures that one can look at after some of these things and help Zimbabwe to earn an income out of that investment. For example we have investor “A” who comes to Zimbabwe and brings in his insurance companies or everything that will manage his risks on the pretext that our systems or structures are not adequate, but there is no adequate insurance provision by any country throughout the world. They share the risk throughout.
If you go to Britain today, Lloyds will share the risks they have insured in Dubai with local insurance companies in Zimbabwe. So why are these people bringing their own insurance companies to insure risks they are exposed to in Zimbabwe? I think the Minister should also come in as a way - because what we are trying to do is to have so much valuable money being retained in Zimbabwe. If you were to tell your investors that we also have a local insurance structure – why do you not use that; whatever premium that is going to be paid after taking some or every insurance to other countries, this is going to benefit our own development as a country.
The issue around tax free threshold – I think it is a very good idea. We cannot increase income beyond what we are able to finance, but if we play around with taxes, we will increase the disposable income of our people. I think the majority of our low income people will benefit from this progressive tax regime. I thank you for that. It shows that as a country we are very sensitive to the plight of our people. In my view, I think we should increase our tax net – many people should pay tax. A council paying tax is critical, but there are so many people in Zimbabwe who are making huge monies but they are outside the tax net. I think that will not help us because they will not be contributing to the economic development and financing Government expenditure.
I also want to applaud you for the incentives for the Victoria Falls security exchange. I hope all those companies that are on our present stock exchange will participate on this one. If they are really Zimbabwean companies, they would want to see Zimbabwe growing – I think some of them have been involved in very funny activities and here comes a world class stock exchange; we expect everyone to go there and demonstrate that they would want to see Zimbabwe developing. In a nutshell Minister, I think this is a progressive approach which will help us as a country as we have this Victoria Falls security exchange. It will increase inflow in terms of investment. With your object proposals, it will make our country a very attractive foreign exchange destination. I applaud you for that. Come up with many more of that sort to develop our country. I thank you.
THE MINISTER OF FINANCE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT (HON. PROF. M. NCUBE): I would like to thank the Hon. Members for their contributions, questions and input. Let me start with Hon. Mashakada who made several comments in areas for consideration. He referred to the narrow fiscal space which needs to be expanded and one area or opportunity for expansion is through the mining sector which is set to grow to become a US$12 billion sector by year 2023, and he saw opportunity in raising more revenue from the sector through a review of the corporate tax and royalties upwards - but a general review of the fiscal regime fiscal regime governing the mining sector. I must say, Madam Speaker, we are seized with this issue of basically reviewing the mining sector fiscal regime, but I must say that we also have to balance things as we review. We are trying to promote this sector to become truly a US$12 billion sector. So we have to use tax incentives as well as other measures to make sure that it gets there. One of the things that we did, for example, was to make sure that royalties are tax deductable. So that is the way to stimulate the sector because it needs incentives while in that growth mode.
In terms of corporate tax, again, we are of the same view that perhaps first of all you want a very simplified corporate tax structure. You cannot have a special corporate tax just for the mining sector - different from agriculture, industry and the tourism sector. It just becomes untidy. You want a simplified corporate tax structure, but also we have said in our TSP we want a strong private sector led economy. We cannot achieve that by keeping on raising corporate taxes in search for additional tax revenue.
So while I understand where he is coming from in terms of broadening the tax base also, you can increase your tax revenue by stimulating growth so that you collect more revenue even from lower taxes. It is a balance that you have to play and also think about it, suppose we try to raise corporate taxes and royalties in the middle of COVID. The economy is slowed down and it is trying to recover right now and I am pleased that it seems to be turning. We cannot then impose onerous taxes on the mining sector or any sector for that matter. It would be inappropriate, but it is correct that we are reviewing the fiscal regime for the mining sector.
Then on the tax free allowances that perhaps this is a moving target because of inflation and so forth. Of course, inflation does cause these bands to be a moving target, but we are dealing with that through a more stable exchange rate, stable currency which is leading to more stable prices in our shops. You will also see the purchasing power of wages stabilising and therefore it will cease to become a moving target. In fact, our aim is to make sure that it ceases to be a moving target and this is happening already. His proposal was perhaps that we should put in a mechanism that automatically adjusts salaries as inflation changes or that would be very untidy. You cannot run policy like that, no. That just would not work. I think that what would work is to make sure that there is stability and that is what we are beginning to feel right now. That is the way to go.
Let me turn to the Hon. Member Tendai Biti who has asked for a quantification of revenues before we introduce these measures. Madam Speaker, if you notice that what we are trying to do with these revenue measures, we are not trying to really raise revenue. What we are trying to do - we are trying to compensate for changes in the economy, that is all. I am not trying to raise a lot of revenue out of this. We are trying to give relief, on the contrary, to civil servants. We are trying to give relief to everyone by raising tax threshold. We are trying to introduce fairness by making sure those transacting the United States dollars pay the 2% that those who are transacting Zimbabwean dollars are paying. You pay in the currency of trade. That is fairness. It is not trying to raise extra revenue.
Now let me talk about revenue trend. If you see what happened in the hot COVID months - March, April, May and June, actually our revenues were declining because obviously business activity was down because of the lockdown. We have to do it because of COVID to save lives, of course at the expense of livelihoods, but that is what it is, lives first and then livelihoods later. That has been our strategy. Our revenues came down but we know that in the second half of the year which is about now going onwards, the revenues again will start picking up. The increase in revenues in the second half of the year will make up for the losses in the first half of the year and kind of balance things out.
Our prognosis when I presented the mid-term budget review was that our revenue target would stay the same as what we projected in the 2020 budget speech in the first place which was about ZW$57 billion versus our expenditure target of the order of ZW$63 billion. So because of that dip due to COVID and then a rise we saw that compensatory fact leaving us at the same level and also we just did not know where COVID was headed back then, so we had to be very cautious about revenue projections and then we found out that we even failed to meet the targets we had set out in the budget in the first place. We are comfortable with the current revenue targets therefore, I did not feel there was any need to then bring an Appropriation Bill to appropriate extra revenue when in fact our prognosis was that there would not be anything beyond what Parliament had already approved.
Let me turn to the issue of unprogressive taxes. I know the Hon. Member has always had an aversion for the 2% but necessary tax which has brought a sense of fairness to those who have not been paying their fair share, including those in the formal sector as well as informal sector and it is progressive indeed we have a threshold that we keep raising due to inflation, naturally - and we are proposing these set of proposals today that that threshold be raised from $100 to $300 that should not be taxed at all, but above that one is due to pay the 2% tax, but also even for the corporate, for the high net worth individuals, we have put a ceiling. So it is not unprogressive at all. We have exempted pensions, we have exempted the payment of salaries, and we have exempted payments in terms of investments on the stock market because we know that our pensions are invested there. There are a lot of exemptions we have put in place in the spirit of equity; in the spirit of making sure the tax is indeed progressive.
On civil servants’ salaries that have been eroded, I have dealt with this quite a bit that the threshold maybe are inadequate and so forth, but you know what, not only are we raising the threshold for which income tax PYE is payable, we are also reviewing the salaries. As I speak, there are review processes, some engagement processes with the civil servants to review the core salary, the various allowances, the US$75 that we have put in place for civil servants as well as the US$30 for pensioners. We are reviewing our policies around how these ought to be dealt with after the three months period has expired. I am sure you saw some newspaper articles today referring to that. I will not comment on that until we have concluded, but also you are aware that there is probably need to adjust to have a collar adjustment on the core salary of civil servants.
For the health sector workers we have something in addition which is the risk allowances for the various risk levels which again, are being reconsidered to make sure that we can restore the purchasing power of wages. We continue to do this and that is what we do for civil servants and we expect the private sector to follow suit on that path. The other thing that we are doing in order to make sure that the income is not eroded is to stabilise the currency, to stabilise the purchasing power in the first place and the currency is stable through the new auction system which is working very well, contrary to the claims. You have used interesting words which I will not repeat, but clearly, it is working and the role of the auction really is not to provide all the foreign currency that Zimbabwe needs but is to set a price, to make sure there is the right market signal, right price discovery process that reveals the true value of our currency. But in between auctions, you can then go to the bank and the bank will have been adequately guided that this indeed is the value of your account; it is 83 Zimbabwe dollars for US$1. Therefore, if you are buying or selling currency to the bank in between auctions, it should be around that rate with the set margins being applied by the banks. Madam Speaker, let us not get too fixated on dollarisation and de-dollarisation. That cannot be the heart of economic debate in Zimbabwe. What should be the heart of economic debate is how stable our currency is. How can we make sure that our domestic currency becomes a store of value not just something that is used for transacting.
Madam Speaker, there was a poll that was conducted to find out how many people had US dollars and Zim dollars in their pockets. Most of the Zim dollars are in your phones. Everyone has a phone, so I submit that we have more Zimbabwe dollars in this House than the US dollars – [HON. MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections] –
On the issue of retention, of course there ought to be a retention. The Reserve Bank has from time to time adjusted this retention ratio in a way that is meant to stimulate productivity especially in the gold sector. It has been commendable, what they have done to move the retention ratio to 70/30 in favour of the miner. This is progressive indeed.
On the issue of debt, Hon. Biti concurred that I have been right all along, that I should not go around the world trying to raise debt in order to pay off another debt especially in the middle of challenges around the pandemic, we need money to support the health sector, our vulnerable and money to buy food because we have had to import. I cannot be borrowing money to pay off someone else in the middle of all that. I should be borrowing to deal with those issues and that is what I have been doing.
He then moves on to talk about the US$3.5 billion compensation for the farmers. On this one, I think he is likely schizophrenic. He has already approved like all of us, that we compensate farmers in the last few years and we have been doing that. Every year we appropriate out of this House an amount for payment of farmers. So, in this current budget for 2020, it was just about 300 million. The previous year, it was 70 million and it has been going on for years. So, all we did this time around was just to quantify what the size of this bill is. Previously, we did not know. We were just paying, we were not even sure how deep this hole was, we had no idea but now we know. That is what we have been searching for all these years. We have finally found the answer and with this 3.5 billion dollars.
For us to get to this figure, we followed the law; we complied with the law and the appropriations that have been happening year to year to compensate the farmers are in line with the law. Madam Speaker, this is is Section 295 of the Constitution and Section 72 of the Constitution which speaks to the right on the land by indigenous Zimbabweans. It also speaks of the need to compensate the farmers for improvements on the land. That is clearly spelt out in the Constitution but I must say that this House has been paying farmers already. All we did now was to quantify the size of the liability - that is all.
Let me now turn to Hon. Togarepi on royalties being paid in US dollars. Yes, definitely I agree with you. That is what I presented in fact. He raised an important point Madam Speaker, around how the multiple all bodies are treated where some of them are said to produce a specific mineral, let us say platinum only but you find there are three or four other minerals in it. Are we not having a leakage? I agree with him and these are things that I think one will follow up with the Minister of Mines and see whether again we can plug these leakages.
In terms of local insurances, I have come across this where local insurance companies came to see me. They said Minister, we need to really push that foreign investors buy their insurance locally and not bring their insurance from outside; they are depriving us of business and so forth. I sympathise but the challenge has been that since we moved to the Zimbabwe dollars as a unit of account, the local insurance companies have not been able to provide insurance products in hard currency. Some of these foreign investors especially those in mining sector who bring in mining equipment which they source in US dollars would like this equipment to be insured in US dollars so that they can replace it upon damage. They replace it by importing something else. That has been the challenge but I sympathise with the insurance companies. It is an issue that we are looking at to see how we can support local industry to access this business.
On tax-free threshold, he concurred. Madam Speaker, we are already in September and we will be back here again in November for the next budget. So, we also even have more time to deal with anything that is left behind in terms of these suggestions. Then he commended us for launching Victoria Falls Stock Exchange and the incentives that go with it in order to stimulate business for this exchange so that it drives foreign investment. I thank you.
Motion put and agreed to.
Bill read a second time.
Committee Stage: With leave, forthwith.
COMMITTEE STAGE
FINANCE BILL [H. B. 4, 2020]
House in Committee.
Clauses 1 to 2 put and agreed to.
On Clause 3:
THE MINISTER OF FINANCE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT (HON. PROF. M. NCUBE): Thank you Madam Chair. I move the amendment standing in my name; On page 4 of the Bill, in clause 3, delete the proviso to paragraph (2) (a) (1) of section 14 (2) and substitute the following—
“Provided that where a person earns any part of his or her taxable income from employment in a foreign currency, there shall be substituted for the figures referred to in subparagraphs (i) to (vii) the following figures-:
- In subparagraph (i), “three hundred and fifty United States dollars”;
- In subparagraph (ii), “three hundred and fifty-one United States dollars” and “one thousand five hundred United States dollars” respectively;
- In subparagraph (iii), “one thousand five hundred and one United States dollars United States dollars”” and “five thousand United States dollars” respectively;
- In subparagraph (iv), “five thousand and one United States dollars” and “ten thousand United States dollars” respectively;
- In subparagraph (v), “ten thousand and one United States dollars” and “fifteen thousand United States dollars” respectively;
- In subparagraph (vi), “fifteen thousand and one United States dollars”; and, if such income is denominated in a foreign currency other than the United States dollar, the equivalent amount in United States dollars shall be calculated, being an amount obtained by applying the international cross rate of exchange of that currency for the United States dollar prevailing on the day the income is received or accrued);”.
Amendment to Clause 3 put and agreed to.
Clause 3 as amended, put and agreed to.
On Clause 4:
THE MINISTEROF FINANCE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT (HON. PROF. M. NCUBE): Thank you Madam Chair. On Clause 4, I propose the following amendment; on page 5 of the Bill, in clause 4, delete the second inserted table headed “Taxable income from employment in foreign currency” and substitute the following—
|
Taxable income from employment in foreign currency
Level of taxable income |
Specified |
14 (2)(a1)(i) | Up to US$ 350................................................................. | 0 |
14(2)(a1)(ii) | US$$ 351 to US$1 500.................................................... | 20 |
14(2)(a1)(iii) | US$3 1 501 to US$5 000................................................ | 25 |
14(2)(a1)(iv) | US$1 501 to US$10 000.................................................. | 30 |
14(2)(a1)(v) | US$10 001 to US$15 000................................................ | 35 |
14(2)(a1)(vii | US$15 001 and more....................................................... | 40”. |
Amendment to Clause 4 put and agreed to.
Clause 4, as amended, put and agreed to.
Clauses 5 to 17 put and agreed to
On Clause 18:
THE MINISTEROF FINANCE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT (HON. PROF. M. NCUBE): On Clause 18, I turn to a new part that I wish to be inserted as Clause 18. It pertains to the Companies and Other Business Entities, Amendment [Cap. 24:31].
The Companies and Other Business Entities Act [Chapter 24:31] (No. 4 of 2019) is amended –
- In section 303 (“Repeals, re-registration of companies and PBCs, general transitional provisions and savings”) –
(i) In subsection (8) by the deletion of “Subject to subsection (9)” and the substitution of “Subject to subsections (9) and (23)”;
(ii) In subsection (8) by the deletion of “A company or private business corporation referred to in subsection (8), must within a period of twelve months from the effective date” and the substitution of “ A company or private business corporation referred to in subsection (8), but not one referred to in subsection (23), must no later than 13th February, 2023,”;
(iii) By the insertion of the following subsection after subsection (22) which is now (23). The following provisions apply to every company or private business corporation listed in schedule 1 to the Global Compensation Deed agreed between and signed on 29th July, 2020 on behalf of the Republic of Zimbabwe, the Commercial Farmers Union of Zimbabwe, the Southern African Commercial Farmers Alliance- Zimbabwe and the Valuation Consortium (Private) Limited, in respect of the compensation for improvements on agricultural land compulsorily acquired for resettlement purposes –
- a)Subsection (8) applies to such company or private business corporation; and
- b)Such company or private business corporation is not required to re-register in terms of subsection (9) but shall be deemed to be registered without interruption of registration and without payment of any fee or the rendering of any statutory or other return in terms of this Act for a period of six (6) years from the date of signing of the Global Compensation Deed; and
- c)If any such company or private business corporation has been struck off the registers of the Companies Office under this Act or the registers of its predecessor office under a repealed law, such company or private business corporation is hereby deemed not to have been so struck off; and
- d)If the registration of any such company or incorporation of any such private business corporation had, before the date of signing of the Global Business Corporation Deed, lapsed for any reason, the registration of such company or the incorporation of such private business corporation is hereby deemed not to have so lapsed.”,
- In the Tenth Schedule (“Form for re-registration of Companies and PBCs”) –
- By the deletion of paragraph 1 of the Form and substitution of
- “1. According to section 303(9) of the new Companies and Other Business entities Act [Chapter 24:31] (No. 4 of 2019), every existing company registered under the repealed Companies Act and every PBC incorporated under the repealed Private Business Corporations Act must re-register no later than 13th February, 2023. The effect of failing to re-register is that the company or PBC concerned will be struck off from the appropriate register with effect from that date and will no longer be able to carry on business as a company unless it registers as a new company or incorporates as a new PBC under the new Act after that date.”)
- ii)by the deletion of paragraph 3 of the Form and the substitution of –
“3. Together with this Form a fee of ten United States dollars (or its equivalent in Zimbabwe dollars on the date of submission of this form) must be paid, which will also cover the fee for the annual return referred to in paragraph 6.”
Thank you Madam Chair.
Clause 18 as amended put and agreed to.
House resumed.
Bill reported with amendments.
Bill referred to the Parliamentary Legal Committee.
MOTION
BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE
THE MINISTER OF JUSTICE, LEGAL AND PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS (HON. ZIYAMBI): I move that we revert to Order No.1 on the Order Paper.
Motion put and agreed to.
MOTION
RATIFICATION OF THE CONVENTION ON HARMONISATION OF SEED REGULATORY FRAMEWORK IN THE SOUTHERN AFRICA DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY (SADC)
THE MINISTER OF JUSTICE, LEGAL AND PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS (HON. ZIYAMBI): WHEREAS Section 327 (2) of the Constitution of Zimbabwe provides that any Convention, Treaty or Agreement acceded to, concluded or executed by or under the authority of the President with one or more foreign States or governments or international organisations shall be subject to approval by Parliament.
WHEREAS the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the Harmonisation of Seed Regulatory Framework in the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) was adopted to address regional seed insecurity through integrating smaller and national seed markets into one large SADC seed market;
WHEREAS the Republic of Zimbabwe is desirous of acceding to the regulatory framework;
AND WHEREAS in accordance with Article 13 of the MoU, the MoU shall enter into force 30 days after signature by two thirds of Member States and in terms of article 14 of the MoU, the MoU shall remain open for accession by any Members State:
NOW, THEREFORE, in terms of Section 327 (2) (a) of the Constitution of Zimbabwe, this House resolves that the aforesaid Memorandum of Understanding is hereby approved for accession.
HON. MUSHORIWA: Thank you Madam Speaker. I rise to add my contribution in terms of this debate. I want to start by saying in principle, there will not be any problem in having us as this House ratifying this document and allowing SADC as a region to have a uniform policy and position in terms of seeds. My only comment Madam Speaker is to do with our own because one of the things that we have realised over the years is that there were certain seeds that we have had as African community in our various rural areas which have been replaced over the years by big seed companies.
What we want to find out from the Hon. Minister is what guarantee do we have that the small seeds which are actually on the verge of extinct being kept by our people in their various communities, what guarantee is there that they are actually safeguarded or we are actually creating a situation where the big seed companies may actually end up taking over. I say this Madam Speaker, specifically understanding that South Africa is dominant within SADC in terms of their size of the economy and their push towards GMO related products. Is there any chance and danger we may experience with South African GMO seeds literally taking over the entire SADC and thereby possibly threatening the lifestyles of the people? As we know it, quite a number of our people prefer natural foods compared to the one that is GMO. I just wanted the Minister to help on that aspect so that at least our minds are put at rest. I thank you.
THE MINISTER OF JUSTICE, LEGAL AND PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS (HON. ZIYAMBI): Thank you Madam Speaker, I want to thank Hon. Mushoriwa for his contribution. I thank him for having the principle that the agreement must be ratified and the concerns that he has raised in terms of the swallowing of smaller seed companies by bigger ones, it is always a danger that the big market players will always try to dominate.
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Hon. Minister is your gadget unmuted.
HON. ZIYAMBI: Thank you let me repeat what I have just said. (Hon. Ziyambi repeated the first paragraph). I note his concern in terms of our very small seed companies that will be swallowed by the big companies. My understanding in terms of the negotiations that were done at regional level SADC, this is one of the things that they took into consideration, hence you find out that there is need now through this MoU to integrate the smaller National Seed Companies into the entire regional seed market. The thrust also is not to leave them behind but to integrate and move along with them. Our thrust is to deal with food insecurity within our region. As a country, as Zimbabwe, we do not have a policy of growing GMO foods. So, our thrust as a country will continue in terms of having our variety of seeds that are organic and we will leave the other markets that have allowed the use of these inorganic seeds or GMO seeds to get them but as of now, as a country, we should not worry about the GMO seeds because we do not have a policy that says we can grow GMO seeds. I thank you Madam Speaker.
HON. MOLOKELA-TSIYE: Thank you so much Madam Speaker. I just want to respond directly to Hon. Ziyambi. The fact that there is no policy at hand, that has to be addressed and resolved because we already know that as Zimbabwe, we are already having a lot of GMO food and Zimbabweans are eating a lot of GMO foods. There is a contradiction that the Government of Zimbabwe is burying its head in the sand, pretending that GMO food do not exist in the country. We need to address that as a policy gap as a country - that we give leadership and direction because there is a lot of GMO food circulating in the country. We are importing a lot of food as a country. We are not self-sufficient. We get a lot of GMO food, especially from South Africa. I am challenging Hon. Ziyambi that the Government of Zimbabwe should show leadership and be realistic and protect the citizens of Zimbabwe. I thank you.
HON. MADZIMURE: Thank you Madam Speaker. The fact that we do not have a GMO policy where we say we ...
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Hon. Madzimure, are you connected?
HON. MADZIMURE: Yes I am. The fact that we have a policy that does not allow us to grow or to use GMO seeds but at the same time we import a lot of food that is produced under the GMO method; do you not think that Minister we must now reconsider our policy? The reason is very simple. The moment we join this market where we allow to participate in the same open market, I do not think it will be proper for us to be so selective where we then demand other seeds from other countries to say is it GMO or not GMO. Do you not think that we now have to review our policy?
The other reason why we should review our policy is that if you look at our productivity levels they have really gone down, but there is no real explanation why our productivity has gone down. We are producing, meaning we are using a lot of land and in the process sometimes we are also losing a lot of soils because of erosion and the like, but we are not really sure why our productivity has been going down because there is a difference between production and productivity.
Production is simply producing but productivity is the yield that we get within a certain period. In other countries the productivity is very high because of the GMO they are using. So as Zimbabwe, do you not think it is now the right time for us to reconsider our policy and also to say why do we have that policy? Are we protecting our people? If it is to protect our people, why are we importing the GMO chickens? The potatoes that we eat from South African even the Lays potato chips are all GMO products. So Minister, do you not think that it is time we also review so that we move with the rest of the people.
THE MINISTER OF JUSTICE, LEGAL AND PARLIAMETNARY AFFAIRS (HON. ZIYAMBI): Thank you Madam Speaker. I want to thank Hon. Molokele and Hon. Madzimure for their contributions in terms of GMO foods. I think we are having discussions and what we are encouraging is to continue the discussions and these discussions are the ones that lead to policy change. To a certain extent, I agree that we need to evaluate our policy - but what I stated is the policy as it obtains now. There is a lot of credence in some of the arguments that are advanced in terms of productivity like you said. Certainly, nobody can argue that in terms of tonnage per hectare of any crop that you produce, GMO crops you get more per hectare than none GMO.
These are discussions that will be ongoing but I believe that this MoU will allow us to pull our resources and ensure that we are food sufficient in terms of the seed varieties that are there on the open market. Therefore, there will not be any necessity for us to say we will be demanding non GMO as compared to others. I believe the others like the GMO, so it will be free non GMO to us. As such, I think the MoU in its present structure addresses the issues that we want to address but discussions on the use of GMO and cultivation of GMO is a discussion that is productive that we can continue discussing until we finally find a middle ground as to how to deal with it. I thank you Madam Speaker and move that the MoU be acceded to by the National Assembly. I thank you.
Motion put and agreed to.
MOTION
BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE
THE MINISTER OF JUSTICE, LEGAL AND PARLIAMETNARY AFFAIRS (HON. ZIYAMBI): Madam Speaker, I move that Orders of the Day, Numbers 2 to 44 be stood over until Order of the Day, Number 45 has been disposed of.
Motion put and agreed to.
MOTION
REPORT OF THE 63RD COMMISSION ON THE STATUS OF WOMEN ON SOCIAL PROTECTION SYSTEMS, ACCESS TO PUBLIC SERVICES AND SUSTAINABLE INFRASTRUCTURE FOR GENDER EQUALITY AND EMPOWERMENT OF WOMEN AND GIRLS HELD IN NEW YORK
Forty Fifth Order read: Adjourned debate on motion on the Report of the 63rd Commission on the Status of Women on Social Protection Systems, Access to Public Services and Sustainable Infrastructure for Gender Equality and Empowerment of Women and Girls.
Question again proposed.
HON. KWARAMBA: I would like to thank all Hon. Members who contributed on the debate on the Status of Women (CSW 63), issues on public services; security and access to renewable resources of energy such as solar were discussed. These issues are very important as they bring development in Zimbabwe that will also benefit both men and women. Allow me Madam Speaker, to thank all male champions who contributed to this debate.
I hereby wind up this debate and move that this House takes note of the Report of the 63rd Commission on the Status of Women on Social Protection Systems, Access to Public Services and Sustainable Infrastructure for Gender Equality and Empowerment of Women and Girls, held from 11th to 22nd March, 2019, in New York, United States of America.
Motion put and agreed to.
MOTION
BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE
THE MINISTER OF JUSTICE OF JUSTICE, LEGAL AND PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS (HON. ZIYAMBI): I move that the House reverts to Order of the Day Number Two on the Order Paper.
Motion put and agreed to.
MOTION
REPORT OF THE ZIMBABWE ELECTORAL COMMISSSION FOR THE YEAR 2019
THE MINISTER OF JUSTICE OF JUSTICE, LEGAL AND PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS (HON. ZIYAMBI): Madam Speaker, I rise to move that this House takes note of the Report of the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission for the year 2019, presented to Parliament in terms of section 323(1) of the Constitution of Zimbabwe which states that every Commission must submit to Parliament, through the appropriate Minister, an annual Report on its operations by not later than end of March in the year following the year to which the report relates. I so submit Madam Speaker.
Since there is no debate, I therefore withdraw the motion on the Order Paper.
Motion put and agreed to.
MOTION
REPORT OF THE JUDICIAL SERVICES COMMISSION FOR THE 2019
THE MINISTER OF JUSTICE OF JUSTICE, LEGAL AND PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS (HON. ZIYAMBI): I move that that this House takes note of the Report of the Judicial Services Commission for the year 2019, presented to Parliament in terms of section 323(1) of the Constitution of Zimbabwe which states that every Commission must submit to Parliament, through the appropriate Minister, an annual Report on its operations by not later than the end of March in the year following the year to which the report relates. I so submit.
HON. MADZIMURE: I am proposing with the indulgence of the Minister that the report be debated next week.
THE MINISTER OF JUSTICE OF JUSTICE, LEGAL AND PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS (HON. ZIYAMBI): I move that the debate do now adjourn.
Motion put and agreed to.
Debate to resume: Tuesday, 22nd September, 2020.
MOTION
BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE
THE MINISTER OF JUSTICE OF JUSTICE, LEGAL AND PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS (HON. ZIYAMBI): I move that Business of the House be suspended for Five Minutes.
Motion put and agreed to.
Business was suspended at Twenty- Seven Minutes past Four o’clock.
Business resumed at 1656 hours.
ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER
NON-ADVERSE REPORT RECEIVED FROM THE PARLIAMENTARY LEGAL COMMITTEE
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: I have received a Non-Adverse Report from the Parliamentary Legal Committee on the Finance 2020 Bill [H. B. 4, 2020].
CONSIDERATION STAGE
FINANCE 2020 BILL [H. B. 4, 2020]
Amendments to Clauses 3, 4, new part and Clauses inserted after Clause 17 put and agreed to.
Bill as amended, adopted.
Third Reading: With leave, forthwith.
THIRD READING
FINANCE 2020 BILL [H. B. 4, 2020]
THE MINISTER OF FINANCE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT: Madam Speaker Ma’am, I now move that the Bill be read the third time.
Motion put and agreed to.
Bill read the third time.
On the motion of THE MINISTER OF FINANCE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT (HON. PROF. M. NCUBE), the House adjourned at a minute past Five o’clock p.m. until Tuesday 22nd September, 2020.
PARLIAMENT OF ZIMBABWE
Wednesday, 9th September, 2020
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 MINISTERS
THE HON. SPEAKER: I have the following apologies for leave of absence:
- Hon. D. Marapira, the Minister of State in Hon. Vice President K.C.D. Mohadi’s Office;
- Hon. S. B. Moyo, Minister of Foreign Affairs;
- Hon. Arch. J. B. Matiza, Minister of Transport and Infrastructural Development; and
- Hon. Kazembe Kazembe, Minister of Home Affairs.
I have one point of privilege, Hon. Chinhamo Masango, if my memory serves me right, I thought questions of privilege should not be asked today. That was the ruling. You ask questions tomorrow. Thank you.
Hon. T. Mliswa having stood up to present Notices of Motions.
THE HON. SPEAKER: Can you be linked up please. Where is your gadget?
HON. T. MLISWA: It was stolen Sir. I was hoping that being a former headmaster, you would make me go through the whole process so that I am also part of the class because I missed out a lot when I was away – [Laughter.] –
THE HON. SPEAKER: It was by your default.
ORAL ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE
HON. K. PARADZA: Thank you Hon. Speaker. My question is directed to the Minister of Agriculture and other things – [AN HON. MEMBER: Aaah what things?] - Water, Irrigation –
THE HON. SPEAKER: Order, this is not a circus. You should know your ministries. They are clearly tabulated in the Hansard. I do not want to hear about other things.
HON. K. PARADZA: Thank you Hon. Speaker. It is the Hon Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Water, Climate and Rural Resettlement. Farmers out there are worried about the pricing system by the GMB which has two prices for maize. The first price was $16000 and it is now $21000 per tonne. So farmers who delivered early say they have lost out. Is that Government policy of having two prices for one product?
THE MINISTER OF LANDS, AGRICULTURE, WATER, CLIMATE AND RURAL RESETTLEMENT (HON. DR. MASUKA ): I thank the Hon. Member for the question. The clarification is that the maize pricing policy is based on the Cost Plus Build Up Model. That model takes into account the cost of producing one hectare of maize at the time the maize price is announced. Then we put a 15% incentive to motivate farmers to get back to the fields. So, we announced a price at that stage and that was the price of producing one hectare of maize. Obviously, four or so months down the line, because of changes in prices of inputs, if you did the same exercise, the figures will change and that was reflected in the revision of the price to $21000. I actually think Government ought to be applauded for being sensitive to the movement in the prices of inputs for maize. That is why $21000 is now the price of maize till the end of the season.
HON. K. PARADZA: Thank you Mr. Speaker, I think the Hon. Minister did not really understand my question because this is done in one season. There were no two seasons here but one season. Firstly, GMB said those farmers who delivered early they were going to give them an incentive of $16000, and those who delivered later $21000. That is the disparity that we are talking about Hon. Speaker.
HON. DR. MASUKA: Mr. Speaker Sir, the clarification is clear. The $16000 given at that time would purchase inputs for one hectare of maize, but now the same amount does not purchase one hectare worth of maize inputs but $21000 now purchases inputs for a hectare, hence the adjustment. So the Hon. Member has to look at purchasing inputs sufficient for one hectare of maize. That is the difference but value wise when you were paid then, it was payment equivalent to one hectare worth of inputs plus 15% motivation. When you were paid $21000 it purchased the same amount of inputs plus the 15% incentive. Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir.
HON. T. MLISWA: Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir. My supplementary question is - why does Government not pay farmers in US dollars because mealie-meal is bought in US$? It is that simple or fair.
HON. DR. MASUKA: I thank the Hon. Member for the question. The current maize price is equivalent to US$253 per tonne. So the request by the Hon. Member to be paid a part of that in US$ is currently not Government policy. The payment is in our currency ZW$, mindful of the fact that the inputs that the farmers were given were largely procured by Government to support both small scale and large scale farmers. So, the payment was ZW$ and farmers are being paid in ZW$. Preparations for the next season are afoot and farmers will equally be able to access their inputs. I thank you Mr. Speaker.
HON. MADZIMURE: When the price was at ZW$16000 per tone, the rate then was around 25. Now the rate is 82 and if you calculate to find out if the farmer will be able to go back to the land, that will not be possible. Can the Minister explain whether his calculations are still relevant for the farmer to go back to the land?
HON. DR. MASUKA: Yes, indeed farmers will be able to go back to the land. We urge them in this current environment to acquire their inputs as soon as they get their money so that they can preserve value. Also, noting that this year Government will be again massively assisting farmers in various aspects and as I indicated, the small scale farmers will be assisted with the Pfumvudza programme which I shall elaborate later. As for the large scale farmers, we are finalising tomorrow the accessing of inputs so that inputs are availed on time. So indeed, I think farmers will be able to get back to the land. Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir.
THE HON. SPEAKER: I have received further communication for leave of absence. Hon. Ziyambi, Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs and Hon. J. Moyo, Minister of Local Government and Public Works. Hon. Kazembe managed to finish his programme in time and is now here with us, so he must not be marked as absence. I thank you.
HON. T. MLISWA: On a point of order Mr. Speaker Sir.
THE HON. SPEAKER: What is your point of order?
HON. T. MLISWA: You have just mentioned Hon. Ziyambi who is the Leader of Government Business, so who will stand in as the Leader of Government Business?
THE HON. SPEAKER: We have the Hon. Minister of Defence here present with us and she will do that.
The Hon. Speaker having recognised Hon. Munetsi to speak and had to borrow an Ipad from Hon. Chikwinya.
THE HON. SPEAKER: Whilst the Hon. Member is still standing, in future anyone who does not bring his/her Ipad will not be allowed to speak.
HON. MUNETSI: Thank you Hon. Speaker. My question is directed to the Minister of Finance and Economic Development. I want to find out from the Minister how he can assist pensioners in rural constituencies maybe by mobile banks since transport is a challenge these days and the monies that they get is very low. How can he assist? I thank you.
THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF FINANCE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT (HON. CHIDUWA): Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir. With regards to the issue of introducing mobile banks to constituencies, as we might have noticed because of technology, quite a number of banks are cutting on their branch network. We have got a number of banks that are going to the rural areas to increase their branch network from the urban centres to the growth points; specifically mentioning Agri Bank, ZB Bank and POSB, banks that have got large network. With regards to pensioners, what we are saying is; we are encouraging them to open their accounts with banks that have got branch networks in the rural areas. We are also looking at embracing mobile technologies as part of financial inclusion. POTRAZ is rolling out base stations to make sure that we have got networks throughout the country. This is going to enable our pensioners to be able to embrace banking through ICT.
HON. CHIKWINYA: Thank you Hon. Speaker. My supplementary arises from the response by the Hon. Deputy Minister with regards to embracing of technology as a measure of assisting in accessing of funds by pensioners. Hon. Chair, the Government awarded...
THE HON. SPEAKER: Which Chair are you talking about?
HON. CHIKWINYA: I am sorry Mr. Speaker Sir. The Government awarded US$30 equivalent in nostro accounts to pensioners accessible after having been exchanged to RTGs. Most of the banks excluding CBZ and CABS...
THE HON. SPEAKER: Ask your supplementary question.
HON. CHIKWINYA: Why have banks not allowed pensioners to access or to be able to convert the local nostro to RTGS over their phone as what is happening with CBZ and CABS? Other banks have not done that yet. The other banks are also using a lower rate than the Reserve Bank announced rate.
HON. CHIDUWA: Thank you very much Hon. Speaker. In terms of the policy as of now, all banks should have their systems to be able to disburse the pension which is the US$30 per month. If we have got any specific banks that are using a rate which is different from the auction rate then that one is outside Government policy. What we are looking at is a situation where the banks should follow the auction rate that will be existing for that week and this is what Government policy is. I thank you.
HON. T. MLISWA: Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir. I do not know whether it is a point of clarity or a question. The question was - how does the rural folk get assistance when there is no transportation, there is no broadband in terms of Wi-Fi to access their money? The Minister is not understanding the question. The rural folk is the majority in the country and they have suffered. He cannot tell us that more branches are being set up. The banks themselves are going through ICT online and the rural folk has no access to that. Can he clarify how they can access? There is no broadband, there is no WiFi, the branches are not there. If there is anything, which branches are there? Which banks are having more branches in the rural areas because I have not seen any bank which has created a branch because of the online banking which is there?
HON. CHIDUWO: Thank you Mr. Speaker, I think I understood the question. We are encouraging our pensioners to open accounts with banks that have got wide branch networks. I mentioned specifically POSB because if we are to look at the spatial and geographic spread of our pensioners – we are looking at one who is in Hwange, the other one who is in Muzarabani. It is not practically possible to come up with any solution where we can go to each of those in the villages. The practical solution is we have got growth point network where we have got POSB and AGRIBANK and these are the nearest banks where they can access their funds...
THE HON. SPEAKER: Order, order. May I suggest to the Hon. Deputy Minister to look into the issue because there are transport logistics at the moment. I suggest you look deeper into the issue and come back next time to see what arrangements or what measures have been taken to ameliorate the situation. Thank you.
HON. M. MPOFU: Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir. My question is directed to the Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Water, Climate and Rural Settlement. On the 15th July 2020, I asked a question in this House about what concrete plans are being taken in place to mitigate the unfolding water crisis in our rural constituencies such as Silobela which are currently confronted with critical water shortages for both human beings and livestock. The situation has been worsened by the massive number of broken down boreholes...
THE HON. SPEAKER: Hon. Member, ask your question.
HON. M. MPOFU: My question is Mr. Speaker, the late Minister Rtd. Air Chief Marshal Shiri, sorry for him being late, had promised to bring in a Ministerial Statement on the issue of boreholes and water situation in the country. We are still waiting for that Ministerial Statement.
THE HON. SPEAKER: Hon. Member, the Ministerial Statement is going to be given today. Be on standby – [HON. BITI: What Ministerial Statement.] – The water situation nationally.
HON. M. MPOFU: Thank you.
HON. P. D. SIBANDA: Thank you Mr. Speaker. The question is directed to the Minister of Environment, Climate Change, Tourism and Hospitality Industry. I am not sure whether he is in the House Mr. Speaker.
THE HON. SPEAKER: Just ask your question please.
HON. P. D. SIBANDA: Thank you Mr. Speaker. My question is that in terms of Section 21 of the Parks and Wildlife Act [Chapter 20:14], the Hon. Minister is endowed with the duty specifically to protect national parks. Section 24 of the same Act prohibits certain activities to be carried out from national parks. I want to find out from the Hon. Minister what Government policy is with regards specifically mining in national parks looking into the matter which is circulating which was written by the Director General of Parks allowing certain companies to conduct mining in a national parks area. Thank you Mr. Speaker.
THE HON. SPEAKER: The question has been overtaken by events but for the sake of the questioner, Hon. Minister, if you can be brief in updating the Hon. Member.
THE MINISTER OF ENVIRONMENT, CLIMATE CHANGE, TOURISM AND HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY (HON. M. NDLOVU): Thank you Mr. Speaker. I want to thank the Hon. Member for the question and also to thank you Mr. Speaker Sir, for clarifying that the question particularly on the matter of policy has been overtaken by events given the Cabinet decision taken yesterday that all mining in national parks are banned with immediate effect.
Mr. Speaker Sir, I also want to address the issue which the Hon. Member is putting forward that there was a letter written by the director general allowing mining activities to take place in the national parks. Mr. Speaker Sir, that is not correct. Maybe by way of background Mr. Speaker Sir, the special grant referred to here was applied for in 2011, granted in 2015 to ZMDC. The ZMDC then identified a partner in 2018, 2019. The Minister of Mines can correct me on that. That is when it came to the attention of national parks that there was an SG granted. The procedure ordinarily is that they needed to have been granted with a letter of no objection before the special grant was granted. That said with a special grant, they applied to do mining which we could not grant. They then applied to do exploration. In the letter the Hon. Member is referring to, it is clearly stated that this is not permission to mine and that the issues of mining are still discussed. At the right time a decision will be taken, which decision was taken yesterday. Mr. Speaker Sir.
HON. CHIKWINYA: I rise to challenge the response by the Minister and if possible, I am a member of the Mines…
THE HON. SPEAKER: You do not challenge, ask your supplementary question.
HON. CHIKWINYA: We have proof of licences for Riverbed Mining authorised by the National Parks under the office of the person whom the Minister is saying has no power to issue such licences and we can provide proof. This is why I am saying is his office as a Minister aware that the General Manager is doing such because we have proof?
HON. M. NDLOVU: I think the Hon. Member will have to check the Hansard. I never said the DG has no authority. In the Act, it must be Section 21, I will have to correct; there is a provision to allow mining in the areas under National Parks but that they have to do in consultation with the Ministry of Mines and when the authority is granted, I need to have consulted the President. I did not say he does not have authority to do that. Thank you.
HON. BITI: The Minister of Mines can also help on this one. The real issue that has happened in the past is the issuance of a special grant in a National Parks area. So, notwithstanding yesterday’s Cabinet decision, can we have guarantees that a special grant which is a special right issued in terms of the Mines and Minerals Act, would not be issued in National Parks and the Mines and Minerals Act will be amended to so reflect so that the disaster that happened in Hwange cannot happen again? Let us have guarantees because a special grant is such a serious right.
THE MINISTER OF MINES AND MINING DEVELOPMENT (HON. CHITANDO): I would like to thank the Hon. Member for his question and the question he asks probably was adequately covered by the Cabinet decision that all mining in National Parks is banned and that any special grants which would have been issued will be reviewed for cancellation. So the answer is no mining in National Parks will be approved. That is the next stage which will be done to have that reflected in the review process of the Mines and Minerals Act.
HON. T. MLISWA: We go back to the Mines and Minerals Bill which is yet to be finalised and it will be unfair for us to get the Minister to comment on a law which still exists and give guarantee to this House that it will not happen when the law is still there. The Act must be changed and the issue is when is the Mines and Minerals Bill going to be complete because we will be the first people to be seen to be naïve in asking a Minister to give assurance to this House that it will not happen when the law says it will happen. So, amending the Mines and Minerals Bill is critical to this and when will that happen?
THE HON. SPEAKER: If I understood the Minister of Mines correctly, he said Cabinet decision is final and the law will be amended accordingly.
HON. J. CHIDAKWA: My question is directed to the Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services. Mr. Speaker, the Government has pronounced plans to grant six more licences to independent players plus an extra cable to ZTV. Why is this happening Mr. Speaker ahead of the amendment of the Broadcasting Services Act?
THE HON. SPEAKER: Hon. Members who are not taking the floor, please keep muted. You unmute only when you have to speak so that there is less interference in the system. Thank you.
THE MINISTER OF INFORMATION, PUBLICITY AND BROADCASTING SERVICES (HON. SEN. MUTSVANGWA): I would like to thank the Hon. Member for the question. The Second Republic introduced quite a number of reforms and from the onset, we have been actually working very hard to make sure that we align all our Acts with the Constitution and we also reform our media Acts. One of the works which we have been doing as a Ministry is just to make sure that BAZ, the statutory body which is there to give licences is fully constituted in terms of its board and management. It had gone for quite a while without a board and that process has been done.
We have been talking about issuing six licences and they will be issued certainly before the end of the year. The process is on now. What Hon. Chidakwa was asking me was on the Broadcasting Services Act. That again is with the Attorney-General and is actually in the process of being amended and so the processes are almost moving simultaneously and there is no reason why the (Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe) BAZ as a statutory board can stop because the Broadcasting Services Bill has not yet been passed. We are moving once and we want to issue the licences. We realise the importance of having commercial television so that we give our Zimbabwean audience in terms of what they should be watching. That process is on and 14 applicants applied for those licences and they were listed. Interviews are ongoing. Public inquiries will be ongoing and the process is very transparent. They will be chosen without fear or favour, transparently.
HON. MADZIMURE: As the Minister said, the licence must be issued fairly and distributed among all Zimbabweans. We see amongst those who have applied, ZIMPAPERS has also applied again but it owns all the radio stations in this country. They already have ZTN as a television. Can the Minister assure this House that not all the licences are not going to be given to Government controlled institutions?
HON. SEN. MUTSVANGWA: Let me assure Hon. Madzimure that the processes which BAZ are doing are above board and they are following all that is in the statutes. That process will be done without favouring anybody. We will make sure that the best gets the licence –[HON. NDEBELE: Inaudible interjections.] –
THE HON. SPEAKER: Hon. Ndebele, please observe decorum.
HON. MAYIHLOME: My question is directed to the Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Water, Climate and Rural Resettlement. What is the future of the Cold Storage Commission (CSC) and its exports?
THE MINISTER OF LANDS, AGRICULTURE, WATER, CLIMATE AND RURAL RESETTLEMENT (HON. DR. MASUKA): As the Hon. Member might be aware, the CSC has gone through very turbulent times over the past 10 to 15 years to an extend that it is operating at between 8 and 10% capacity and all its ranches are literally moribund. To that extent, Government scouted for a partner that came on board with certain performance parameters. Unfortunately, those performance parameters have not been fully met and Government is in the process of reviewing that arrangement so that CSC can get back to what it used to be – to develop the lives of industry and complement Government efforts especially in the light of the recently launched livestock growth plan.
HON. WATSON: The Hon. Minister may know that one of the most lucrative things that the CSC had was the EU beef quota. Is he also working as well as re-establishing the CSC with his Ministry to control and eradicate foot and mouth so that that quota would be regained?
HON. DR. MASUKA: Foot and mouth cannot be eradicated. It is resident in buffaloes in Gonarezhou, Chirisa and in Hwange. To control foot and mouth in livestock is to be able to effectively manage the separation largely through game fences and the requisite vaccinations for our cattle. Until and unless that is done through the availing of sufficient resources to do that timeously, I am afraid we will have few more seasons where we will continue to have outbreaks of foot and mouth disease in various parts of the country.
Notwithstanding that, there are various initiatives that Government is looking at through the livestock growth plan to be able to complete 1 600 kilometers of fencing around Gonarezhou, Chirisa and Hwange. We need to ensure that we acquire the necessary vaccines to be able to complete the second round of vaccinations before the end of September.
However, let me just comment about the myth regarding the European market. The European market was premised on certain fundamentals that are largely unobtainable now and perhaps may I request the Hon. Member to engage us to then look at the markets that are just next door to us within Africa and elsewhere where we think our beef, in its current form, can still have a market.
HON. GABBUZA: The Minister confirms that the partner is failing on certain performance parameter and this is not the first time that we have seen various partners with CSC failing to perform. Is the Minister confirming that they have no capacity to do a proper due diligence on a partner before engaging them?
THE MINISTER OF LANDS, AGRICULTURE, WATER, CLIMATE AND RURAL RESETTLEMENT(HON. DR. MASUKA): Thank you Mr. Speaker. The Hon. Member wants to know whether or not we have failed to do the sufficient due diligence before a partner comes on board. Mr. Speaker Sir, the simple answer is no, we have not. However, to clarify that further, I think certain aspects of that agreement were premised on certain preemptive processes that were time bound and that did not happen, which I think Government did the right thing to proactively look and see at if these preemptive processes have not been fulfilled in the first year or so - what is the likelihood that the performance parameters in year 2022 could be fulfilled.
So I think Government ought to be applauded for having reacted this fast to begin the process of reversing this process before we went far in it and saying the partner can you do more. So I think the Government has capacity to vet possible partners and Government has done the right thing. Very soon Government will be able to indicate the way forward so that CSC can play its rightful role. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
HON. NDEBELE: Hon. Speaker the question of CSC is around the securitisation of state assets. Kindly allow me to check with the Minister if their next move is going to consider local Zimbabwean investors to partner at CSC. Thank you.
HON. DR. MASUKA: Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir and the Hon. Member, thank you. You wish to know whether we will consider local partners. Indeed, even when this partner was brought on board several local partners were considered and at that stage it was felt that this partner had the best proposal for ensuring that CSC could be turned around in the quickest possible time. As we have indicated, this has not happened. So indeed, we will be considering a lot of them. I think perhaps CSC is too big to give to one person - there is consideration for trying to look at the various operations and bringing in various partners. Again, as I said, CSC can get back to what it knows best – supporting the small holder and also supporting large scale farmers, because livestock is an important element of agricultural recovery. Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir.
HON. MATEWU: Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir. My supplementary basically is, what is Government policy in terms of the CSC sights which are dotted across the country. For example some of them have now been occupied by universities. What is Government policy towards these sights since it is the one that wants to revive the Cold Storage Commission. Thank you.
HON. DR. MASUKA: I thank the Hon. Member for seeking clarification on the utilisation of these under utilised assets that CSC has dotted around the country. Indeed it is very saddening that a parastatal of that magnitude has assets lying idle and not fully utilised for the benefit of the nation. The aspect that I have referred to that we are looking at very quickly revamping CSC by bringing on board partners to my expectation, Mr. Speaker Sir, is that in the early part of next year, we will have partners who with demonstrable capability, ability to turn around these assets so that they can be sweated sufficiently to yield the dividend we are looking for. So may the Hon. Member be patient into next year. We are trying to look at these Mr. Speaker Sir.
HON. MUTAMBISI: My question is to the Minister of Primary and Secondary Education. What has the Government put in place for the transportation of children for examination classes when schools open in areas where there are no ZUPCO buses since we are not allowed to use private ordinary commuter buses. Thank you.
THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF PRIMARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION (HON. E. MOYO): Thank you very much Mr. Speaker Sir and thank you very much for the question although I might have missed some areas, but however with regards to preparations for the running of the classes and examination in relation to transportation what we have done is we are discussing interministerially in terms of arrangements to provide transport buses for those people who will be commuting to schools like teachers, students and also non teaching staff. Thank you.
THE HON. SPEAKER: Hon. Minister, can I help you? The question was, in the absence of the sufficient number of ZUPCO buses that have been authorised to transport people. That is the context.
HON. E. MOYO: Thank you very much Mr. Speaker Sir, I think I have now picked it up. The buses are going to be increased. With the increased demand for transport, I am sure Cabinet has already made provision for the increase of that transport provision. Thank you.
THE HON. SPEAKER: The Deputy Minister says maybe Cabinet – he is not sure. Hon. Prof Murwira, you sit in Cabinet. Can you clarify?
THE MINISTER OF HIGHER AND TERTIARY EDUCATION, INNOVATION, SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT (HON. PROF. MURWIRA): Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir. We wish to thank the Hon. Member for asking the question on the availability of transport. Hon. Speaker Government is aware of the availability of transport is constricted. To this end, Government has decided to increase the amount of fuel that is given to ZUPCO from a current 500 000 litres to 700 000 litres. This should be able to increase the number of vehicles on the road that will facilitate the transportation of our pupils, students and teachers. So we are confident that with the measures that we are putting in place and the decision that we have made, we will be able to make the carrying out of examinations between September and November possible. I thank you.
THE HON. SPEAKER: Hon. Members, you have been exchanging that gadget, can you sanitise please?
HON. BITI: I have a supplementary to the esteemed…
THE HON. SPEAKER: Order Hon. Biti, can you sanitise your hands please and your gadget.
HON. BITI: Hon. Speaker Sir, my supplementary is to the esteemed Hon. Minister, Prof. Murwira. Is it not a solution to simply liberalise transport service in Zimbabwe and repeal the provisions of the Covid-19 regulations that give monopoly to ZUPCO for providing transport in Zimbabwe?
Let us go back to liberalisation instead of giving a monopoly to a service provider who is incapable of servicing our people. I thank you very much Hon. Speaker.
HON. PROF. MURWIRA: Thank you Hon. Speaker and I wish to thank Hon. Biti for the question. Hon. Speaker, when we are healthy like this sometimes we forget that there is a pandemic. The operation of ZUPCO and the incorporation of other transport providers within the ZUPCO franchise enabled Government to control transportation for the sole purpose of safeguarding lives. If we talk about ZUPCO without taking into context the Covid-19 pandemic, we will not be able to interpret this whole thing correctly. We are interpreting all this in terms of the Covid-19 pandemic. So this is the context Mr. Speaker Sir. I do not think the issue of liberalisation comes into play at this moment.
Mr. Speaker, we are talking about people’s lives and the best way that we can use to the best of our knowledge to make sure that the transportation that is moving about is well accounted for. It is important to note that the ZUPCO that we are talking about is just acoordinating mechanism. There are a lot of private players that are having their vehicles being managed under the ZUPCO franchise. There is no monopoly of ZUPCO, but just coordination by ZUPCO, of the national transportation system so that we can have a predictable way of preventing to the best of our ability the spread of Covid-19. I thank you.
HON. MISIHAIRABWI-MUSHONGA: My question is directed to the Minister of Primary and Secondary Education. Can he please explain, what is Government policy in relation to the charging of school fees by schools who are in anticipation of schools opening and that charging of school fees is being made in US dollars? What is Government policy in relation to that?
THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF PRIMARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION (HON. E. MOYO): Thank you Hon. Speaker and I want to thank the Hon. Member for the question. When schools open, we expect that fees that have been charged and approved by the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education are going to be charged. If people have changed their fees, they need to make the necessary processes and procedures for the increase of fees and then they must only charge those fees that have been approved. The currency that is used at the moment is the Zimbabwe dollar. If for any reason people want to pay in whatever currency, the official exchange rate should apply. Thank you.
HON. T. MOYO: Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir. My supplementary question is - is it Government policy for schools during this COVID lockdown, to charge levies and fees in local currency and US dollars which they would regard as e-learning fees? Thank you.
HON. E. MOYO: Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir. It is not Government policy for schools to charge for online lessons. If there have to be any charges for whatever reason, like I said earlier, those have to be agreed to by parents. An application should be made to the Ministry and authority granted but however it is not Government policy. For example, one Hon. Member was saying pupils are not paying for the method of teaching but they are paying for the service. Thank you.
THE HON. SPEAKER: Hon. Deputy Minister, I think for ease of reference, perhaps the Ministry could produce a circular and then you favour these circulars to Members of Parliament so that they can take corrective action in their respective constituencies.
HON. CHIKWINYA: On a point of order Mr. Speaker. I think instead of writing a circular on each particular item, I request that they also include the issue of COVID materials in that circular. The schools are now charging for COVID materials which are masks, sanitisers and so forth. Is it Government policy to charge COVID materials on their own because it has announced that it is prepared to provide materials for schools?
THE HON. SPEAKER: A request should not be by way of a question, but by way of a statement. So I will not ask the Hon. Minister to answer that. I think he has taken note.
HON. NDEBELE: On a point of order Hon. Speaker.
THE HON. SPEAKER: What is the point of order?
HON. NDEBELE: I agree with you, it must come in the form of a fully fledged statement to this House but my worry about Ministerial Statement …
THE HON. SPEAKER: No, no, I did not say Ministerial Statement. I said a comprehensive circular, taking on board what the Hon. Members have raised, distributed to the respective school system but also to the Hon. Members so that they are on the look-out for any deviation in their constituencies.
HON. NDEBELE: Thank you Hon. Speaker, if I may seek your indulgence to raise the question of outstanding Ministerial Statement, particularly now that we are going to the end of this session.
THE HON. SPEAKER: Which Ministerial Statement?
HON. NDEBELE: I remember before the passing on of the Hon. Minister of Agriculture, may his soul rest in peace, I had requested for a statement on the Pfumvudza …
THE HON. SPEAKER: Yes, it is going to be dealt with today.
HON. NDEBELE: Related to agriculture? Last week I had requested for a list of those farms that are available for reallocation province by province. My well founded fear Hon. Speaker is that when this session comes to an end …
THE HON. SPEAKER: You are now debating, sorry.
HON. NDEBELE: I hope you are going to make a determination because this session is coming to an end …
THE HON. SPEAKER: Order. The Hon. Minister, take note of the list of farms that are available and the rest should be covered in the Ministerial Statement. If Hon. Members would want to ask questions for clarification, that will be done.
HON. MADZIMURE: Mr. Speaker, it is well known that the second term …
THE HON. SPEAKER: Order. Supplementary question.
HON. MADZIMURE: The learners did not go to school for the second term.
THE HON. SPEAKER: Order, supplementary question!
HON. MADZIMURE: It is a supplementary question.
THE HON. SPEAKER: Yes, do not make a statement.
HON. MADZIMURE: I am not making a statement, I am asking.
THE HON. SPEAKER: Ask the question!
HON. MADZIMURE: The question is - are learners going to pay for the second term that they did not attend any lessons? Are they going to pay any levies and fees for that particular term?
THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF PRIMARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION (HON. E. MOYO): Thank you very much Mr. Speaker Sir. Thank you for the question. They are not going to pay for what they have not received. Opening schools on the 28th up to the time they write examinations, they are going to pay fees for that period and no other. Thank you.
HON. KASHIRI: Thank you Hon. Speaker Sir. My question goes to the Minister of Energy and Power Development. Under the Rural Electrification Programme, what is the policy regarding connectivity to villagers as we have seen some of them being charged ridiculous amounts by unscrupulous ZESA employees?
THE MINISTER OF HIGHER AND TERTIARY EDUCATION, INNOVATION, SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT (HON. PROF. MURWIRA): Thank you Hon. Speaker. I wish to thank Hon. Kashiri for seeking clarification on the policy for connecting rural households in our rural electrification programme. Hon. Speaker, the policy is to connect rural households. However, if there is a particular …
THE HON. SPEAKER: You are not linked. I think you are muted.
HON. PROF. MURWIRA: Hon. Speaker, I wish to thank the Hon. Member for asking clarification on the connectivity on our rural homesteads on what is Government policy on our rural homesteads by Rural Electrification Agency (REA). The policy is very simple. We wish to have all our rural households, to the best of our capability to be connected to the grid in all several ways that we can. However, if there is a particular case in which there are exorbitant or more than normal charges that are being made, it becomes a very important case for investigation. Therefore, we would wish that the Hon. Member puts it in writing so that a specific investigation can be made on that particular rural household. Thank you.
The Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) television camera person having walked in with his camera.
THE HON. SPEAKER: Zimbabwe Television (ZTv) you are late, you must respect this House. The Hon. Members represent the electorate, you must be here by ten minutes past two o’clock p.m. at the latest.
HON. CHINYANGANYA: Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir. My question is directed to the Minister of Mines. What is Government policy regarding corporate social responsibility on major mining companies. I thank you.
THE MINISTER OF MINES AND MINING DEVELOPMENT (HON. CHITANDO): I would like to thank the Hon Member for the question. I will answer the question within the context of communities benefitting from the operations of mining entities. We have a two tier structure through which the nation benefits from the operations of mining entities. The first are the taxes which are levied by Central Government. The second are the proviso for the Rural District Councils to benefit from the operations of mining activities through levies on the particular mining locations. What has become apparent is that we do have extremes in the way the levies are charged. We have Rural District Councils which charge very low levies and other Rural District Councils which charge very high levies. So, the thrust at the moment is to come up with standardised Rural District Councils charges on mining operations which is a vehicle through which the communities through Rural District Councils will have money coming into the coffers of the particular Rural District Councils. So, we are working with the Ministry of Local Government to come up with standardised rates which will be levied by Rural District Councils and through those rates, the communities will benefit. Over and above that, Government is reviewing modalities of the Community Share Ownership Schemes so that they can also be standardised amongst mining operations. Once that is done, an announcement will be made accordingly. I thank you Mr. Speaker Sir.
HON. CHINYANGANYA: I want to thank the Hon. Minister for his response. My supplementary question is, you talked about RDCs benefitting from the levies but Urban Local Authorities do not benefit from that. What modalities are being put in place so that Urban Local Authorities also benefit since there are also mining companies that operate within their localities?
HON. CHITANDO: Mr. Speaker Sir, the Hon. Member asked a pertinent question. The majority of mining operations are in Rural District Councils. He is very much correct because we also have some mining entities which are in the periphery of urban areas and covered by the local authorities. These will be applicable to those operations as well. I thank you Mr. Speaker.
HON. NDEBELE: Mr. Speaker, while they are still preparing, may I kindly request through you that the Minister of Mines and Mining Development brings to this House a statement on the current state of various Community Share Ownership Schemes so that we interrogate that as a House.
THE HON. SPEAKER: Thank you. Hon. Minister have you taken note?
*HON. TOGAREPI: Hon. Minister, my question is directed to the Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Water, Climate and Rural Resettlement. What plans does our Government have in place to ensure that smart agriculture that was taken to the banks which are known to charge very high interest rates does not short change this season which we were told will have adequate rains by the banks’ failing to give inputs timeously before the start of the farming season and charging very high interest rates?
* THE MINISTER OF LANDS, AGRICULTURE, WATER, CLIMATE AND RURAL RESETTLEMENT (HON. DR. MASUKA). I want to thank the Hon. Member for the important question. The issue of high interest rates by the banks on funds given to farmers – the first year that we asked banks to assist us give funds to farmers is the last farming season that just ended. It was a season that we learnt a lot of lessons. We learnt two things in particular. Firstly, when farmers get inputs, they should know what they owe there and then and not to be told at the end of the season. Secondly, last week we held meetings on interest rates on loans borrowed by farmers, the interest rates must be affordable so that the farmers can be able to go back to the field. The other question was on inputs, yes this year we are well prepared compared to previous years. We hope by the end of this month we will be starting to distribute inputs. The department of Agritex is listing the names of farmers that are interested in farming this farming season because we are anticipating that we are going to have good rains this year. I thank you.
*HON. K. PARADZA: My supplementary question is last season the farmers did not have good harvests due to poor rains. What plans does Government have for farmers who did not manage to pay back all their debts because of poor yields? The Government must give then loans despite the fact that they did not clear their debts so that they can be able to go back to the field.
*HON. DR. MASUKA: I thank the Hon. Member for his question. We acknowledge that farmers did not have good yields last year. We discussed this issue with banks so that they can help these farmers. Still on that, let us not forget that the banks use depositors’ funds. So there is an ongoing discussion between the Government and banks to see how we can help farmers. Government plans concerning the AFC Land Bank are still afoot and we are looking forward that once this is finalized, the farmers can have something to lean on.
*HON. MADZIMURE: Thank you Mr. Speaker. The Minister said they are ready to issue inputs. I want to know whether these inputs are for free or they are borrowing? If it is just giving for free, how many in terms of quantities are they looking at for disbursement in terms of tones?
*HON. DR. MASUKA: I once said that I will give a Ministerial Statement concern the pfumvudza programme. I have books to illustrate on that. Now I am waiting for that time so that I can enlighten the House fully.
HON. MASANGO-CHINHAMO: Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir. My question is directed to the Minister of Transport. Is there a policy which governs and authorises side-roads at tollgates whereby the country tends to lose revenue by having road users avoiding the tollgates and using side-roads instead? I thank you.
Hon. Prof. Murwira having walked in.
THE HON. SPEAKER: Hon. Prof. Murwira, you are the Acting Leader of the House, can the Hon. Member repeat the question again for the benefit of the Minister of Higher and Tertiary Education, Innovation, Science and Technology Development.
Hon. Masango-Chinhamo repeats her question.
THE MINISTER OF HIGHER AND TERTIARY EDUCATION, INNOVATION, SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT (HON. PROF. MURWIRA): Hon. Speaker, the question is not very clear.
THE HON. SPEAKER: Hon. Member, please repeat your question.
Hon. Masango-Chinhamo repeats the question using Shona language.
*THE MINISTER OF HIGHER AND TERTIARY EDUCATION, INNOVATION, SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT (HON. PROF. MURWIRA): Thank you Hon. Speaker I thank the Hon. Member for her question. As Government, we have a policy that people must pay when passing through the tollgates. Those who avoid the tollgate are prosecuted. Government’s policy is that no one must avoid tollgates as this is where Government revenue comes from. I thank you.
HON. MUCHIMWE: Thank you Mr. Speaker. My supplementary question is there are unbearable queues of vehicles at tollgates. This is why some people are avoiding tollgates; queues of 2 kms just waiting to pass through. Is there any policy by Government to help ease the problem of queues at tollgates so that there will not be long queues? I thank you.
THE HON. SPEAKER: Repeat the last part.
Hon. Muchimwe repeated the last part of his question.
HON. PROF. MURWIRA: Thank you Hon. Speaker. Government policy is to facilitate the collection of the necessary taxes to make sure that we enhance our infrastructure. Anything to the contrary is not Government policy. In executing those duties it is very important that we become efficient and effective. In terms of the queues and queue management-Government policy is to be on the positive side. Anything to the contrary is something that we must and we are correcting. Enhancement of efficiency at our points of tolling is a priority in terms of making sure that our systems are improved. I thank you Mr. Speaker.
HON. T. MLISWA: Mr. Speaker Sir, I will talk about the Norton tollgate which has got queues of five kilometres. The residents of Norton who too want to go home are also part of that queue. What is Government doing to ensure that the residents in those areas get home sooner than expected? What are you doing when the network is down and there is no cash money but yet all modes of payment are being tried, nothing is happening? It is not the fault of the driver. What is Government doing to alleviate that and to improve that, especially for the residents of Norton who spend hours coming from work and cannot get home because of the long queues which are there.
HON. PROF. MURWIRA: Thank you Mr. Speaker. I wish to thank Hon. Mliswa for emphasising on the Norton tollgate and many others with similar problems. Mr. Speaker, as I said Government, from a policy point of view, I do not thing we can have a policy of making people suffer at tollgates. To this end, our policy is to make sure that we facilitate, to the best of our ability, the passage of our people through these tollgates. It basically means improving the ICT systems that are there. So our policy is to make sure that we alleviate those problems and it is very important that Hon. Members in this case, Hon. Mliswa is raising that point. The fact that it is being raised means we have to up our game on that side and we accept that responsibility to up our game. I thank you.
HON. DR. LABODE: Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir. I just wanted the Minister of Health to enunciate to this Parliament the new policy on de-isolation and quarantine covid affected clients. Can you tell us what informed the decision on the current policy?
THE HON. SPEAKER: Why do you not clarify your question as raised yesterday? Your question was those who have been tested, can they be tested again. That was the issue.
HON. DR. LABODE: Minister, I just wanted you to share with Parliament the new policy for de-isolation. If you are isolated, how do you get out of isolation? I could share with you and the permanent secretary later, how you get out of isolation once you have tested positive? Is it because you have been there for so long or you need to be tested and what happens, even the quarantine because I am hearing people are landing from London and go home. All those are important things.
THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF HEALTH AND CHILD CARE (HON. MANGWIRO): Thank you Mr. Speaker. De-isolation is two words. There is isolation and quarantine. Isolation pertains to people who have got signs and symptoms or who have tested covid positive whereas quarantine is just being put in a place waiting to see if you will have symptoms or you will get to convert to positive. Nowadays, we are saying if one tests positive and is in an isolation centre, on the day 10 whether you are tested or not, according to WHO guidelines one can go home. Isolation means the person is already infected and by day 9, 10 the virus is mostly dead. So the WHO guidelines say if you are positive and you go in, on day 10 you go. You may not be tested or you have been tested but one can go home, thus from isolation. In terms of quarantine, if one has got a valid certificate from wherever they are coming from which is 72 hours in time, one can go straight and quarantine in their own facilities which would be also inspected by our officers.
HON. CHIKWINYA: My supplementary Mr. Speaker takes from what Hon. Dr. Labode said in her question. On day 10, you alluded that WHO guidelines say you can go.
THE HON. SPEAKER: Go where?
HON. CHIKWINYA: Go home. From isolation centre you can go anywhere into the public. What if someone is still testing positive? An example has been given for Members of Parliament who had tested positive prior to the mandatory testing which was done about two weeks ago who then retested positive. The advice was that you can still go into the public even if you are testing positive. Are those the standards to the extent that people can be free to mingle with someone who has still tested and recorded to be positive but has spent more than 10 days in isolation?
HON. MANGWIRO: Testing positive on day 10 does not necessarily mean the virus is still viable. These are particles of the virus that will still be showing that the antigen is still there, but the virus is no longer available. One can easily go into society without causing any harm or danger to other people that they meet.
HON. NDEBELE: Order Mr. Speaker Sir.
THE HON. SPEAKER: Ask your supplementary question.
HON. NDEBELE: I am just interested in alerting you of the fact that his Ministry still owes us time. There is a time I requested for a Ministerial Statement in this House and Hon. Obedia Moyo sent Hon. Kesty Coventry to bring in the statement to this House. When Hon. Mliswa referred to the fact that Hon. Coventry...
THE HON. SPEAKER: What is your question Hon. Member?
HON. NDEBELE: It is not a question. I am kindly requesting that they honour what you promised us that one competent Minister will come to this House to field questions that we still have on people that are living with HIV out there. They brought in a Statement via Hon. Kesty Coventry and through you. We agreed she was not competent to field questions on HIV. I am demanding that they do so before the end of this Session. I have a lot of requests that the desk might be keeping track of, that have not been honoured. You have taught me to take the business of this House very seriously and I am disappointed.
THE HON. SPEAKER: You have lost sense of patience. Hon. Minister, if you could liaise with Hon. K. Coventry to get that statement and come back to elaborate on it.
HON. T. MLISWA: My question is directed to the Minister of Finance. What is the wisdom in compensating the white farmers US$3,5 billion while it is constitutional and there are many constitutional obligations like the welfare of the war veterans and many others in terms of funding? What is the wisdom of prioritising …
[Time limit]
HON. CHIKWINYA: Mr. Speaker, I move that time for Questions Without Notice be extended by a further fifteen minutes.
HON. NDEBELE: I second.
Motion put and agreed to.
HON. T. MLISWA: Thank you. My question to the Minister of Finance is what is the wisdom in compensating the white farmers who are a minority US$3,5 billion while it is constitutional, there are many other constitutional obligations which are important and have not been attended to financially.
THE MINISTER OF FINANCE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT (HON. PROF. M. NCUBE): First of all, it is not an issue of wisdom but of compliance. Secondly, the issue of farmer engagement or compensation is a process which began a while ago but after the acceptance of the Constitution. I urge all Members to re-read Section 72 and 295. This is a process. So every year in the budget we set aside resources in the National Budget that this Parliament approves for farmers to be compensated, targeting those who are vulnerable. This year in the 2020 Budget we allocated something in the order of $300 million. In 2019, this Parliament allocated something in the order of $70 million. So what was happening was that every year we were allocating and paying the farmers.
All the global compensation did was just to come to a conclusion as to what the overall figure for compensation is for improvement because we were compensating but what is that figure? We were able to arrive at that figure after a long negotiation and evaluation process but also after a process within the farmers themselves as a group, they had a referendum and there was a 95% approval. I repeat, it is not an issue of wisdom but of compliance and we are already doing it. All we did was not to draw a line and establish clarity as to what that final compensation figure is. The fact that there are other financial demands whatever in the Constitution is neither here nor there. What we are dealing with right now is the issue of compensation for farmers. I thank you.
HON. T. MLISWA: Madam Speaker, the aspect of compliance cannot be based on selective application. There are issues of people who are disabled where they must be accommodated in terms of their movement and in terms of infrastructure. There are issues of the war veterans where they must be accommodated and of the health sector which is non existent where there must be money. So, in terms of priority, is the compensation of the white farmers more important than the health sector where Ministers are going outside because they can afford to be treated so you are lucky. What about the ordinary person who cannot afford to go out? Why are you not injecting money in that sector to ensure that we save lives? Why are you giving a few white farmers who most them do not even require it anymore and are even laughing at us? Where does that money come from when it is not even factored in the budget, the $3,5 billion? This House is responsible for passing budgets. I have never sat down and cast a budget of $3,5 billion to go to the compensation of white farmers. I have passed a budget to look at the welfare of the war veterans, health sector, education sector and I can go on and on. So, when?
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Hon. Mliswa, please may you just ask your question and allow the Minister to respond.
HON. T. MLISWA: Madam Speaker, the land issue is an emotive issue. The compensation of the minority is an emotive issue. Allow those emotions because I am a beneficiary of the land reform and I have invested everything in it. Those who do not have it like the Hon. Minister have no attachment to it. I went to prison …
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Just ask your question Hon. Mliswa.
HON. T. MLISWA: My point is where he is going to get money from when this Parliament has not approved it and there are many other issues like the health and education sectors which need money in terms of compliance. You have not even given them money but you have money to give the minority who really do not need it at the end of the day. Why have you made that decision when the money is not even there?
HON. PROF. M. NCUBE: Again, I thank the Hon. Member for that follow up and clarity of his question. First of all, I must say that he has asked I think two questions in one. One is there are other areas that we ought to be covering and supporting as opposed to farmer compensation. He cited education, health, the vulnerable groups and social welfare. The other is about resources, where are we getting the money?
Let me start with the first one, we are releasing resources for the health sector and this is how we are supporting the health sector. Covid-19 is really concentrating our minds. We have done renovations on numerous health centres right across the country, quarantine or isolation centres. We are focused. There is a whole national taskforce that is focusing on that aspect. We have basically given authority as Treasury for the recruitment of more than 4 000 health workers and that recruitment is happening fast.
We are going to resolve industrial disputes with the health workers in terms of dealing with their health and risk allowances at various level. We are doing all of that.
We also appreciate what the donors have done in supporting us in our objectives. When it comes to the education sector, our actions are similar. We are building schools around the country and we are going to make sure that as we negotiate with the civil servants, we are going to improve their salaries....
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order Hon. Minister.
HON. MADZIMURE: On a point of order –[HON. CHIKWINYA: Inaudible interjection.] –
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order Hon. Chikwinya.
The Minister of Finance and Economic Development having stood up to continue debating.
HON. MADZIMURE: Madam Speaker, the Minister must sit down because you have recognised me.
THE MINISTER OF FINANCE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT (HON. PROF. M. NCUBE): Have you been recognised?
HON. MADZIMURE: Yes. Madam Speaker, the question is very simple. Where are we going to get the $3.5 billion? This Parliament did not approve that amount –[HON. MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections.]-
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order Hon. Members please!
HON. PROF. M. NCUBE: Let me answer the Hon. Member’s two questions –[HON. T. MLISWA: Inaudible interjection.]-
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Hon. Mliswa please, order!
HON. PROF. M. NCUBE: In the education sector, we are doing a lot. We are building schools. We are going to be supporting the teachers. We are working on raising salaries in that sector as is the case with all civil servants.
For the social welfare, our social welfare programme is robust; cash transfers and food assistance programmes. We have had challenges with food – I could go on and on including the Presidential Input Scheme which has been coming through the Pfumvudza system. That is how we are assisting our ordinary citizens across the board in the areas that the Hon. Member raised. I am pleased that he raised it.
I will now move on to his second question –[HON. MLISWA: Inaudible interjection.]-
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Hon. Mliswa, please may you allow the Minister to respond.
HON. PROF. M. NCUBE: I now want to respond to his second question regarding the sources of funding. The Global Compensation Agreement is an agreement on the figure – global and final figure for compensation. The resources will be raised and in that statement, we have said the resources will be raised internally and externally, when we have agreed or concluded on the instrument through which the resources would be raised if it is a debt instrument; which is what we are targeting. That will be brought before Parliament because we cannot contract debt without Parliament. It is at that stage that the financing instrument will be brought to Parliament. I thank you.
HON. T. MLISWA: I would like to be protected especially being an independent Member without a Chief Whip and not belonging to a party. I should be protected more than everyone here.
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: You are protected. Please may you go ahead.
HON. T. MLISWA: The point of clarity I seek from the Minister is – we pass budgets here. You talked about various Government departments being resourced. The word you missed out and being a professor is ‘inadequately resourced’. There is no resource which has been given to a Ministry because the Minister has never come back to Parliament and said what we got is enough. There is always supplementary budgets which are coming through. Supplementary means it is not enough. Inflation has eaten up and this is US$ and not Zimbabwean dollar. This is the first time I would have liked .....
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Ask your question Hon. Mliswa.
HON. T. MLISWA: My point of clarity is that they have been inadequately resourced. So the Minister cannot stand here and say we have been providing. The Chairperson of the COVID Taskforce has said that we do not have PPEs – they are begging. If we have donors coming in, then we do not need the donors that you talk about if we are adequately resourced. Where is the money coming from internally? Be very clear on that Hon. Minister. Which entity internally will provide that money?
HON. NDUNA: With your indulgence, I request a Ministerial Statement from the Minister of Finance and Economic Development in the coming days.
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: I think the Hon. Minister has taken note of that.
HON. NDUNA: Madam Speaker Maam, the Ministerial Statement that I seek to request from the Minister of Finance is about the 821 km road from Plumtree to Mutare which was financed by the DBSA Bank to the tune of more than US$200 million. I would like to know the subsistence of that contract for Group Five which encompasses Inter-tol and how far we are in the repayment of that loan; when is collection of revenue from the toll gates that should be established on the Norton Toll gate on the other dual carriage way and on the Ruwa Tollgate on the other dual carriage way going to come.
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Hon. Nduna, may you put your request in writing so that we can give it to the Minister of Finance and Economic Development.
HON. NDUNA: Certainly, Madam Speaker Maam. I am grateful that you recognised me and I also ask that on that score, that I be registered that I attended Parliament today.
HON. K. PARADZA: On a point of order, Hon. Chikwinya used unparliamentary language.
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: What did he say?
*HON. K. PARADZA: Vatuka Hon. Chief Whip kuti musoro wako.
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Hon. Chikwinya, may you please withdraw that.
P t435445 09/09/20
HON. CHIKWINYA: If you fix, it I can respond.
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: No, Hon. Chikwinya.
*HON. CHIKWINYA: Chirikuramba kuconecta.
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Okay you may go ahead, the Hansard will capture it.
HON. CHIKWINYA: I wish not to challenge the Chair and I will submit that if there is a procedure to challenge the Chair, I am prepared to follow it. Unless if I am guided accordingly kuti musoro wako is an insult, in what manner?
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: But it is not parliamentary Hon. Chikwinya, to say musoro wako munomu. Please may you withdraw that?
HON. CHIKWINYA: Thank you Madam Chair. As I have stated before, I wish not to challenge this Chair and I wish to oblige with the instruction of the Chair, but where I come from ndikati kumunhu unemusoro, what you are saying…
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Hon. Chikwinya, please may you withdraw.
HON. CHIKWINYA: I withdraw.
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Questions with Notices, question number 1, Hon. Dr. Nyashanu.
HON. CHIKWINYA: On a point of order Madam Speaker. I thought that the request by Hon. Nduna was that, may we forgo Questions with Notice in precedence for Ministerial Statements.
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: No, Hon. Nduna was requesting a Ministerial Statement from the Hon. Minister of Finance and Economic Development. Please may you take your seat.
HON. CHIKWINYA: So let me raise my own point of order. I propose Madam Speaker that in light of the two critical Ministerial Statements and the Ministers here present, noting that we are coming to an end of a Parliamentary session, can we give precedence to the Ministerial Statement so that they do not lapse from the Order Paper and we can indulge with them? Our questions can be redeposited on the Order Paper as we come back to the Third Session of Parliament.
HON. WATSON: I second Madam Speaker.
HON. TOGAREPI: I object – [HON. MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections.] –
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: There is an objection Hon. Chikwinya, so we are going ahead with the Questions with Notices.
HON. MPARIWA: On a point of order Madam Speaker. May I suggest that you go through the list in terms of the Ministers who are actually available so that we save both the time of the Ministers and the Hon. Members.
CONSTRUCTION OF CLINICS IN MASVINGO SOUTH CONSTITUENCY
- HON. M. NKOMO asked the Minister of Health and Child Care to appraise the House on the measures being taken by the Ministry to ensure that children aged between zero and three years access nutritionally balanced food during the COVID-19 Lockdown.
THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF HEALTH AND CHILD CARE (HON. DR. MANGWIRO): The Ministry has the Village Health Workers (VHWs) trained on community infant and young child feeding counseling. This training equips the VHWs with knowledge on nutrition for children under five years as well as for pregnant mothers and lactating women. Besides counseling, the training has also helped VHWs to form mother to mother support where women with children under two years meet to help one another on child nutrition as well as social economic issues.
The VHW is also trained to conduct community screening of malnutrition using the colour coded Mid Upper Arm Circumference tape (MUAC). With the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic where social distancing is one of the guidelines, the Ministry of Health and Child Care shifted the task of community screening to the family. Mothers or care givers of children under two years were trained on how to assess their child’s nutrition status using the MUAC tapes by the VHW.
With support from developmental partners, targeted food assistants in most vulnerable districts have supported families with pregnant and lactating women and children under five years. In terms of general nutrition education, the Ministry has been utilising local radio stations to provide information on nutrition and COVID-19, including infant and young child feeding. Engagement of National Arts Council for jingles on nutrition has also been done and these are already being aired.
CONSTRUCTION OF CLINICS IN MASVINGO SOUTH CONSTITUENCY
- HON. MARONGE asked the Minister of Health and Child Care to inform the House whether the Government has any plans to construct more clinics in Wards 26, 29 and 30 of Masvingo Constituency considering that some people have to walk for distances as long as 30 kilometres to access health care service.
THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF HEALTH AND CHILD CARE (HON. DR. MANGWIRO): In Masvingo South Constituency, Ward 26, 29 and 30 there are already operational clinics namely Musvovi, Nyikavanhu and Chisase respectively. However, because of the catchment area and the population that is being catered for, there are more proposed sites namely;
- Renco Turn Off at Tokwenengudu (Ward 30)
- Chikudza (Ward 29) and an additional
- Gwatuta Clinic (Ward 22).
COST REDUCTION IN CASHLESS TRANSACTIONS
- HON. I. NYONI asked the Minister of Finance and Economic Development to inform the House on measures being put in place to reduce the cost of using cashless transactions.
THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF FINANCE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT (HON. CHIDUWA): Thank you Madam Speaker - [HON. MADZIMURE: The Hon. Minister of Finance is here, that is not the protocol] – The policy of the Government is to promote financial inclusion and affordable quality banking services to the people. This is done by the RBZ through bank supervision working together with the banks through the Bankers Association of Zimbabwe. Of concern has been the ever increasing financial charges being levied by banks and financial institutions on cashless transactions. We have engaged the banks on the matter through moral suasion.
Madam Speaker, given our market based policy on pricing of products, we cannot impose limits on transaction charges. Banks on their side are also saying the backend platforms that they use for their operations require the scarce foreign currency. Foreign currency is needed for the procurement of the hardware and software and the payment of licences. With currency volatility the charges have also been changing in tandem with the rate.
Banks have however taken a position not to impose bank charges on low income groups and pensioners who have gone through the KYC process. Across all banks, low income KYC clients bank accounts do not attract bank charges. Charges can be stabilised as a matter of policy when we have a stable currency that is the Zimbabwe dollar. Also as a matter of policy, we are looking at seeking local IT solution to support banking platforms. Thank you.
HON. I. NYONI: My supplementary question is that I have observed that when we pay taxes such as duty, payee, et cetera the bank charges are not there. My request to the Hon. Minister, perhaps when people are buying goods using the cards on the POS machines, each time you swipe, you get hammered by the banks. Perhaps that is one of the reasons why people want to use cash. If the Minister could also look into that so that the use of cards and interbank transfer becomes the norm instead of people carrying hard cash.
HON. CHIDUWA: Thank you Madam Speaker. If I got the question well, the Hon. Member is proposing that we harmonise the charges when people are paying cash and when they are swiping. I am not sure if the question is correct?
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Hon. Nyoni, please may you come again with your question.
HON. I. NYONI: My supplementary question is banks fall under your purview, why are you not encouraging banks to review their charges to favourable amounts just like what we do when we pay taxes such as duty, PAYE and so forth. Madam Speaker, if you have got cash, it discourages you from using the bank card to pay an interbank transfer. Thank you.
HON. CHIDUWA: In terms of our interface with the banks, we do encourage our banks to keep the transaction charges at minimum. In terms of the procedure, before a bank can increase its bank charges, they seek authority from the RBZ but the RBZ is not necessarily there to provide a limit on the charges but they give guidance. So, in terms of our situation here, the justification that is being given by the banks is the backend platform that they are using to run their system is imported. So, as long as there is currency volatility, they are bound to increase the charges. Thank you.
HON. MAYIHLOME: Thank you Madam Speaker. My supplementary question is the culture of the banking sector in this country is earning income from bank charges instead of interest rates. What is the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development doing to change that culture so that banks earn from lending to clients instead of arm-twisting poor citizens who send their money to the bank and they have no choice. They are charging these bank charges without their consent. What is the Ministry doing to change that mindset? Thank you.
HON. CHIDUWA: Thank you Madam Speaker. It is true that if we check the financials for our banks, a majority of them, 80 to 90% of their revenue is actually coming from bank charges, it is not a good sign. However, from our engagements, the prevailing macro-economic environment has not been good for our banks for them to be able to lend. Because of the issue of being risk averse, most of our banks have not been active on lending, as a result, the greater part of their revenue is now coming from financial charges.
However, we have engaged the Bankers Association of Zimbabwe. Now that we are in a period where we have got relative stability, we want our banks to go back to their original function and this is where we are now and we are engaging the stakeholders through the RBZ and the Bankers Association of Zimbabwe and we shall appraise the House as we go. Thank you.
ELECTRIFICATION OF MADZIMBASHURO BUSINESS CENTRE AND SURROUNDING AREAS IN BUHERA DISTRICT
- HON. DR. NYASHANU asked the Minister of Energy and Power Development when they plan to electrify Madzimbashuro Business Centre and Pedzisai Primary School and surrounding areas of Buhera District.
THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF ENERGY AND POWER DEVELOPMENT (HON. MUDYIWA): Thank you Madam Speaker. I would like to thank the Hon. Member for the question. My response is that Madzimbashuro Business Centre will be electrified in the third quarter of the year 2021. As for Pedzisai Primary School, to supply that school with electricity we need to construct 30 kilometre lines which also supply Mukambirwa Primary and Secondary schools, Mutepfa Clinic and Nyade Primary School. This will be done in the year 2022 as we have a number of on-going projects in Manicaland Province and considering resource availability. Thank you Madam Speaker.
HON. DR. NYASHANU: I hear the Minister Hon. Speaker Ma’am. I hear the Minister saying they will consider electrifying Madzimbashuro to Pedzisai in 2022 but are they also considering that this area is the least electrified in Manicaland? The Constituency only has two schools which are electrified out of 65 schools.
HON. MUDYIWA: Thank you Madam Speaker. Yes, we are considering that. I said Madzimbashuro Business Centre will be electrified in 2021 but as for that other school, we have to pass through the other schools that I have mentioned before, Mukambirwa Primary and secondary schools and whatever. That can only be made possible if we have got funds. Our limiting factor is funding but we are considering that. Thank you Madam Speaker.
ELECTRIFICATION OF WARDS 7, 28 AND 26 IN BIKITA SOUTH CONSTITUENCY
- HON. JOSIAH SITHOLE asked the Minister of Energy and Power Development when Wards 3, 7, 26 and 28 in Bikita South Constituency will be electrified.
THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF ENERGY AND POWER DEVELOPMENT (HON. MUDYIWA): Thank you Madam Speaker. Let me start by thanking the Hon. Member for the question. Allow me Madam Speaker to answer the question as follows; Institutions referred to in Wards 3, 5, 7, 9, 26 and 28 will have to be fed from a feeder from Bikita Minerals to Nyika. This feeder has no extra capacity, hence we propose to build a SWER line from Mukore. This will be a 31 kilometre line and will pick 9 out of 14 institutions in these wards. The line will also supply power to Zengeya Business Centre, Primary and Clinic. Institutions to be fed are Chadya Primary School in Ward 7, Chipendeke Secondary School in Ward 7, Ziki Primary School in Ward 7, Chedutu Primary Shool in Ward 26, Chinyika Primary and Secondary Schools in Ward 26, Mahota Primary in Ward 26, Checheni Primary School in Ward 28, Chibvute Primary School in Ward 28, Mujiji Primary School in Ward 28, Deure Primary School in Ward 26. Remaining will be Chitasa Clinic in Ward 28, Makota Primary School in Ward 9, Zwabada Primary School in Ward 5, Matezano Secondary School in Ward 3. These will be electrified later as they are outlaying. We propose to commence the work on these institutions in 2022. Thank you Madam Speaker.
HON. GABBUZA: Madam Speaker, I appreciate what the Minister has outlined. However, the rural electrification programme has a very concise master plan where the first phase was supposed to be 0 to 5 kilometres from the main line or grid. However, these days we see some schools or institutions electrified away from what the master plan says. What determines this? Is it favouratism, what is it? Some areas are electrified earlier than others, have they moved away from their master plan?
HON. MUDYIWA: Thank you Madam Speaker. I would like to thank the Hon. Member for the question. REA has not moved away from their master plan but other schools which are further have been electrified. The plan was done long back according to the plan that had to be followed. I think if there are very unusual cases, then we might need to find out but I think they are sticking to their plan. Thank you Madam Speaker.
ROLE OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COORDINATORS
- HON. MASANGO asked the Minister of Women’s Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development to explain the role of Community Development Coordinators.
THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF WOMEN’S AFFAIRS, COMMUNITY, SMALL AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISES DEVELOPMENT (HON. MHLANGA): I would like to thank the Hon. member for the pertinent question. Let me first start by explaining that the Community Development Coordinator (CDC) is a Ministry official who is based in the ward and it is our desire that every ward should have a coordinator in the whole country. The CDC’s role is as specified below:
- Identify community needs that should drive development.
- Coordinate Ministry programmes and projects that promote women empowerment, gender mainstreaming, community development and SME development at ward level.
- Mobilise communities and coordinate programmes, projects and activities being implemented by all Government departments, NGOs and other stakeholders.
- Mobilise and facilitate the formation of local women’s clubs for women empowerment.
- Promote the development of community development centres, which should serve as village and ward nerve centres for meetings, skills training and marketing of locally produced products.
- Promote, coordinate and monitor financial inclusion schemes in communities.
- Coordinate training that support community entrepreneurship to enhance community livelihoods.
- Facilitate communication in the wards through disseminating information on community projects, SME and cooperative activities and also report information on the same to various stakeholder.
10.Facilitate the participation of communities, co-operatives and MSMEs at local and district level.
Therefore, in essence the Community Development Coordinator is the mobiliser, facilitator, promoter of the social and economic activities that develop our communities.
REHABILITATION OF TEN BOREHOLES IN DETE
- HON. MKANDHLA asked the Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Water, Climate and Rural Resettlement to inform the House -when 10 out of the 13 boreholes in Dete in the Gwayi catchment area will be rehabilitated and
-whether the Ministry has any plans to replace the current electric water pumping system with solar, considering that boreholes in the area are non functional for periods as long as four weeks due to electric faults.
THE MINISTER OF LANDS, AGRICULTURE, WATER, CLIMATE AND RURAL RESETTLEMENT (HON. DR. MASUKA): I want to thank the Hon. Member for the question. Indeed 10 out of 13 boreholes are not operational. Currently 4 of the 13 boreholes however, are operational but are unable to meet the demand for water for the Dete area. The Dete water supply expansion project which is currently ongoing is under the Public Sector Investment Programme and is being implemented by ZINWA. The funds were not sufficient to meet the scope of works however; ZINWA has now sourced additional funding to complete the project. The tender process for the pumps has now been completed and the water supply will be augmented soon.
The second aspect of the question relates to ZESA electricity problems and the suggestion that installation of solar powered pumps could alleviate the problem. Certainly we think that will alleviate the problem however, the initial cost will be higher. We also expect that the ongoing investments within the power sector will alleviate the problem soon. I thank you Madam Speaker.
OPENING OF KAMATIVI MINE
- HON. MKANDHLA asked the Minister of Mines and Mining Development to inform the House whether the Ministry has any plans to open Kamativi Mine which shut down more than 10 years ago.
THE MINISTER OF MINES AND MINING DEVELOPMENT (HON. CHITANDO): In the Transitional Stabilisation Programme we were mandated to reopen closed mines. There are plans to reopen this mine and so far investors have been considered and on the ground working there is a massive exploration programme ongoing to increase the resource base and confidence for Kamativi Mine with a target to get the mine operational by the year 2023, so that it feeds into our 2023 milestone to have a 12 billion mining industry by then. I thank you.
HON. GABUZZA: There is a lot of exploration going on and I am aware that there are two investors who have been there and are doing nothing. There is no exploration, I was there yesterday. Could the Minister shed light to the nation where the bottlenecks are because we have heard these stories for almost three years now and nothing is happening? Where is the problem?
THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF MINES AND MINING DEVELOPMENT (HON. KAMBAMURA): Currently, as I have said, there is an exploration programme which is ongoing. Exploration is not a one day thing but it is a cost intensive operation and also time consuming. Some of these activities can take up to 3 or 5 years exploring. So, I kindly ask the Hon. Member to be patient. We are getting results through the geological survey of Zimbabwe from the investors with regard to this concession. I thank you.
HON. GABBUZA: Madam Speaker, Kamativi is not a new mine it has been running mining tin. Why would it take 3 years or expensive exploration of a mine whose resources are already known? Why can the Minister not tell us the exact problem and which minerals are they now exploring for? If it is lithium, they are just mining the dump which is already there, there is no exploration, it is just taking samples and checking what the ore grade is like.
THE DEPUTY MININISTER OF MINES AND MINING DEVELOPMENT (HON. KAMBAMURA.) Thank you Hon. Speaker, I think the Hon. Member is just repeating the same question and there is no different answer to that. The current information that is there at Kamativi is not enough so when an investor comes, he has to gain confidence first so that is the process that they are currently doing. They have to increase the resources base, the size of the reserve and they have to increase the level of confidence into the resources before they can pump in money. So we have to be patient with the investors and as I have said before, we are monitoring them and we are getting information through the Zimbabwe Geological Survey. I thank you.
HON. MADZIMURE: The other question that was asked earlier is the issue of diligence. An investor came because there was information and he came to invest in the mine assuming that he had got all the information right, the investors must have started mining. For the investor to say he is going now to carry out exploration then he ceases to be an investor, which is the work that we should have done. So, can the Minister explain why...
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Hon. Madzimure ask your question.
HON. MADZIMURE: My question is did the investor come before he could be availed with information on this particular mine that he requires exploration?
THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF MINES AND MINING DEVELOPMENT (HON. KAMBUMURA): Thank you Hon. Speaker. When investors come into the country we do due diligence on their side and also we avail to them information that will be available that is for green fields. If there are green fields, then the investor will have to invest in exploration. For this particular test, the information which was there was not sufficient for the investor to start mining but this process which is currently ongoing is part of the investment drive because there is mining involved so that they can start mining operations with confidence.
EXPANSION OF NET ONE MOBILE NETWORK IN WARDS 24 AND 27 OF MASVINGO SOUTH CONSTITUENCY
- HON. MARONGE asked the Minister of Information Communication Technology, Postal and Courier Services to inform the House when the NetOne mobile network will be expanded to the Guwa area in Ward 24 and Nyamande area in Ward 27 of Masvingo South Constituency which currently lack any coverage.
THE MINISTER OF INFORMATION COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY, POSTAL AND COURIER SERVICES (HON. KAZEMBE): Thank you Madam Speaker. We are expecting NetOne to deploy base stations in the last quarter of the year 2020. Currently, Nyamande which is in Ward 27 is covered by 3 Net One base stations at Renco, Gondora and Zomba. The Guwa (Ward 24) site was surveyed under the Universal Services Fund and is still awaiting deployment via Net One. I thank you.
WRITTEN SUBMISSIONS TO QUESTIONS WITH NOTICE
MEASURES IN PLACE IN AVAILING DIAGNOSTIC MACHINES AND SERVICES IN RURAL AREAS
- HON. M. NKOMO asked the Minister of Health and Child Care to inform the House the measures put in place in availing diagnostic machines and services in rural areas.
THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF HEALTH AND CHILD CARE (HON. DR. MANGWIRO): So far due to recommended World Health Organisation (WHO) bio-safety minimum standards, decentralisation of machines to rural health centres is being done through a vibrant sample transportation system whereby samples are collected from patients in rural facilities and transported to provincial laboratories that have capacity to test PCR and Antigen test. Machines have not been placed to lower levels. However, the antibody test was decentralised to rural facilities and was done at any level of health centres. I thank you.
CONSTRUCTION OF CLINICS IN MASVINGO SOUTH CONSTITUENCY
- HON. M. NKOMO asked the Minister of Health and Child Care to appraise the House on the measures being taken by the Ministry to ensure that children aged between zero and three years access nutritionally balanced food during the COVID-19 Lockdown.
THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF HEALTH AND CHILD CARE (HON. DR. MANGWIRO): The Ministry has the Village Health Workers (VHWs) trained on community infant and young child feeding counseling. This training equips the VHWs with knowledge on nutrition for children under five years as well as for pregnant mothers and lactating women. Besides counseling, the training has also helped VHWs to form mother to mother support where women with children under two years meet to help one another on child nutrition as well as social economic issues.
The VHW is also trained to conduct community screening of malnutrition using the colour coded Mid Upper Arm Circumference tape (MUAC). With the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic where social distancing is one of the guidelines, the Ministry of Health and Child Care shifted the task of community screening to the family. Mothers or care givers of children under two years were trained on how to assess their child’s nutrition status using the MUAC tapes by the VHW.
With support from developmental partners, targeted food assistants in most vulnerable districts have supported families with pregnant and lactating women and children under five years. In terms of general nutrition education, the Ministry has been utilising local radio stations to provide information on nutrition and COVID-19, including infant and young child feeding. Engagement of National
OPENING OF KAMATIVI MINE
- HON. MKANDLA asked the Minister of Mines and Mining Development to inform the House whether the Ministry has any plans to open Kamativi Mine which shut down more than 10 years ago.
THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF MINES AND MINING DEVELOPMENT (HON. KAMBAMURA): There is an exploration programme currently underway to increase the resource base and confidence for Kamativi mine with a target to get the mine operational by 2023. There are also plans to construct a 20MW solar power station. I thank you.
FIRST READING
MANPOWER PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT AMENDMENT BILL [H.B. 2, 2020]
THE MINISTER OF HIGHER AND TERTIARY EDUCATION, INNOVATION, SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT presented a Bill to amend the Manpower Planning and Development Act [Chapter 28:02] and to provide for matters connected with or incidental to the foregoing.
Bill read the first time.
Bill referred to the Parliamentary Legal Committee.
MINISTERIAL STATEMENT
- THE MINISTER OF LANDS, AGRICULTURE, WATER, CLIMATE AND RURAL RESETTLEMENT (HON. DR. MASUKA): Thank you Mr. Sir, let me start with the introduction. The Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Water and Rural Resettlement has a mandate to manage water resources for the State and to ensure sustainable development and equitable distribution of the country's water resources to all Zimbabweans at an affordable price.This is buttressed by Section 77 of the Constitution of Zimbabwe which states that “every person has the right to safe, clean and potable water”. The country has experienced two consecutive years of drought due to climatic change which has hampered water availability for both urban and rural communities.
Predictions of a better 2020/21 rainfall season have been given by the Meteorological Services Department and this should see a substantial improvement in the current water supply situation. However, even under these circumstances, precautionary measures are continuously required. Cooperation and collaboration between the Zimbabwe National Water Authority (ZINWA) and Local Authorities is, therefore, an imperative in addressing the current water challenges faced in the rural and urban communities, now and into the future.
Mr. Speaker Sir, ZINWA currently operates and maintains over 530 water supply stations across the country, mainly serving Small Towns, Growth Points, Service Centres, Police and Defence Establishments, Prisons, Schools and Hospitals. These 530 stations supply 31.5 million cubic metres per annum (93%) against the total demand of 34 million cubic metres per annum of the 32 urban local authorities ZINWA supplies 20. As a water management authority, ZINWA also assists local authorities in the discharge of their functions under the Rural District Councils Act [Chapter 29:13] and the Urban Councils Act [Chapter 29:15] with regard to the development and management of water resources in areas under their jurisdiction and in particular, the provision of potable water and the disposal of waste water in accordance to ZINWA Act 20:25 Section 5 (e). ZINWA is responsible for providing raw water to all sectors as well as supplying treated water to the small local authorities, which do not have the capacity to do so.
Local Authorities such as Harare, Bulawayo, Gweru, Mutare, Masvingo, Chipinge, Kadoma, Kwekwe, Chegutu, Chinhoyi, Rusape, Plumtree, among others, have been servicing their areas of jurisdiction with water and sanitation facilities for quite some time now, with ZINWA coming in to assist during crisis periods, at the request of Central Government. This was the case during the cholera outbreak in 2008/09. Local Authorities such as Beit Bridge, Gwanda and Victoria Falls have suggested the take-over of water supply services roles from ZINWA and there is current consideration of these requests. A guiding framework for such recurring requests and operational modalities has been developed.
Water Supply Status and Challenges
- Mr. Speaker Sir, besides the drought-induced challenge of unavailability of raw water, urban water supply in most cities is facing additional challenges due to limited conveyance, pumping and treatment capacities, shortage of chemicals as well as power outages. The City of Bulawayo, has mainly been drawing water from three sources: Upper Ncema, Lower Ncema and Mzingwane - until they were very low and decommissioned whilst the biggest dams -Insiza, Inyankuni and Mtshabezi- remain with substantial amounts of water which could last the City up to11 months at 155 Mega Litres (ML) per day. It is unfortunate that the City of Bulawayo has made limited investments in improving abstraction capacity which could have assisted in addressing the water challenges.
- Similarly, the City of Gweru has not been able to abstract water from Amapongokwe Dam for many years due to a pump breakdown at the dam. This has limited the City to abstract water from Gwenoro Dam only leading to the declining water levels in the dam currently at 26.5% full. The City of Harare has not been abstracting water from Manyame Dam for the past 10 years due to a broken-down lift pump at Morton Jaffrey until December 2019 when the Government of Zimbabwe intervened. The Ministry is concerned that high water losses in most of the local authorities is due to leakages from old distribution systems. The losses range between 40% to 60% for most authorities and we would implore respective local authorities to address this issue urgently.
- Mr. Speaker, Sir, Distribution of Water in Selected Urban Centres
Centres with very Critical Water Supply
Gweru water sources are currently at 33% full and can supply the City for approximately 9months.There is a need for the local authority to manage demand, improve pumping from Amapongokwe Dam and restrict water supply to 45ML per day. As for the medium to long term strategy, the Gwenoro Dam wall has to be raised by 9 metres and a new water source at Lubongo Dam should be constructed to meet the growing demand.
Karoi has 5 months supply left from its combined water from its two supply dams, Blockey and Karoi dams that are at 25% full. There is a need for water demand management by the local authority and for Blockley Dam to be raised, in the medium term.
With the current level of 41% full in Shurugwi Dam, Shurugwi has 8months supply left.Strategies include managing demand, abstracting from disused mine shafts and, in the long-term, to abstract water from proposed Lubongo Dam.
With water levels at 20% full from Chesa Dam, Mt Darwin has only 1.5 months supply left. In the short term the centre can draw water from Ruya River as releases can be made from upstream dams such as Lilistock. However, the Chesa Dam is very small and cannot last the centre for six months even if it fills during the rainfall season, hence an additional raw water source is required urgently.
Mutawatawa water levels stands at 20% full of supply with only less than 2 months of water supply left. The situation also requires pumping from Ruya River.
Mr Speaker Sir,
- Centres with Moderate Water Supply
Bulawayo water sources are at 22% full which can last the City for 11 months. Some of the efforts being made to address the water supply for Bulawayo include the following;
When government intervened in March 2020, Bulawayo was pumping 3ML/day from Nyamandlovu Aquifer. Through government support, an additional 7 ML/day was yielded from Nyamandlovu Aquifer to add to Bulawayo’s demand of 155ML/day. The intervention added another 10ML/day.
- Rehabilitation of 20 boreholes by ZINWA at Epping Forest is on-going and an additional 10 Mega litres per day to the City.
- A total of 42 boreholes are now operating at the Aquifer. The system was also stabilized through the major rehabilitation of the 525mm and 400mm steel pumping mains to minimise water leakages and bursts.
iii. Introduction of booster stations by the Government along the MtshabeziPipeline (without duplicating the pipeline) to increase the daily pumping capacity to 25ML per dayfrom 17 ML/ day.
- Government plans are also underway to increase raw water pumping from Insiza and Inyankuni Dams by addressing the pumping bottlenecks along the two lines.
- Meanwhile Gwayi-Shangani Dam has received a disbursement of ZWL$550 Million from Government and the target remains to complete the dam by December 2021. This will provide a lasting solution to the water supply challenges to Bulawayo and the region. Mr Speaker Sir, commendable progress from 37ML/day to 79ML/day, through ZINWA intervention, has been made in Bulawayo. Much more needs to be done and time will tell.
Kwekwe with a combined 25% full from the supply dams has 7 months supply left at 31ML/day. Even though there is enough supply to next run-off season, Greenham Dam needs to be constructed in the medium term.
Chegutu Town with a combined 50% full of supply dams has 12months supply left at 23ML/day, which is enough supply to next run-off season.
Gwanda with a combined 62% full of supply dams has 11months supply left at 20ML/day, and getting water supply augmentation from Mtshabezi dam. The completion of Tuli-Manyange Dam will improve the water security for Gwanda.
Plumtree has 12months supply left at 13ML/day from its source which is at 34% full as is enough supply to next run-off season. However, additional sources need to be developed in the long term.
Chivhu has 11 months of supply at 9 ML/day left from Chikomba Dam which is 53% full in supply dams which is enough supply to next run-off season. Furthermore, Chivhu Dam is expected to be complete by December 2021 to enhance water security for the Town.
Mr Speaker, Sir, Chipinge’s water source Bangazaan Dam is at 98% full and will last the centre for the next 13 months at 8ML/day.
Mutoko’s Nyadire Damat 53% full has 6 months supply left at 4ML/day. However, there is need to monitor demand. In the long-term a new water source is required.
Murehwa water source is currently at 85% full and can supply the centre for at least 17 months at4ML/day.
Mvurwi’s Pembi Dam is at 58% full and has 7months supply left at 5.5ML/day. However, there is ssignificant base flow which is currently flowing into the dam from the perennial river feeding the dam. More water is also available from the nearby Eastworlds Dam which can be easily constructed and functional in 2 months.
Rushinga with 50% full in supply dams has 17 months supply left at 3ML/day which is enough to supply to next run-off season.
Insukamini with 21% full in supply dams has 5months supply left at 4ML/day.
Mr Speaker Sir,
- Centres with relatively Safe Water Supply
Greater Harare water sources are left with 18 months of water supply left at 800ML/day. There is a need for rehabilitation of distribution network to minimise losses (60%). There is also a need to improve management of effluent discharges into the water sources estimated at 145ML/day. Construction of Kunzvi and Musami Dam by 2022 and 2025 respectively is required to augment water to the City by 600ML/day.
Mutare City has14 months at97ML/day of water supply left from the Odzani Dams which is being augmented through pumping from the Pungwe River. Osborne dam can also supply the City if a treatment plant is constructed. The existing sources are adequate up to 2030.
Kadoma has 27 months left. There is need to monitor demand on annual basis. However, the existing resources are adequate up to 2030.
Although Beitbridge has 3 plus months left, the town has a huge water supply back up from Zhovhe Dam which is at 58.8% full.
Marondera has more than 30 months left at 13ML/day of raw water supplies. The sources are enough to supply to the City up to 2030.
Mr Speaker Sir, Rusape Town has more than 30 months left at 9ML/day, there is need to maintain adequate reserves for the town when releasing water for irrigation from Rusape Dam.
Bindura, Shamva and Glendale has 12 months left from their sources Mwenje and Arcadia augmented by Masembura Dam which is at 60% full. The Bindura Dam is also under construction and is expected to be completed by 2021.
Masvingo and Chiredzi have more than 30 months left at 30ML/day, though there is a need to maintain adequate reserve for the town when releasing water for irrigation from Lake Mutirikwi. The construction of the TugwiMukosi Dam has lessened the burden on Lake Mutirikwi for water releases to the Lowveld. This has allowed storage in Mutirikwi to be mainly reserved for Masvingo town.
Concession, Sadza, Wedza, Buhera, Murambinda, Inyati Mine, Inyati Centre, Bikita, Nyika, Zvishavane, Mberengwa, Mashava and Zaka have more than 30 months left of raw water supply from their sources. There is a need to maintain adequate reserves for the rural service centres when releasing water for irrigation.
Mr Speaker Sir, Gutu /Mpandawana Growth Centre currently has 23 months left at 2 ML/day from their sources.
Mr. Speaker Sir,
Borehole Rehabilitation
The cumulative number of boreholes rehabilitated since the outbreak of the COVID period pandemic is 3,355 against a target of 9,800 (34.2%). The numbers of non-functional boreholes continue to increase due to new breakdowns and drying up water sources.
This programme has been supported largely by Cooperating Partners under the Rural WASH project which ended last year, although low cost sustainability measures are on-going. More resources are required to sustain this vital programme and the release of the requested ZW$277 Million from Treasury should ensure that all the non-functional boreholes in the country are repaired.
Borehole Drilling for COVID-19 and Drought Relief
The total number of new drilled boreholes during the COVID 19 stands at 224 boreholes out of a target of 394 boreholes.
Mr. Speaker Sir, the reported numbers of water points drying up are increasing leading to the demand in new boreholes. The increased demand of boreholes calls for the need to strengthen ZINWA through the allocation of requisite financial resources including acquisition of advanced rigs with capabilities for both air and mud drilling as the water table had greatly receded.
Treasury has disbursed ZWL$20 million to the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education for the drilling of 80 boreholes in the most urgent needed schools in order to assist with their reopening. ZINWA and DDF are leading the drilling efforts by the Government with ZINWA covering 3 provinces and DDF the rest. Deployment has been made this week and the intention is to complete by end of November 2020.
Other Interventions for COVID-19
Some 40 piped water schemes were rehabilitated by Government during the COVID -19 period across the 8 rural provinces.
6.0 In conclusion Mr. Speaker Sir, we have entered the most precarious phase water –wise being the driest phase of the year and following two years of successive droughts. While we continue the hard work on improve the water supply, we look forward to a predicable better rainy season, we must continue to use the available water sparingly. Collaboratively we will win. I thank You Mr Speaker Sir.
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Hon. Members, please may we allow the Hon. Minister to read another Ministerial Statement since they are interlinked and then we can ask questions of clarification later.
MINISTERIAL STATEMENT
CLIMATE-PROOFED PRESIDENTIAL INPUTS PROGRAMME FOR THE 2020/21 SEASON (PFUMVUDZA)
THE MINISTER OF HEALTH AND CHILD CARE (HON. DR. MANGWIRO): Madam Speaker, the climate proofed Presidential Programme has been baptised Pfumvudza/intwasa indicative of the new shoots on a tree and this happens ordinarily in August/September period and this brings hope as we prepare for the season and as we celebrate the past season.
1.0 Background and introduction
1.1 Madam Speaker, the Pfumvudza Programme has been adopted by the Government as a measure to address the problems of low productivity, low production and low profitability of farming which continue to negatively affect the food security situation in the country. Because of the low productivity and low production, the country has become a perennial net importer of cereal grains amounting to USD800 million annually. This increases pressure on the fiscus to source foreign currency for grain importation which could be channeled to other productive sectors of the economy if we produced sufficient amounts for our country. The Pfumvudza concept is an attempt reverse, this insalubrious state of affairs.
1.2 The low productivity has been caused by a number of factors, among them poor agronomic practices, poor soils, the impact of climate change and failure to approach agriculture from a business perspective by both farmers and our extension system. Climate change impacts are characterised by poor rainfall seasons, prolonged mid-season dry spells, very high temperatures during the growing season and the early cessation of the rains. Thus, the adoption of the Pfumvudza concept which is based on conservation agriculture principles will help climate-proof agricultural production, and in particular the food production sub-sector.
1.3 The adoption of the Pfumvudza concept also addresses other production related issues. As the concept applies conservation agriculture principle, it is one way of reducing soil loss (soil erosion) in our arable areas. It also assists farmers to increase productivity, thus getting higher yields from small areas.
1.4 Madam Speaker, the Pfumvudza Programme targets particularly the smallholder farmers who are most vulnerable to the calamities and vagaries of climate change.
1.5 The Pfumvudza concept aims at ensuring food, nutrition and livelihood security at household level. This Pfumvudza Programme, is the flagship programme in the implementation of our Government’s Agriculture Recovery Plan. The programme requires that each farmer establishes three plots: two plots with cereal crops (maize and/or traditional grains), one of which will provide for the farmers’ food self-sufficiency, and the production from the second plot will be sold to GMB to contribute to the National Strategic Grain Reserves and raise household income. In the process, we are also commercialising smallholder farming in Zimbabwe. On the third plot, farmers in the high potential areas will receive soyabean seed while those in the low potential areas will receive sunflower seed that the farmer can sell-off to earn income.
1.6 Under the Pfumvudza Programme, the Government will provide through the Presidential Inputs Programme inputs to 1.8 million smallholder farmers who are all expected to have done holing out of their plots and mulch collection in preparation for the season by end of September 2020.
1.7 Each household is supported with a standard input package to produce one tonne of cereals and 0.2 tonnes of oil seeds (sunflower or soyabean). Expected total output shall therefore be 1.8 million tonnes of cereals and 360 000 tonnes of oil seed.
1.8 This model intends to address household food security as well as the commercialisation of smallholder farming in Zimbabwe.
1.9 The inputs will be issued in a package that provides seeds, agricultural lime, basal fertilizer (1x50kg bag), top dressing (1x50kg bag) and Fall Armyworm control pesticides.
2.0 Programme Targets
2.1 Targets have been set for provinces based on their household populations. These targets have been communicated to Ministers of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution. It therefore follows that each province will produce at least 250 000 tonnes of cereals and a corresponding 45 000 tonnes of oil seeds. The national production is expected to be 1.8 million MT of cereals and 360 000MT of oil seeds, both sufficient to meet human consumption requirements for a year.
3.0 Progress on Implementation of Pfumvudza Programme
3.1 All the 5 294 Agricultural Extension Workers and Agricultural Extension Supervisors across all provinces have been trained on the concept.
3.2 A total of 3 255 378 farmers (1 483 195 males, 1 772 183 females) have so far been trained by the extension workers as at 4 September, 2020 and the training of farmers is a continuing programme.
3.3 Extension workers are expected to train, track and monitor the farmers until harvest. This is dubbed the TTM Extension Service Approach. So far, 525 439 households have prepared their Pfumvudza plots. Farmer training and establishment of Pfumvudza plots by the farmers is work in progress and we are targeting over 1.8 million households by October 2020.
3.4 Soil samples taken for analysis stand at 43 635 as at 4 September, 2020 of which 13 756 samples have been analysed.
4.0 Timelines of Operations
4.1 The key preparatory activities for Pfumvudza (holing out and mulch collection should have been done in July and August). We urge farmers who have not done so to expeditiously work on this before the end of September in readiness to plant with the first planting rains.
4.2 The distribution of inputs has started and the anticipation is that this should be completed before end of October 2020.
5.0 Expected Programme Impacts
5.1 Increased productivity and production (at least one tonne of grain from each household).
5.2 Household and national food self-sufficiency plus surplus.
5.3 Reduced impacts of drought.
5.4 Livelihoods improvements.
- Programme Publicity
6.1 Series of radio, T.V and digital media programmes are being aired nationally and are ongoing.
6.2 Pamphlets, videos, information disks have been produced
6.3 Each school of the 9 000 rural schools should establish 10 plots of Pfumvudza.
6.4 TTM Approach - each extension officer is given a target to train, track and monitor at least 350 households.
6.5 Engagement of political and traditional leadership, civil society and other partners has been initiated to harmonise approach and ensure successful implementation.
6.6 The tertiary institutions within the Ministry have also been engaged to set up demonstration plots that can be used for learning purposes by farmer groups.
6.7 Each agricultural extension worker will establish a Pfumvudza demonstration plot in his/her working area and is given a target to train, track and monitor at least 350 households (no upper limits)
6.0 Way forward
7.1 Farmers who have not started are being encouraged to start holing out and mulch collection and have their plots ready before the rains.
7.2 Soil sampling and analysis is being vigorously pursued across the country.
7.3 The Pfumvudza Programme like all other agricultural programmes requires a robust and a well-capacitated extension provision system for technical training, tracking and monitoring. Through support from His Excellency the President, Dr E.D Mnangagwa, a total of
- 5 000 motor-bikes will be availed to frontline extension staff. Delivery of these has started with 414 having been delivered to provinces as at 4 September, 2020. Training of agricultural extension workers in motor-cycle riding is ongoing with 284 so far trained and 139 tested with 129 passing the test. The other batches of motor cycles are being shipped into the country.
7.4 Additionally, an agriculture-wide robust and cost-efficient Agricultural Information Management System (AIMS) shall be launched to assist with area and yield monitoring from December 2020 onwards.
7.5 With these interventions and a predicted better rainfall season, we expect to morph our way out of the perennial food insecurity situation. I thank you Madam Speaker. I thank you.
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Thank you Hon. Minister. Hon. Members, you may now ask questions or seek clarification from the two Ministerial Statements.
HON. MADZIMURE: I would like to seek clarification on Pfumvudza. I would want the Minister to be specific on the standard pack that a farmer should receive as to what each farmer is going to receive. The problem that we have had before is that you would hear people saying that they are going to give a 50kg bag of compound D, 50kg top dressing and probably 10kg seed but a farmer would receive probably one of the three and you would have done nothing. I have got evidence to that because I also have a village home. I have asked a question at one time as to what had been given to the ward where I reside. That was another problem.
I come from Ward 10 in Zaka North and with regards to extension officers, there are only houses that have since been vacated. There is no Agritex officer that I have seen in that area. The people are doing the Pfumvudza Programme on their own. No one is supervising. Even the distribution is also not supervised though it has not started. I have asked and there is no mechanism to do that.
The issue of monitoring all those things that have been given to our farmers is very poor. It is probably because of the absence of the Agritex. What is the Ministry going to do about that?
On water, here in the cities, it is now common knowledge that the piped water is not coming from the tapes anymore. Our people are now relying on boreholes. Members of Parliament repair these boreholes but there are no spares and no team from DDF that is responsible for doing that. As far as Harare is concerned, the solution lies purely on building another water body that will have fresh water flowing into that like the Kunzwi. I did not hear the Minister talking about that because that is the problem that we have in Harare. For now, those are the issues that I would want the Minister to clarify.
*HON. NYABANI: In Uzumba Maramba Pfungwe and Rushinga, there is plenty of water in Mazowe River. What plans does the Minister have so that this water can be used for irrigation?
HON. BUSHU: I would like the Minister to clarify the Ministry’s relationship with DDF particularly in the provision of water in the rural areas mainly related to boreholes and small water dams?
HON. M. M. MPOFU: I did not hear much reference to the rural water challenge by the Minister. We have got a lot of boreholes which are not functional and our tank dams have dried up. Some of the dams need scooping and there is no machinery. We have been contacting the DDF offices and they are saying they do not have spares and transport in some cases. We have been supplementing using our meagre resources to help people to buy leather cup cylinders. We would like to hear what interventions he is going to do on the rural people because they are suffering. They walk long distances and have to wait up to night fighting to get a bucket of water. There is a serious situation in the rural areas.
HON. K. PARADZA: I just want the Minister to clarify in terms of irrigation development in our farms. There was this programme of Pedstock to improve irrigation. Is this programme still ongoing and are there also plans by the Ministry to extend these borehole schemes to the farming community because of these droughts sometimes these dams dry up and so forth. Thank you.
HON. GABBUZA: Madam Speaker, I listened to the Minister. I am sure when you say Pfumvudza in Binga, it is meaningless. It has no meaning absolutely. I am sure there are clever guys who can try to locate this programme into the other communities because if you talk of Pfumvudza, I was trying to imagine what it is all about. Just the name itself has no relevance to people in that area. I am sure the same with the Shangani and the Kalanga. I am sure we must try to culturally decentralise these programmes so that they have relevance to the local people of all tribes in the country.
Secondly Madam Speaker, I hear the Minister saying the Gwayi-Shangani Dam will be ready by 2021 to alleviate the problems of water in Bulawayo. It has taken years and years to do this programme, but to hear that the 90% scope of works remaining will be done in a year, by next year 2021, it will be interesting to know if the Minister has plans because I have always passed through there and the people are not even aware of the relocation programmes. The dam is going to affect a lot of villagers but if it is going to be ready next year and people do not know where to go and there are no programmes on the ground, where is the basis of that supposition that it will be ready when people are not even aware. Thank you.
HON. C. MOYO: Thank you Madam Speaker. My first question is on the leakages which the Hon. Minister alluded to. Is there a deliberate plan or schedule to say maybe by four, five or six months we will see all the local authorities having maybe tried to ameliorate those leakages?
The second question is on the money, the $500 000 000 which has been released towards Shangani Dam. Of course we thank you for those funds but how much money is needed and I did not hear what is going to be done by the $500 000 000.
The third question is on the percentage increase of mega litres from 37 to 79. Indeed this is more than 100% but if you go on the ground, people are still in the same situation. Have you gone, Hon. Minister, maybe on the ground to see whether that translates to practical rather than the theory figures of the increase of more than 100%?
Then on the Pfumvudza concept, Madam Speaker, the Hon. Minister said we are expecting to have completed the mulching by 15th September which is very soon and if you read the booklet, he said mulching is key. I did not take the page number and for the past two years, we have been receiving first rains around mid – December up to early January. So when are we expecting maybe to have our first rains this time around? Thank you Madam Speaker.
HON. MAYIHLOME: My points of clarification to the Hon. Minister relate to water that comes from the rural district council, the rural communities, in this case particularly some constituencies like Umzingwane. You find that literally all the water in the dams goes to another province and Umzingwane gets very little of that water and the rural communities along which the pipelines pass do not have even portable water. The previous arrangement when the water was still controlled by the urban councils was that the dams would pass over to rural district councils after 50 years, but when ZINWA took over, those agreements were kind of pushed aside and forgotten about and now rural communities have remained in that same situation which was there 50 years ago, no water, but they watch water going to Bulawayo and yet all that water comes from there. The Government even constructed Mtshabezi Dam, that is a ZINWA controlled dam.
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Please may you ask your question Hon. Mayihlome.
HON. MAYIHLOME: The clarification is what benefits are the rural communities from where the water comes supposed to get? Then on the issue of Pfumvudza, I know some Hon. Member here touched on professionalisation of Agritex, but my question is what measures is the Ministry going to take to also change the mindsets of the farmers so that this input scheme or the allocation of Presidential inputs is not a perpetual thing? Somebody is weaned off after a period of time; changing their mindsets to become business like so that there is better utilisation of national resources. I thank you Hon. Speaker.
*HON. SHAMU: Thank you Madam Speaker. My question is directed to the issue addressed by the Minister of Agriculture when he said the seed for agriculture under Pfumvudza would be distributed in October. Areas of Nyatanga and Neuso in Chegutu are areas that if we delay to give people the seed, they cannot harvest anything because the areas are swampy. So what are the plans so that the people in these areas receive their seeds early, not to wait for October.
I do not know if you will allow me Madam Speaker, I wanted to raise another issue. Last week I raised an issue which I was told I would be given the reponse this week about Government policy on Horticulture and I have not received any response. I thank you.
HON. NDEBELE: Thank you Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, kindly allow me to thank the Minister for the two lucid statements. I am happy with the work that the Minister says is happening at Epping Forest, but my quick point of clarification is, the Hon. Haritatos will attest to this; I keep asking this question. We are owed four boreholes per constituency. Is it possible, Hon. Minister, that as soon as your drill rigs are done at Epping Forest as they drive through Bulawayo, they help the 12 constituencies with those four boreholes per constituency so that they do not come to Harare and have to come back again?
The other question has to do with your relationship with DDF as asked by Hon. Bushu. My main concern, Hon. Minister, if you could raise it maybe with the President’s Office since DDF is housed there, the two drilling rigs for DDF from where I come from, that is Matebeleland North and Matebeleland South have been in Harare for more than three months for service. I believe from the officers on the ground, all that is required are just valves and change of oils, if you can assist with that Hon. Minister.
I am grateful that on the question of Agritex officers, you certainly have your finger on the right spot Minister when you say they need capacity building, particularly in the area of horticulture. You know, we are young farmers, we attempt to change from the ways of old that our grandparents used to follow but you visit Agritex officers, you realised that they have absolutely no energy and knowledge to assist you even with simple things like drip irrigation. I hope the capacity building of these officers will move quickly from the Pfumvudza concept to the area of horticulture, if you may indulge us Hon. Minister in your response. There was a question from Hon. Shamu last week, if at all as a nation we have a horticulture policy. Thank you Madam Speaker.
*HON. TOGAREPI: Hon. Speaker, I kindly ask the Minister to explain to us the programme on mechanisation by John Deere. Hon. Minister, do you not think that what the banks are doing is sabotaging a good programme. Up to this day they have not showed us how the tractors will get to the farmers so that they are able to use the tractors this season.
+HON. SPARE SITHOLE: Thank you Madam Speaker, for the sake of my community I will use my mother language. I was listening to the Ministerial Statement, you left out the issues of small dams, maybe some might have been overtaken by events. The water must be taken out of the small dams in the rural areas because cattle do not have anywhere to drink water and there is no water for people. For the reason that these small dams which are too many in the rural areas, I want to talk about Mzingwane Dam in Matabeleland South and Insiza. In Insiza Dam, it is much better because it has got two streams other than Mzingwane which has got one. Mzingwane passes the water to Limpopo but the Government took measures to put one dam at Bhophoma Ward 1 District to Gangabezi up to date there is no dam which has been built there. The water is still passing via Limpopo. May you please take note of that.
The dams are Mzingwane Dam and Insiza, Mzingwane has got one dam. There is need to get water from Limpopo to Mzingwane.
HON. SARUWAKA: Thank Madam Speaker, what mechanisms have they put in place to protect communal farmers from syndicate transporters working in cahoots with politicians or Agritex officers to rip communal farmers by overcharging on transportation of the free inputs and fertilizers. What mechanisms have they put in place so that our communal farmers are not overcharged by arranged transporters? My experience has been that farmers are not allowed to make their own transport arrangements. The arrangement is such that if they do not want to pay that transporter, they will not access the inputs. What mechanism have they put in place to protect our communal farmers?
THE MINISTER OF LANDS, AGRICULTURE, WATER AND RURAL RESETTLEMENT (HON. DR. MASUKA): Thank you Madam Speaker. I thank the Hon. Members for the interest they have exhibited in the urban water update from their very insightful questions. I also wish to thank them for the various questions relating to Pfumvudza from the concept, the cultural aspect and everything. Some of the questions have been repeated so I will try and group those as I attempt to answer Madam Speaker, if that is allowed.
The Harare water supply can only be solved once we have fresh water from Kunzvi. I think we need a dual approach because if it is manmade, it should be man-unmade. The pollution in these dams is unacceptable but simply moving to another water source and say we are resigning this, perhaps it is not the entire solution. I think we need to reduce and eventually eliminate pollution in our rivers and into our water systems. The standard pack has been distributed, the monitoring and evaluation - yes, that is an aspect that we need to look at and the resources will be availed appropriate. There was a question that was repeated in terms of ZINWA and DDF relationship. The role of the Ministry is in two aspects in terms of the Water Act and the ZINWA Act. The Ministry manages all the seven catchments in Zimbabwe through catchment and sub-catchment councils. ZINWA’s mandate is elaborated in the ZINWA Act and also provides the technical capacitation for the catchment councils. So it is to manage Zimbabwe’s water resources judiciously. The role of DDF as we have seen is an implementing agency and not a management agency. I think there is a clear separation. In terms of the finer details of the operation of the two on the ground, I think they ought to cooperate and collaborate in order to complement their efforts so that some of the parts becomes bigger than the whole.
There was an issue that water bodies are available in Rushinga and Uzumba-Maramba-Pfungwe (UMP). I thank the Hon. Member for that. We are crafting a Statutory Instrument on irrigable water bodies in Zimbabwe. That Statutory Instrument will allow the Ministry and Government to identify all the water bodies on farmland and elsewhere, bring that into production and put that into context because there was also an issue relating to irrigation. The irrigation strategy that we are developing is to bring into production 350 000 hectares in the next two to three seasons. That will entail rehabilitation of the idle 45 000 hectares on farms but also identifying green belts in the lowvelds of the Southern part of the country, the likes of Bulawayo, Kanyemba and many others. That is the bigger strategy. So, we will be there in UMP and Rushinga and you will get assistance.
There are no functional boreholes when we have boreholes drying – we have had two consecutive seasons of below normal rainfall and so the water table has receded to an extent that many boreholes are drying up. However, we hope that with an expected normal to above normal rainy season, that underground water charge will be restored and we will be in a better position. In the interim, ZINWA on our part, we will continue rehabilitating boreholes and I think our teams are out in the provinces and they can be contacted accordingly.
There was an aspect from an Hon. Member relating to irrigation development and the pedstock facility. The pedstock facilities are available through the banks and the term sheet is being finalised so that farmers can access that at an affordable interest rate and at a tenor that is suitable to the risk profile that we find in agriculture and many more programmes along those lines will continue.
There was a suggestion that we must extend borehole drilling to farms, we take that. There was an aspect by an Hon. Member to say, Pfumvudza is meaningless in Binga and the cultural context is lost, I take note of that. We just engaged one of the universities to try and translate all these into various languages and I hope that when it is done then the meaning will be restored. My apologies for that, we will be able to catch up and do the right thing.
There was an aspect for Gwai-Shangani linkages with ZINWA, specifically the 500 million and what additional amounts would be required to complete that dam – very substantial amounts and we have commitment from Treasury that we will be able to get the balance that is required to work in a business unusual manner to ensure that the project is completed by December, 2021. There were associated aspects relating to the participatory aspects and whether communities have been sufficiently sensitised to enable them to begin the preparations for translocation. I think that will be happening at the appropriate time.
There was an aspect by an Hon. Member relating to the increase in capacity from the 37 mega-litres per day to 79 mega-litres whilst we in the Ministry think we have made substantial progress. I did say that much more needs to be done and certainly much more needs to be done for the community in Bulawayo to be able to see the difference. We said that the demand is 155 mega-litres per day, so we are only barely there. Soon we will be able to get there and collectively we must.
Mulching, the timing, the first rains when do they come? Well Madam Speaker, I wish I could wave the magic wand and know when. We hope that the Almighty will bless us with rains and science has spoken that we will have normal to above normal rainy season. We can only expect that rains will be with us from November onwards.
There was an issue of water from Umzingwane from an Hon. Member, saying that the pipeline passes through communities and the community is not benefitting. ZINWA used to operate for a given time and then hand-over to communities and that is not happening. This water then goes to other provinces. I think as we look at this irrigation Statutory Instrument, it compels us to be able to utilise the water bodies so that the locals within that area benefit and I look forward to working with this constituency and this community to ensure that, that is actualised.
There was an issue that in some of the areas there are some constituencies in Chegutu which quickly get soaked and they would rather have seed early. I want to also answer the question of distribution of inputs and that some of the inputs might not be complete. We have deliberately not distributed seed at this stage because it is a biological product.
There having been noise coming from online virtual transmission.
THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER: Order Hon. Members. May you please mute your gadgets. Hon. Chipato, may you please mute your gadget because we can hardly hear what the Minister is saying.
HON. DR. MASUKA: Madam Speaker Ma’am, the aspect relating to Chegutu is perhaps unique but I was indicating that distributing seed to smallholder farmers at this stage was not advisable because seed is a biological product and may deteriorate. We want to distribute that closer to the rainy season. In terms of those input packs that are not complete, it is something that we need to look into because we thought that this year we were better prepared than most years. We have delayed distributing the seed pack.
There is an aspect relating to the rigs, that why can they not pass through and do the 12 constituencies there. It is something that perhaps within the Ministry we will be able to look into and respond back to the concerned Member. There was an aspect again coming through about ZINWA, DDF - mthat the DDF rigs have minor repairs to be done in Harare. We work with DDF and we complement them. We can only find out so that we can get these rigs to do what they were manufactured to do.
There was an aspect about the capacitation of Agritex in particular in relation to horticulture. We are in the process of developing a Horticulture Development Policy and I have seen a draft of that. However, in preparation for that, the Ministry has made some very good progress in connection with consolidated various horticulture bodies and under the Horticulture Development Council. That is now in place and we are beginning to work with them to come up with a Horticulture Development Policy that will then lead to the Horticulture Development Strategy which is part of the broader Agriculture and Food Systems Transformation Strategy where we want to move from $5 billion to $8.2 billion.
Then there was an aspect by an Hon. Member relating to a sad situation that we see throughout the country where all these small dams have now been silted, what could be done and why we cannot focus on the smaller dams. Yes, the de-siltation exercise, a massive one for that matter has to be undertaken. We are in the process of developing an irrigation strategy that will answer some of these and I am sure Hon. Members will be excited when they eventually see how it touches on their specific areas.
Then there was an aspect lastly relating to Pfumvudza and these syndicates that are likely to overcharge the households. It is something that we want to more clearly study. We have said that we will distribute these to collection points. We wanted that the distribution be done as transparently as indeed possible and with it comes the transformation of Agritex from an extension advisory wing where they opt to go to certain households and opt not to go to certain households to a dedicated Business Advisory Unit where it is mandatory for an Agritex officer to visit their 300 to 350 households and be able to get a database of that. If they are motorised physically because we are getting 5000 motorbikes and a thousand or so are in the country, it means that once you change their mindset, change management is important so that they become business advisors. It means that they will be able to visit all these households and ensure that these inputs are distributed. It is our collective responsibility as Hon. Members to ensure that these inputs are distributed fairly, equitably, transparently and that they are used for the intended purpose. I thank you Madam Speaker.
THE TEMPORARAY SPEAKER: Thank you very much Hon. Minister for all the points of clarity that you had to respond to. I would like to thank the Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Water, Climate and Rural Resettlement for the two ministerial statements; one on the State Oo Water Supply in Urban Areas and the other one on the Adoption of Conservation Agriculture Concept on Maize and Traditional Grains, Pfumvudza / Intwasa. Thank you very much Dr. Masuka.
HON. TOGAREPI: Thank you Madam Speaker, but the Minister did not answer the issue of Government programmes that are being done to help agriculture grow but are then delayed by other stakeholders who are facilitating those. We are very concerned with those movements, especially the John Deere one as well as the loan that is going to come to smart agriculture from banks. All these things, are they really complementing Government or these guys are just looking at how much they will make out of them.
THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER: Thank you very much Hon. Chief Whip. You were a bit out of order because I had not given you the floor and we had already concluded. So, I am going to indulge the Hon. Minister since it is a pertinent issue but I am sure we had concluded. Hon. Minister, we indulge you so that at least you can respond to that.
HON. DR. MASUKA: Thank you Madam Speaker. This is a very pertinent aspect because agriculture is about timeliness and planning is critical. The mechanisation programme consists of the John Deere Programme, the Belarus Tractors and has components to do with the irrigation side but specifically for this tractor programme, the term sheets now have been agreed upon and the banks will begin to disburse and farmers will pay 15% deposit. The initial aspect was the misconception that farmers would pay this in US dollars whereas farmers sell their produce in ZW dollars. The clarification is now out and farmers will pay in ZW dollars at the prevailing exchange rate. So that facility has now been activated and I urge farmers to begin to access that through the various banks.
Regarding the climate smart agriculture, Command Agriculture or as we prefer to call it in the Ministry, National Enhanced Productivity Programme (NEPP), we are finalising tomorrow the modalities with the bank. We had a very progressive meeting last week and we think that by mid-September farmers will begin to collect their inputs. However, farmers can now register because Agritex is in the processs of doing so. We have said that those farmers that have already supplied the requisite amounts of maize to GMB will not go through the rigorous screening processes again because those are already in the Agritex bank databases. So, those would automatically go on to get their inputs. However, new farmers and those that have not repaid their loans will have to go through the screening process. So, my expectation is that although there has been a delay because ordinarily from an agricultural perspective you would want your mechanisation, your inputs to be ready by end of August. I think that 15 September is still a good date if the expected rain season starts sometime in November. I thank you Hon. Speaker.
THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER: Thank you Hon. Minister. This brings to the end the two ministerial statements by the Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Water, Climate and Rural Resettlement.
On the motion of HON. TOGAREPI, seconded by HON. PARADZA, the House adjourned at Twenty-Eight Minutes to Seven o’clock p.m.
PARLIAMENT OF ZIMBABWE
Tuesday, 8th September, 2020
The National Assembly met at a Quarter-past Two o’clock p.m.
PRAYERS
(THE HON. SPEAKER in the Chair)
Hon. Biti having entered the Chamber wearing a hat.
THE HON. SPEAKER: Hon. Biti before you enter the House, you should take off your hat.
HON. BITI: Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir.
ANNOUNCEMENTS BY THE HON. SPEAKER
DEATH OF HON. MIRIAM MUSHAYI
THE HON. SPEAKER: It is with profound sorrow that I have to inform the House of the death of the Member of Parliament for Kuwadzana Constituency, Hon. Miriam Mushayi, on Monday, 7th September, 2020. May I therefore invite all Hon. Members to rise and observe a minute of silence in respect of the late Hon. Member.
Hon. Members observed a minute of silence.
EXTENSION OF TIME FOR THE PRIVILEGES COMMITTEE TO INVESTIGATE THE ALLEGED ACTS OF
MISCONDUCT BY MDC-A MPS
THE HON. SPEAKER: I have to inform the House that the Privileges Committee that is inquiring into the alleged acts of misconduct by the MDC-A Members of Parliament has requested an extension of the time assigned to conclude the investigation. This has been granted and the Committee is now expected to report its findings and recommendations on the 31st of October 2020.
HON. DR. LABODE: On a point of Privilege Mr. Speaker Sir.
HON. SPEAKER: Good to see you on your feet Hon. Labode. We thank God.
HON. DR. LABODE: Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir. My point of privilege relates to the adopted Parliament testing and isolation policy which is not in line with the national and WHO policies on isolation. My concern Mr. Speaker is that 23 Members of Parliament tested positive, among those, there are about nine or so who have already tested positive four weeks ago and isolated. According to WHO, once you have tested positive and you have actually isolated for two weeks, you are supposed to be free of COVID because you now have antibodies in your body that protect you. What has happened is, these same people, according to the Speaker, will be tested and the outcome will be about 30 including those who are free. How do you know you are free? It is a fact that if the COVID enters your body, your antibodies start fighting for you and they remain in your body for almost five weeks.
This is why at the beginning of COVID, we had no recoveries because we had not realised that people are not recovering because they have antibodies in them. Immediately we stopped, the Ministry of Health and Child Care says after 14 days, if you have no symptoms, you are free you do not need to be retested. If we continue increasing the number of Members who are going away for isolation as the Parliament policy, we will end up closing Parliament. This will be so because the ones whom you will have tested will not test negative because they have immunity, they have developed those antibodies.
THE HON. SPEAKER: You mean they will not test positive.
HON. DR. LABODE: They will test positive.
HON. SPEAKER: Second time?
HON. DR. LABODE: A lot of them did even now. A point in case is Hon. Mbondiah. She was sick, isolated for three weeks and came to Parliament and tested positive. She went back home and the doctor said why are you being isolated? Because you had already stayed home and you were actually sick, which means your antibodies were fighting in the system, you should not actually catch or spread that disease again as a person.
I want to explain that this vaccine that you hear is being developed in Europe is being taken from the antibodies of those who were cured and in Europe they are injecting those in hospital to ensure that they develop antibodies so when they come in contact with Covid they will not be infected. The good example is: when you come in contact with a person suffering from tuberculosis and you do not fall sick – when you vaccinate your child for BCG if you see some swellings, it is the antibody of that aunt who had T.B whom you did not know. It is very good actually, do not complain about it, it is your antibodies fighting, your soldiers in the body fighting. When you are infected with Covid, your soldiers become alert because they know you, they have fought a war with you.
What I am saying is, we should have a cohort. That is my proposal. If we follow the national policy, we should take all the people who are negative in two weeks time and they are the ones we should test.
Hon. Dr. Labode having been speaking without being connected virtually was asked to connect by The Hon. Speaker.
THE HON. SPEAKER: Link up because you are making a very important statement.
HON. LABODE: I must put a disclaimer, because I had COVID people may think I am saying so because I am still positive. For the reason that I am diabetic and asthmatic, I did not develop a lot of antibodies so I had a negative result. It is not something I should celebrate because if I was positive, I would be guaranteed that I had plenty of antibodies. The fact that I tested negative over a short period of time, three weeks, it means I may not have developed strong enough antibodies.
Hon. Dr. Labode having connected to the virtual platform.
HON. DR. LABODE: So, I was saying that I want to put a disclaimer, just in case some people will think that I am talking of people who have been on isolation and sick because I have been there and I am protecting myself, no. I am one of those I consider not to be very fortunate because I did not develop enough antibodies so I tested negative after the positive results I have both of them here– [showing the results documents.] – the positive and the negative.
What I am proposing that Parliament should do –
THE HON. SPEAKER: That is what I have been waiting for.
HON. DR. LABODE: Yes, we should take the cohort of those who are negative in two weeks time and they are the ones we should test. If we keep testing the people who have already been sick or who tested positive before, I am not going to mention them. A group of those who are on isolation are among those who tested positive and they were calling me to ask why and I said you are not sick but you have the antibodies, move on with your life.
THE HON. SPEAKER: Have you finished?
HON. DR. LABODE: Yes, I have finished.
THE HON. SPEAKER: According to you this is according to how the World Health Organisation (WHO) needs us to interpret its guidelines?
HON. DR. LABODE: I can read the guidelines actually, I have them here, they were sent all over. “To all provincial medical directors; adoption of the WHO isolation criteria for COVID confirmed patients. The new recommendation is to apply to all COVID cases regardless of isolation, location or disease severity. For symptomatic patient, 10 days after the symptoms onset plus three days additional, the person should be considered to be free. Those without symptoms, the asymptomatic we call them, 10 days positive test for COVID, after 10 days you are free and you shall not be retested.” This is why we suddenly –
THE HON. SPEAKER: No, continue reading.
HON. DR. LABODE: The re-infection is next to impossible, only one case – in Zimbabwe we have not experienced re-infection –
THE HON. SPEAKER: Can you read.
HON. DR. LABODE: I want to continue Sir.
THE HON. SPEAKER: Please carry on, do not comment.
HON. DR. LABODE: The re-infection has been on isolated cases – one in America which has been on discussion yesterday on Cable News Network (CNN) –
THE HON. SPEAKER: Have you finished reading what WHO says?
HON. DR. LABODE: “The new recommendation is to apply to all COVID cases regardless of isolation, severity of disease. The discharge criteria is below;
- For symptomatic patients, meaning those who are either coughing or whatever – 10 days after symptoms onset plus three additional days.
- Without symptoms – which include fever and whatever; they shall not be retested but considered to be recovered.
That is what you are seeing when you see the national report saying recovered – they have not tested the recovered. They would have spent the required time. For asymptomatic cases, 10 days after testing positive without further retest, you are declared free.
THE HON. SPEAKER: That is the end?
HON. DR. LABODE: That is the end. It says, ‘new cases shall be implemented immediately signed by the Acting Permanent Secretary Dr. Mhlanga.’ Mr. Speaker, I shall print this and give it to you.
THE HON. SPEAKER: And give it to the chat group. Thank you very much – [AN HON. MEMBER: Inaudible interjection.] - I have not commented. In-lingua parlance, Hon. Sibanda, you do not say ‘o.k’ to the Chair – [HON. P. D. SIBANDA: My apology Hon. Speaker Sir.] – thank you.
Hon. Dr. Labode, thank you for your statement. We shall engage the Ministry and further seek clarification because at the back of my mind, if I am told that I have tested positive and then I quarantine, I am assumed that after 10 or 14 days that I am well, I am assured that I shall not die but people have died after testing positive. So, I do not know how we will balance that. Anyway, we will stand guided by the national policy and perhaps come back and advise the House accordingly. However, thank you for your observations. Hon. Misihairabwi, are you linked up?
HON. MISIHAIRABWI-MUSHONGA: Yes, I am now. Thank you very much Mr. Speaker Sir. If you allow me, I was going to ask Hon. Dr. Labode just one issue of clarification. We were told in one of the small committees that had been set up in Parliament, by the epidemiologist that the PCR test that they are doing is to test the virus and the viral load and I hear you speaking of anti-bodies. I thought the rapid test was the one which shows the antibodies. So at what point is this PCR showing anti-bodies because I thought it was testing the actual virus and viral load? So, I am getting a bit confused.
THE HON. SPEAKER: Order, we are now being very unprocedural. The Hon. Dr. Labode has not made a ministerial statement, so we cannot seek clarification. What I suggest is, let us be guided perhaps tomorrow by the Ministry of Health and Child Care or alternatively by the National Chair of COVID-19. I am sure Hon. Member you will appreciate my ruling.
HON. MISIHAIRABWI-MUSHONGA: I do, it is just that it is a worrying subject, so we all got carried away but I stand guided.
THE HON. SPEAKER: We all are worried for our lives. Thank you.
HON. P. D. SIBANDA: Thank you Hon. Speaker. My point of privilege takes into cognisance the fact that a new Parliament building is under construction. I also acknowledge that the current circumstances have literally forced Parliament to migrate to technological debate. However, I believe that the current Chamber is not compliant to this new migration that we are making. I am realising that at times we come to the House coming from some other engagements. I was asking if it is not possible to try and put adaptors in places where Hon. Members can at least be charging their gadgets whilst they are in attendance to Parliament business so that we do not get to a situation where the gadgets fail maybe whilst a member is debating. I thank you Hon. Speaker.
THE HON. SPEAKER: Thank you. I charge mine once before I come to the House and it is guaranteed for 36 hours. So, yours must do the same.
HON. P. D. SIBANDA: I am coming from a workshop where I was since morning and I am just realising that the battery will not take me all the way.
THE HON. SPEAKER: So, there are no sockets where you can charge in this building?
HON. P. D. SIBANDA: There is nowhere except outside the Chamber.
THE HON. SPEAKER: Thank you Hon. Sibanda for your observation. I am advised by the Clerk of Parliament that they will make sure they have extensions for charging where ZBC connects so that you have enough connectivity and Hon. Members can charge their gadgets.
MOTION
BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE
THE MINISTER OF JUSTICE, LEGAL AND PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS (HON, ZIYAMBI): I move that Order of the Day, Numbers 1 to 4 be stood over until Order of the Day, Number 5 has been dealt with.
Motion put and agreed to.
COMMITTEE STAGE
NATIONAL PROSECUTING AUTHORITY BILL [H. B. 20, 2019]
Fifth Order read: Committee Stage: National Prosecuting Authority Bill [H. B. 20, 2019].
House in Committee.
Clauses 1 to 9 put and agreed to.
Bill reported without amendments.
Third Reading; with leave forthwith.
THIRD READING
NATIONAL PROSECUTING AUTHORITY BILL [H. B. 20, 2019]
THE MINISTER OF JUSTICE, LEGAL AND PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS (HON. ZIYAMBI): Madam Speaker, I now move that the Bill be read the third time.
Motion put and agreed to.
Bill read the third time.
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 6 to 17 be stood over until Order of the Day, Number 18 has been disposed of.
Motion put and agreed to.
MOTION
THIRD REPORT OF THE PUBLIC ACCOUNTS COMMITTEE ON THE BENCHMARKING VISIT TO THE PARLIAMENT OF ZAMBIA
HON. MPARIWA: Madam Speaker, I move the motion standing in my name that this House adopts the Third Report of the Public Accounts Committee on the Benchmarking Visit to the Parliament of Zambia by a delegation of the Committee.
HON. MAHLANGU: I second.
HON. MPARIWA: Thank you Madam Speaker. On Tuesday, 2 October 2019, Mr. Speaker announced that the Public Accounts Committee would consist of the following Members:
Hon. L. T. Biti, Hon. B. Bushu, Hon. O. Bvute, Hon. W. Chikombo, Hon. B. Chikwama, Hon. P. Dutiro, Hon. R. Maboyi, Hon. W. Madzimure, Hon. A. Markham, Hon. C. Matewu, Hon. E. Masuku, Hon. N. Matsikenyere, Hon. M. Mbondiah, Hon. F. Mhona, Hon. P. Mpariwa, Hon. E. Mushoriwa, Hon. D. Nduna, Hon. A. Nkani, Hon. Dr. M. Nyashanu, Hon. J. Nyokanhete, Hon. M. Raidza, Hon. B. Rwodzi, Hon. T. W. Sansole, Hon. C. Sanyatwe, Hon. Z. Sibanda, Hon. G. Sithole, Hon. S. Sithole, Hon. P. Togarepi, Hon. V. Muradzikwa-Zengeya
Hon. L. T. Biti to be Chairperson
Terms of Reference of the Public Accounts Committee -
Standing Order No. 16:
“There must be a Committee on Public Accounts, for the examination of the sums granted by Parliament to meet the public expenditure and of such other accounts laid before Parliament as the Committee may think fit.”
Introduction
Nine members of the Public Accounts Committee from the Parliament of Zimbabwe, accompanied by three staff members conducted a benchmarking visit to the Parliament of Zambia from 18 to 22 March 2019. Of the twelve, five were female. The overall objective of the benchmarking visit was to share experiences in the work of Public Accounts Committees with the intention of adopting best practices and ultimately enhancing Parliamentary oversight over use of public resources.
During the visit, the delegation had the privilege of paying a courtesy call on the Hon. Speaker of the Zambian National Assembly. Fruitful meetings were held with Chairpersons of Committees whose work relates to the Public Accounts Committee, staff from the Auditor General’s Office and other Government departments whose work complements the work of the Public Accounts Committee in Zambia. The delegation’s findings and recommendations are presented in detail later in this report.
Composition of the Delegation
The delegation to Zambia comprised the following Members and staff of Parliament:
Hon. Bramwell Bushu, Hon. Wellington Chikombo, Hon. Berta Chikwama, Hon. Memory Mbondiah, Hon. Paurina Mpariwa (Leader of Delegation, Hon. Dr. Mathew Nyashanu, Hon. Marko Raidza, Hon. Wesley Sansole, Hon. Chipo Sanyatwe, Mr. Asha Jenje, Mr. Christian Ratsakatika (Secretary to Delegation), Ms. Better Sibanda
Objectives of the benchmarking visit
The main objective of the benchmarking visit was to learn how Parliament of Zambia in general and the Public Accounts Committee in particular, manage the work of the Committee. Other focus areas included how the Committee follows up the implementation of its recommendations. During their stay in Zambia, the delegation was privileged to meet with Speaker of the National Assembly, Chairpersons of Committees, officials from the Auditor-General and Office of the Controller of Internal Audits. The delegation also had meetings with other oversight institutions such as the Drug Enforcement Commission and Anti-Corruption Commission. Although Zimbabwe and Zambia have a lot in common, there are some institutions and practices the delegation learnt. Below are summaries of the information gathered by the delegation during its interactions?
Courtesy Call on the Speaker of the National Assembly
The delegation paid a courtesy call on the Speaker of the National Assembly, the Rt. Honourable Mr. Justice Dr. Patrick Matibini. In his welcome remarks, the Speaker acknowledged the strong bilateral relations that exist between Zimbabwe and Zambia dating back to the pre-independence period. He stated that the two countries shared a lot and gave geographical examples of Victoria Falls and Kariba dam. He highlighted that the countries belonged to regional groupings such as the Southern African Development Community (SADC), Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) and at continental level to the African Union (AU), Pan-African Parliament (PAP) and Southern African Development Community Parliamentary Forum (SADC – PF). Honourable Matibini observed that Hon. Advocate J. F. Mudenda was very passionate about transforming SADC-PF into a regional Parliament.
Figure 1 - Rt. Honourable Mr. Justice Dr. Patrick Matibini, addressing the delegation.
The Speaker of the Zambian Parliament commended study visits that have been undertaken before between the two countries. He described the visits as healthy engagements for sharing parliamentary practices and experiences. The Speaker referred to the annual Zimbabwe-Zambia (Zim-Zam) Senior Parliamentary Staff Seminar as another example of the useful forum for engagement between the two countries.
Hon. Matibini informed the delegation that Zambia had gone through four Constitutional Commissions since independence. He indicated that the last Commission established in 2016 had brought about amendments, which among other things provide for 156 Members of Parliament and a right for the President to nominate eight Members who are usually appointed to ministerial positions. He also informed the Committee that the Constitution had also provided for the appointment of a woman to the position of Vice-President. The Speaker explained that he had risen to his current position from the bench and did not belong to any political party and that the first Deputy Speaker also did not belong to a party. The delegation was however advised that the second Deputy Speaker belonged to the ruling party.
The Speaker pointed out that the Public Accounts Committee was the busiest of the National Assembly of Zambia’s Standing Committees. He informed the delegation that two Committees, Local Government Accounts and on Parastatal Bodies had been established in order to mitigate the Public Account Committee’s huge workload. He concluded by observing that management of resources was a major challenge faced by most of the African countries and implored Public Accounts Committees to ensure the optimal use of resources.
Interaction with Hon. Kunda, Chairperson of the Public Accounts
Hon. Kunda shared the following information with the Committee. The Public Accounts Committee in Zambia runs with the life of Parliament. The Committee has a membership of ten (10). National Standing Order No. 153(2) provides for the election of the Chairperson of the Committee, who should come from the opposition party.
Figure 2 – The delegation interacting with Hon. Kunda
The process followed in scrutinising the Auditor-General’s Reports begins with tabling of the Report in September or October, followed by entities submitting their responses and appearing before the Committee for oral evidence. After tabling and adoption of the Report in the National Assembly, the Executive should table a Treasury minute within six days. The Public Accounts Committee has a sub-Committee of four (4) Members who follow up on outstanding issues. The sub-Committee has powers to invite controlling officers over queries. An action taken report is submitted and outstanding issues are kept alive.
In Zambia, there is live coverage of proceedings by the Parliament’s radio station when controlling officers appear before the Committee. Such meetings are open to the public and media. The Budget Committee and the Public Accounts Committee complement each other. The Budget Committee preoccupies itself with the analysis of estimates of revenue and expenditure and the Public Accounts Committee examines the use of resources allocated for specific programmes. Some controlling officers have been fired and some of them jailed for misconduct following exposure by the Public Accounts Committee.
The Auditor General in Zambia has powers to refer cases for investigation by relevant investigative bodies if there are cases warranting investigation. Some Government officials had either been suspended, pending investigations and others fired following recommendations arising from the reports of the Public Accounts Committee.
Meeting with the Hon. Muchima, Chairperson of the Committee on Local Government Accounts
The Chairperson of the Committee on Local Government Accounts, Hon. Muchima shared the following information with the delegation. The Committee on Local Government Accounts is a newly constituted Committee which had been established to deal with the work previously dealt with by the Public Accounts Committee. The Committee had a membership of ten (10). There were hundred and sixteen (116) Councils in Zambia which were now subjected to audits by the Auditor-General.
The Constituency Development Fund (CDF), introduced by Parliament was a popular development fund that complemented Government’s rolling out of development programmes. Before the enactment of an Act that governs the disbursement of the CDF, some Members of Parliament had been imprisoned for abusing the fund. Each constituency is entitled to one hundred and sixty thousand 160 000) kwachas but Members were lobbying for an increase to five hundred thousand (500 000) kwachas. The CDF and the Equalisation Fund allocated to councils are audited by the Auditor-General and the audit report is submitted to the Committee for its analysis and councils found wanting is reported to the arresting authorities.
Courtesy call on the Zimbabwean Ambassador to Zambia – Her Excellency, Ambassador G. Takawira
The Ambassador briefed the delegation on the good relations between Zimbabwe and Zambia and her briefing touched on the following areas. There was a peaceful environment in the country and there were a number of economic development initiatives. A shopping mall known as East Park that had been developed within one and a half months and several other malls had been built in 2018. Zambia’s focus was on economic development and this included road construction, electricity generation and the development of solar power.
The Embassy felt the impact of Zimbabweans coming into Zambia, particularly students who faced challenges in accessing foreign currency for their studies. Universities were however accommodating as they were allowing the affected students to write their examinations. Zambia had been requested by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to supply manpower in the areas of drivers, maids and cooks. To avoid exploitative conditions of service, the workers’ passports were to be kept at the Zambian Embassy in UAE. Investment opportunities for Zimbabwean companies exist and South African companies had already exploited some opportunities by coming in and building shopping malls and establishing retail shops such as Jet, Game, Shoprite and many others.
Interaction with the Deputy Auditor-General, Mrs. S. Rose
The delegation gathered that auditing of local authorities was relatively new in Zambia as it had commenced in 2016. For the expanded scope of work, the Auditor-General’s Office required new staff to audit 116 local authorities. The current staff compliment of 551 was by far short of the establishment of 689 required. As a result of the manpower challenges, thirty (30) local authorities had been audited in 2017 and forty (40) in 2018. Staff turnover existed and officers often left for positions in parastatals and Government but rarely for the private sector.
The Auditor-General’s office had developed a strategy to progressively audit all the 116 local authorities in the next four years. The Office was up to date with the compilation of its Reports and expected the 2018 report to be presented in September 2019, in accordance with the Constitutional provision.
The Office of the Auditor-General normally organised orientation meetings for the Public Accounts Committee at the beginning of the life of Parliament, to acquaint Members with the duties of the Office. Meetings were also held between the Committee and Office of the Auditor-General soon after tabling of the main report to help Members understand the report. Any report compiled by the Auditor-General was presented to the President of Zambia and the Speaker of the National Assembly. The Office carried out an average of three to four Value for Money Audits a year and had 22 reports since 2004 when value for Money audits commenced. Forensic audit reports were not tabled in Parliament but sent to law enforcement agents or the responsible authority.
Figure 3 – The delegation posing with the officials from the Auditor General’s Office
Interaction with the Acting Controller of Internal Audit - Mrs. Elizabeth Lusambo
The delegation learnt of the existence of the Office of the Internal Audit and gathered the following information. The Office had been a department in Treasury until 2018 when it was transformed into a division reporting to Treasury through an Act of Parliament. The position of Controller of Internal Audit was at Permanent Secretary level and the Office was represented in all ministries. The division was also responsible for all internal audits in parastatals and local authorities. The division sat in the Public Accounts Committee meetings alongside the Auditor-General and other permanent witnesses.
The functions of the Office of the Controller of Internal Audit were as follows:
- a)to provide quality control services;
- b)to conduct risk based financial, compliance and performance audits;
- c)to submit quarterly reports to the Secretary for Treasury and copied to the Minister of Finance for purposes of tabling in Cabinet;
- d)to coordinate the operations of all audit committees; and
- e)to conduct any audit requested by the Secretary to Treasury in public bodies;
The Office of the Controller of Internal Audit was regarded as the first line defence in risk management followed by the Office of the Auditor-General. About one third of the audit findings emanated from the internal audits. Reports produced by the office of the
Controller of Internal Audit was submitted to the Secretary for Treasury for auctioning through its initiative, the Office of Internal Audit with the Cabinet Office had been able to establish an Internal Audit Oversight Committee under the Executive arm. The mandate of the Oversight Committee mandate included insisting on verifiable evidence on action taken by audited entities to address audit queries. The results of work of the Internal Audit Oversight Committee had been evidenced by the reduction in the number of audit queries.
Interaction with the Drug Enforcement Commission – Mr. C. Silulimba – Acting Director General
Figure 4 – The delegation with officers from the Drug Enforcement Commission
The Acting Director General briefed the Committee on the structure and functions of the Commission which falls under the Ministry of Home Affairs. As such, the Commission was represented in all the country’s provinces. The Commission was a statutory body constituted through an Act of Parliament. Its mandate is to deal with issues of illicit drugs and money laundering crimes in Zambia. Before the creation of the Commission, the police had dealt with the issues but it had been realised that there was need for a specialised section.
The mandate of the Commission was drawn from the Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substance Act and Prohibition and Prevention of Money Laundering Act. The major mandate was to prevent and control illegal cultivation, production, trafficking, abuse of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances as well as to prohibit and prevent money laundering activities. The Commission’s major function was to investigate and prosecute illicit drugs and money laundering cases. The Commission was also mandated to provide education and counselling services to the public.
The Commission worked with various agencies and collaborated well with the legislature. It also worked with regional and international organisations especially in the area of training. An anti-money laundering Committee chaired by the Attorney-General with Members from Police and Intelligence Center had been established and it liaised with other agencies when investigating money laundering cases locally or in other countries. One such stakeholder identified by the Unit was the Auditor-General. If the Auditor-General found that there was a case that warranted an investigation, the Auditor-General engaged the Unit. This engagement was formalised through a memorandum of agreement signed between the two parties.
Sitting in the National Assembly
The delegation sat through the Vice President’s question time in the Chamber. This was followed by questions with notice and presentation and debate on Bills. The delegation was impressed by the clarity of the audio system which ran with the visuals of the proceedings in the Chamber through television screens installed in the Chamber.
Interaction with the Deputy Director-General of the Anti-Corruption Commission, Rosemary Kundawo
Mrs. Kundawo briefed the delegation on the Commission’s mandate and activities. The Anti-Corruption Commission was established in 1982 following the promulgation of the Anti-Corruption Act in 1980. The mandate of the Commission was to investigate and prosecute corruption cases. The objective behind this was to educate people and try to prevent incidences of the vice. The Commission was run by 5 Commissioners and a management team headed by a Director-General. Directorates of the Commission included the investigations, prosecutions and community education units.
In performing its duties, the Commission received reports and if there was need for an inquiry, the Director-General authorises an investigation. The onus lies with the prosecution to prove cases beyond doubt. Newspaper reports were an important source that supplies intelligence to the Commission. Deserving cases likely to result in convictions should get consent from Director of Prosecution before an arrest is effected.
Beyond prosecutions, the Commission tried to prevent corruption by putting in place measures in the system so that corruption was mainstreamed. The Commission also tried to build integrity through Integrity Committees that implemented programmes that seek to address issues such as misapplication of resources, unvouchered expenditure and other audit queries relating to various organisations. Public education programmes were meant to ensure that people are aware of the impact of corruption or how to act when they have information on corruption.
The Commission worked closely with other institutions such as the Drug Enforcement Commission, the Police, Financial Intelligence Centre and the Auditor-General’s Office. Its engagement with the Auditor-General was guided by the memorandum of understanding signed by the two organisations The Commission was working on demystifying the notion that offences reported in the Auditor-General’s reports are issues for the Anti-Corruption Commission.
Among the high profile cases handled by the Anti-Corruption Commission was a case involving the arrest of a Minister? Cases took time to conclude as they required thorough investigations as evidenced by the case involving one of the late former Presidents, whose investigations started in 2002 but was only finalised in 2016. The Commission was working on ensuring forfeiture of property acquired by proceeds of crime. Prevalent cases handled by the Commission related to procurement contracts in the construction sector.
Observations by the Committee
The following are the Committee’s observations in line with the objectives of the benchmarking visit:
Whilst Zimbabwe has one Public Accounts Committee, Zambia had three Committees established to analyse the three volumes of the Auditor-General’s Report. As such, the Committees were able to deal with all the entities reported in the Auditor-General’s Reports. In Zimbabwe, the Public Accounts Committee’s resolution to establish three subcommittees had not been realised due to a shortage of staff to service the sub-committees. The Public Accounts Committee in Zimbabwe, under the current arrangements can hardly complete the analysis of all the entities in a session.
Whilst in Zimbabwe, its practice that the Chairperson of the Public Accounts Committee is always a member from the opposition party, in Zambia, National Assembly Standing Order No 153(2) provided for that arrangement. This becomes binding unlike practice which can easily be set aside.
In Zimbabwe, the Committee sits once a week when Committees are sitting. This has led to constant requests for extra sitting days even when Committees are adjourned. In Zambia the Committees sit continuously, soon after tabling of the Auditor-General’s Reports. Once the Committees have completed their analysis and received oral evidence sessions, they then compile their reports.
In Zimbabwe, the Auditor-General has no powers to refer matters to the investigative authorities. Zambia had the relevant provision and the involvement of the Anti-Corruption and Drug Enforcement Commission had resulted in suspensions, dismissals and prosecutions of Government officials found guilty of the misuse of Government funds or property.
In Zimbabwe, Ministries have internal audit units but unlike in Zambia, there is no office of the Controller of Internal Audits. The existence of the office in Zambia and sitting in the Public Accounts Committee meetings adds value to audit processes and the work of the Public Accounts Committee.
Recommendations
Parliament should make the necessary arrangements to address the needs of the Public Accounts Committee in relation to operationalising the sub-committees in the short run. Serious consideration should be done by the Committee on Standing Rules and Orders to create two more Committees; one for Local Authorities and the other Committee for State Enterprises and Parastatals.
Parliament should amend its Standing Orders so that the practice of the Chairperson being a Member from the opposition party in Parliament has legal effect.
The Public Accounts Committee’s sittings must be continuous to allow them to complete analysis of the reports and receiving of evidence before devoting the remainder of the session to report writing.
The Audit Office Act should be amended to give the Auditor-General power to refer relevant cases to the investigative authorities.
The Executive should expeditiously establish the Office of the Controller of Internal Audits, as alluded to in paragraph 201 of the 2019 Mid-Year Budget Review Statement. Treasury could borrow from the model of the Zambian Office.
Conclusion
The benchmarking visit was valuable to the Committee as it exposed the delegation to practices and offices that were not common in the two countries. The delegation felt challenged particularly in the area of suspensions, dismissals and prosecutions of officials. Whilst the legal framework to sanction officials is in the Public Finance Management Act, the Committee has not witnessed serious action taken against public officials who commit offences.
HON. TOGAREPI: I move that the debate do now adjourn.
HON. MPARIWA: I second.
Motion put and agreed to.
Debate to resume: Wednesday, 9th September, 2020.
MOTION
BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE
HON. TOGAREPI: I move that the rest of the Orders of the Day be stood over until Order of the Day Number 20 has been disposed of.
HON. MPARIWA: I second.
Motion put and agreed to.
MOTION
LIAISON AND COORDINATION COMMITTEE ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE FIRST SESSION OF THE NINTH PARLIAMENT
HON. TOGAREPI: Madam Speaker, I move the motion standing in my name that this House takes note of the Liaison and Coordination Committee Annual Report for the First Session of the Ninth Parliament.
HON. MPARIWA: I second.
HON. TOGAREPI: Introduction
The First Session of the Ninth Parliament which covered a period from 18 September 2010 to 1 October 2019 was officially opened by His Excellency, The President, Hon. E. D. Mnangagwa on Tuesday 18 September 2018. This was after the watershed 2018 Harmonised General Elections held on 31 July 2018 which ushered in the Second Republic of Zimbabwe. The President’s key message during the State of Nation Address which marked the official opening of the 1st session of the ninth Parliament was Government’s drive to continue with the reengagement efforts, accelerating the macroeconomic stabilization efforts, creation of fiscal space, currency reforms and enhancing foreign currency availability, improving liquidity, increasing the country’s investment attractiveness and reducing the budget deficit, among other key focus areas. The State of Nation Address also outlined the legislative agenda of Government for the First Session Ninth Parliament.
Immediately after the official opening and apart from the six Thematic Committees for the Senate and the post audit Public Accounts Committee, 19 Portfolio Committees for the National Assembly were appointed in line with the newly established Ministries. Given the complexities of the present day government processes and activities, Parliaments the world over are able to effectively perform their long established legislative, executive oversight and representative roles through a system of Committees. In an objective and non-partisan approach, Committees are able to conduct detailed analysis of governmental processes and provide recommendations which guide the Houses in arriving at informed decisions. Given the small size in terms of membership, they are also able to interface with the public and facilitate public input into governmental processes. It is, therefore, imperative that Committees from time to time should report on their activities to enable the Houses to make timely interventions on Government processes and activities.
This Report, therefore, in summary, outlines the activities by the Committees during the First Session of the Ninth Parliament, successes, challenges and impact in order to redirect efforts and as well as providing lessons during the Second Session of the Ninth Parliament.
2.0 Operational Activities
In broad terms, the Constitution of Zimbabwe provides for the Terms of Reference (ToR) for Parliamentary Committees. In specific terms the ToR for Parliamentary Committees are spelt out in the Standing Orders.
2.1 Terms of Reference for Portfolio Committees
The ToR for Portfolio Committees are provided in National Assembly Standing Order No. 20 as follows:
- Subject to these Standing Orders, a portfolio committee must
(a) Examine expenditure administration and policy of
government departments and other matters falling under their jurisdictions as Parliament may, by resolution determine;
(b) consider and deal with all Bills other than a Constitutional
Bill and statutory instruments or other matters which are referred to it by or under a resolution of the House or by the Speaker;
(c) consider or deal with an appropriation or money Bill or any
aspect of an appropriation or money Bill referred to it by these Standing Orders or by or under resolution of this House; and
(d) monitor, investigate, enquire into and make recommendations
relating to any aspect of the legislative programme, budget, policy or any other matter it may consider relevant to the government department falling within the category of affairs assigned to it, and may for that purpose consult and liaise with such department;
(e) consider or deal with all international treaties, conventions
and agreements relevant to it, which are from time to time negotiated, entered into or agreed upon.
2.2 Terms of Reference for Thematic Committees
The ToR for Thematic Committees are provided for in Senate Standing Order No. 19 as follows:
19.Subject to these Standing Orders, a thematic committee must examine government policies which fall under or relate to the designated theme or themes and other matters falling under their jurisdiction as the Committee on Standing Rules and Orders may determine.
2.3 The First session of the Ninth Parliament signified a critical period during which Parliament as an institution was in the process of formulating its 2018- 2023 Institutional Strategic Pan which is deliberately aligned to the life of the 9th Parliament. The activities of the
Committees during the First Session were, therefore, largely influenced by the experience of the preceding ISP for the period 2013- 2018. The most critical was the need to continue with the unfinished business of alignment of laws to the 2013 Constitution and enactment of laws to improve the ease of doing business in Zimbabwe. The need to enhance the capacity of Committees and its Members in the ever-increasing complexity in government processes was also of paramount importance.
3.0 Capacity Building for Committees
Elections in the recent times have become highly competitive and as such, there was high turnover of Members of Parliament during the 2018 Harmonised Elections. Of the 270 National Assembly Members, 110 were in the 8th Parliament while 160 are new Members. This represents a turnover rate of 59.26%. Of the 80 Members in the Senate, 41 were in the 8th Parliament while 39 are new Members. This represents a turnover rate of 48.75%. This called for a greater need for capacity building since parliamentary experience is unique. The Administration of Parliament designed a training plan for all Committees of Parliament in order to enhance their capacity.
3.1 Training for Chairpersons
The training programme commenced with a training for all Committee Chairpersons in November 2018. This was critical given that Committee Chairpersons give general guidance and strategic direction in the execution of Committee business. The attendance by Chairpersons was overwhelming which demonstrated the eagerness by Chairpersons to execute their mandate.
The Programme aimed at acquainting the Chairpersons with the oversight function of Committees in relation to the budgetary processes, law making and consideration of international treaties. Chairpersons were also trained on how to develop Committee work plans and how to conduct the Committee business in general. The Programme also touched on specific issues such as the conduct of public hearings and procedures for handling petitions. Following the training, the majority of them were able to preside over Committee meetings and public hearings with much confidence.
3.2 Induction for Committees
The Administration of Parliament designed a training programme for each of the 27 Committees, including the Parliamentary Legal Committee. During these workshops, Committees were afforded an opportunity to meet representatives of Ministries and State Enterprises and Parastatals which they oversee.
The induction programmes focused on the legislative and oversight role of Committees as they relate to the overall mandate of Parliament. It also touched on specific areas relating to the Budget Process and Handling of Petitions. Committees were acquainted with the various techniques which they can employ in the execution of their mandate as well as issues of etiquette and decorum expected of the Hon. Members, especially in their interaction with stakeholders. Ministries and Parastatals were given an opportunity to present on their overall mandates, including giving an overview of the Acts which they administer. Since most Committees had already formulated their work plans, these presentations assisted Committees in fine-tuning their work plans.
Committees expressed appreciation on this initiative. The only criticism was that for some Committees the induction workshop came rather late towards the end of the session due to many competing programmes and other factors. For instance, about five
Committees had their induction workshops as late as in June and July 2019. These Committees were the Portfolio Committees on Environment, Climate Tourism and Hospitality Industry, Transport and Infrastructure Development. Mines and Mining Development, Youth, Sports, Arts and Recreation and the Public Accounts Committee.
3.2 Benchmarking Visits
Apart from the in-country training workshops, the performance of Committees can also be enhanced by exchanging knowledge and experience with similar Committees in other parliaments, especially in the region where we share a lot in terms of the historical background. Due to financial constraints, only six Committees were able to conduct benchmarking visits during the first session. The Public Accounts Committee conducted a study visit to Zambia and was sponsored by the World Bank. The Portfolio Committee on Primary and Secondary Education also visited Zambia and Kenya and was sponsored by UNICEF. The Portfolio Committee on Budget, Finance and Economic Development proceeded to Kenya while the Joint Portfolio Committees on Foreign Affairs and International Trade and Industry and Commerce visited Rwanda. The Thematic Committee on HIV/AIDS visited Uganda. these last three Committees were sponsored by Parliament. A number of Committees needed to undertake Benchmarking visits but could not do so due to funding constraints.
However, it was of concern to note that all the six Committees were not able to submit reports to the respective Houses on time. In most cases Committees tend to focus on a number of activities at a time and this contribute to their failure in tabling reports on time. Procedures require that a Committee should table its report to the respective Houses within two weeks of concluding an enquiry. Likewise, Committees are expected to table their reports on benchmarking visits within two weeks after returning from such visits. This will allow the respective Houses to debate the contents of the reports and adopt good practices arising from such reports. Most Chairpersons could not present reports on time due to competing Government business as business by back benchers only takes precedence on Wednesdays in the National Assembly and Thursdays in the Senate.
The Joint visit to Rwanda by the Portfolio Committees on Foreign Affairs and International Trade and Industry and Commerce was meant to learn from the experiences of the Rwanda’s Development Board and Rusumo one stop border post following the introduction of the Zimbabwe Investment and Development Agency (ZIDA)Bill (H.B. 2, 2019) in Parliament. The study visit assisted the two Committees in the analysis of the ZIDA Bill and also informed some of the amendments that were adopted by the National Assembly during the Committee stage of the Bill.
The two study visits to Zambia and Kenya by the Portfolio Committee on Primary and Secondary Education were meant to assist the Committee in the analysis of the Education Amendment Bill (H, B. 1, 2019). The Committee introduced a number of amendments to the Bill during its Committee stage and these were accepted by the National Assembly. The then Minister of Primary and Secondary Education Hon. Prof. P. Mavhima expressed his greatest appreciation to the Committee for coming up with well thought proposals to the Bill.
One of the key recommendations made by the Public Accounts Committee after its visit to Zambia was the need to amend the Audit Office Act to allow the Auditor General to refer cases to investigative authorities. Currently, the Office of the Auditor General just submits its reports to Parliament and investigative authorities can only conduct investigations on matters raised at their own discretion. The Committee also recommended the need for Parliament to facilitate the work of the Committee through establishment of PAC Subcommittees in the interim whilst in the long run consider the establishment of three different Committees, one being responsible for central government, the other looking at Parastatals and the other one focusing on local authorities. Currently the PAC provides financial oversight on 21 Ministries, about 92 local authorities and over 90 parastatals. The three Committees of PAC are, therefore critical if the Committee is to effectively play its oversight role over public resources.
Following its study visit to Kenya, the Portfolio Committee on Budget, Finance and Economic Development recommended the need for the establishment of the Parliament Budget Office to backed by law. It also recommended the need for Parliament to adopt the practice whereby Portfolio Committees submit their reports on the analysis of the Budget to the Portfolio Committee on Budget, Finance and Economic Development which will then compile a comprehensive report which will be presented in Parliament. This will allow Members to debate the key budget priorities for the country unlike the current practice where each Committee tends to only focus on a specific sector.
3.3 Conferences and Workshops
Apart from induction workshops, a number of Committees attended various workshops and conferences on issues related to their sectors. These activities are also key in enhancing the capacity of Committees in executing their oversight function.
The Portfolio Committee on Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development in collaboration with key stakeholders namely United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), the Zimbabwe Council for Higher Education (ZIMCHE), the Youth Empowerment Transformation Trust (YETT), Saywhat Zimbabwe and university students’ representatives organized a workshop on Sustainable Development Goals 4 and 5 on achieving inclusive and equitable quality education and gender equality respectively. The workshop was conducted as part of the Committee’s enquiry into quality assurance in higher and tertiary education in Zimbabwe. The workshop was complemented by verification visits to local universities and colleges. The Committee intended to conduct benchmarking visits to learn from other countries but the visits were affected by lack of funding. This has derailed the Committee in finalizing its report.
The Portfolio Committees on Foreign Affairs and International
Trade , Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, Women Affairs, Community, SMEs Development and Defence, Home Affairs and Security Services in collaboration with the United Nations Commission on Human Rights (UNCHR) had a workshop on Nationality and
Statelessness. The workshop was critical in raising the awareness of the Committees on the need for the country to ensure policy, legal and administrative frameworks on statelessness are aligned with international instruments in order to prevent and eradicate statelessness. The Committees resolved to take up the issues in the Second Session work plans. Some of the key areas identified were the review of the Birth and Death Registration Act and the accession and ratification of the 1961 UN Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness.
The Portfolio Committee on Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs conducted an All Stakeholders Conference on Electoral Reforms. The workshop agreed on the need for an inclusive engagement that would lead to transparent, democratic electoral processes. The Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs was requested to urgently come up with a bill that would address stakeholder concerns with the current legal framework governing elections in Zimbabwe. The Committee together with the Thematic Committee on Human Rights had a sensitization workshop on the work of the National Peace and Reconciliation (NPRC). The workshop agreed on the need to extent the 10-year lifespan for the Commission which is provided for in section 251 of the Constitution. The Constitution was passed in 2013 and the enabling legislation was only enacted five years later in 2018. Subsequently, the matter was brought before the Courts which rules that the lifespan for the NPRC should be 10 years from the time the enabling Act came into effect.
The Portfolio Committee on Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs attended a workshop on the African Continental Free Trade Area in February 2019. A call was made on the need for Zimbabwe to ratify the Protocol on the African Continental Free Trade Area. This was eventually brought before Parliament and ratified. There Protocol was equally debated in both Houses which were a clear indication that the Members were adequately capacitated on the instrument.
The Joint Portfolio Committee on Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs and the Thematic Committee on Human Rights participated in a Conference on Parliamentary engagement on Human Rights held in Geneva in June 2019 A call was made for Parliaments to include human rights at the top of Parliamentary agenda.
The Committee on Mines and Mining Development had a workshop on the proposed Mines and Minerals Amendment Bill where it was resolved to speed up the process of bringing the Bill before Parliament. The Bill was prioritized by the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Bills, but progress in that regard was hampered by staff challenges in the Attorney General’s Office.
3.4 Sector Specific Training
In view of the growing complexities in governmental operations and the increasing demand for public accountability from the citizens in the 21st century, there is a greater need for parliamentarians to be equipped with the various skills to effectively hold government to account and ensure effective service delivery. The Portfolio Committee on Finance and Economic Development was trained on Budget Analysis. Other sector specific trainings were deferred to the 2nd session of the 9th Parliament.
3.5 Recommendations
3.5.1 Recommendation 1: The Administration of Parliament should, as a matter of urgency, facilitate sector specific training for all the Committees. This will enhance the performance of Members of the various Committees in their oversight mandate.
3.5.2 Recommendation 2: In view of the budgetary constraints, at least 9 Committees should be prioritised for benchmarking visits during the 2020 financial year.
4.0 Strategic Goal 1: Aligning of Relevant Laws with the Constitution-Legislative Programme
4.1 Bills passed by Parliament
His Excellency, The President, Hon. E. D. Mnangagwa laid out the
Legislative Programme on 18 September 2018 during the State of the Nation Address which marked the official opening of the 1st Session of the 9th Parliament. He outlined a total of 30 Bills which was rather a bit ambitious, given the past trends in passing Bills. A total of 21 Bills were brought to Parliament which was a significant number when compared to previous years. However, 50% of the Bills were submitted to Parliament right at the end of the session. A total of 7 Bills, including the Finance and Appropriation 2019 were passed into law. Three of the Bills, namely, the Tripartite Negotiating Forum Act No. 3 of 2019, the Companies and Other Entities Act No. 4 of 2019 and the Consumer Protection Act No. 5 of 2019 was outlined in the Legislative Programme during the State of the Nation Address.
The two Bills, namely the Finance (No. 3) and the Forest
Amendments were withdrawn. Issues contained in the Finance No. 3 Bill were incorporated in the Finance (No. 2) Bill. The Forest Amendment Bill was submitted during the end of the 5th Session of the 8th Parliament and was withdrawn after the Ministry responsible for the Bill and the Attorney General’s Office indicated that they were no longer proceeding with the Bill in its current form.
Thus, for the 10 Bills that were submitted on time, only two were
not passed during the session. These were the Education Amendment and the Zimbabwe Investment Development Agency Bill. The two Bills generated a lot of interest and as a result, there were protracted consultations, hence the delays. As for the Education Amendment Bill, there was a disagreement between the Senate and the National Assembly which needed to be dealt with by the end of the first session of the ninth Parliament. The Senate had proposed an amendment of the deletion of the word “sexual” in clause 13 of the Bill which provides for the Minister to make regulations which governs the appointment of sexual and reproductive health officers in schools. The amendment was rejected by the National Assembly and it proceeded in terms of the Fifth schedule of the Constitution. It stipulates that where a disagreement is not resolved within 90 days it will be transmitted to the President for assent in the form it was passed by the National Assembly.
There are a number of reasons which contributed to the poor
performance by Parliament in passing the Bills outlined in the Legislative Programme and these cannot be squarely blamed on Parliament. As pointed out earlier on, about 50% of Bills were submitted at the end of the session and as such, it was not possible for them to be passed within the same session.
Standing Order No. 135 of the National Assembly Standing Orders provides for referral of Bills to a relevant Portfolio Committee after publication in the Government Gazette. The Committee has 14 days within which it is expected to conduct its analysis including any consultations required by the Constitution and report to the House at the Second Reading stage of the Bill. During the 1st session, Portfolio Committees had serious challenges in observing the stipulated timeframe. This contributed to the delays in passing bills. Section 152 (3) of the Constitution read together with Standing Order No. 136 of the National Assembly Standing Orders requires all bills to be examined by the Parliamentary Legal Committee (PLC) before receiving their final voting in either of the Houses. In terms of Standing Order No. 33, the PLC has a total of 26 business days to examine any Bill referred to it by the House and an additional six days where a Bill is referred after amendments during the Committee stage. It can also seek an extension of 26 business days. The PLC sought extension on three bills because of the technical nature of the Bills concerned.
In some instances, Parliament endured inordinate delays by the
Attorney General’s Office in proofreading of Bill proofs. This could point to inadequate capacity in that office. Parliament of Zimbabwe in its 2018- 2023 Institutional Strategic Plan, sets itself to achieve timely passing of laws that are consistent with the Constitution as one of its key result areas. Apart from implementing strategies that enhance the capacity of Committees and its Members, Parliament has a strategy to strengthen collaboration with the Executive in order to increase the number of bills that are outlined in the Legislative Agenda that are passed by Parliament. The Executive during the 8th Parliament established the Inter-Ministerial Committee to track progress on Bills and the Counsel to Parliament sits in their meetings on behalf of Parliament. In cases of complex and technical bills, Portfolio Committees should engage technical experts to assist them in analyzing bills.
4.1.1 Recommendation 1: There is need for Parliament to enhance
the capacity of Committees and its Members in the analysis of Bills.
This is part of the strategies in the ISP 2018- 2023 to ensure the timely
passage of Bills and this should be given high priority.
4.1.2 Recommendation 2: Committees should on a quarterly basis follow up with the relevant Ministries and ensure Bills outlined by His Excellency, the President in the legislative agenda during the State of the Nation Address are brought to Parliament on time.
4.1.3 Recommendation 3: The Ministry of Justice should, as a matter of urgency, review the capacity in the Attorney General’s Office in respect of legislative drafting skills and ensure the capacity is enhanced.
5.0 Governance Systems Enhanced
5.1 Committee Enquiries
Section 119 of the Constitution of Zimbabwe provides that all state institutions at every level are accountable to Parliament. As part of its executive oversight, Parliamentary Committees conduct enquiries into government policies, programmes and activities and make recommendations for improved governance systems. Committees embarked on a number of enquiries. Apart from 8 reports on Bills, only 10 reports were tabled during the First Session of the Ninth Parliament. Of these reports, 6 were on general enquiries while 4 were on petitions. A list of the tabled Reports has been annexed to this Report.
There is a concern that Committees are taking too much time to conclude enquiries and submit reports to the respective Houses. Given that the greater part of the First Session of the Ninth Parliament was devoted to induction programmes and the Ninth Parliament experienced high turnover in terms of the membership of Parliament, these could have contributed to the low performance by Committees. As a matter of practice, each Committee is expected to table at least one report in a session. The 18 reports, tabled during the First Session, therefore, fall short of the expected 26 reports. At the end of the First Session, Committees were still finalizing reports on 15 petitions, 15 general enquiries and 4 Bills. As for petitions, Committees were failing to submit reports within the stipulated timeframe of 26 days. This timeframe had proved to be an ambitious one and might need to be reviewed.
Section 141 of the Constitution compels Parliament to consult the
public on Bills and other parliamentary processes. As part of Committee enquiries, a total of 192 public hearings and 143 field visits were undertaken during the First Session. The First Session also recorded the highest travel by Committees when compared to previous sessions. Unlike in previous sessions, the bulk of the travel was fully funded by Parliament and this is commendable. Parliament as an institution, should take charge of its processes and need not to rely too much on external funding.
In addition to public hearings and field visits, a total of 615
meetings were held at Parliament while 13 were aborted due to lack of quorum. On average, each Committee had about 23 meetings during the first session. Annexed to this Report is the attendance by Members in the various Committees. Each Member should serve on at most two Committees and each Committee sits once a week. Committees have challenges in meeting more than once in a week except when they are out on public hearings or field visits or workshops. In view of the huge oversight mandate of Committees, there is need to rationalize the membership of Committees to ensure that Committees are able to meet several times in a week. Some Members have also in violation of the policy on membership to Committees been sitting on several Committees. This had also contributed in other Committees failing to raise quorum.
5.1.1 It is recommended that during the appointment of Committees for the 2nd session of the 9th Parliament, the Standing Rules and Orders should adopt a policy of one Committee for each Member. This will allow flexibility for Committees to sit more than once in a week and consequently allow more time to expedite the huge workload for Committees.
6.0 Budget Oversight by Committees
6.1 Submission and analysis of monthly, quarterly and annual financial reports
The Constitution of Zimbabwe mandates Parliament to oversee all State revenues and expenditure to ensure efficient, effective and economic utilization of public resources. Accordingly, sections 32, 33, 34 and 35 of the Public Finance Management Act [Chapter22: 19] require Ministries and other public entities submit financial reports to respective Portfolio Committees on a monthly, quarterly and annual basis. Parliament with the assistance of Technical partners developed Quarterly Reporting Guidelines to assist Ministries in preparing such reports. Relevant officials across Ministries were sensitized on these Guidelines. Despite all these efforts the compliance rate by Ministries remained a cause for concern to Parliament. The Parliamentary Budget Office developed a tracking tool to monitor compliance by Ministries. This had assisted Committees in following up with Ministries on outstanding Statutory Budget Performance Reports. However, responses from Ministries have not been forthcoming.
During the year 2019, 10 out of 20 Ministries submitted quarterly reports for the first to the third quarter which represents a compliance rate of 50%. Apart from the low rate of submission by Ministries, most of the reports contain scanty information to enable meaningful analysis by Committees.
The Parliament Budget Office analysed a total of 12 financial reports for the first quarter and 10 of them were presented to Committees while during the second quarter they analysed 6 reports and four were presented to Committees. After analysis of such reports, it is incumbent upon every Committee to liaise with the Budget Committee and make time for them to present their analysis to the Committee. It is quite a great disappointment to note that after some Ministries had submitted quarterly reports and analysis duly carried out and presented to respective Committees by Parliament Budget Office, no single report on quarterly budget performance was presented to the House during the First Session. Some Committees tended to prioritize other activities ahead of quarterly Budget Performance Reports. This could point to the need for training Committees on Budget analysis to equip them with the requisite skills. Without reports proffering recommendations on management of public funds by Ministries, it rendered the whole exercise futile and also discourages Ministries from submitting such reports. The graph below shows the number of reports submitted by Ministries and those that were analysed by the Parliament Budget Office.
6.1.1 RECOMMENDATION 1: PORTFOLIO COMMITTEES SHOULD RELIGIOUSLY
FOLLOW UP WITH MINISTRIES AND AND ENSURE MONTHLY QUARTERLY AND ANNUAL FINANCIAL REPORTS ARE SUBMITTED TO PARLIAMENT WITHIN THE STIPULATED TIMEFRAMES PROVIDED FOR IN THE PUBLIC FINANCE MANAGEMENT ACT.
6.1.2 Recommendation 2: Portfolio Committees should scrutinise quarterly and annual financial reports and table reports in the House without fail.
6.1.3 Recommendation 3:The Administration of Parliament should prioritise the training on Budget Analysis during the Second Session of the Ninth Parliament.
6.2 Participation in the Budget Formulation by Parliament
A national Budget is a key instrument by Government to meet the needs and expectations of its people. Apart from Budget monitoring by Parliament, it is also important that Parliament through its Committees effectively participate in the Budget formulation by the various sector Ministries. As Members of Parliament are first and foremost representatives of the people, Portfolio Committees are expected to consult the public on its expectations on the Budget. Parliament and the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development jointly organize a Pre-Budget Seminar during which Committees are afforded an opportunity present on the outcomes of their consultations with the public on the ensuing year’s Budget. It is acknowledged with great appreciation that the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development really takes this exercise seriously.
In 2018, 59 out of 102 recommendations from various Committees were taken on board. This represents an uptake of over 50% of the recommendations submitted. After the 2019 Budget presentation, Parliament successfully convinced the Minister of Finance and Economic Development to increase the Budget allocation for the Ministry of Health and Child Care and this was subsequently increased by US$16 million from US$409 million to US$474 million. The allocation for Parliament was also increased by US$23 million from US$57 million to US$80 million.
It has been observed that during the pre and post budget analysis, the focus of Portfolio Committee is on the respective sector allocations and not on the overall Budget. Parliament will be more effective if the focus is on the Budget as a whole. This would help in aligning the Budget to the national priorities. There has also been a challenge in planning pre-budget consultations by Portfolio Committees. The Ministry of Finance and Economic Development delays in producing the expenditure targets for the various Ministries and Government departments. At the time Committees were conducting budget consultations in November 2018, Ministries were yet to get expenditure targets from Ministry of Finance and Economic Development. Despite these challenges, debate on the 2018 National Budget was very intense. The National Assembly had to adjourn in the early morning hours when they were debating the Finance Bill and this resulted in comprehensive amendments that were accepted by the Minister of Finance and Economic Development.
6.2.1 Recommendation 1: Parliament should adopt a budget consultation process where only the Portfolio Committee on Finance and Economic Development is allowed to conduct country-wide Budget consultations whilst the other Portfolio Committees conduct sector specific stakeholder consultations. Their reports would then feed into the Report of the Portfolio Committee on Finance and Economic Development. This Report would then guide in the debate on the National Budget.
6.2.2 Recommendation 2: Ministry of Finance and Economic Development should revise its Budget cycle and ensure Ministries have expenditure targets by mid -October of each year to facilitate budget consultations by Committees.
7.0 Technical Support to Committees
The human capital resource in Committees has over the years been a serious challenge. When the Committee system was expanded from 12 to 26 in 2009, the technical support to Committees was not reviewed to take into account the increase. This was due to the general freeze on recruitment. During the year 2018, Treasury heeded to the request by Parliament to review the staff establishment for Parliament to take into account the expanded Parliament. The Administration of Parliament is currently in the recruitment drive. In 2019, additional 13 Committee Clerks and 5 Researchers were recruited to support the work of Committees. Parliament is close to achieving one Committee Clerk per Committee and this is quite commendable. What remains now is the need to build the capacity of the newly recruited staff for them to effectively support the work of Committees. Recruitment of additional Committee Clerks, Researchers and additional officers for the Parliament Budget Office was initiated in 2019 and is expected to be concluded during the first quarter of 2020. Currently some Committees, especially those served by new officers are not getting the maximum support they should get in order for them to effectively discharge on their mandate.
8.0 An Assessment of the Outcome of Committee Activities
8.1 Analysis of Bills
Of the 10 Bills that were considered by Committees, the respective Committees successfully proposed amendments that were incorporated in the following five bills.
o Tripartite Negotiating Forum (H. B. 5, 2018) Companies and Other Business Entities (H. B. 8, 2018) Consumer Protection (H. B. 10, 2018) Education Amendment (H. B. 1, 2019)
o Zimbabwe Investment and Development Agency (H. B. 2, 2019)
Amendments proposed by Committees emanated from the recommendations proposed by the public during the public hearings. This is a clear indication that Committees do not take the submissions received from the public for granted. This is also the whole essence of section 141 of the Constitution which require Parliament to consult the public on bills and other parliamentary processes.
8.2 Committee Enquiries
8.2.1 Public Accounts Committee
The Public Accounts Committee conducted an enquiry into compliance with the Constitution and other legal instruments in relation to the management of public finances by the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development. One of the recommendations was for the Ministry to institute disciplinary measures against officials who were willfully neglecting their duties.
After tabling the report during the end of the First Session, the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development submitted to Parliament the Financial Adjustment Bill (H. B. 19, 2019) to Parliament which seeks condonation of expenditure incurred without Parliamentary approval. The Accountant General unexpectedly retired from the service and there were a number of staff movement within Treasury. Since the Committee’s report, the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development started tabling loan agreements in Parliament as required by the provisions of section 327(3) of the Constitution. After relentless efforts in making Ministries submit forensic audit reports carried out in some public entities in terms of sections 10, 11 and 12 of the Audit Office Act (Chapter 22: 18), the Committee requested the Hon. Speaker to make rulings which compelled the respective Ministries to submit reports in question. Subsequently, the ZINARA and NSSA Reports were tabled in Parliament. This also prompted Government to take action in response to the findings in the reports. The majority of the Management in ZINARA separated with the organization either through resignations or dismissals. The Board also responded to some of the observations and indicated that it would ensure that the entity stick to its mandate of revenue collection and not contract for works on behalf of road authorities.
8.2.2 Portfolio Committee on Defence, Home Affairs and Security Services
The Committee conducted an enquiry into a petition by Gwanda residents on issuance of primary documents. The Report was duly tabled and the Ministry responded to the recommendations made by the Committee and this is quite commendable. The Ministry responded to the need to streamlining requirements which the majority of the people were failing to meet by developing operational manual which provide standard streamlined requirements for obtaining primary documents. The Ministry responded to the need to provide special dispensation to people befallen by natural disasters by conducting a special exercise to replace documents for victims of Cyclone Idai in Chimanimani for a period of 30 days. There were indications that the same programme would be carried out in Chipinge District which was also affected by the same cyclone. The Ministry also agreed to the need to conduct mobile registration as an ongoing exercise. Additional centres were also established at Chikwalakwala in Beitbridge and Halale in Kezi in response to the need to cut distances travelled by the public seeking primary documents.
8.2.3 Portfolio Committee on Information, Media and Broadcasting Services
The Committee interrogated the Ministry regarding entities under its purview that had long outstanding boards. Following the oral evidence session, the Ministry appointed boards for Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe, Transmedia, Zimbabwe Newspapers and the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation.
9.0 CONCLUSION
Whilst all the Committees were conducting a number of enquiries throughout the First Session, the majority of them were not able to conclude enquiries and submit reports in Parliament. Without reports being compiled and presented in Parliament, it will be difficult to assess the outcome and impact of such enquiries. It is however, understandable that this the majority of the Members and some Chairpersons were fairly new in Parliament and the modest performance during the First Session is therefore, commendable. Following the induction workshops organized for each and every Committee, it is expected that more reports would be tabled during the second session. Committees should be reminded that they are the delegates of Parliament and as such, are encouraged to pursue one enquiry at a time and timeously present Reports in the respective Houses. The Houses are urged to effectively uitlise the sitting times and avoid adjourning the business early as was being experienced during the First Session of the Ninth Parliament. This would allow Chairpersons more time to present Committee Reports. Committees are also urged to follow up with Ministries and other public entities on recommendations emanating from their reports. This will ensure improved service delivery to the public which is the ultimate goal of the oversight function of Committees.
- First Report of the Thematic Committee on Human Rights on the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission [S.C. 1, 2019]
- First Report of the Portfolio Committee on Public Service and Social Welfare on Petition regarding Delays in the Operationalization of Statutory Instrument 125/2013 Children’s
(Non-Public Service Probation Officers) Regulation [S.C.3, 2019]
- Report of the Portfolio Committee on Local Government, Public Works and National Housing on Gwanda Residents. Petition on violation of Rights to Human dignity, water and clean environment [S.C. 5, 2019]
- Second Report of the Portfolio Committee on Health and Child Care on the state of medicines and drug supply in the Public Health Institutions of Zimbabwe [S.C.6, 2019]
- First Report of the Public Accounts Committee on compliance issues for the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development [S.C.7, 2019]
- First Report of the Thematic Committee on Gender and Development on Cancer treatment and control in Zimbabwe [S.C. 8, 2019]
- Second Report of the Thematic Committee on Human Rights on the familiarization visits to Featherstone, Ngundu, Beitbridge, Gwanda and Plumtree Police stations and Border Posts [S.C. 9, 2019]
- First Report of the Thematic Committee on Indigenization and Empowerment on the implementation of Empowerment Programmes in the mining sector [S.C. 13, 2019]
- Report of the Public Accounts Committee on Compliance Issues for the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe [S.C.16, 2019]
- Report of the Portfolio Committee on Defence, Home Affairs and Security on the Gwanda Community Youth Development Trust Petition on the Access to Primary Documents
- Report of the Portfolio Committee on Budget, Finance and Economic Development on Mr Charles Mandizvidza Ganagana’s Petition to Parliament of Zimbabwe on Progress made on the Implementation of the Recommendation of the Commission of Inquiry into the Conversion of Insurance and Pension Values from the Zimbabwe Dollar to United States Dollar
ANNEX 2
PORTFOLIO COMMITTEES- ATTENDANCE FOR THE FIRST SESSION, NINTH
PARLIAMENT
1.INDUSTRY AND COMMERCE
Name of the Member | Total
Number of Meetings Called |
Meetings Aborted due to lack of quorum | Meetings Successfully held | Meetings Attended | Meetings Absent with leave | Meetings Absent without leave |
Hon Sacco J.
(Chairperson) |
23 | 0 | 23 | 16 | 7 | 0 |
Name of the Member | Total
Number of Meetings Called |
Meetings Aborted due to lack of quorum | Meetings Successfully held | Meetings Attended | Meetings Absent with leave | Meetings Absent without leave |
Hon Banda S. | 23 | 0 | 23 | 22 | 1 | 0 |
Hon Bhila R. | 23 | 0 | 23 | 16 | 5 | 2 |
*Hon Chikomba. L | 23 | 0 | 23 | 1 | 0 | 22 |
Hon Chikudo R. | 23 | 0 | 23 | 6 | 11 | 8 |
Hon Chimina L. | 23 | 0 | 23 | 14 | 6 | 3 |
Hon Gwanongodza E. | 23 | 0 | 23 | 15 | 6 | 2 |
Hon Mafuta V.S. | 23 | 0 | 23 | 17 | 3 | 3 |
Hon Matambanadzo M. | 23 | 0 | 23 | 14 | 2 | 6 |
Hon Mavenyengwa R. | 23 | 0 | 23 | 10 | 9 | 4 |
Hon Mguni S. K. | 23 | 0 | 23 | 15 | 4 | 4 |
Hon Mhere E. | 23 | 0 | 23 | 7 | 7 | 9 |
Hon Moyo C. | 23 | 0 | 23 | 14 | 7 | 3 |
Hon Mukapiko D. | 23 | 0 | 23 | 16 | 5 | 2 |
Hon Mukunyaidze S. | 23 | 0 | 23 | 10 | 4 | 9 |
Hon Mushoriwa E. | 23 | 0 | 23 | 15 | 5 | 3 |
Hon Musikavanhu D. A. | 23 | 0 | 23 | 18 | 5 | 0 |
Hon Ndhlovu A. | 23 | 0 | 23 | 12 | 4 | 7 |
**Hon Nyashanu. Dr | 23 | 0 | 23 | 0 | 0 | 23 |
Hon Nyoni I. | 23 | 0 | 23 | 20 | 3 | 0 |
Hon Rungani A. | 23 | 0 | 23 | 9 | 6 | 8 |
Hon Samson A. | 23 | 0 | 23 | 15 | 5 | 3 |
Name of the Member | Total
Number of Meetings Called |
Meetings Aborted due to lack of quorum | Meetings Successfully held | Meetings Attended | Meetings Absent with leave | Meetings Absent without leave |
Hon Sansole T.W | 23 | 0 | 23 | 4 | 7 | 12 |
Hon Svuure D. | 23 | 0 | 23 | 14 | 6 | 3 |
Hon Tarusenga U.D | 23 | 0 | 23 | 12 | 5 | 6 |
Note
*Hon Chikomba ceased to be a Member of the Committee on 31/01/2019
**Hon Nyashanu ceased to be a Member of the Committee on 22/11/2019
2.BUDGET, FINANCE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
3.NAME OF MEMBERS | Present | Absent with leave | Absent without Leave | No
Quorum |
No. of meetings held |
Hon. Mhona F.T | 24 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 26 |
Hon. Bvute O | 16 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 26 |
Hon. Chidakwa P | 22 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 26 |
Hon. Dube G | 22 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 26 |
Hon. Gandawa A.M | 23 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 26 |
Hon. Khumalo M | 18 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 26 |
Hon. Madzimure W | 23 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 26 |
Hon. Dr. Mashakada T | 10 | 6 | 10 | 1 | 26 |
Hon. Mavetera T. A. | 22 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 26 |
Hon. Mkaratigwa E | 21 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 26 |
Hon. MisihairambwiMushonga P | 1 | 5 | 20 | 1 | 26 |
Hon. Moyo P | 23 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 26 |
Hon. Moyo T | 22 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 26 |
Hon. Musabayana D* | 18 | - | - | 1 | 26 |
Hon. Musakwa E | 20 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 26 |
Hon. Mushoriwa E | 23 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 26 |
Hon. Nkani A | 24 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 26 |
Hon. Dr. Nyashanu
M |
19 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 26 |
Hon. Togarepi P | - | - | - | 1 | 26 |
Hon. Sansole T.W | 20 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 26 |
Hon. Sibanda D | 20 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 26 |
Hon. Sithole G | 19 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 26 |
Hon. Soda Z | 21 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 26 |
Hon. Tarusenga U.D | 22 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 26 |
Hon. Watson N | 21 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 26 |
Hon. Zhou T | 21 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 26 |
*Hon Musabayana David was promoted to Deputy Minister during the First Session
4.HIGHER AND TERTIARY EDUCATION, SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT:
Name of Member | Present | Absent
With Leave |
Absent
Without Leave |
Meetings Attended to Date | No
Quorum Meetings |
Total
Number of Meeting Called |
Hon.
MolokeleTsiye (Chairperson) |
20 | 1 | 7 | 20 | 3 | 28 |
Hon. Banda,
S1. |
11 | 0 | 4 | 11 | 3 | 15 |
Hon.
Chinyanganya, M. |
23 | 1 | 4 | 23 | 3 | 28 |
Hon. Jaja, J | 26 | 0 | 2 | 26 | 3 | 28 |
Hon.
Hamauswa, S. |
26 | 0 | 2 | 26 | 2 | 28 |
Hon. Karikoga, T. | 10 | 1 | 18 | 10 | 3 | 28 |
Hon. Maboyi, R, M. | 20 | 0 | 8 | 20 | 3 | 28 |
Hon.
Mamombe, J. |
15 | 0 | 13 | 15 | 3 | 28 |
Hon. Maphosa, L. | 15 | 0 | 13 | 15 | 3 | 28 |
Hon. Moyo, T. | 16 | 0 | 12 | 16 | 3 | 28 |
Hon. Mushayi, M. | 22 | 0 | 6 | 22 | 3 | 28 |
Hon, Rwodzi,
B2. |
5 | 0 | 7 | 5 | 1 | 11 |
Hon. Singo, L. |
19 | 0 | 9 | 19 | 3 | 28 |
Hon. Sithole, J. | 21 | 0 | 7 | 21 | 3 | 28 |
Hon. Soda, Z3. | 12 | 0 | 7 | 12 | 2 | 19 |
Hon. Tsunga, R4 | 15 | 0 | 5 | 11 | 2 | 20 |
5.PORTIFOLIO COMMITTEE ON WOMEN AFFAIRS, COMMINITY, SMES DEVELOPMENT LCC REPORT: 20 SEPTEMBER 2019
Name of Member | Total number of meetings | Present | Absent without leave | Absent with leave | No
Quorum Meeting |
Hon.Madiwa C.
(Chairperson) |
22 | 17 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
Hon.Chihururu C. | 22 | 18 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
Hon.Chikuni E. | 22 | 17 | 3 | 2 | 0 |
Name of Member | Total number of meetings | Present | Absent without leave | Absent with leave | No
Quorum Meeting |
Hon. Chikukwa | 22 | 6 | 12 | 4 | 0 |
Hon.Chingosho C. | 22 | 19 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
Hon.Chipato A. | 22 | 19 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
Hon.Chitura L. | 22 | 17 | 1 | 4 | 0 |
Hon.Dube B. | 22 | 14 | 3 | 5 | 0 |
Hon.Gozho C. | 22 | 17 | 2 | 3 | 0 |
Hon.Jaja J. | 22 | 18 | 1 | 3 | 0 |
Hon.Karenyi L. | 22 | 15 | 3 | 4 | 0 |
Hon.Kwaramba | 22 | 6 | 10 | 6 | 0 |
Hon.Makonya J. | 22 | 16 | 2 | 4 | 0 |
Hon.Mangora B. | 22 | 13 | 3 | 6 | 0 |
Hon.Maphosa L. | 22 | 18 | 1 | 3 | 0 |
Hon.Matsikenyere | 22 | 14 | 3 | 5 | 0 |
Hon.Molokele D. | 22 | 13 | 3 | 6 | 0 |
Hon.Mpofu R. | 22 | 14 | 4 | 4 | 0 |
Hon.Ncube E. | 22 | 12 | 9 | 1 | 0 |
Hon.Ncube F. | 22 | 18 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
Hon.Ncube O | 22 | 12 | 4 | 6 | 0 |
Hon.Ndlovu S. | 22 | 17 | 2 | 3 | 0 |
Hon.Nhari V. | 22 | 12 | 3 | 7 | 0 |
Hon.Nyamudeza | 22 | 18 | 1 | 3 | 0 |
Hon.Nyere C. | 22 | 18 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
Hon.Sanyatwe C. | 22 | 9 | 10 | 3 | 0 |
Hon.Shava J. | 22 | 15 | 2 | 5 | 0 |
Hon.Shirichena | 22 | 9 | 3 | 10 | 0 |
Hon.Shongedza E. | 22 | 18 | 1 | 3 | 0 |
Hon.Zhou P. | 22 | 19 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
NB:
Hon. Kwaramba G joined the Committee later during the Session.
Hon. Chikukwa M joined the Committee later during the Session.
6.PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON ICT, POSTAL AND COURIER SERVICES
Name of the
Member |
Total
Number of Meetings Called |
Meetings Aborted due to lack of quorum | Meetings Successfully held | Meetings Attended | Meetings Absent with leave | Meetings Absent without leave |
Hon Hwende C.
(Chairperson) |
30 | 1 | 29 | 22 | 8 | 3 |
Hon Chidziva H. | 30 | 1 | 29 | 17 | 13 | 9 |
Hon Chinanzvavana | 30 | 1 | 29 | 16 | 14 | 8 |
Hon Chipato A. | 30 | 1 | 29 | 18 | 12 | 5 |
*Hon Chombo M. | 30 | 1 | 29 | 15 | 15 | 2 |
Hon Dinar | 30 | 1 | 29 | 23 | 7 | 2 |
Hon Gandawa A | 30 | 1 | 29 | 19 | 11 | 4 |
Hon Kureva | 30 | 1 | 29 | 24 | 6 | 3 |
Hon Machingura R. | 30 | 1 | 29 | 19 | 11 | 3 |
Hon Madziva S. | 30 | 1 | 29 | 21 | 9 | 4 |
Hon Makoni R. | 30 | 1 | 29 | 23 | 7 | 2 |
Hon Mandiwanzira | 30 | 1 | 29 | 16 | 17 | 5 |
Hon Masango P | 30 | 1 | 29 | 22 | 8 | 4 |
Hon Mugidho | 30 | 1 | 29 | 21 | 9 | 5 |
Hon Murire J | 30 | 1 | 29 | 18 | 12 | 4 |
Hon Musabayana | 30 | 1 | 29 | 21 | 9 | 4 |
Hon Myambo A. | 30 | 1 | 29 | 24 | 6 | 2 |
Hon Ndiweni D. | 30 | 1 | 29 | 20 | 10 | 2 |
Hon Nyokanhete J | 30 | 1 | 29 | 24 | 6 | 2 |
Hon Phulu K | 30 | 1 | 29 | 11 | 19 | 11 |
Hon Saruwaka T.J | 30 | 1 | 29 | 23 | 7 | 2 |
Hon Tshuma D. | 30 | 1 | 29 | 20 | 10 | 3 |
*Hon Chombo M. Joined the Committee on 25 February 2019
6. LANDS, AGRICULTURE, WATER AND RURAL RESETTLEMENT
Name of Member | Present | Absent
With Leave |
Absent
Without Leave |
Meetings Attended to Date | No
Quorum Meetings |
Total No. of Meetings Called |
Hon Wadyajena J. M. (Chairperson) | 26 | 0 | 0 | 26 | 0 | 26 |
Hon. Chibagu G | 17 | 4 | 5 | 17 | 0 | 26 |
Hon. Chibaya A. | 14 | 6 | 6 | 14 | 0 | 26 |
Hon. Chidamba | 16 | 0 | 10 | 16 | 0 | 26 |
Hon. Chikwama B. | 21 | 2 | 3 | 21 | 0 | 26 |
Name of Member | Present | Absent
With Leave |
Absent
Without Leave |
Meetings Attended to Date | No
Quorum Meetings |
Total No. of Meetings Called |
Hon. Dube P. | 22 | 1 | 3 | 22 | 0 | 26 |
Hon. Dutiro P. | 20 | 3 | 3 | 20 | 0 | 26 |
Hon. Houghton J.R. | 22 | 2 | 2 | 22 | 0 | 26 |
Hon. Kachepa N. | 20 | 3 | 3 | 20 | 0 | 26 |
Hon. Karumazondo T. | 20 | 3 | 3 | 20 | 0 | 26 |
Hon. Kashambe M.T, | 23 | 0 | 3 | 23 | 0 | 26 |
Hon. Kashiri C. | 20 | 3 | 3 | 20 | 0 | 26 |
Hon. Khumalo S. S | 25 | 1 | 0 | 19 | 0 | 26 |
Hon. Machakarika T. | 13 | 8 | 4 | 13 | 0 | 26 |
Hon. Mafuta V. S. | 19 | 2 | 5 | 19 | 0 | 26 |
Hon. Makonya J. | 20 | 2 | 4 | 20 | 0 | 26 |
Hon. Mamombe J. | 18 | 8 | 0 | 18 | 0 | 26 |
Hon. Masiya D. | 20 | 2 | 4 | 20 | 0 | 26 |
Hon. Masuku E. | 25 | 1 | 0 | 25 | 0 | 26 |
Hon. Masuku P. | 19 | 3 | 4 | 19 | 0 | 20 |
Hon. Mayihlome L. | 22 | 2 | 2 | 22 | 0 | 26 |
Hon. Mlambo M. | 20 | 1 | 5 | 20 | 0 | 26 |
Hon. Mugweni C. | 20 | 2 | 4 | 20 | 0 | 26 |
Hon. Muponora N. | 22 | 2 | 2 | 22 | 0 | 26 |
Hon. Murai E. | 19 | 2 | 5 | 19 | 0 | 26 |
Hon. Musikavanhu D.A. | 15 | 5 | 6 | 15 | 0 | 26 |
Hon. Ncube F. | 20 | 2 | 4 | 20 | 0 | 26 |
Hon. Ncube O. | 23 | 0 | 3 | 22 | 0 | 26 |
Hon. Nhambo F. | 25 | 1 | 0 | 25 | 0 | 26 |
Hon. Nyabani T. | 21 | 2 | 3 | 21 | 0 | 26 |
Hon. Porusingazi | 17 | 5 | 4 | 17 | 0 | 26 |
Hon. Seremwe B | 22 | 2 | 2 | 22 | 0 | 26 |
Hon. Sewera J. | 21 | 3 | 2 | 21 | 0 | 26 |
Hon. Sithole G. K | 16 | 3 | 7 | 16 | 0 | 26 |
Hon. Sithole James | 21 | 2 | 3 | 21 | 0 | 26 |
Hon Tekeshe D | 21 | 4 | 1 | 21 | 0 | 26 |
Hon. Zengeya M. V. | 19 | 2 | 5 | 19 | 0 | 26 |
Hon. Zhou T. | 22 | 1 | 3 | 22 | 0 | 26 |
7.ENVIRONMENT , TOURISM AND HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY
Name of Member | No of Meetings present | Absent
With Leave |
Absent
Without Leave |
Meetings attended | No
Quorum Meetings |
Total No of Meetings |
Hon.Chinanzvavana (Chairperson) | 18 | 5 | 0 | 18 | 0 | 23 |
Hon. Chikukwa M | 15 | 7 | 1 | 15 | 0 | 23 |
Hon. Chidhakwa J. | 0 | 2 | 21 | 0 | 0 | 23 |
Hon. Chitura L. | 17 | 4 | 2 | 17 | 0 | 23 |
Hon. Dube P. | 20 | 1 | 2 | 20 | 0 | 23 |
Hon. Dutiro P. | 6 | 4 | 13 | 6 | 0 | 23 |
Hon. Houghton J. | 20 | 3 | 0 | 20 | 0 | 23 |
Hon. Kabozo S. | 10 | 7 | 6 | 10 | 0 | 23 |
Hon. Kwaramba G. | 13 | 6 | 4 | 13 | 0 | 23 |
Hon. Labode R. | 9 | 10 | 4 | 9 | 0 | 23 |
Hon. Madhuku J. | 9 | 9 | 5 | 9 | 0 | 23 |
Hon. Madiwa C. | 5 | 7 | 11 | 5 | 0 | 23 |
Hon. Mangora B. | 19 | 4 | 0 | 19 | 0 | 23 |
Hon. Maronge C. | 13 | 7 | 3 | 13 | 0 | 23 |
Hon. Mashakada T. | 3 | 0 | 20 | 3 | 0 | 23 |
Hon Mashonganyika | 4 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 23 |
Hon. Mavenyengwa | 11 | 7 | 5 | 11 | 0 | 23 |
Hon. Mhere E. | 11 | 8 | 4 | 11 | 0 | 23 |
Hon. Moyo P. | 11 | 7 | 5 | 11 | 0 | 23 |
Hon. Munetsi J. | 20 | 2 | 1 | 20 | 0 | 23 |
Hon. Murambiwa | 20 | 3 | 0 | 20 | 0 | 23 |
Hon. Musabayana | 6 | 1 | 16 | 6 | 0 | 23 |
Hon. Mutambisi C. | 9 | 10 | 4 | 9 | 0 | 23 |
Hon. Ndlovu N. | 12 | 8 | 3 | 12 | 0 | 23 |
Hon Ndlovu S. | 18 | 5 | 0 | 18 | 0 | 23 |
Hon. Nyamudeza S. | 17 | 1 | 5 | 17 | 0 | 23 |
Hon. Nyere C. | 19 | 2 | 2 | 19 | 0 | 23 |
Hon. Sacco J. | 2 | 0 | 21 | 2 | 0 | 23 |
Hon. Saizi T. | 17 | 3 | 3 | 17 | 0 | 23 |
Hon. Seremwe B. | 15 | 4 | 4 | 15 | 0 | 23 |
Hon. Shava J. | 11 | 8 | 4 | 11 | 0 | 23 |
Hon Shirichena E. | 7 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 23 |
Hon. Shongedza E. | 18 | 3 | 2 | 18 | 0 | 23 |
Hon Zemura L. | 19 | 1 | 3 | 19 | 0 | 23 |
NB Hon Mashonganyika joined the Committee on the 27th May 2019. Hon Shirichena joined the Committee on the 20th May 2019.
8.DEFENCE, HOME AFFAIRS AND SECURITY SERVICES
Hon Members’ Names | Present | Absent with leave | Absent without leave | No Quorum
Meetings |
Total Number of meetings held |
Hon Members’ Names | Present | Absent with leave | Absent without leave | No Quorum
Meetings |
Total Number of meetings held |
Hon Brig Gen (Rtd) Mayihlome L. | 29 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 31 |
Hon Banda G. | 0 | 0 | 31 | 0 | 31 |
Hon Chamisa S. | 24 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 31 |
Hon Chidakwa J. | 25 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 31 |
Hon Chidziva H. | 20 | 7 | 4 | 0 | 31 |
Hon Chimbaira G. | 21 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 31 |
Hon Chinotimba J. | 23 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 31 |
Hon Chipato A. | 25 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 31 |
Hon Brig Gen (Rtd) Gwanetsa K.K. | 27 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 31 |
Hon Maj. Gen (Rtd) Khumalo S.S. | 27 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 31 |
Hon Machingauta C | 20 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 31 |
Hon Mahlangu S. | 1 | 2 | 29 | 0 | 31 |
Hon Maphosa L. | 0 | 0 | 31 | 0 | 31 |
Hon Masenda N.T. | 22 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 31 |
*Hon Mguni O. | 11 | 1 | * | 0 | 31 |
Hon Mguni S.K. | 27 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 31 |
Hon Muchimwe P.T. | 27 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 31 |
Hon Col (Rtd) Dr Murire J. | 22 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 31 |
Hon Nguluvhe A. | 30 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 31 |
Hon Rungani A. | 26 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 31 |
Hon Members’ Names | Present | Absent with leave | Absent without leave | No Quorum
Meetings |
Total Number of meetings held |
Hon Sewera J. | 31 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 31 |
Hon Sibanda D. | 18 | 5 | 8 | 0 | 31 |
Hon Sikhala J. | 7 | 0 | 24 | 0 | 31 |
Hon Zwizwai M. | 19 | 3 | 9 | 0 | 31 |
NB: HON MGUNI O. PASSED ON DURING THE COURSE OF THE FIRST SESSION
9.TRANSPORT AND INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT
Name of Member | Total number of meetings held | Meetings aborted
due to no quorum |
Meetings successfully held | Total number
Present |
Absent with leave | Absent without leave |
Hon Gorerino O. (Chairperson) | 23 | 0 | 23 | 19 | 3 | 1 |
Hon Banda C. | 23 | 0 | 23 | 17 | 4 | 2 |
Hon Chihururu C. | 23 | 0 | 23 | 17 | 5 | 1 |
Hon Chibhagu G. | 23 | 0 | 23 | 19 | 4 | 0 |
Hon Chidamba S. | 23 | 0 | 23 | 18 | 3 | 2 |
Hon Chimina L. | 23 | 0 | 23 | 12 | 9 | 2 |
Hon Dinar K. | 23 | 0 | 23 | 10 | 10 | 3 |
Hon Dzepasi G. | 23 | 0 | 23 | 18 | 4 | 1 |
Hon Garwe D. | 23 | 0 | 23 | 17 | 4 | 2 |
Hon Gozho C. | 23 | 0 | 23 | 17 | 4 | 2 |
Hon Gumbo S.** | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Hon Gumbwanda K** | 14 | 0 | 14 | 12 | 2 | 0 |
Hon Kapuya F. | 23 | 0 | 23 | 13 | 8 | 2 |
Hon Karenyi L. | 23 | 0 | 23 | 11 | 10 | 2 |
Hon Karumazondo T.M. | 23 | 0 | 23 | 19 | 3 | 1 |
Hon Kashambe M. | 23 | 0 | 23 | 19 | 4 | 0 |
Name of Member | Total number of meetings | Meetings aborted | Meetings successfully | Total number | Absent with leave | Absent without |
held | due to no quorum | held | Present | leave | ||
Hon Machakarika T. | 23 | 0 | 23 | 3 | 18 | 2 |
Hon Mafuta V.S. | 23 | 0 | 23 | 16 | 5 | 2 |
Hon Mukapiko D. | 23 | 0 | 23 | 14 | 8 | 1 |
Hon Makonya J. | 23 | 0 | 23 | 16 | 5 | 2 |
Hon Masuku E.* | 10 | 0 | 10 | 5 | 1 | 4 |
Hon Masuku P. | 23 | 0 | 23 | 18 | 3 | 1 |
Hon Mbondiah M. | 23 | 0 | 23 | 16 | 5 | 2 |
Hon Mchenje S. | 23 | 0 | 23 | 16 | 5 | 2 |
Hon Mugweni C. | 23 | 0 | 23 | 14 | 5 | 4 |
Hon Mukunyaidze S. | 23 | 0 | 23 | 15 | 5 | 3 |
Hon Muponora A. | 23 | 0 | 23 | 19 | 2 | 2 |
Hon Musanhi K. S. | 23 | 0 | 23 | 2 | 18 | 3 |
Hon Ncube S. | 23 | 0 | 23 | 17 | 4 | 2 |
Hon Nduna D.* | 13 | 0 | 13 | 8 | 4 | 1 |
Hon Nhambo F | 23 | 0 | 23 | 15 | 5 | 3 |
Hon Nyathi R. R. | 23 | 0 | 23 | 16 | 5 | 2 |
Hon Nyoni I. | 23 | 0 | 23 | 17 | 4 | 2 |
Hon Omar J. S. | 23 | 0 | 23 | 7 | 1 | 15 |
Name of Member | Total number of meetings held | Meetings aborted due to no | Meetings successfully held | Total number
Present |
Absent with leave | Absent without leave |
quorum | ||||||
Hon Phuti D. | 23 | 0 | 23 | 15 | 6 | 2 |
Hon Sibanda M. | 23 | 0 | 23 | 13 | 9 | 1 |
Hon Sibanda O. | 23 | 0 | 23 | 14 | 7 | 2 |
Hon Singo L.* | 14 | 0 | 14 | 11 | 3 | 0 |
Hon Zengeya V.* | 14 | 0 | 14 | 11 | 3 | 0 |
´Please Note
**Hon Gumbo S. never attended Committee meetings since the start of the 9th Parliament till she passed away.
**Hon Gumbwanda K. passed away in June 2019.
*Hon Nduna D. left the Committee in March 2019.
*Hon Singo L., and *Hon Zengeya V. joined the Committee in February 2019.
10 ENERGY AND POWER DEVELOPMENT
Name of the
Member |
Total
Number of Meetings Called |
Meetings Aborted due to lack of quorum | Meetings Successfully held | Meetings
Attended |
Meetings Absent with leave | Meetings Absent without leave |
Hon. Gabbuza J.
G.(Chairperson) |
27 | 02 | 25 | 20 | 05 | 02 |
Hon. Chimbaira G. | 27 | 02 | 25 | 17 | 05 | 05 |
Hon. Chombo M. | 27 | 02 | 25 | 13 | 07 | 07 |
Hon. Dzuma S. | 27 | 02 | 25 | 14 | 09 | 04 |
Hon. Garwe D. | 27 | 02 | 25 | 04 | 02 | 21 |
Hon. Hwende C. | 27 | 02 | 25 | 09 | 06 | 12 |
Hon. Khumalo M.1 | 10 | 01 | 25 | 05 | 01 | 03 |
Hon. Mamombe J. | 27 | 02 | 25 | 0 | 0 | 27 |
Hon. Matsunga S. | 27 | 02 | 25 | 13 | 05 | 09 |
Hon. Mkaratigwa E. | 27 | 02 | 25 | 15 | 07 | 05 |
Hon. Mlambo M. | 27 | 02 | 25 | 12 | 03 | 12 |
Hon. Mnangagwa
T. |
27 | 02 | 25 | 06 | 04 | 17 |
Hon. Mudarikwa S. | 27 | 02 | 25 | 09 | 01 | 17 |
Hon. Mugidho M. | 27 | 02 | 25 | 04 | 06 | 17 |
Hon. Musakwa E. | 27 | 02 | 25 | 20 | 03 | 04 |
Hon. Musiyiwa R. | 27 | 02 | 25 | 24 | 01 | 02 |
Hon. Mutseyami P. | 27 | 02 | 25 | 09 | 01 | 17 |
Hon. Ncube E. | 27 | 02 | 25 | 13 | 04 | 10 |
Hon. Ndebele A. | 27 | 02 | 25 | 04 | 05 | 18 |
Hon. Ndiweni D. | 27 | 02 | 25 | 20 | 06 | 01 |
Hon. Ndlovu N. | 27 | 02 | 25 | 09 | 05 | 13 |
Hon. Ngome J. | 27 | 02 | 25 | 0 | 0 | 27 |
Hon. Nyabote R. | 27 | 02 | 25 | 17 | 0 | 10 |
Name of Member | Total number of meetings held | Meetings aborted due to no quorum | Meetings successfully held | Total number
Present |
Absent with leave | Absent without leave |
Hon. Dr. Nyashanu M. | 27 | 02 | 25 | 06 | 02 | 19 |
Hon. Porusingazi E. | 27 | 02 | 25 | 10 | 01 | 16 |
Hon. Samambwa E. | 27 | 02 | 25 | 0 | 01 | 26 |
Hon. Tsuura N. | 27 | 02 | 25 | 18 | 04 | 05 |
Note
* Hon. Khumalo M. was nominated to serve the Committee on 30 May 2019.
11. YOUTH, SPORTS, ARTS AND RECREATION
Name of the
Member |
Total
Number of Meetings Called |
Meetings Aborted due to lack of quorum | Meetings Successfully held | Meetings
Attended |
Meetings Absent with leave | Meetings Absent without leave |
Hon. Tongofa. M
(Chairperson) |
25 | 2 | 23 | 22 | 0 | 3 |
Hon. Kureva. E | 25 | 2 | 23 | 19 | 0 | 6 |
Hon. Murai. E | 25 | 2 | 23 | 12 | 0 | 13 |
Hon. Mbondiah. M | 25 | 2 | 23 | 20 | 2 | 3 |
Hon. Chidziva. H | 25 | 2 | 23 | 15 | 0 | 10 |
Hon.Chipato. A | 25 | 2 | 23 | 20 | 1 | 4 |
Hon. Mago. | 25 | 2 | 23 | 21 | 0 | 4 |
Hon. Mukuhlani. T | 25 | 2 | 23 | 16 | 5 | 4 |
Hon. Tungamirai | 25 | 2 | 23 | 17 | 3 | 5 |
Hon. Banda. G | 25 | 2 | 23 | 12 | 6 | 7 |
Hon. Masuku. E | 25 | 2 | 23 | 20 | 3 | 2 |
Hon. Phuti. D | 25 | 2 | 23 | 13 | 5 | 7 |
Hon. Dinar. K | 25 | 2 | 23 | 18 | 3 | 4 |
Hon. Mavetera. T | 25 | 2 | 23 | 21 | 2 | 2 |
Hon. Machakaire. | 25 | 2 | 23 | 11 | 7 | 7 |
Hon. Machando. | 25 | 2 | 23 | 20 | 1 | 4 |
Hon. Samambwa. | 25 | 2 | 23 | 20 | 2 | 3 |
Hon. Zengeya.
Muradzikwa |
25 | 2 | 23 | 20 | 2 | 3 |
Hon. Paradza. J | 25 | 2 | 23 | 20 | 0 | 5 |
Hon Saruwaka T | 25 | 2 | 23 | 19 | 3 | 3 |
Hon Kankuni | 25 | 2 | 23 | 15 | 6 | 4 |
Hon Taruvinga F | 25 | 2 | 23 | 14 | 6 | 5 |
Hon Wadyajena | 25 | 2 | 23 | 1 | 0 | 24 |
- INFORMATION, MEDIA AND BROADCASTING SERVICES
Name of the
Member |
Total
Number of Meetings Called |
Meetings Aborted due to lack of quorum | Meetings Successfull y held | Meetings Attended | Meetings Absent with leave | Meetings Absent without leave |
Hon. Sibanda
P.D (Chairperson) |
27 | 3 | 24 | 18 | 9 | 0 |
Hon. Bhudha Masara S | 27 | 3 | 24 | 4 | 13 | 10 |
Hon Chikwinya
S |
27 | 3 | 24 | 18 | 7 | 2 |
Hon. Dinar K. | 27 | 3 | 24 | 10 | 2 | 15 |
Hon. Dube G | 27 | 3 | 24 | 4 | 4 | 19 |
Hon.
Hamauswa S |
27 | 3 | 24 | 20 | 4 | 3 |
Hon Khumalo
T |
27 | 3 | 24 | 1 | 1 | 25 |
Hon.
Mamombe J |
27 | 3 | 24 | 6 | 12 | 9 |
Hon. Masiya D | 27 | 3 | 24 | 17 | 5 | 5 |
Hon. Mpofu A | 27 | 3 | 24 | 22 | 3 | 2 |
Hon.
Mudarikwa S |
27 | 3 | 24 | 2 | 2 | 23 |
*Hon. Ndebele
A |
18 | 3 | 15 | 2 | 1 | 15 |
Hon. Nguluvhe A | 27 | 3 | 24 | 23 | 3 | 1 |
*Hon. Nyabani
T |
13 | 3 | 10 | 7 | 4 | 2 |
Hon. Omah J | 27 | 3 | 24 | 8 | 4 | 15 |
Hon. Paradza K | 27 | 3 | 24 | 16 | 8 | 3 |
- FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND INTERNATIONAL TRADE
Name of member | Present | Absent with leave | Absent without leave | Meetings attended to date | No
Quorum meetings |
Total no of meetings called |
Hon Paradza K.
(Chairperson) |
19 | 3 | 0 | 19 | 0 | 22 |
Hon Chikomba
L |
12 | 1 | 9 | 12 | 0 | 22 |
Hon Chihururu
C |
15 | 4 | 3 | 15 | 0 | 22 |
Hon Chikudo
R |
13 | 5 | 4 | 13 | 0 | 22 |
Hon
Chinanzvavana C |
14 | 5 | 3 | 14 | 0 | 22 |
Hon Chimbaira G | 14 | 5 | 3 | 14 | 0 | 22 |
Hon Dube G | 16 | 4 | 2 | 16 | 0 | 22 |
Hon Gandawa A. M | 15 | 3 | 4 | 15 | 0 | 22 |
Hon Gozho C | 16 | 3 | 3 | 16 | 0 | 22 |
Hon Gwanetsa
K |
14 | 2 | 6 | 14 | 0 | 22 |
Hon Kabozo S | 18 | 1 | 3 | 18 | 0 | 22 |
Hon Karikoga
T |
13 | 3 | 6 | 13 | 0 | 22 |
Hon Maboyi R M | 19 | 2 | 1 | 19 | 0 | 22 |
Hon Maphosa
L |
16 | 3 | 3 | 16 | 0 | 22 |
Hon Masenda
N. T. |
19 | 3 | 0 | 19 | 0 | 22 |
Hon Mchenje.
S |
10 | 1 | 11 | 10 | 0 | 22 |
Hon Moyo C | 15 | 3 | 4 | 15 | 0 | 22 |
Hon Moyo
Priscilla |
12 | 6 | 4 | 12 | 0 | 22 |
Hon Mpofu A | 17 | 1 | 4 | 17 | 0 | 22 |
14.MINES AND MINING DEVELOPMENT
Name of member | Present | Absent with leave | Absent without leave | Meetings attended to date | No
Quorum meetings |
Total no of meetings called |
Hon. Mkaratigwa E. | 17 | 8 | 0 | 17 | 0 | 25 |
Hon. Bhilla R. | 16 | 1 | 8 | 16 | 0 | 25 |
Hon. Bhudha-Masara S. | 17 | 4 | 4 | 17 | 0 | 25 |
Hon. Chikomba L. | 19 | 5 | 1 | 19 | 0 | 25 |
Hon. Chikwinya S. | 10 | 10 | 5 | 10 | 0 | 25 |
Hon. Chombo M. | 21 | 2 | 2 | 21 | 0 | 25 |
*Hon. Dube M. | 5 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 25 |
Hon. Dzuma S. | 21 | 3 | 1 | 21 | 0 | 25 |
Hon. Gabbuza J. | 7 | 10 | 8 | 7 | 0 | 25 |
Hon. Kachepa N. | 11 | 2 | 12 | 11 | 0 | 25 |
Hon. Kurumazondo T. | 20 | 1 | 4 | 20 | 0 | 25 |
Hon. Kashiri C. | 17 | 3 | 5 | 17 | 0 | 25 |
Hon. Khumalo T. | 10 | 5 | 10 | 10 | 0 | 25 |
Hon. Machando P. | 21 | 3 | 1 | 21 | 0 | 25 |
Hon. Machingauta C. | 5 | 10 | 10 | 5 | 0 | 25 |
*Hon. Madhuku J. | 10 | 2 | 1 | 10 | 0 | 25 |
Hon. Majaya B. | 15 | 5 | 10 | 15 | 0 | 25 |
Hon. Matambanadzo M. | 13 | 7 | 5 | 13 | 0 | 25 |
Hon. Matangira T. R. | 16 | 5 | 4 | 16 | 0 | 25 |
Hon. Matsunga S. | 19 | 1 | 5 | 19 | 0 | 25 |
Hon. Matsikenyere | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 25 |
Hon. Mawite D. | 21 | 4 | 0 | 21 | 0 | 25 |
*Hon. Mliswa.T
|
14 | 2 | 0 | 14 | 0 | 25 |
Name of member | Present | Absent with leave | Absent without leave | Meetings attended to date | No
Quorum meetings |
Total no of meetings called |
Hon. Mpofu M. M. | 20 | 4 | 0 | 20 | 0 | 25 |
Hon. Mudarikwa S. | 18 | 5 | 2 | 18 | 0 | 25 |
Hon. Mugidho M. | 10 | 3 | 12 | 10 | 0 | 25 |
*Hon. Mugweni C. | 5 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 0 | 25 |
Hon. Murai E. | 21 | 0 | 4 | 21 | 0 | 25 |
*Hon. Musabayana D. | 11 | 0 | 3 | 11 | 0 | 25 |
Hon. Musakwa E. | 16 | 8 | 1 | 16 | 0 | 25 |
Hon. Mutseyami P. C. | 18 | 4 | 3 | 18 | 0 | 25 |
Hon. Ncube E. | 2 | 3 | 20 | 2 | 0 | 25 |
Hon. Ndebele A. | 14 | 4 | 7 | 14 | 0 | 25 |
*Hon. Nduna D
|
13 | 1 | 1 | 13 | 0 | 25 |
Hon. Nyabani T. | 20 | 2 | 3 | 20 | 0 | 25 |
Hon. Paradza J. | 22 | 2 | 1 | 22 | 0 | 25 |
Hon. Samambwa E.
|
22 | 0 | 3 | 22 | 0 | 25 |
Hon. Samson A.
|
20 | 1 | 4 | 20 | 0 | 25 |
Hon. Sanyatwe C.
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 25 |
Hon. Saruwaka T.
|
14 | 6 | 5 | 14 | 0 | 25 |
Hon. Sibanda P. D.
|
5 | 5 | 15 | 5 | 0 | 25 |
Hon. Sithole S.
|
12 | 10 | 3 | 12 | 0 | 25 |
Hon. Svuure D.
|
21 | 3 | 1 | 21 | 0 | 25 |
Hon. Taruvinga F.
|
5 | 10 | 10 | 5 | 0 | 25 |
Hon. Toffa J.
|
16 | 5 | 4 | 16 | 0 | 25 |
Hon. Zhou T.
|
20 | 2 | 3 | 20 | 0 | 25 |
Note: Hon. Madhuku, Hon. Mugweni, Hon. Musabayana joined the Committee;
Hon. Mliswa and Hon. Nduna were moved from the Committee and;
Hon Chombo Mand Hon Musabayana D were appointed Deputy Ministers.
Note: Hon. Madhuku, Hon. Mugweni, Hon. Musabayana and Hon. Mavetera joined the Committee later while Hon. Mliswa and Hon. Nduna were moved from the Committee (Those removed are not recorded in this report).
- LOCAL GOVERNMENT, PUBLIC WORKS AND NATIONAL HOUSING
Member | Present | Absent with leave | Absent without leave | Meetings
Attended 17-9-19 |
No
Quorum Meetings |
Total No. of
Meetings |
Hon Chikukwa M.R (Chairperson) | 20 | 5 | 0 | 20 | 0 | 25 |
Hon Bushu B | 19 | 5 | 1 | 19 | 0 | 25 |
Hon Chamisa S. | 15 | 0 | 10 | 15 | 0 | 25 |
Hon Chidakwa J | 15 | 3 | 7 | 15 | 0 | 25 |
Hon Chidhakwa P | 20 | 4 | 1 | 20 | 0 | 25 |
Hon Chingosho C | 19 | 2 | 4 | 19 | 0 | 25 |
Hon Chinotimba | 15 | 8 | 2 | 15 | 0 | 25 |
Hon Chinyanganya | 21 | 3 | 1 | 21 | 0 | 25 |
Hon Gabbuza J.G | 10 | 13 | 2 | 10 | 0 | 25 |
Hon Gwanongodza
E |
12 | 5 | 8 | 12 | 0 | 25 |
Hon Kapuya F | 5 | 1 | 19 | 5 | 0 | 25 |
Hon Kureva E | 13 | 1 | 11 | 13 | 0 | 25 |
Hon Machingauta C | 15 | 5 | 5 | 15 | 0 | 25 |
Hon Madiwa C | 13 | 10 | 2 | 13 | 0 | 25 |
Hon Mangora B | 17 | 8 | 0 | 17 | 0 | 25 |
Hon Marikisi N | 18 | 7 | 0 | 18 | 0 | 25 |
Hon Markham A | 18 | 6 | 1 | 18 | 0 | 25 |
Hon Matewu C | 21 | 2 | 2 | 21 | 0 | 25 |
Hon Mawite D | 14 | 9 | 2 | 14 | 0 | 25 |
Hon Mnangagwa T.M | 14 | 2 | 9 | 14 | 0 | 25 |
Member | Present | Absent with leave | Absent without leave | Meetings
Attended
|
No
Quorum Meetings |
Total No. of
Meetings |
Hon Mpame C | 15 | 9 | 1 | 15 | 0 | 25 |
Hon Mpofu M.M | 17 | 7 | 1 | 17 | 0 | 25 |
Hon Mpofu R | 21 | 2 | 2 | 21 | 0 | 25 |
Hon Mushayi M | 18 | 7 | 0 | 18 | 0 | 25 |
Hon Nyathi R.R. | 17 | 4 | 4 | 16 | 0 | 25 |
Hon Raidza M | 19 | 4 | 2 | 18 | 0 | 25 |
Hon Samambwa E | 5 | 6 | 14 | 5 | 0 | 25 |
Hon Shumbamhini | 18 | 4 | 3 | 18 | 0 | 25 |
Hon Sibanda O. | 8 | 3 | 4 | 8 | 0 | 25 |
Hon Sibanda O joined the Committee later
- PUBLIC ACCOUNTS COMMITTEE
Names of Members | Present | Absent with leave | Absent without leave | Possible attendance | No quorum
meeting |
Total number of meeting held |
Hon. T Biti (Chairperson) | 30 | 3 | 1 | 34 | 0 | 34 |
Hon. B. Bushu | 23 | 9 | 2 | 34 | 0 | 34 |
Hon. O. Bvute | 15 | 14 | 5 | 34 | 0 | 34 |
Hon. W. Chikombo | 14 | 13 | 7 | 34 | 0 | 34 |
Hon. B. Chikwama | 22 | 9 | 3 | 34 | 0 | 34 |
Hon. P. Dutiro | 16 | 4 | 5 | 25 | 0 | 34 |
Hon. R. M. Maboyi | 12 | 7 | 6 | 25 | 0 | 34 |
Hon. W. Madzimure | 30 | 4 | 0 | 34 | 0 | 34 |
Hon. A. Markham | 29 | 5 | 0 | 34 | 0 | 34 |
Hon. E. Masuku | 15 | 4 | 2 | 21 | 0 | 34 |
Hon. C. Matewu | 28 | 6 | 0 | 34 | 0 | 34 |
Hon. N. Matsikenyere | 15 | 11 | 8 | 34 | 0 | 34 |
Hon. M. Mbondiah | 18 | 16 | 0 | 24 | 0 | 34 |
Hon. F. Mhona | 8 | 16 | 1 | 25 | 0 | 34 |
Hon. P. Mpariwa | 16 | 18 | 0 | 34 | 0 | 34 |
Hon. E. Mushoriwa | 29 | 5 | 0 | 34 | 0 | 34 |
Hon. D. T. Nduna | 11 | 4 | 1 | 16 | 0 | 34 |
Hon. A. Nkani | 19 | 9 | 6 | 34 | 0 | 34 |
Hon. M. Nyashanu | 22 | 9 | 3 | 34 | 0 | 34 |
Hon. J. Nyokanhete | 29 | 5 | 0 | 34 | 0 | 34 |
Hon. M. Raidza | 28 | 5 | 1 | 34 | 0 | 34 |
Hon. B. Rwodzi | 14 | 6 | 5 | 25 | 0 | 34 |
Hon. T. W. Sansole | 23 | 7 | 4 | 34 | 0 | 34 |
Hon. C. Sanyatwe | 16 | 8 | 10 | 34 | 0 | 34 |
Names of Members | Present | Absent with leave | Absent without leave | Possible attendance | No quorum
meeting |
Total number of meeting held |
Hon. Z. Sibanda | 18 | 9 | 7 | 34 | 0 | 34 |
Hon. G. Sithole | 21 | 8 | 5 | 34 | 0 | 34 |
Hon. S. Sithole | 2 | 6 | 8 | 16 | 0 | 34 |
Hon. P. Togarepi | 1 | 0 | 28 | 29 | 0 | 34 |
Hon.V. Zengeya
Muradzikwa |
22 | 9 | 3 | 34 | 0 | 34 |
NOTE: The following Members joined the Committee after the official appointment of
Committees.
Names of Members | Date Joined |
1.Hon. P. Dutiro | 18/12/18 |
2.Hon. R. M. Maboyi | 07/02/19 |
3.Hon. E. Masuku | 18/12/18 |
4.Hon. F. T. Mhona | 07/02/19 |
5.Hon. D. T. Nduna | 07/05/19 |
6.Hon. B. Rwodzi | 12/02/19 |
7.Hon. S. Sithole | 07/05/ 19 |
8.Hon. T. Togarepi | 04/12/18 |
17.PRIMARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION
Name | Total number of meetings | Total number present | Total number of absent with Leave | Total Number of Absent without Leave | |
Hon.
Misihairambwi P. (Chairperson) |
16 | 13 | 3 | 0 | |
Hon. Chanda G. | 16 | 13 | 3 | 0 | |
Hon. Chombo M. | 16 | 11 | 4 | 1 | |
Hon. Dzepasi G. | 16 | 14 | 2 | 0 | |
Hon. Gumbwanda K. | 13 | 11 | 2 | (Deceased) | |
Hon.Madhuku J. | 16 | 14 | 2 | 0 | |
Hon. Mathe S. | 16 | 10 | 5 | 1 | |
Hon. Matsikenyere N. | 16 | 11 | 5 | 0 | |
Hon. Maronge C. | 16 | 16 | 0 | 0 | |
Hon. Mkandla M. | 16 | 14 | 2 | 0 | |
Hon. Moyo T. | 16 | 12 | 3 | 1 | |
Hon. Murambiwa O. | 16 | 16 | 0 | 0 | |
Hon. Musiyiwa R. | 16 | 14 | 1 | 1 | |
Hon. Mutambisi C. | 16 | 12 | 4 | 0 | |
Hon. Nkomo M. | 16 | 13 | 3 | 0 | |
Hon. Nyabote R. | 16 | 11 | 5 | 0 | |
Hon. Sanyatwe C. | 16 | 10 | 6 | 0 | |
Hon. Shirichena E. | 16 | 12 | 4 | 0 | |
Hon. Sithole J. | 16 | 15 | 1 | 0 | |
Hon. Zivhu K. | 16 | 1 | 12 | 0 | |
NB: Hon .Chombo and Hon. Nyabote joined the Committee during the session.
18.JUSTICE, LEGAL AND PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS
NAME OF MEMBER | PRESENT | ABSENT WITH
LEAVE |
ABSENT
WITHOUT LEAVE |
MEETINGS
Attended up to September |
NO
QUORUM |
TOTAL No.
OF MEETINGS |
||
1.Hon. Mataranyika
M.D. (Chair) |
20 | 4 | 0 | 20 | 0 | 24 | ||
2.Hon.
.Chikwama B. |
15 | 5 | 4 | 09 | 0 | 24 | ||
3.Hon.
Chinyanganya M. |
15 | 7 | 2 | 15 | 0 | 24 | ||
4.Hon. Dube B. | 19 | 3 | 2 | 19 | 0 | 24 | ||
5.Hon. Gonese I. | 16 | 5 | 3 | 16 | 0 | 24 | ||
6.Hon. Kashiri C. | 17 | 7 | 0 | 17 | 0 | 24 | ||
7.Hon.
Machingura R. |
10 | 9 | 5 | 10 | 0 | 24 | ||
8.Hon.
S. |
Madziva | 10 | 9 | 5 | 24 | 0 | 24 | |
9.Hon.
P. |
Masango | 15 | 5 | 4 | 15 | 0 | 24 | |
10.Hon. E. | Masuku | 4 | 5 | 15 | 4 | 0 | 24 | |
11.Hon.
Mash onganyika D |
10
|
5 | 9 | 10 | 0 | 24 | ||
12.Hon.
Matsikenyere N. |
14 | 4 | 6 | 14 | 0 | 24 | ||
13.Hon. Mavhunga M | 9 | 1 | 14 | 09 | 0 | 24 | ||
14.Hon. Mavetera T | 1 | 4 | 19 | 1 | 0 | 24 | ||
15.Hon. D. | Mawite | 19 | 0 | 5 | 19 | 0 | 24 | |
16.Hon. C. | Mpame | 12 | 10 | 2 | 12 | 0 | 24 | |
17.Hon.
Misihairambwi P |
7 | 1 | 16 | 7 | 0 | 24 | ||
18.Hon. Munetsi J | 16 | 4 | 4 | 16 | 0 | 24 | ||
19.Hon. Murire J. | 11 | 5 | 8 | 11 | 0 | 24 | ||
NAME OF MEMBER | PRESENT | ABSENT WITH
LEAVE |
ABSENT
WITHOUT LEAVE |
MEETINGS
Attended up to September |
NO
QUORUM |
TOTAL No.
OF MEETINGS |
||
20.Hon.
Mutambisi C. |
17 | 6 | 1 | 17 | 0 | 24 | ||
21.Hon. Nduna D | 18 | 2 | 4 | 19 | 0 | 24 | ||
22.Hon. Ndebele A. | 13 | 9 | 2 | 13 | 0 | 24 | ||
23.Hon. Ngwenya
S. |
14 | 7 | 3 | 14 | 0 | 24 | ||
24.Hon. Phulu K | 16 | 4 | 4 | 16 | 0 | 24 | ||
25.Hon. Raidza M. | 15 | 5 | 4 | 15 | 0 | 24 | ||
26.Hon. Sanyatwe C. | 13 | 6 | 5 | 13 | 0 | 24 | ||
27.Hon. Sikhala J. | 8 | 5 | 15 | 09 | 0 | 24 | ||
28.Hon. Sithole S. | 13 | 8 | 3 | 13 | 0 | 24 | ||
29.Hon. Sibanda D. | 11 | 3 | 10 | 11 | 0 | 24 | ||
30.Hon.
Shirichena E. |
17 | 6 | 1 | 17 | 0 | 24 | ||
31.Hon Zemura L. | 13 | 8 | 3 | 13 | 0 | 24 | ||
32.Hon. Zhou T. | 12 | 8 | 4 | 12 | 0 | 24 | ||
NOTES
Hon Tatenda Mavetera joined in May 2019.
Hon Elizabeth Masuku joined in May 2019.
19.PUBLIC SERVICE, LABOUR AND SOCIAL WELFARE
Name | Total
Number of Meetings Called |
Meetings Aborted due to lack of
Quorum |
Meetings Successfully held | Meetings Attended | Meetings Absent with leave | Meetings Absent without leave |
Hon. Ncube E.
(Chairperson) |
34 | 0 | 34 | 30 | 4 | 0 |
Hon. Chanda G. | 34 | 0 | 34 | 27 | 3 | 4 |
Hon. Chibaya A. | 34 | 0 | 34 | 6 | 5 | 23 |
Hon. Chikuni E. | 34 | 0 | 34 | 28 | 6 | 0 |
Hon. Chimina L. | 34 | 0 | 34 | 5 | 3 | 26 |
Hon. Gonese I. | 34 | 0 | 34 | 23 | 9 | 2 |
Hon. Kankuni W. | 34 | 0 | 34 | 28 | 4 | 2 |
Hon. Mago N. | 34 | 0 | 34 | 31 | 3 | 0 |
Hon. Mahlangu S. | 34 | 0 | 34 | 25 | 4 | 5 |
Hon. Mkandla M. | 34 | 0 | 34 | 30 | 4 | 0 |
Hon. Marikisi N. | 34 | 0 | 34 | 26 | 4 | 4 |
Hon. Moyo P. | 34 | 0 | 34 | 18 | 8 | 8 |
Hon. Mpariwa P. | 34 | 0 | 34 | 10 | 4 | 20 |
Hon. Muchimwe P. T. | 34 | 0 | 34 | 27 | 4 | 3 |
Hon. Mushayi M. | 34 | 0 | 34 | 13 | 4 | 17 |
Hon. Ncube F. | 34 | 0 | 34 | 17 | 4 | 13 |
Hon. Nkomo M. | 34 | 0 | 34 | 27 | 6 | 1 |
Hon. Shamu W. K | 34 | 0 | 34 | 22 | 5 | 7 |
Hon. Sithole J. | 34 | 0 | 34 | 23 | 5 | 6 |
Hon. Shumbamhini H. | 34 | 0 | 34 | 29 | 4 | 1 |
Hon. Svuure D. | 34 | 0 | 34 | 14 | 9 | 11 |
Hon. Tarusenga U. D | 34 | 0 | 34 | 20 | 6 | 8 |
Hon. Tekeshe D. | 34 | 0 | 34 | 24 | 3 | 7 |
Hon. Tsuura N. | 34 | 0 | 34 | 23 | 7 | 4 |
Note * Hon. M. Mushayi was nominated to serve the Committee on 29th November 2018.
20.HEALTH AND CHILD CARE
Name of the
Member |
Total
Number of Meetings Called |
Meetings Aborted due to lack of quorum | Meetings Successfully held | Meetings
Attended |
Meetings Absent with leave | Meetings Absent without leave |
Hon Dr Labode, R (Chairperson) | 29 | 0 | 29 | 20 | 8 | 1 |
Hon .Banda G | 29 | 0 | 29 | 5 | 7 | 17 |
Hon Chibagu, G | 29 | 0 | 29 | 19 | 0 | 10 |
Hon Chikombo, W | 29 | 0 | 29 | 14 | 3 | 12 |
Hon Chinhamo ,M,P. | 29 | 0 | 29 | 24 | 3 | 2 |
Hon Dinar Kennedy | 29 | 0 | 29 | 20 | 4 | 3 |
Hon Karenyi , L | 29 | 0 | 29 | 15 | 6 | 8 |
Hon Kwaramba ,G | 29 | 0 | 29 | 16 | 7 | 6 |
Hon Machingura ,R | 29 | 0 | 29 | 21 | 5 | 3 |
Hon Madziva, S | 29 | 0 | 29 | 20 | 3 | 6 |
Hon Mahlangu. S | 29 | 0 | 29 | 22 | 3 | 4 |
Hon Majaya ,B | 29 | 0 | 29 | 14 | 10 | 5 |
Hon Makoni, R,R | 29 | 0 | 29 | 25 | 4 | 0 |
Hon
Mashonganyika,D |
29 | 0 | 29 | 19 | 0 | 10 |
Hon DR Mataruse, P | 29 | 0 | 29 | 21 | 3 | 5 |
Hon Mathe ,S | 29 | 0 | 29 | 20 | 5 | 4 |
Hon MolokelaTsiye, F,D | 29 | 0 | 29 | 17 | 9 | 3 |
Hon Mugidho,M | 29 | 0 | 29 | 15 | 8 | 6 |
Hon Mukuhlani,T | 29 | 0 | 29 | 12 | 3 | 14 |
Hon Col (RTD) Dr
Murire ,J |
29 | 0 | 29 | 15 | 5 | 9 |
Hon Ndiweni, D | 29 | 0 | 29 | 24 | 0 | 3 |
Hon Ndlovu, N | 29 | 0 | 29 | 23 | 1 | 5 |
Hon Nhari, V | 29 | 0 | 29 | 23 | 2 | 4 |
Hon Paradza ,J | 29 | 0 | 29 | 5 | 4 | 20 |
Hon Saiza, T | 29 | 0 | 29 | 26 | 2 | 1 |
Hon Shava, j | 29 | 0 | 29 | 26 | 3 | 0 |
Hon Shongedza , E | 29 | 0 | 29 | 26 | 1 | 2 |
Hon Sibanda D. B. | 29 | 0 | 29 | 6 | 12 | 1 |
Hon Toffa, J | 29 | 0 | 29 | 15 | 8 | 6 |
Name of the
Member |
Total
Number of Meetings Called |
Meetings Aborted due to lack of quorum | Meetings Successfully held | Meetings Attended | Meetings Absent with leave | Meetings Absent without leave |
Hon Tongofa, M | 29 | 0 | 29 | 25 | 2 | 2 |
Hon Tshuma , D | 29 | 0 | 29 | 12 | 8 | 9 |
Hon Watson , N,J | 29 | 0 | 29 | 12 | 4 | 5 |
Hon Zhou, P | 29 | 0 | 29 | 19 | 5 | 5 |
Note:
Hon Dinar Kennedy joined at 30 October 2018
Hon Makoni Rosewater joined at 26 October 2018
Hon Ndiweni Dought joined at 04 December 2018 Hon Watson Nicola joined at 13 November 2018 ANNEX 3
THEMATIC COMMITTEES- ATTENDANCE FOR 1ST SESSION- 9TH PARLIAMENT
1.GENDER AND DEVELOPMENT
Names of Members | Present | Absent with Leave | Absent
Without Leave |
Meetings Attended to Date | No of no
Quorum Meetings |
Total No of
Meetings Called |
Sen. Ncube Siphiwe
(Chairperson)
|
18 | 2 | 0 | 18 | 0 | 20 |
Sen. Chimbudzi A
|
18 | 2 | 0 | 18 | 0 | 20 |
Sen. Hungwe O.
|
4 | 0 | 16 | 4 | 0 | 20 |
Sen. Moeketsi V.
|
17 | 1 | 2 | 17 | 0 | 20 |
Sen. Mpofu
Sikanyisiwe
|
16 | 2 | 2 | 16 | 0 | 20 |
Sen. Muronzi M.
|
18 | 1 | 1 | 18 | 0 | 20 |
Sen. Nyathi Rosemary | 18 | 2 | 0 | 18 | 0 | 20
|
Sen. Timire R.
|
17 | 3 | 0 | 17 | 0 | 20 |
Sen. Wunganayi T
|
18 | 2 | 0 | 18 | 0 | 20 |
Sen. Zivira H.
|
16 | 2 | 2 | 16 | 0 | 20 |
Sen. Chief Nembire | 13 | 4 | 3 | 9 | 0 | 20 |
Sen. Chief Chikwaka | 11 | 6 | 3 | 11 | 0 | 20 |
Sen. Chief Nhema
|
17 | 2 | 1 | 17 | 0 | 20 |
Sen. Khupe Watson | 11 | 4 | 1 | 11 | 0 | 16 |
- HUMAN RIGHTS
Name of the
Member |
Total
Number of Meetings Called |
Meetings Aborted due to lack of quorum | Meetings Successfully held | Meetings Attended | Meetings Absent with leave | Meetings Absent without leave |
*Hon. Sen. Dr. Sekeramayi S.
(Chairperson) |
19 | 1 | 18 | 3 | 2 | - |
Hon. Sen. Chief | ||||||
Charumbira | 19 | 1 | 18 | 1 | 4 | 13 |
Hon. Sen. Chinake | ||||||
V. | 19 | 1 | 18 | 16 | - | 2 |
Hon. Sen. Gweshe | ||||||
K. | 19 | 1 | 18 | 16 | 1 | 1 |
Hon. Sen. Gumpo | ||||||
S. | 19 | 1 | 18 | 8 | 1 | 8 |
Hon. Sen. Chief | ||||||
Makumbe | 19 | 1 | 18 | 14 | 4 | - |
Hon. Sen. Chief | ||||||
Mapungwana | 19 | 1 | 18 | 15 | 2 | 1 |
Hon. Sen. Chief | ||||||
Masendu | 19 | 1 | 18 | 2 | 3 | 14 |
Hon. Sen Chief | ||||||
Matupula | 19 | 1 | 18 | 10 | 8 | - |
Hon. Sen. Mavetera | ||||||
P. | 19 | 1 | 18 | - | - | 19 |
Hon. Sen. Mohadi | ||||||
T. | 19 | 1 | 18 | 10 | 5 | 4 |
Hon. Sen. | ||||||
Mwonzora D. | 19 | 1 | 18 | 10 | 1 | 8 |
Hon. Sen. Muzenda | ||||||
T.V. | 19 | 1 | 18 | 8 | 8 | 3 |
Hon. Sen. Chief | ||||||
Ngezi | 19 | 1 | 18 | 8 | 7 | 4 |
*Hon.Sen. Chief | ||||||
Ntabeni | 19 | 1 | 18 | 6 | 3 | 7 |
Hon. Sen. Chief | ||||||
Nyangazonke | 19 | 1 | 18 | 5 | 5 | 9 |
Name of the
Member |
Total
Number of Meetings Called |
Meetings Aborted due to lack of quorum | Meetings Successfully held | Meetings Attended | Meetings Absent with leave | Meetings Absent without leave |
Hon. Sen. | ||||||
Rwambiwa E. | 19 | 1 | 18 | 14 | 3 | 1 |
*Hon. Sen. Shumba | ||||||
C | 19 | 1 | 18 | 13 | 2 | 2 |
Note
*Hon. Sekeramayi S. nominated to serve on the Committee on 17 June 2019
*Hon. Shumba C. was nominated to serve on the Committee on 12 November 2019
*Hon. Chief Ntabeni was nominated to serve on the Committee on 12 November 2019
- INDIGENISATION AND EMPOWERMENT
Name of the
Member |
Total
Number of Meetings Called |
Meetings Aborted due to
lack of quorum |
Meetings Successfully held | Meetings Attended | Meetings Absent with leave | Meetings
Absent without leave |
1. Hon. Sen. M.
Mbohwa (Chairperson) |
22 | 0 | 22 | 20 | 2 | 0 |
2. Hon. Sen.
Chief Chikwaka |
22 | 0 | 22 | 16 | 6 | 0 |
3. Hon. Sen.
Chirongoma |
22 | 0 | 22 | 18 | 2 | 2 |
4. Hon. Sen.
Chief Chitanga |
22 | 0 | 22 | 14 | 6 | 2 |
5. Hon. Sen.
Chief Chundu |
22 | 0 | 22 | 16 | 5 | 1 |
6. Hon. Sen. A.
Dube |
22 | 0 | 22 | 18 | 3 | 1 |
7. Hon. Sen. M.
Femai |
22 | 0 | 22 | 17 | 1 | 4 |
8. Hon. Sen. W. Khupe ** | 22 | 0 | 22 | 7 | 4 | 4 |
9. Hon. Sen. M.
Komichi |
22 | 0 | 22 | 3 | 3 | 16 |
10. Hon. Sen. J.
Malinga |
22 | 0 | 22 | 4 | 0 | 16 |
Name of the
Member |
Total
Number of Meetings Called |
Meetings Aborted due to
lack of quorum |
Meetings Successfully held | Meetings Attended | Meetings Absent with leave | Meetings
Absent without leave |
11. Hon. Sen.
Makone ** |
22 | 0 | 22 | 0 | 1 | 5 |
12. Hon. Sen. B.
Mpofu |
22 | 0 | 22 | 8 | 1 | 9 |
13. Hon. Sen. S.
Mpofu * |
22 | 0 | 22 | 11 | 4 | 4 |
14. Hon. Sen. P.
Ndlovu |
22 | 0 | 22 | 20 | 1 | 1 |
15. Hon. Sen.
Chief Nechombo |
22 | 0 | 22 | 15 | 2 | 5 |
16. Hon. Sen.
Chief Nembire |
22 | 0 | 22 | 12 | 5 | 4 |
17. Hon. Sen.
Chief Nhema |
22 | 0 | 22 | 21 | 1 | 0 |
18. Hon. Sen. Chief
Nyangazonke |
22 | 0 | 22 | 8 | 9 | 4 |
19. Hon. Sen. M.
Phuthi |
22 | 0 | 22 | 17 | 4 | 1 |
20. Hon. Sen. C.
Rambanepasi |
22 | 0 | 22 | 21 | 0 | 1 |
21. Hon. Sen. B.
Tsomondo |
22 | 0 | 22 | 9 | 7 | 6 |
Name of the
Member |
Total
Number of Meetings Called |
Meetings Aborted due to
lack of quorum |
Meetings Successfully held | Meetings Attended | Meetings Absent with leave | Meetings
Absent without leave |
22. Hon. Sen. H.
Zivira |
22 | 0 | 22 | 17 | 3 | 2 |
Note
*Honourable Sen. S. Mpofu was nominated to serve on the Committee on 6 December 2018.
**Honourable Sen Makone and Honourable Sen W. Khupe ceased to be Members of the Committee on 28 March 2019.
4.PEACE AND SECURITY
Name of Members | Present | Absent with Leave | Absent without Leave | Meetings attended to date | No quorum meetings | Total No. of meetings
called
|
Hon. Sen. Dr.
Parirenyatwa P.D. (Chairperson) |
15 | 3 | 2 | 15 | 0 | 20 |
Hon. Sen. Chabuka K. | 13 | 5 | 2 | 13 | 0 | 20 |
Hon. Sen. Chief Charumbira | 2 | 8 | 10 | 2 | 0 | 20 |
Hon. Sen. Chimbudzi A. | 15 | 1 | 4 | 15 | 0 | 20 |
Hon. Sen. Dube M. R. | 17 | 1 | 2 | 17 | 0 | 20 |
Hon. Sen. Komichi M. | 10 | 5 | 5 | 10 | 0 | 20 |
Hon. Sen. Makone T. | 8 | 1 | 11 | 8 | 0 | 20 |
Hon. Sen. Chief Makumbe | 15 | 4 | 1 | 15 | 0 | 20 |
Hon. Sen. Chief
Mapungwana |
15 | 2 | 1 | 15 | 0 | 20 |
Hon. Sen. Mathuthu T. | 18 | 1 | 1 | 18 | 0 | 20 |
Hon. Sen. Matiirira A. | 18 | 1 | 1 | 18 | 0 | 20 |
Hon. Sen. Chief Matsiwo | 12 | 5 | 3 | 12 | 0 | 20 |
Hon. Sen. Mkhwebu A. | 15 | 4 | 1 | 15 | 0 | 20 |
Hon. Sen. Mohadi T. B. | 10 | 5 | 5 | 10 | 0 | 20 |
Hon. Sen. Moyo S.K. | 0 | 2 | 18 | 0 | 0 | 20 |
Hon. Sen. Mudzuri E. | 1 | 2 | 17 | 1 | 0 | 20 |
Hon. Sen. Mwonzora D. | 10 | 7 | 3 | 10 | 0 | 20 |
Hon. Sen. Ncube S. | 14 | 3 | 3 | 14 | 0 | 20 |
Hon. Sen. Ndlovu M. | 10 | 2 | 8 | 10 | 0 | 20 |
Hon. Sen. Chief Ngezi | 7 | 4 | 9 | 7 | 0 | 20 |
Hon. Sen. Chief
Ngungumbane |
15 | 3 | 2 | 15 | 0 | 20 |
Hon. Sen. Chief Ntabeni | 17 | 2 | 1 | 17 | 0 | 20 |
Hon. Sen. Nyathi R. | 16 | 1 | 2 | 16 | 0 | 20 |
Hon. Sen. Chief. Siansali | 11 | 4 | 5 | 11 | 0 | 20 |
Hon. Sen. Sinampande H. | 15 | 2 | 3 | 15 | 0 | 20 |
Hon. Sen. Timveos L. | 10 | 1 | 9 | 10 | 0 | 20 |
5.SDGs
Name of the
Member |
Total
Number of Meetings Called |
Meetings Aborted due to lack of
quorum |
Meetings Successfully held | Meetings Attended | Meetings Absent with leave | Meetings Absent without leave |
Sen. Chief
Khumalo Mtshane (Chairperson) |
22 | 0 | 22 | 18 | 3 | 1 |
Sen. Chinake
V
|
22 | 0 | 22 | 22 | 0 | 0 |
Sen. Chief
Chundu |
22 | 0 | 22 | 18 | 2 | 2 |
Sen.
Chifamba J. |
22 | 0 | 22 | 15 | 6 | 1 |
Sen. Gumpo S | 22 | 0 | 22 | 16 | 4 | 2 |
Sen. Gweshe K | 22 | 0 | 22 | 20 | 1 | 1 |
Sen. Hungwe O. | 22 | 0 | 22 | 0 | 9 | 13 |
Sen. Khupe W. | 22 | 0 | 22 | 14 | 5 | 3 |
Sen. Chief
Masendu |
22 | 0 | 22 | 6 | 7 | 9 |
Name of the
Member |
Total
Number of Meetings Called |
Meetings Aborted due to lack of
quorum |
Meetings Successfully held | Meetings Attended | Meetings Absent with leave | Meetings Absent without leave |
Sen. Chief Matupula | 22 | 0 | 22 | 15 | 7 | 0 |
Sen. Malinga J.T | 22 | 0 | 22 | 10 | 3 | 9 |
Sen. Maluleke O. M | 22 | 0 | 22 | 19 | 2 | 1 |
Sen. Moeketsi V | 22 | 0 | 22 | 13 | 7 | 2 |
Sen. Mpofu B. | 22 | 0 | 22 | 7 | 12 | 3 |
Sen. Mpofu S. | 22 | 0 | 22 | 15 | 5 | 2 |
Sen. Mudzuri E | 22 | 0 | 22 | 7 | 5 | 10 |
Sen. Muronzi M. | 22 | 0 | 22 | 20 | 1 | 1 |
Sen. Muzenda T.V | 22 | 0 | 22 | 18 | 2 | 2 |
Sen. Chief Nechombo | 22 | 0 | 22 | 14 | 5 | 3 |
Sen.
Rwambiwa E |
22 | 0 | 22 | 21 | 0 | 1 |
Sen. Shoko G | 22 | 0 | 22 | 19 | 2 | 1 |
Sen. Shumba C. | 22 | 0 | 22 | 22 | 0 | 0 |
Sen. Tongogara A.K. | 22 | 0 | 22 | 21 | 1 | 0 |
Sen. Timire R | 22 | 0 | 22 | 18 | 2 | 2 |
Sen
Wunganai T. |
22 | 0 | 22 | 20 | 1 | 1 |
6. HIV/AIDS
Name of the Member | Total
Number of Meetings Called |
Meetings Aborted due to lack of
quorum |
Meetings Successfully held | Meetings Attended | Meetings Absent with leave | Meetings Absent without leave |
HON. SEN. FEMAI
MORGAN- CHAIRPERSON |
24 | 0 | 24 | 23
|
1 | 0 |
HON. SEN. CHABUKA KERESENCIA | 24 | 0 | 24 | 16
|
8 | 0 |
HON. SEN. CHIFAMBA JANE | 24 | 0 | 24 | 23
|
1 | 0 |
HON. SEN.
CHIRONGOMA JOSEPH MADZIVA |
24 | 0 | 24 | 18
|
6 | 0 |
HON. SEN. CHIEF
CHITANGA |
24 | 0 | 24 | 10 | 12 | 2
|
HON. SEN. DUBE ALICE | 24 | 0 | 24 | 19
|
4 | 1 |
HON. SEN. DUBE REASON MILDRET | 24 | 0 | 24 | 21
|
3 | 0
|
HON. SEN. KOMICHI
MORGAN |
24 | 0 | 24 | 18
|
3 | 3 |
HON. SEN. MALULEKE | 24 | 0 | 24 | 14 | 7 | 3 |
Name of the Member | Total
Number of Meetings Called |
Meetings Aborted due to lack of
quorum |
Meetings Successfully held | Meetings Attended | Meetings Absent with leave | Meetings Absent without leave |
OTILLIA MUHLAVA |
|
|||||
HON. SEN. CHIEF
MAPUNGWANA |
24 | 0 | 24 | 3
|
2 | 19 |
HON. SEN. MATHUTHU THEMBA | 24 | 0 | 24 | 20
|
4 | 0 |
HON. SEN. CHIEF
MATSIWO |
24 | 0 | 24 | 4
|
13
|
7
|
HON. SEN. MATIIRIRA ADDRESS | 24 | 0 | 24 | 16
|
4
|
4 |
HON. SEN. MAVETERA TICHINANI | 24 | 0 | 24 | 21
|
1 | 2 |
HON. SEN. MBOHWA MAYBE | 24 | 0 | 24 | 20
|
2 | 2 |
HON.SEN. MKHWEBU,A | 24 | 0 | 24 | 24
|
0 | 0 |
HON. SEN. NDLOVU MOLLY | 24 | 0 | 24 | 12
|
4 | 8 |
HON. SEN. NDLOVU PHYLLIS | 24 | 0 | 24 | 20
|
3
|
1
|
HON. SEN. ZAMA
NTHUA MKWANANZI (CHIEF NGUNGUMBANE) |
22 | 0 | 24 | 13
|
8 | 3 |
HON. SEN. DR. DAVID
PARIRENYATWA |
24 | 0 | 24 | 0
|
0 | 24 |
HON. SEN. PHUTHI MELIWE | 24 | 0 | 24 | 14
|
9 | 1 |
HON. SEN.
RAMBANEPASI CHRISTINE |
24 | 0 | 24 | 21
|
3 | 0 |
HON. SEN.
SEKEREMAYI TIGERE SYDNEY |
24 | 0 | 24 | 0
|
0 | 0 |
Name of the Member | Total
Number of Meetings Called |
Meetings Aborted due to lack of
quorum |
Meetings Successfully held | Meetings Attended | Meetings Absent with leave | Meetings Absent without leave |
HON. SEN. SHOKO GIDEON | 24 | 0 | 24 | 22
|
2 | 0 |
HON.SEN.SINAMPANDE HERBERT MADOLO | 24 | 0 | 24 | 20
|
2 | 2 |
HON. SEN. NKATAZO
SIABATWA (CHIEF SIANSALI) |
24 | 0 | 24 | 11
|
8 | 4 |
HON. SEN. TIMVEOS LILIAN | 24 | 0 | 24 | 20
|
3 | 1 |
HON.SEN.TONGOGARA ANGELINE KUMBIRAI | 24 | 0 | 24 | 21
|
1 | 2 |
HON. SEN. TSOMONDO BYBIT | 24 | 0 | 24 | 22
|
1 | 1 |
Madam Speaker, in summary, we have attached attendance registers of members who were coming to Committee meetings and this reflects on every member’s performance in terms of attendance. Members can look at that and see how they are performing, whether they are really playing their role in all the duties assigned to Members of Parliament in terms of representation and oversight. They need to look at their performance. Going forward, these reports would be send to various political parties so that they know the type of people they send to Parliament, if they are neglecting their duties or are performing very well. We expect Members to attend, participate and give their inputs so that what we are expected to do as Parliament is done and done religiously and we perform our duties as provided for in the Constitution. Where Members will not be attending, I think action should be taken and we will advise responsible authorities that such and such a Member is neglecting their duties.
We also expect members to keep to the Standing Rules and Orders. Members at the moment are stipulated to be in only two Committees and not more than two Committees but we still have Members who would want to be in more than two Committees. I do not see how effective those members will be in terms of attendance, contribution and research when they go to those Committees. It is very critical that Members attend only two Committees and we hope the recommendation that a Member must be assigned to one Committee will be taken on board so that we increase and improve our effectiveness as Members of Parliament as we do Committee business. I thank you.
HON. K. PARADZA: Thank you Madam Speaker. I just thought possibly, I should also say something about this because I am the Chairperson of Foreign Affairs and International Trade and part of the Liaison Committee. Thank you very much our Chairperson Hon. Chief Whip for that comprehensive report, you touched on nearly everything. Madam Speaker, I have noticed that as Chairperson, sometimes we do not do our work as we are supposed to because of a number of issues. Those issues include budgetary issues. Sometimes when we want to do outreach programmes or benchmarking visits, like in our case in terms of Foreign Affairs, we deal with foreign relations and also oversight on our foreign policy as a country. Sometimes there is no money for that and it has been our wish Hon. Speaker that Treasury gives Parliament its budget so that we do our own internal disbursements rather than to wait for Treasury because sometimes most of the trips, I am sure you are aware of it, we cancel those trips because there will be no Treasury concurrence or if there is Treasury concurrence, they take time in disbursing the money.
So, sometimes the trips are not undertaken or sometimes our delegations go out there without money even for hotels, so it becomes a problem. So, we need to look into those issues. Madam Speaker, there is also another issue in terms of what we gathered when we were doing outreach programmes and public hearings. We noted something which is of a constitutional nature.
Madam Speaker, the people were saying Members of Parliament are not that effective because there is a thin line between Parliament and the Executive. In other words, they were saying that Ministers should not be Members of Parliament; that is a constitutional issue. In other jurisdictions like for example in the United States of America, Parliament and the Executive are stand-alone but here you will find that sometimes our job as MPs and this is just a general statement, as Chairpersons and also as MPs, it becomes very difficult. When we call some of the ministers to come to our meetings, some of them do not come. They ignore because some of them view us MPs as their juniors. Like in our party, sometimes Ministers are Politburo members and Central Committee Members, so it is difficult for us to try to discipline them. I also got this when I was addressing about 18 of our Ambassadors who were going out.
The members of the public were saying there should be separation of powers so that the President appoints his Cabinet outside Parliament from technocrats or whoever. That is his prerogative. So when Parliament calls these Ministers to come and answer for their ministries, they must know that they are coming to Parliament. There is no arrogance in that. I am sure Mr. Speaker, yourself included, you have also noted that sometimes our Ministers bunk Parliament and those were some of the issues which the public were saying we should look into. We were telling them that it is a constitutional matter and they were saying can we not, if possible, change the Constitution.
There was another issue Madam Speaker on the Bills. The Chief Whip touched on that. The Bills are not widely circulated. So it becomes difficult when we go out there for our outreach programmes. Most of the time, we see that the public there do not know about the Bills. We need to deal with that aspect. These Bills must also be in our 16 local languages but we are not doing that. We are assuming as Parliament that the public is aware because as long as the Bill is gazetted, we give them three months to look into that Bill. We assume as Parliament that the people out there have read these Bills, which is wrong. We need to find a way of making sure that these Bills reach the intended beneficiaries and that the people there read it in their own language. This is very important and we have observed that Madam Speaker.
The other issue Madam Speaker is that in my case, we deal with re-engagement and one of the issues that are brought up is the issue of delays in our legal reforms. They always say that Parliament is taking time and so forth. We need this law, where is it? The President has said that we are reforming but you are not reforming. So they blame the President. The issue is that it is because of our parliamentary processes. Sometimes our parliamentary processes take time for Bills to come to Parliament and also the issue of drafters. We have very few drafters in the Attorney General’s Office. We need that office to be empowered and to have drafters so that the Bills come here on time and we dispose of that timeously.
The other issue Madam Speaker is the issue of our reports. Sometimes our reports are overtaken by events and it really does not make sense to even present that report in Parliament after six months. An issue comes, we go out there and we come and place some notice here in Parliament of which it takes six months for you as Chairperson to present that report. It is overtaken by events. So we need to have timeous presentation of reports here in Parliament for us to make sense.
The other issue Madam Speaker is that in my case at Foreign Affairs, we have so many outstanding protocols, international treaties and so forth. Because of that, a lot of things right now is at a standstill because of these protocols which take time to be implemented. We take time to ratify these protocols. Right now, Zimbabwe which is a leading country in the African Union or even within the SADC, we have not up to now ratified the PAP Treaty. It was signed by the former President in 2003 and up to now Parliament has not ratified that. We have not deposited the instruments with the African Union. Zimbabwe which is a leading light in the African Union, we are a much respected country. Even if our delegations, the Chief Whip included go out there, they are asked - Zimbabwe why have you not ratified PAP up to now? So it does not make sense. We need to have these international protocols brought here as soon as possible. I have discussed this with the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, to put some coordinating office as they are the coordinating ministry so that the officer can follow up on outstanding protocols with each Government department and we deal with them on time.
Madam Speaker, the other issue is on Members. The Chief Whip touched on that when he was making his conclusion. We have difficulties in our Committees sometimes. Mr. Speaker has even complained about it, that most of the time he hears chairpersons only talking. The other Members do not contribute. They just come in there, sit and listen but no contributions. Some of the Members again just come in there, sign the register and they go. We are having problems. We need interaction; possibly it is because of what the Chief Whip was saying, capacity building workshops for our Members so that they understand. This is a general statement for all our committees. We need to capacitate our Members so that they understand what their committees are all about so that they are able to contribute. Madam Speaker, thank you very much. Thank you very much Chief Whip for the comprehensive report. It is very good. I thank you.
HON. NDUNA: Thank you Madam Speaker for this opportunity. I want to thank the Hon. Chief Whip for a well-rounded report. Madam Speaker, I am new to Parliament in that I only came in 2013 and I have some institutional memory dating back to the Eighth Parliament where I was Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Transport. So these are the issues that I want to touch on because time without number Madam. Speaker, the Hon. Speaker of Parliament, Adv. J. Mudenda has said we need to proffer solutions. We do not only need to proffer solutions to the Executive as individual members of constituencies, MPs and otherwise, but we also need to cascade it down to the Committee level as we interrogate the manner the Executive carries out its mandate.
By the way, we do not seek to govern and he has said that time without number, but we seek to interrogate the manner the Executive carries out its mandate. In so doing, we need to proffer solutions. So I want to touch on that point in particular that my institutional memory in terms of infrastructure development, in particular road rehabilitation, reconstruction and maintenance - there is a backlog of about US$20 billion and that by any stroke of imagination is not a pittance. That is huge. It is humongous and gigantic monies, to say the least Madam Speaker.
We need to stand up on the pedestal and platform of Parliament in the Portfolio Committees and proffer solutions to the Minister of Finance and Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Development. How do you proffer solutions if you are a Chair or Committee on Transport and Infrastructure Development? You proffer it in the following manner, this is how I see it and how I am going to debate on this report. There are numerous minds out there Madam Speaker and we need to make sure that the miners that are extracting our natural resources such as gold need to plough back in terms of road rehabilitation, reconstruction and maintenance of the same so that we augment and complement the meager resources that the Minister of Finance has and is giving towards the Minister of Transport for that need.
Having said that Madam Speaker, I actually take a cue from Hwange Colliery which has tarred more than 900 km during the time that they have subsisted in the quest to extract coal in Hwange. If all the miners would do that; we would expeditiously, effectively and efficiently tar our roads and give a lot of longevity to our road infrastructure. We will definitely not have a lot of need from the fiscus. We need in order to rehabilitate and construct our roads not only depend on monies from ZINARA which come in two forms. There are called routine and another fund that speaks to and about the fund which is given to local authorities for the rehabilitation of the roads. So those two funds are just but a pittance. We need to make sure that the monies that are derived from the God given natural resources are ploughed back for the good of our infrastructure development.
Madam Speaker, I will also say when we start any session of Parliament like we did the 9th Parliament, the First Session, there is need for continuity. If you have people that have institutional memory, parties need to adhere to the ethos and values of continuity in Parliament and Portfolio Committees that are very key. Certainly, there was need to have a relook in terms of continuity. I stand guided but I am defended by the Standing Rules and Orders book that states that on issues to do with the Chairmanships or composition of Portfolio Committees, there is need to have interest from the Members and there is also need to have expertise. Certainly, there would not have been any need to remove me from the Chairmanship position because what is currently happening is, there is certainly no continuity in the Portfolio Committees where those Chairpersons outlived their welcome. They never came back or where they were removed in some instances such as the one that I am talking about. You continue talking of road carnage – which road carnage was the first report of the Eighth Parliament that would have been talked about. You want to have continuity so that you go from one stage to the other.
Parliament is piling with reports that are in duplication. To have an antidote to that, you would want to have continuity not only to the local Parliament but to external delegation. I remember I was also a member of the ACP-EU, APNAC and a few other delegations but I then found myself not on those. So there is no continuity. I urge Parliament to have continuity in any future delegations and appointments as guided by the Standing Rules and Orders book.
As I conclude, I also want to say the Hon. Chief Whip touched on a few petitions, in particular the one from Gwanda that speaks to and about the issue of documentation for those children who do not have identity cards and birth certificates. I ask that by tabling this report, that there be a moratorium for everyone who does not have an identity card or birth certificate because Section 35-38 of the Constitution mandates the Executive that anyone who has been in Zimbabwe for more than ten years is a citizen and needs to be given citizenship, identity cards and birth certificates, otherwise we continue ad infinitum to have people that continue to give birth and to sire children that do not have birth certificates because the parents do not have the same.
Madam Speaker Ma’am, thank you for giving me this opportunity to eloquently, vociferously and effectively contribute to this report on LCC and give the impetus and mouth of all the words that have come from the people of Chegutu West Constituency. They send their love. I thank you.
HON. P. D. SIBANDA: Thank you Madam Speaker for giving me the opportunity to debate on this matter which comes from deeply inside my heart. I think it is a matter that I love. I love Executive oversight as a role because I think it is important and that it contributes towards the economic development of the country. That is why I love that topic.
Allow me also to sincerely thank my colleague Hon. Togarepi for that report. Indeed when I heard him making the contributions, I said this is towards getting to maturity because he was talking about things that really build the pillars of why Parliament as an institution was created. I also appreciate Hon. Paradza’s input to that report. I am not looking for Chairmanship, but let me add my point to the executive oversight and how maybe I think we might be lacking as an institution. I will be assisted in introducing this topic by looking at the four key functions of Parliamentary oversight as they were given in 2007 by Yama Moto.
He says (1) – It is to detect and prevent abuse, arbitrary behaviour or illegal or unconstitutional conduct on the part of Government and public agencies. He says at the core of this function, is the protection of rights and liberties of citizens. He also further says “to hold the Government to account in respect of how the tax payers’ money is used; to ensure that policies are announced by the Government itself and authorised by Parliament are actually delivered and finally to improve the transparency of Government operations and enhance public trust in the Government which is itself a condition of effected policy”. That is how Yama Moto gives the functions of Parliament in terms of Executive oversight.
The contribution by my colleague was mainly centred on internal rather than external factors, which I believe would be contribution to our ineffectiveness as Parliament in executive oversight but the Chief Whip of the ruling party gave a hint on that. Maybe there is also a need for us to touch on our laws so that they buttress and improve the legal teeth that we need to have as an institution in order for us to be able to derive that function of executive oversight properly. In my view, the only legal tool which I can say is lacking from our array of legal tools that are available to us as Parliament is one tool that is called impeachment. Impeachment is a situation where Parliament can call upon a member of the executive or the entire executive who has gone astray of what is expected of them to step down from their position.
Let me say that in that regard, we are actually worse off than more serious dictatorships like the one in Uganda. In Uganda, when a member of the executive errs, Parliament makes a recommendation to the President and says this person has erred and that person is brought to appear before Parliament on its own. If Parliament recommends that the person has got to be fired from that position, the President does not have any option. They either fire that person or that person resigns. In our current situation, Ministers can be as errant as they want and we have never brought any single Minister to book, they have nothing to fear. You cannot recommend that they be fired from their positions. As a result, accountability of Ministers to Parliament remains lesser than what is expected.
I would argue that as Parliament, to some extent, we have got sufficient tools that we can use to put up pressure to the Executive to comply with what is expected of them by law and policy but I think we have been hesitant as an institution in utilising those tools. I will give you an example that as Parliament, we know that when a member of the Executive does not comply with recommendations of Parliament, they can be found to be in contempt. The law is there and it says a member of the Executive can be found to be in contempt of Parliament and certain punitive measures which are put in terms of law are there to implement them.
I think in the history of this country Hon. Speaker, Parliament has never utilised that tool at all. I do not know why we are that hesitant. I do not know whether our hesitancy is out of ignorance or lack of desire to utilise those tools. I am not sure. The furthest point that we have gone in trying to utilise our tools as an institution was, I am sure the last time that someone from GMAZ or somewhere was summoned. I think we have gone as far as issuing summons only and nothing else. We have not gone further especially when it comes to the Executive itself. As a result, the Executive is at liberty to do as they please and that has made Parliament to be generally regarded as a toothless dog. I think to some extent, whoever says that will be right.
My final contribution Hon. Speaker which I believe is also key is the financial independence of Parliament - one of my colleagues really spoke about it. I will give you the example of Uganda again; in Uganda once a budget is passed, Parliament collects all its money and puts it in its bag. It does not go back to the Executive to beg for some money. Our current situation as Parliament is that we are entirely compromised because each and every time we want money to fund our activities which include executive oversight functions, we will have to go and beg at Mthuli’s office. Even administration of Parliament is known to go back to beg for money to fund a critical institution like Parliament. As long as our financial umbilical…
HON. KASHIRI: On a point of order Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, in as much as Hon. Sibanda is making his contribution he needs to respect our Hon. Ministers rather than saying go to Mthuli’s office.
THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER: Indeed Hon. Sibanda.
HON. NDIWENI: Anofunga kuti kuBinga!
THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER: Order Hon. Ndiweni! Thank you very much Hon. Kashiri for raising that point of order. Hon. Sibanda, may you kindly address Hon. Minister Mthuli Ncube as Hon. Member. I think that is how we are supposed to be addressing each other in this august House.
HON. P. D. SIBANDA: My sincere apology Hon. Speaker. I think I have just been taken away by emotions.
HON. NDIWENI: Hausi kuBinga iwewe. Hakusi kuBinga kunoku!
HON. P. D. SIBANDA: Save to say, Hon. Speaker, I wanted to emphasise a point that if you ask our administration currently, our administration is compromised and that literally also means that as an institution we are entirely compromised. The key source of our compromise is that we are unable to undertake any one of our functions as an institution, the reason being the fact that we do not have our budget in our hands. Our budgets are stored at Treasury and therefore we are given monies on a piece meal. Where Treasury finds that it is not in their interest or that it is not a priority to them at that particular time then Parliament is starved and because of that kind of a situation we become so compromised as an institution the instant we tend to go and beg from the Executive for us to conduct our duty.
If you want to see what I mean Hon. Speaker, just have a look at how budgets have been changed from time and again. In the last two financial years, I can assure you that budgets have been viremented, including budgets of Parliament. There are certain areas where Parliament had budgeted for something and that budget had been passed. Even after that budget had been passed, Parliament was not able to get all the money that had been budgeted for. The reason is because of the way we are looked at by Treasury. They look at us as if we are just like a department or we are just like a ministry. We are not seen as a critical institution which is actually supposed to drive accountability in the Executive and because of that Hon. Speaker, we are compromised.
I therefore make a proposal. My proposal is that we need to amend the law. We need to amend the law to an extent that Parliament should be able to collect all its money at one go. It should have its money, not to be distributed through Treasury. It should create that financial independence of Parliament away from the Executive so that Parliament can be able to effectively discharge its role of Executive oversight.
I believe Hon. Speaker, the amendments that are coming, I am not sure what level they are but I thought we should have taken advantage of a constitutional amendment to include a section of impeachment. As long as a person feels that they are not threatened by anything they are there to stay; they can do as they please. I can assure you that person will never feel like they have to account themselves to Parliament or to the people and therefore an impeachment section is required in our law so that we strengthen the Executive oversight of Parliament. That is my view that I thought I should present Hon. Speaker. Thank you for giving me an opportunity.
HON. NDIWENI: Thank you very much Madam Speaker. I want to thank the Chief Whip for his presentation of a well elaborated report on the LCC. Madam Speaker, for Parliament to have good oversight it has to have effective committees. For us to have effective committees, let us go down to the beginning.
When we came to Parliament, every Member of Parliament submitted their CVs. I for one thought it was very good for Parliament to request CVs so that they realise the capacities of Members of Parliament, but alas the three political parties do not seem to consider the paper work that we brought into Parliament. I for one am of the opinion that we should use these CVs to create cause. You see, for a committee to be effective it should have a core number of people that have relevant CVs for that type of committee so that they can perform better. We should move away from allowing Members to choose committees willy-nilly.
What is happening Madam Speaker is, Members just migrate from one committee to the other just because they know there are some allowances that are paid. So you realise that the committees that have more allowances tend to have more people than other committees. There is zero disregard of what you are going to contribute in that committee. So I personally feel for us to be very effective, either we have to revisit the Standing Rules and Orders to request Parliament to peruse on the CVs, have a co-group in a committee. If we can do it on the Legal Committee, why can we not do it on the Education Committee, Health Committee and ICT Committee?
We have people with the relevant expertise in Parliament that we should deploy. Deploy them into that one committee if they are three as the core members, then you can add other Members. I am not saying you should leave other Members that are not interested, but for us to be effective every committee has to have a co-group of people that have relevant expertise and then the other Members to complement them. That way my feeling is, we are going to have a strong institution, strong Committees that have strong oversight. This is my contribution Madam Speaker.
HON. TOGAREPI: I move that debate do now adjourn.
HON. TEKESHE: I second.
Motion put and agreed to.
Debate to resume: Wednesday, 9th September, 2020.
On the motion of HON. TOGAREPI seconded by HON. TEKESHE, the House adjourned at a Quarter to Five o’clock p.m.
PARLIAMENT OF ZIMBABWE
Thursday 3rd September, 2020
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
CONTRIBUTIONS BY HON. MEMBERS
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: I have to remind Hon. Members that in order to maintain social distancing, Hon. Members can make their contributions from wherever they are connected to.
HON. BITI: On a point of order Madam Speaker. Passwords for today have not been communicated to us. Several Hon. Members are not logged on, even the Order Paper we cannot access it.
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Hon. Biti, I have been told that they were circulated today by 1000 a.m.
HON. BITI: It is not there Madam Speaker.
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: May be you can refresh your gadget. I think ICT is attending to that.
MOTION
ANNUAL REPORT OF THE NATIONAL PEACE AND RECONCILIATION COMMISSION FOR THE YEAR 2018
THE VICE PRESIDENT HON. K. C. D MOHADI: Thank you Madam Speaker. I hereby table the National Peace and Reconciliation 2018, Annual Report as distributed to Hon. Members. Allow me to give a summary of the National Peace and Reconciliation Commission 2018, Annual Report.
The National Peace and Reconciliation (NPRC) is a constitutionally established body whose overarching mandate is to ensure post-conflict justice, healing and reconciliation. In 2018, the NPRC had a new appointed Chairperson, substantive Executive Secretary and obtained Treasury Concurrence to recruit 32 members of Secretariat. In the year under review, the NPRC was involved in:
- Conflict prevention and peace building activities before, during
and after the harmonised electionS held in July, 2018;
- Facilitating the signing of the Peace Pledge by the 21 Presidential
candidates for the harmonised elections. The intervention contributed to the peace that prevailed across the nation before, during and after the elections;
- Engagements with Government, Non-Governmental Organisations
and political actors following the violent 1 August, 2018 demonstrations in the country; and
- The launch of the 25 year strategic plan for period 2018-2022,
which is currently being implemented.
Madam Speaker, in their report, the Commission makes the following
recommendations to this august House for consideration:
- that existing laws be strengthened to include elements of hate speech by public officials, institutions, media houses and citizens in public places, social, print and electronic media platforms ;
- that organisations and institutions should develop programmatic activities that promote the development of positive communication skills;
iii. that capacity building programmes be undertaken to strengthen and sharpen investigative and prosecutorial skills of enforcement agencies, prosecutors and the judiciary in relation to hate speech;
- that the current National Development Strategy being developed prioritise devolution;
- that Parliament expedites the enactment of the Provincial Councils Act in line with the Constitution in order to operationalise devolved provincial structures;
- that Government supports the deployment of monitoring and Evaluation staff in all its Departments to monitor support programmes for fairness, adequacy and non-partisanship;
vii. that security services should mainstream peace studies in their pre-service curriculum and involve interested stakeholders in curriculum development;
viii. that the public be educated on the security services internal complaints handling and feedback mechanisms;
- that the National Peace and Reconciliation Commission’s multi-stakeholder Peace Committees be adequately resourced;
- that the NPRC and Government agencies be well resourced to execute mandates as set in Section 7 of the Constitution.
Madam Speaker, the recommendations of the NPRC seek to
contribute to social cohesion, unity and tolerance among Zimbabweans. Further, the recommendations seek to contribute to positive policy and legal environment for peace as well as an improved architecture for conflict prevention at national and sub-national levels. I thank you. [HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear.]
HON. MADZIMURE: Thank you Madam Speaker. I also want to thank the Vice President for the report. Madam Speaker, what we must always know is that the silence of the gun does not necessarily mean that there is peace. Peace goes beyond even the violence that you see on the streets, it goes deeper than that. Even in our homes, there are several things that must be attended to, especially when it comes to political issues. So because of that the role of Peace and Reconciliation Commission is very important and must be taken seriously.
Madam Speaker, the biggest problem that we have in this country is that there is no effort to take the issue of civic education seriously. A society that does not have knowledge of how it must be governed is a very dangerous society, and it is a society that can easily be manipulated. It is a society that does not understand its rights and what it deserves from those in office. A society that is not informed of its obligation in the governance of the State does not know when, what and how to say issues.
When we talk of the existing laws - especially on hate speech, it must be understood what hate speech is, how it is said and when it is used. If you look at countries where violence left those countries at almost total destruction - you talk of what happened in Rwanda, the moment a certain group of people thinks that they are entitled to live better than the rest of the people, you have a problem. This normally happens in a way that many people might not understand that this is hate speech.
Madam Speaker, if you are in authority, you must always be careful on what you say because in Shona we say kamoto kamberevere kanopisa matanda mberi. If you are in office you must understand that you are in that office not because of entitlement, but it is a responsibility given by the people to lead at that particular time and that should not be turned to an entitlement.
I say this Madam Speaker, because even slogans that we chant, they mean a lot to the extent that after chanting slogans you can tell anyone amongst the group that is so excited to go and commit a crime. They can easily go and do it convinced that nothing will happen to them. So we must learn how to live together, especially after elections from primary level up to intra-parties, we must understand that we compete and after competing we go back to our normal lives and we allow the process to rest as we start doing other things. So it is important that we observe that.
We must also be able to understand what communication is and how to include everyone in the communication processes. The other issue that I would want the Peace and Recreation Commission to be able to deal with entirely is the issue of investigating cases of violence. Madam Speaker, we must be able to exhaust all the means to make sure that we unearth the cause of the problem and deal with the cause of the problem. Where we have perpetrators, we must learn to prosecute perpetrators - we must not protect perpetrators. We must make sure the affected are convinced that the State has done enough to make sure that whoever will have committed any crime is brought to book. This is what gives people the confidence in their security system. We must all feel protected when we see soldiers, police officers and the central intelligence officers.
Madam Speaker, we cannot have a situation where some people feel protected and others do not feel protected. All these institutions should belong to the people of Zimbabwe. They must not belong to a political party. We must agree that political parties come and go but the institutions stay forever. The institutions have the responsibility to protect all Zimbabweans. This must be done in a fair and just manner. We have situations where people have gone to report cases of violence to the police and they find themselves on the other side of a charge office desk where they end up being victims and arrested. This has been happening. These are the issues that the Peace and Reconciliation Commission must deal with because the moment you have that situation you force the individual to think of other means that he or she can protect herself and I think it is not necessary, especially in a country like Zimbabwe. I do not think that in Zimbabwe there can be abductions or violence against citizens which the police cannot investigate and apprehend the culprits. The security situation that we inherited from the Smith regime is so sophisticated that nothing cannot be investigated. It is important that whenever a crime is committed the perpetrator must be apprehended and that person must be arrested.
The employment of evaluators and monitors as far as peace is concerned is a noble idea as long as we select the best people for the job who will do justice to the commission, who will exactly report things as they are to the commission. I strongly support that development because we need such people so that those reports that they collect from their evaluations and sometimes observing what is happening, they can lead to the commission presenting comprehensive reports.
On the issue of how complaints should be lodged against the police and soldiers when you feel that your rights have violated, it is important that the commission comes up with a well understood mechanism of raising issues and ensuring that complaints are handled fairly. If I do complain, to whom do I complain? If I am not heard, to whom else can I go to? How do I get the feedback? I think that is very important so that we ensure that we have real peace. It is important that our people live in peace and where there is co-existence and people live together in a peaceful manner, there is development. People can raise and debate issues. Once you debate you come up with a solution.
We need solutions in Zimbabwe more than problems because the population is growing and our resources are being depleted. How do we ensure that we add value to our resources? How do we ensure that we become more innovative? We must concentrate on developing this country. We must concentrate on coming up with ideas on how best we can do certain things that we have been doing in a particular manner. We must understand how we can add value and increase our productivity. This is what must preoccupy a Zimbabwean. How should we be innovative? How do we finance the ideas? This is the most important thing and this is the only thing that we can leave for our children. We must think of our legacy. What is that we are leaving behind? Yes, we have some people who do not care what they leave behind; they look at themselves and say kufakwangu zvarova. If we really wanted to make Zimbabwe a better country, we have got the most tolerant people who can give you years and years of making mistakes and still hope that one day you will get it right. It seems we are not preoccupied with that. We are preoccupied with throwing stones at each other.
There is a difference between an ordinary person and a person who has responsibility because that person cannot keep on throwing stones since people gave him or her the trust to lead this country. We are not all the same. What a police officer does is completely different from what a pick pocket does. What a soldier does is different. Those people in places of authority must make sure that they behave in a manner that is expected of people in those particular offices so that Zimbabwe can develop.
HON. NGULUVHE: First of all, I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Hon Vice President who presented a detailed report on peace and reconciliation. I want to say that for any development to take place in any nation, we need peace. Let me say that this thing should have been done in 1980. In 1980, we were just told of reconciliation but some of the perpetrators did not reconcile and it was the victims that accepted the peace and reconciliation. That is where everything started. I want to say to the Vice President that what you have done is good but it should have been done in 1980 because we do have people who are victims and up to now when you meet those who victimised us, they seem like they have not reconciled with us. They use wrong terminology against us but now we are being asked to reconcile with the current situation.
I went over the report but I would want to say to the Vice President that it would be fair that in future we get figures in terms of the victims because sometimes people distort information. We do not have the figures. I was looking at the issue of disturbances which happened in Matabeleland and Midlands, we still have varying figures and you do not know exactly which the correct figure is. People tend to use those lies and in future it would be good to get proper figures. We know the real people who were victimised and we must not generalise.
As a Member of the Committee on Defence, Security and Home Affairs, we went to Matabeleland South and discovered that some schools would give you a figure of 100 to 200 children who did not have birth certificates. I think it is better when we say in our reports that we require birth or death certificates for a specific number of people so that as we give them we know that we are giving the right people, otherwise they will just waste our time to say we will give you birth certificates but how many? Those are the issues that I wanted to say; but my recommendation Madam Speaker is please Hon. Vice President, can these reports be translated to vernacular, especially those so-called minority tribes who are mostly the victims. This will help them understand that something is being done when they read in their own languages. Also, I appeal to this House that let us provide more resources to the commission so that we enable them to do their job because I am sure they had challenges because of resources. Thank you Madam Speaker.
HON. TOFFA: Thank you Madam Speaker Ma’am for this opportunity to contribute to the debate. This is a very important development with regards peace and reconciliation.
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Hon. Toffa, you must be connected when you are debating.
HON. MUSHORIWA: Thank you Madam Speaker. I rise to add my voice to the debate in respect to the National Peace and Reconciliation Commission Report of 2018. Madam Speaker, let me start by thanking the Vice President for bringing the report here in this House. Madam Speaker, I just want to raise two or three issues pertaining to this report. The first issue is that the National Peace and Reconciliation Commission, being a Chapter 12 Commission is very important in terms of Zimbabwe and in terms of the issues that they are supposed to attend to.
The challenge that I have Madam Speaker is that if you check, in 2018 for instance, the Commission had no secretariat. They had also challenges even in terms of mobility. They had several challenges which made it difficult for the commission to actually perform and do its work. Even if you then check in terms of the report, issues to do with the 2018 elections, their role was very minimal. Where there was conflict, the NPRC could not do much. What we want Madam Speaker is that there is a need if we are serious in terms of these commissions, to make sure that they are given sufficient resources. My view Madam Speaker is that given the fact that this Commission falls under the Vice President’s office, it is my plea to you Hon. Vice President to make sure that this Commission should be well funded so that it performs its job because apparently, there are a lot of grey areas in this country which require urgent reconciliation and also the question of counselling amongst our people.
Madam Speaker, the other issue that I wanted to raise is to do with the general administration of this Commission. This Commission having started its operations in 2018, I note Madam Speaker that there were several issues that were raised by the Auditor-General and I think Hon. Vice President, these issues, in my view, need to be attended to. I just want to state here, one of the issues that was stated was that the Commission was operating with no policy documents to guide its operations. I actually want to believe that there is need for a policy document so that all stakeholders also get to understand the policy document and how this Commission is doing its work. The current set up is that we have got a Commission which is all over and without doing and performing its role in an effective manner.
The other issue which I think is also critical is, commissions should always be managed in a manner which is transparent. One of the key findings of the Auditor-General is that the Commission did not have an audit committee, which is a requirement of the Public Finance Management Act. It is my view that we need to make sure that we do not have problems that we find in parastatals happening within the commissions. We want these Chapter 12 Commissions, especially the National Peace and Reconciliation Commission which we are debating today, to be managed in a transparent manner so that the people of Zimbabwe will have confidence in it. Thank you Madam Speaker.
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order Hon. Members. To those Hon. Members who are not on the floor, I am advising you to keep your tablets on mute.
HON. TOFFA: Thank you Madam Speaker for the opportunity given to me to contribute to this debate. As I said earlier on Madam Speaker Ma’am, this is a very important commission and I would like to thank the Vice President for bringing this report to Parliament. Madam Speaker Ma’am, as said by previous debaters, national peace and reconciliation should have been done earlier on like in 1980. Having said that, it is important that the National Peace and Reconciliation Commission must include conflict resolution methods. Also the policy document must include measures and steps to avoid reoccurrence of what happened in the different conflicts, for example, in the Gukurahundi era and the different elections that were held in the country.
Madam Speaker Ma’am, I would also like to add to the issue that was spoken by the Hon. Member with regards to birth certificates and the number of people. As much as it is a good thing to include numbers, if you include numbers for issuing of birth certificates, Madam Speaker Ma’am, we must remember that all this started around 1980 and beyond where people were tortured and victimised, so our numbers will grow. When a woman or family gives birth to children, those children will have children. I would like to beg to differ that if we limit the number of birth certificates, it is a higher risk for the country because you do not even know how many people are in the country. If you give everybody documentation, you will be able to monitor everyone and if we start limiting the number of people; there are children that are not going to school right now, there are parents who were victims of violence that have not had the opportunity to get birth certificates. So, I think it is one area that must be looked at differently; if I look at just Bulawayo alone, never mind Matabeleland, there are thousands and thousands of children that are victims of not having birth certificates.
Therefore, I would like to take this opportunity to plead with the Hon. Vice President and the Government as a whole to look at the birth certificates issue with the seriousness and the urgency that it deserves, considering the fact that the SADC Parliamentary Forum is doing a model law on statelessness for the SADC region. So if we start off as a country by minimizing, how this project will then be a success for even the economical refugees that are outside the country who need to get birth certificates, then it becomes a problem as these people are either in South Africa, Angola, Mozambique and so on and so forth. So, I think with that in mind, through you Madam Speaker to the Vice President, I would urge that you look at this issue with the urgency and the importance that it deserves.
Madam Speaker, we also need to take advantage of this Commission and introduce a culture that we are not used to as a country and as Africans. A culture of counselling, dealing with the psychological effects that take place when people are tortured and victimized. So I would also urge that we look at this issue as well that we have a whole section in the policy document to do with counselling and rehabilitation as well.
We need to look also with a gender lens with regards to the victims who were affected in most of these conflicts. The women are the most affected with regards to being victims because they are the ones that have to look after the family and so on and so forth.
I am sorry I actually missed the reading of the Bill but I am hoping that it speaks to the repatriation and also making sure that the lives of the victim are looked at and that they are compensated in one way or the other.
Madam Speaker, at some of the foras that I have attended to, where there were victims that were actually speaking out, most of them want to be acknowledged and they also want apologies and so on and so forth. So, I would like to recommend to the Hon. Vice President that we need to take into consideration what they have collected in their rounds as they approached writing this report. Having said that, I would like to thank once again the Vice President for this report.
HON. TOGAREPI: I would like to first of all thank the Government and the people of Zimbabwe for establishing this very important Commission that deals with peace and ensuring that we are reconciled as a people and we work together for our country in order to have development.
This is a very strategic Commission that we have to support, I feel that it is very important that it is well resourced; resources are available to ensure that the Commission plays its role and ensure that the people of Zimbabwe work together and avoid conflict. Conflict is not good for anybody. No country will develop under situations of conflict, war or misunderstandings that are not helpful to the development and core-existence of people.
However, areas that I feel must be looked at usually are areas around political parties, non-governmental organisations. You know that we have a history; we came from colonisation where our people were tortured. There is a general sense in our people that we have a background of harsh treatment by the colonisers and some of that has remained with us to this day. So it is very important that some of these political parties, I am talking of political parties in general, some of them tend to then trade in pain. When they talk about something that has happened, they want it to be bigger than a mountain so that some of them make money out of it. They create stories that are non-existent hoping that they will make money out of that by misrepresenting the general environment in the country.
It is very important that in the effort of the Commission, we also investigate some of these allegations that come from political parties. I have also seen civic organisations playing a role not to unite people of Zimbabwe but trying to create a situation which gives the country a wrong image and also perpetuating conflict instead of reconciling people. I think the Vice President will take note of that and also, perhaps engage these people so that they are not sources of conflict. Infact, they should come here in our country to try and assist us.
I also want to talk about the areas related to our citizens of Zimbabwe, we know the police, the army and many other various security organisations. These play a role to protect each and every one of us. They need to be respected, they cannot be demonized. Lies and fake stories should not be created against them – it does not help anybody. When you are in trouble yourself, you then want the same policeman whom you have been demonising left, right and centre to play a role, which role when you look at these organisations as anti you? As people of Zimbabwe we need to respect these arms of Government that are playing a role that will help us coexist and maybe get criminals nabbed.
One other thing is we hear people saying police have failed to apprehend a perpetrator of violence. Police are not prophets, they work with people. If we tell them the truth, we tell them openly what is happening - they will act; but if you create stories which they cannot even follow and apprehend the criminal or whoever is the perpetrator of violence, it actually becomes difficult for them to then play their constitutional role. So it is very important that in whatever we are doing let us respect all the arms of Government, especially the security organisations because in the event of conflict and misunderstanding, these people guarantee our peace. They need to be respected.
Madam Speaker, after saying that it is very critical that the Commission is given more resources in order to get into the communities before conflict happens and preempt conflict. Political parties must be very responsible. In the event of an election and the elections have gone through and results are there; people must be disciplined and understand that there is always next time, than going out there in a way of trying to protect or maybe keep your votes - you start lying about political elections results and all other things. This creates anger and that anger you will not be able to manage it and when it happens it creates chaos. People then start fighting and use words that create conflict - name calling, insulting political leaders and so forth.
We just need to respect each other as people of Zimbabwe. We go to elections for a purpose. Once we have gone through elections, we respect each other, coexist and wait for next elections. So we move forward, but some will then want to create conflict because there is a result I am not happy with. If I do not like that result I have to mobilise people and create anarchy in the country. It is not going to help you because anarchy will destroy this country that you would want to lead one day and if you were to lead a destroyed country, are you going to succeed? Will you really perform your mandate on what you want to achieve.
So Madam Speaker, the report from the Vice President is an eye opener and it also must help every Zimbabwean. Every Zimbabwean must know that this country is the only country that we have. Every person that you see is potentially your relative - why do you have to fight, why do you have to create lies that will demonise your country and people then cannot work together because you have created an environment that is not useful for the development of your country? So mainly I am saying this is a very important commission that even Parliament in our deliberations on budget, we must think seriously of resourcing it in order to ensure that it performs its duties to the maximum. I thank you.
+ HON. D. SIBANDA: Firstly I would like to thank you, Madam Speaker, for giving me this opportunity. Thank you Madam President for bringing this important matter to this House. Madam Speaker if we are talking about bringing peace in this country where there is no peace we should look closely that if we are talking about peace, we should know what we are talking about. We should know that if we are talking about peace we are talking about peace and reconciliation. If we are talking about peace we should know that the truth is coming out like it is because when I am a leader talking about truth, I should know that people should take it as it is because people should agree with what I am telling them because people here in Zimbabwe will be knowing what the truth is.
As leaders, if we are leading people we should know that we are leading people who are happy in this country, we are leading people who understand that if I move around as a leader there is nobody who looks down upon me. They will know that a leader, mother or a father has just passed through this road. Why should it be this way? The Lord should have mercy on me, should pave way for me and the Lord should give me strength so that I can be a good leader.
Madam Speaker, because this matter has been brought in this House in my presence and I got this opportunity to stand and talk. I will talk about the matter that happened in Matabeleland after the war. The war ended in 1979. There was a ceaze fire. We were very young. We were free to walk about and everyone was very happy, then around from 1985 to 1986 there was havoc. We were very young and now we are old but we are still failing to fix that matter yet we are calling ourselves leaders or we are saying we have people who we are leading. Why are we failing to fix this? Right now we cannot jump the gun and say we will now deal with matters that are happening now. What about the longstanding issues that still hold wounds?
We should fix those wounds. We can try to run away from those matters as if we do not want to talk about them, but we should talk about those matters. I am talking about the Gukurahundi matter, Madam Speaker. We have tried to run away from that matter but we cannot run away from it because the wound is still there. I am taking not because I am noting that our expediting of these other matters seems as if we are running away from this matter. If we are telling each other the truth, we should agree and say that Ndlovu is the one who started with this matter and then Moyo told the soldiers to go there and Sibanda said this. Now you see this is the truth. If the truth comes out like this – we will know Ndlovu, Sibanda and Dube are the ones who did this other than say no, we will not talk about these people. Let us start talking about this matter, this does not help at all.
We, as people from Matabeleland want to know where this matter started from because this matter of war has already ended and there was another matter which troubled the sisters, brothers, mothers, fathers and grandparent in the rural areas. I was watching CNN yesterday when they were talking about a man from Cambodia. It was just unfortunate that I cannot recall his name and this man butchered about 40 000/50 000 people. I agree that he is the one who started and butchered 20 000/15 000 people. This is good because we will always know rather than surmising or hiding behind the finger. If we are talking about the truth, we should agree that I am the one who allowed people from Tsholotsho and people from the Midlands to be killed.
Those who witnessed that will be very sorry that we will end some disagreements at home and that if we are leading, it should be known that we are good leaders of Zimbabwe and we will know that the leaders are standing for the truth and the Lord will look at our country and he will have mercy on us. People fight and you saw what happened in Rwanda. People fought and told each other bad words but people forgave each other and now Rwanda is a good country.
We saw what happened in South Africa – the bad things that happened but they forgave each other and that is why South Africa has moved forward now. If we do not talk about these matters, there are so many people Vice President. I had two constituencies in these past two terms. Right now I am still on the ground. I had so many people who did not have identity cards from my constituency Vice President, they know but the law does not allow them. Every person wants to vote but they cannot because they do not have identification cards. If you merely look at a person, you will say this one looks like my grandparents but this person does not have an identification card.
The issue that these people do not have identification cards goes back again from the matters that have not yet been fixed. These people will become useless and will start guessing and start saying this person is from Malawi. How can we say someone from the Ncube and Ndlovu clan comes from Malawi and yet that person says that his grandparents are from Zimbabwe? We know the real truth that his/her parents died during the Gukurahundi era.
Thank you Vice President for bringing this matter. We are looking forward for the Commission to interview everyone and bring out the truth because we are tired of playing hide and seek, especially if we are looking at Gukurahundi. Right now we are in pain because we hear that some other people were thrown in Bhalabha Mines. All of a sudden we hear that there are gold panners in those mines. Right now my grandfather is staying there. I am in pain to imagine that we do not have leaders in this country due to what is happening in this country.
I want to touch mainly on the issue of police officers. I heard some of my colleagues talking about the matter. A police officer should not personalize the matter and say MaSibanda insulted me or the matter that is from the Sibanda area I do not like it. The police officer will be very wrong on that Madam Speaker. If it is okay, the police officers should start afresh and be taught on how to do their duties. I do not want to say much because what they are doing is wrong. If a police officer is in police regalia, he is representing the people. A police officer should be impartial.
It is the same like soldiers – if the soldiers are wearing their uniform, they are representing the people as well. They should protect the country and they will be wrong if they choose or take sides. Thank you that this matter was brought forward. You should know that the Lord does not stand for one person and the Lord does not get drunk. Can this matter be resolved so that we forgive and reconcile and move forward so that we work together as Zimbabweans? Thank you Madam Speaker.
HON. T. MOYO: Thank you Madam Speaker. May I thank the Hon. Vice President for a very good report on National Peace and Reconciliation Report of 2018. I wish to add my voice by starting with a very popular quotation from the late Hon. Vice President Nkomo who said “Peace begins with me, peace begins with you and peace begins with all of us”. The issues that we are discussing are very pertinent and very important. The machinery that drives the Commission to keep going must be properly oiled. A lot of resources should be availed to them and put to their disposal.
Of particular note is the issue of vehicles and drones. The Commission should be allowed to travel to different places of Zimbabwe to monitor all activities that will be obtaining in different constituencies so that they compile reports and try to bring people together. We are all Zimbabweans and we have one country. We should not be divided on the basis of ethnicities or on the basis of tribalism or racism because we are one people. I really appreciate some of the recommendations from the report. The issue which is very important and topical is the issue of hate speech.
Zimabbwe is a polarized country in the sense that there are people who abuse freedoms that are enshrined in the Constitution. They go to the extent of insulting one another and in the process that becomes very difficult to resolve conflicts. I want to link what the Hon. vice President has said with the report that was given by the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission for the period 2018. On page 18 was a hate speech by one individual who was campaigning to be President. We do not want hate speech in Zimbabwe because that will divide us.
So, for the purposes of information I will read on page 18, there is a speech, an example that was captured by Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission. It says, one Presidential candidate at a rally at Chivu Stadium, Chikomba West in Mashonaland East Province. The Human Rights Commission heard a Presidential candidate his speech that zvingagona here kuti tipe hutungamiri hwenyika kunaMnangagwa naChiwenga, mbavha dzagara dzichizivikanwa - such statements. We should not be divided by our political affiliations. We might be divided because of political parties but we have one agenda to defend our country.
I will address the issue of social media. Social media has played a very serious role in trying to promote hate speeches. People just put on the internet a lot of information, insulting one another and in the process making difficult the Commission’s job to resolve conflicts. I need to applaud the report for observing that issues to do with devolution should be fully concluded. I am aware that some funds have been put to different provinces but however, there is need to harmonise the issue of this devolution with the Constitution. I think the process is ongoing.
Finally Madam Speaker Maám, may I take this opportunity to thank the Hon. Vice President for a job well done. I also appeal to the Hon. Minister of Finance who is in this House to provide resources to the Commission so that they can execute their duties very well. I thank you.
*HON. TEKESHE: Thank you Madam Speaker Maám. I rise to thank the Vice President for a well presented report on National Peace and Reconciliation Commission. It is headed by a high profile person, this is why I think it will be a success.
However, for the Commission to succeed – in 2009, the Commission was there but nothing fruitful came out. I think Hon. Vice President, for this Commission to succeed there is need to engage those in authority to observe the law and apply it equally without favour. If law is applied selectively, like which party do you belong to, the Commission will never achieve its objectives. It is like we are saying you are from the ‘first house’ or the ‘second house’, so the law is applied differently.
For example in 2008, many people died due to politically motivated violence but there were no arrests or convictions because people who were doing this were regarded as from the ‘first house’. I am not saying it was a good thing - there was a policeman who died in GlenView. I do not support the death of that police officer. I am hurt but the death of that police officer caused the arrest of about 31 people. For our country to succeed, we must not take sides when it comes to application of law.
The death of this particular police officer made the people who were arrested to stay in prison for more than 20 years. For this Commission to be a success, we must look back and correct the past. For example Gukurahundi, if those people who caused the Gukurahundi are still alive they must be charged. The Commission cannot be a success if people know that the person who caused the death of my cousin is alive and is walking scot free. They will not support the preaching of peace and reconciliation. If we remove politics when it comes to application of law, we will see our country moving smoothly. Today Mr. Zuma brought me here but if someone sees you with a person from a another political party – opposition does not mean hatred but it means diversion in thinking and belief for purposes of making things work for better. We beg you Hon. Vice President to look back into all that happened in the past so that the law can take its course.
We remember in 2008, someone was arrested and the person shouted ‘tell so and so that I have been arrested, but I am a ZANU PF card holder’. That person has been released and is walking freely. We feel as if these commissions are just put on paper only to please the international world but we are not implementing the rules of these commissions. There is no one who can agree to peace and reconciliation when that person knows that his/her child died due to political differences and the killer is known but the law was not effectively applied. I thank you.
*HON. CHIKWAMA: Thank you Madam Speaker. I would like to thank the Vice President for bringing this report on peace and reconciliation. This Commission is a very important commission with a very important job. We know there are other people who take chances to talk bad about this commission but it is doing a good job. We are seeing the report that they have done within a short period of time and it has touched many areas.
We appeal to authorities to give this commission enough resources to cover other areas so that the whole country will get the hope of peace. There are other people who think that the commission is looking at one side of political parties. We want the commission to get the requisite resources and get to all the areas including rural areas so that there is hope that people remain and stay in peace. There are other people who want to take advantage of the commission and look at it as if they are doing a political job yet they are fighting to bring peace and reconciliation to everyone despite which political party one belongs to. Let us make sure that we resolve our differences without looking at political parties and take the commission as the commission of the country. I want to thank the President for bringing this report. This Commission is a very important Commission and has a very important job. We know there are people who want to take chances to talk bad about this Commission but this Commission is doing a very good job. We are seeing the report which they come up within a short period of time. It has touched on many areas. This Commission must be given more resources such that they cover the whole country so that all the people will get the help on peace because there are other people who think that the Commission is one sided. We want people to remain and stay in peace but there are people who want to take advantage of the Commission and take it as if they are doing the political job yet it is a good job which helps people to stay in peace and harmony and make sure that we resolve our differences without looking at political parties. We take the Commission as a Commission of the country which is doing a good job of making people understand each other so that there is harmony. We plead that they be given resources because some Commissioners are using their personal cars and this makes them difficult to reach all the corners of the country. The report helps us to be united.
We know that the Hon. Vice President is the one who is heading the Commission and we know that he is going to assist Commissioners to do the job properly. We do not want people who point at each other to say there is noise in the Army and there is noise at Parliament. The Commission is doing a very good job and we do not have to look at other organisations which are interfering with the Commission trying to destroy the purpose of the Commission. We say that the Commission must continue doing its mandate and ignore the social media and other organisations bend on tarnishing its image. People can talk of 2008 but right now something is happening and the Commission is doing a commendable job. The Commission is going area by area scrutinising these issues. Thank you.
HON. TOGAREPI: I move that the debate do now adjourn.
HON. MPARIWA: I second.
Motion put and agreed to.
Debate to resume: Tuesday, 8th September, 2020.
MOTION
ANNUAL REPORT OF THE NATIONAL PEACE AND RECONCILIATION COMMISSION FOR THE YEAR 2019
THE VICE PRESIDENT (HON. K. C. D MOHADI): Madam Speaker, I hereby table the National Peace and Reconciliation 2019 report as distributed to the Members. Madam Speaker, allow me to give a summary of the National Peace and Reconciliation Commission 2019 Annual Report.
Madam Speaker, in 2019, the National Peace and Reconciliation Commission’s thrust was to engage the communities on the ground, which included:
- The establishment of Provincial Peace Committees as part of its strategy to develop infrastructure for conflict prevention, complaints handling and investigations;
- Engagements and collaboration with various stakeholders such as traditional leaders, political parties, civil society organisations and the security sector;
- Preparations for public and private hearings to help victims of past conflicts secure closure, healing and reconciliation;
- Pioneering programmes to promote social cohesion as well as conducting scenario analysis programmes in order to anticipate future potential conflicts;
- Recruitment of secretariat as well as the capacitation of staff to sharpen their skills.
Madam Speaker, the NPRC noted that the year 2019 was very challenging, primarily because of inadequate financial resources as a result of the hyper-inflationary environment.
Madam Speaker, in the report, the Commission makes the following recommendations to this august House;
- That State and non-State institutions promote programmes which foster tolerance, equality; build social cohesion among Zimbabweans;
- That Government promotes and resource historians to document inclusive story lines that reframe and capture agreeable narratives about Zimbabwe’s history;
iii. That national shared vision be promoted;
- That Parliament enact enabling legislation to officialise languages in line with the Constitution;
- That Government promotes the tuition of all indigenous languages;
- That the roles of the Fallen Heroes Trust and the ZIPRA War Veterans Trust pertaining to exhumations and reburials be clearly defined and harmonised;
vii. That Government develops a comprehensive policy to address protection of witnesses, victims and survivors of violent conflicts;
viii. That political parties have formally recognised constitutions to deal with internal conflicts and self-regulating mechanisms to promote peaceful political activism;
- That the amendment of the Mines and Minerals Amendment Bill be expedited; and
- That Government develops a policy to integrate, mainstream or introduce peace education in primary, secondary and tertiary institutions.
Madam Speaker, the recommendations of the NPCR herein will foster enhanced national capacities for sustaining peace and promote healing and reconciliation as well as inclusive healing and reconciliation processes that address legacies of violent conflicts. I so submit Madam Speaker.
HON. MPARIWA: Thank you Madam Speaker. I want to thank the Vice President for bringing both the reports. I stood up on the second report of the 2019. When I was whispering to my colleagues, I was saying the unfinished business of the Global Political Agreement of 2009 to 2013, hence you heard the debates that were being carried out by my colleagues in the first report that the Vice President has tabled and were actually like demanding the way forward.
I am pleased that the presentation of the report in this House is a testimony that perhaps we are seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. I heard about the peace committees in the communities and the programmes for social cohesion. There is nothing that beats people getting together in a community to actually say okay this was done, you have wronged me but let us find each other. There is nothing that beats engagement in terms of people that are in a community. I am glad that those were glaring gaps that I was thinking about when I was seated there listening to the first report.
If you look at the national shared vision to be promoted, that is exactly what Zimbabweans want. There was some misinformation in terms of who is doing that and where are we heading to. In this report, the Vice President laid the steps or landmarks of where we go to – the stakeholder engagement. The communities where we are coming from are the ones that are demanding answers, the answers seem to be coming out in terms of engagement and comprehensive political parties self regulating. Our slogans need to be designed in a way that is tolerable to both political parties. We need not say which party and the like. We know what we do. We know when it is election time and we know what we say at rallies. When we say “peace begins with you and peace begins with me” let us really mean it. Let us not demean that slogan because it speaks volumes in terms of actions by the political leaders. Our own branches and cells copy from the actions and what we do. When the Vice President lays such a report in the House, let us walk the talk.
Madam Speaker, I am not here to make a discord in terms of such a good report that shapes the way forward and in terms of the steps that the country has to take. Let us walk the talk as political parties and as leaders.
HON. TOFFA: I would like to thank the Vice President for the 2019 report. I have not stood up to debate much but I thought it was very important because I took note of recommendation No. 2 where the Vice President spoke to the fact that historians must be well resourced. Madam Speaker, this is a very important issue when we are talking about the history of this country. Hon Vice President, our history in Zimbabwe is distorted. The liberations struggle was fought by the ZANLA and ZIPRA forces. The history out there needs to be clear. This is one of the things that contributes to peace and reconciliation and everyone must feel included and appreciated and our nationals need to know the true history. This is a challenge to you Vice President that when those funds come out, our nation gets its true history.
HON. MADZIMURE: I want to thank the Vice President for giving us this opportunity to debate such an important report. Taking on from what Hon Toffa has just said, we are taking too long to write our own history and as a result, we now appear to be cherry picking what we call our history.
Depending on who is in charge at that particular time, we even see this when it is time for our Independence celebrations. There are certain videos and photographs that are very important that you never see depending on what is the situation at that particular time. There are videos that are very important that appear nonexistent and can only be found when the time is regarded to be suitable. This is wrong. There is no one who is more important when it comes to the history of our struggle.
During the struggle, we had two political parties and there were no other political parties, meaning you either belonged to ZAPU or to ZANU. That means we cannot talk of what is happening to use it to distort what happened then. Let us give those people who participated their due respect. It does not matter whether that person was ZAPU or ZANU, we must give those people their due respect. Already we are seeing things starting to change. When Independence time comes, those important videos where the first founding President of this country is appearing are now being omitted. This is what we must shy from. Let us give our people the true history.
I was arguing some years back before the former President passed on – may his soul rest in peace – with the late Cde Tungamirai when we spent some 12 hours here in Parliament. I was saying to him why are you not writing books so that we know exactly what happened. The story was to do with the bombing of the petrol tanks in Southerton. That is when l started knowing that he had a hand in it on what happened. This was later confirmed by the late Hon Perrance Shiri. The late Hon Perrance Shiri’s video only started being flighted now. We did not know this whole story about how these people came from the Tete Province into Zimbabwe and how they settled in Domboshava. This is now 40 years.
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Hon. Members who are not on the floor, I am reminding you to keep your mics on mute.
HON. MADZIMURE: The Vice President did quite well by mentioning that resources are needed. We want resources that will be well spent and produce the true history of this country. Even the disturbances in Matabeleland and Midlands, we must know exactly what happened so that we learn from those mistakes. We cannot keep on doing the same thing over and over again. Even right now when you look at our politics why it is so toxic, it is because we do not tell each other the truth. This issue of continuously playing covert like we are still in a war should stop. We cannot keep on lying to each other and the only way we can tell each other the truth Madam Speaker is that we must open up the communication systems. We must open up the airwaves. Can you tell me that 40 years after independence, Zimbabwe still has one television station. Look at what they do; at 6 o’clock in the morning, you wake up and you want to listen to news and “pane majingles, panototamba band, zvivapfanha zviri kutamba zvazvo Zimdancehall.” You end up switching on to CNN, SABC, eTV, Aljazeera because we are not doing a service to our country by denying our own people information. The only way we can tell the truth is making sure that we allow our people to have as much information as possible. It is a serious indictment that even the second republic still has one television station.
If you talk of the radio, it is all one radio station. You cannot talk of Star FM as an independent radio and you cannot talk of Capitalk. Whenever someone indulges in dealing with serious matters, that person is fired. This has been happening. We have been firing presenters and even DJs for playing certain songs. Is that tolerance? Are we promoting tolerance? What are we trying to do? What will be our legacy? I think we can do better than what we are doing. There is no way we can always have this news of portraying a rosy Zimbabwe always. We are not. Let us allow our people to make choices to receive information and impart information. That is the only way we can even share a vision.
The Vice President in the report talks about a shared vision. A shared vision is not forced on the citizens. You actually have this feel that I share this vision because of what then happens. For us to have peace and reconciliation, our people must not feel petrified like what Hon. Zvobgo once said where people at night if they hear footsteps, you even suspect those foot steps to be soldiers coming to beat you up or the police coming to arrest you. There are several things that are basic Madam Speaker that we must do to ensure that there is peace in Zimbabwe; simple things, just respecting each other. If Madzimure commits a crime and you find him at his house, you can even ask him without handcuffing him to accompany the police to the police station. You do not need leg irons Madam Speaker. This is where the issue of peace starts from. In this era, we still have Zimbabweans who are leg ironed like what exactly Smith used to do and we expect peace. No ways, we cannot. It is wrong.
Even the war veterans themselves, when they once tried to demonstrate, they were beaten and water cannons came. Was it necessary for an amputee to be treated in that particular manner? It is not good. My plea through you Madam Speaker to the Vice President is that he has a perfect opportunity during this time of his life to make sure that he changes the culture, especially the culture of impunity. We went through terrible times. People like myself, I was a grown up boy during the war and I know what happened. I even saw two ex-combatants being gunned down in front of me and I have got the names. The other one is called Lazi. I saw it happening. I even have one within the family. When he was caught, he was dangled from a helicopter. Do we still want to see that happening to ourselves? We do not have to.
This commission must just be an apolitical commission. When they see that polad is not performing, they must say why is it not performing and we want to make sure that we have everybody on board. They must not enjoy several meetings in that small group when they can have a bigger group. That is their purpose. For them to think that all is normal, that is not true. Right now, if you go to a roadblock, sometimes you just say are we in Zimbabwe or Rhodesia. I once saw along Josiah Chinamano, opposite the Polytechnic, there was a roadblock and people had been asked to sit down with their papers, one after the other, “mukadzi apa, murume apa.” I have a got a photograph and I said to myself, why do we treat ourselves like foreigners in our own country? I think we still have got a long way to go. The issue of us seeing button sticks always everywhere is not the right thing to do.
I take great exception of a situation where a Zimbabwean can walk into a police station, report a case and expect the police to take action. If you go and report a police officer, you are arrested. A case is created and you know this is a manufactured case and you can even go to remand and remain there for two weeks. There is a lot that we still have to do. So, I am saying Vice President, this is a very good initiative and I hope your reports will be more detailed because there are a lot of gaps that are there; there are a lot of issues that are not handled.
Belonging to another political party does not make me an enermy. Even when you go to a rally “kuti pasi naMadzimure nembwa dzake,” that should not be allowed – [AN HON. MEMBER: Inaudible interjections.] – “Nesuwo hatifanirwe kutombodaro.” We are not supposed to do so and it is your Commission that can make sure that you educate people. This is why I said we do not have civic education. It is not necessary, it is not allowed. If as a Government you take a position and say this will not be said, no one will say that. I do not have the power to do so. No, you do not just arrest, you educate people. It is not necessary to arrest people; it is not the solution. You have seen demonstrations in America. How many arrests are there? They are bigger demonstrations and serious demonstrations. I think unless we stop treating each other as them and us, the moment we do so, the moment we share our resources, then Zimbabwe will be a better country. Let us leave a legacy, let us live a country a normal country. Thank you Madam Speaker.
HON. BUSHU: Thank you Madam Speaker for giving me this opportunity to add my voice and contribute to the debate on the report that was given by the Vice President to this august House. Madam Speaker, I listened to the two reports and I was impressed by the progress made from the first report to the second. What it means essentially is that the issue of peace and reconciliation is lacking good progress. Madam Speaker, through you, I would like to thank the Vice President and his team, particularly the Peace and Reconciliation Commission for looking at issues and solving some of the problems that have arisen within our communities, within our country.
Having read a little bit of history, we all know very well that our past history as human beings has always been leveraged around conflict, power and acquisition of resources, but with time we have all realised that a lot of the fights that we were engaged in were not necessary. However, some that would be necessary were conducted, particularly the liberation war - it was necessary that we liberate ourselves because we were not allowed to enjoy our peace. That obviously caused some natural conflict but having gone into independence, we all know that it was important that we reconciled and we all remember for those who were old enough that there was a call to turn our guns into ploughshares.
This simply means that it was the beginning of the evolution of peace and reconciliation. It could not be done in one day, things then deteriorated but alas, we looked at it and said as Zimbabweans we need peace in our country. Now, that the peace and reconciliation Commission has been established and the world over it has been proven that if you establish a Commission like that, you will be successful as a nation or as a people. In coming together and dialoging, finding out where your problems are and how you can solve them.
We are looking at these reports and we are saying the new dispensation is true to its word. We are preaching peace and peace. What we need to do now is to look at the small areas where we have a few differences and the responsibility is not on one side that there is peace but on both sides of those who think that there must be conflict. When conflict arises, we must also get sober and look at issues as they are, look at each other as brothers and sisters, mothers and fathers, grandfathers and grandmothers and as Zimbabweans. There is a reason why God located us in this area, there is a reason why we think that there must be peace and there is a reason why we must push the issue of peace together.
The fact that the Peace and Reconciliation Commission has been given Presidential attention is very key. This means that our State is very focused on peace and reconciliation. It also says a lot when the Minister of Finance is here while we are talking of this; it means the resources that are required for our country to move forward in terms of peace and reconciliation will get the requisite financial attention. I think it is important that we do so because where there is peace, there is development. Most countries that are well developed are those that decide on peace after conflict so we have an opportunity as Zimbabweans to use the peace and reconciliation Commission, fund it well, believe in it and ensure that we have the peace that we require.
I do not think the Commission is a final case; it must come to an end when we achieve the peace that we require, when we achieve the satisfaction that we can relate to each other well.
Madam Speaker, I think Members of this House agree with me that we need the peace. When there is no peace everyone is uncomfortable but remember we should not just hit at the police force or the army, those are established to ensure that there is some peace and when there is no peace there is some intervention from these armed forces. So, we then need the peace so that they can remain in their cantonments, so that they can assist us in other economic development activities as we have seen them do.
Madam Speaker, we need the peace and I would like to thank the Peace and Reconciliation Commission as led by the Vice President, as their report reflects to ensure that this country the peace that we require. I thank you.
*HON. MATANGIRA: Thank you very much Madam Speaker for giving me an opportunity to add a voice. Firstly, I would like thank the Hon. Vice President for giving us a report in the 2019 report on Peace and Reconciliation. I would like to thank all those who spoke before me to say that we all know that these two political parties, ZIPRA and ZANLA are the ones who went to war, fighting for everyone so that we get independence. Now that the country is here, there are things that did not go well, even people in a beerhall fight, and husband and wife fight and aunts are called in to bring peace. So peace and reconciliation has always been there, what we appreciate today is that we have started a process to fix things.
Let us not look at the Commission with one direction, criticizing Gukurahundi. We went for elections, this is what we fought for and people died. What happened indeed happened. What we achieved was democracy for Zimbabwe after independence. Those who understood it got it, even in a race, someone will take the first position, and others will take the second and third positions. It is not always the case that you will take the first positions.
Let us loosen our hearts, we should be people with faith, let us accept ourselves, you cannot be a grandmother when you are young. If we go to elections we should be able to be in a position to accept what came out of the elections. Where is the democracy from our slogans that we say at rallies? Mobilising people to do the wrong things is not the correct position.
I would like to continue to thank Hon. Mpariwa. She said that as political parties we are the causers of this political instability in this country because of what we do as political parties. Our slogans should be corrected because they are contributing to the political instability in the country. Development does not come. We should accept the results and come together as a people. The Government is for everyone and it does not choose one particular party.
We may differ in ideas when we go for political elections as we look for people to vote for us, but after the elections we should come together as a family. Let us leave slogans that cause divisions. Demonstrations that I have heard being mentioned in this House, they have a right to demonstrate and it is within the Constitution. Even in a family set up, children can come together to demonstrate against their parents, their mother and their father, but we do reprimand them.
Why do we despise soldiers given that situation of the example? As we compare our country to other countries America has its own laws against such actions such as demonstrations. There are even harsh laws. In such situations those states you have mentioned act accordingly. Let me mention some of the things that were mentioned by the founding fathers who led Cde. Joshua Nkomo. This is what he said, ‘the Zimbabwean army is there to keep peace and stability in the country. Any action against the law they will act to maintain peace’.
I would like to thank the Hon. Vice President - inasmuch as I know the Head of State and Government, His Excellency President Mnangagwa, It is my wish that this thing had come to an end. Those who fought in Rwanda and other countries were killing each other over political issues, but now there is development in Rwanda. Let us come together and put the past behind us so that the country can go forward and we have development.
There are two things that we kindly ask as Christians - our food for the day and to be forgiven our sins. We should be able to forgive those who sin against us. With those words I would like to thank you Madam Speaker and to thank you Hon. Vice President Mohadi. Let us go and finish this Peace and Reconciliation Commission. Let us come together and develop so that things can go well and have sustainable solutions. Thank you.
HON. TOGAREPI: I move that the debate do now adjourn.
HON. MUPARIWA: I second.
Motion put and agreed to.
Debate to resume: Tuesday, 3rd September, 2020.
MOTION
BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE
HON. TOGAREPI: I move that Orders of the Day Numbers 3 to 5 on today’s Order Paper be stood over until Order of the Day Number 6 has been disposed of.
HON. MUPARIWA: I second.
Motion put and agreed to.
MOTION
FINANCE BILL: BUDGET DEBATE
Sixth order read: Adjourned debate on motion that leave be granted to bring in a Finance Bill.
HON. MHONA: Thank you Madam Speaker for affording me this opportunity. Finance and Economic Development Hon. Minister, Professor Mthuli Ncube, on Thursday 16 August 2020 presented the Mid-term budget and economic review statement to Parliament. The Mid-Year budget review statement was meant to highlight details on economic developments during the first half of the year, progress on implementation of the 2020 National Budget and also makes proposals for realignment of macro-economic and fiscal policies to the Transitional Stabilisation Programme. Guided by indications of current performance and projected economic statistics, Parliament can consider proposals for necessary fiscal policy interventions to realign the policy thrust towards the broader macroeconomic objectives and poverty alleviation.
The statement came amid a background of economic headwinds, characterised by climatic shocks especially 2019/20 drought and Cyclone Idai; Energy challenges, Currency volatility and the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic. The Budget, Finance and Economic Development Committee had, prior to this announcement engaged the Governor of the Reserve Bank, Dr. J. P. Mangudya and the Minister of Finance, Hon. M. Ncube who appeared before the Committee on 20 May and 3 June respectively. The Committee sought to understand the state of the economy as well as to get an update on the implementation of the monetary and fiscal policies.
COMPLIANCE TO LEGISLATION
The legal requirements underpinning the preparation and presentation of this statement to the August house are provided for in Section 7(2) (a) of the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA) which requires the Minister responsible for Finance to “provide full and transparent accounts, from time to time and not less than annually to Parliament, indicating the current and projected State of the Economy, the Public Resources of Zimbabwe and the Fiscal Policy of the Government.”
COMMITTEE OBSERVATIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Credibility of projections in the Budget Review
The economy is expected to contract by 4.5% amid glaring challenges the economy is facing chief among them the COVID 19 Pandemic. The economy also grapples with inflationary pressures, reduced aggregate demand and forex challenges. The growth projection is worrisome in the context of global growth projection of -4.9% and Sub Saharan Africa’s growth projection of -3.2%. The Committee is concerned with inflation projections as inflation is expected to gradually decline in the second half of 2020, from the peak of 785.5% in May 2020, to 300% in December 2020, responding to current monetary and fiscal policy intervention. The statement acknowledgers that the surge in annual inflation is attributed to speculative pricing, arising from forward pricing practice and adverse inflation expectations, following the depreciation of the Zimbabwe dollar against major currencies in the parallel market. The Auction system has not addressed price indexing to parallel market especially in the famous “tuckshops” which are excluded from participating at the Auction system. Credibility issues also creep in as economic agents recall the assurances they were given in the 2020 budget that monthly inflation was expected to fall to single digit figures from the first quarter of 2020 to close the year around 2% on the back of commitment by the Central Bank to fight inflation through implementing an active reserve money targeting programme (Paragraph 51 of the 2020 Budget Statement).
Budget Information
The committee Calls upon Treasury to work towards improving budget information. The debt information provided on paragraphs 26 to 36 and on annex 11 is not as detailed as provided for in Section 300(4) of the Constitution which mandates the Minister to:
(a) at least twice a year, report to Parliament on the performance of—
(i) loans raised by the State; and
(ii) loans guaranteed by the State;
(b) at the same time as the estimates of revenue and expenditure are laid before the National Assembly in terms of section 305, table in Parliament a comprehensive statement of the public debt of Zimbabwe.
Moreover, Section 36 of the Public Debt Management Act is instructive of the information to be contained in the report to Parliament. It provides that “At least twice a year, the Minister shall furnish Parliament with a report on Government debt management activities, guarantees and lending.
(2) The report shall be inclusive of the following-
- information on how the debt management strategy has been implemented over the course of the financial year;
- bi-annual reporting of debt management activities covering an evaluation of outcomes against the debt management objectives;
- a list of all guarantees issued by Government including a classification of guarantees according to their probability of being called in;
- a list of all outstanding borrowings and related debt service projections including classification of the loans by Government, public entities and local authorities.”
In view of this, the Committee requests the Minister to bring a detailed statement on debt to the House.
Other recommendations
- The Committee commends the Minister for setting aside funds to support agriculture well in time before the season starts.The Committee noted that the sector was relatively spared by the pandemic, but activity was relatively subdued during the season as the country experienced intermittent rainfall. The Committee also noted that ZWL$88 million of the ZWL$390 million allocated towards rehabilitation of smallholder irrigation facilities has been disbursed. This is despite the absence of any disbursement figures on annex 2, page 126 of the Budget Review Statement. The Committee therefore calls upon Treasury to prioritise irrigation financing. Realising that Zimbabwe needs at least 2 million MT of maize for both human consumption and animal feeds, Government should aim at irrigating at least 100 000 ha. Channelling more resources to investments in irrigation development and rehabilitation as well as Water harvesting and conservation (dam and canal construction) is the way forward in the face of unpredictable weather patterns.
- The Committee noted Government efforts in securing US$51 million Belarus facility and another US$51 million for the John Deere tractors. These facilities are aimed at supporting farmers to access tractors, combine harvesters, planters, and lowbed trucks and will be accessed by farmers through commercial banks namely CBZ, Stanbic and Agribank. This comes after Government in 2015 disbursed farming equipment under Phase I of the More Food Africa International Programme, valued at US$38.7 million which benefited A1 and communal irrigation schemes throughout the country. Parliament has however not been apprised of the performance of the Phase II of the Programme valued at US30 million which was earmarked for 2017. Despite these heavy investments in Agriculture mechanization through the Reserve Bank Mechanisation programme launched on 11 June 2007, the $98 million Brazil Facility under the More Food for Africa Programme whose first tranche worth $38,7million was launched in May 2015, and the Iran Facility among other programmes and the recent Belarus facility, the country is yet to make significant strides in achieving food security because of reliance on rain-fed agriculture. Any likelihood of poor rainfall in most parts of the country
due to climate change could therefore lead to food shortage. There is therefore need for the country to prioritise climate mitigation and adaptation measures through investments in irrigation infrastructure.
- The Committee is concerned with the reduced gold deliveries that reflect increased leakages (amid high production) through smuggling and diversion of gold to the informal market arising from issues around forex retention and pricing. Against this background, gold deliveries are projected at 27 958 kg for the year 2020, which is lower than the 2019 levels despite the favourable international prices obtaining compared to the previous year. This comes on the back of disclosures by the Minister in
June 2020 that the country’s gold is being smuggled to Dubai via South Africa, The Committee recommends that in addition to strengthening security issues, the Ministry should also address pricing issues and forex retention thresholds. The Committee is also recommending that the Minister makes specific pronouncement around streamlining of Mining fees and charges to reduce costs. This has been recommended over the years with no action on the ground.
- The Committee welcomes the prioritisation of the regional gateway-the Harare-Beitbridge road rehabilitation project wherein Government allocated ZWL$321 million. The Committee is however concerned with the target to achieve 200 km by year end which may be overambitious, given the quantum of resources required. Annex 2 of the Budget review statement indicates that so far $965,9 million has been disbursed so far towards that project and 7.2 km has been completed and opened to traffic. This has however taken more than a year to achieve. The statement notes that 25 km has been primed and surfacing (tarring) is in progress. Expecting to open 100 km by end of August may be far-fetched. Any failure in that regard will further dampen the little credibility that project had generated on economic agents.
- The Committee notes with concern unsatisfactory allocations towards the COVID 19 pandemic wherein only ZWL$1.8 billion was released to various Ministries/Agencies/Departments. Support to the Ministry of Health and Child Care was ZWL$738.5 million. The immediate priority should be to ramp up public health expenditures to contain the virus outbreak as Covid 19 cases spike, offer humanitarian assistance and rescue the economy. The support to business and households should be sizable and timely and should not exclude those in the informal sector. The ZWL738.5 million is lower than US$27 million disbursed by development partners towards the pandemic during the same period. This shows that the government was only concerned with balancing its books while dumping
its core social responsibilities to development partners. When the Minister appeared before the Committee on 3 June, he assured the Committee that by 31 May 2020, Treasury had made budget releases of Z$1.3 billion of which cash availed amounted to Z$1,1 billion. This was mainly directed towards procurement of PPEs, screening, testing and isolation as well as WASH programmes in local authorities. He also indicated that Treasury had mobilized Z$500 million through TBs against a target of Z$1 billion for emergency funding for the COVID 19 pandemic. The Minister also put it on record that with regards to COVID 19 donations, domestic cash donations amounted to US$85 069 and Z$14.8 million then. Development partners had also chipped in with US$184.35 million excluding donations in kind.
- Related to the above, the Committee also noted with concern that only Z$$50 million has been availed so far support to the transitory poor households. Government also availed ZWL$127.8 million to cushion vulnerable groups in both urban and rural areas. The Minister of Finance had announced in March that Treasury had set aside $600 million in financial support over three months [$200 million a month] for small businesses and vulnerable people affected by the lockdown. However, most of the Communities that our Members represent have not benefited from the scheme. The Committee calls upon Treasury to prioritise cushioning the poor and vulnerable and these include small scale farmers, petty traders in the informal sector, people living with HIV and AIDS, people living with disability among others from the adverse effects of the pandemic through targeted social transfers Local councillors and Community Based Organisations should be involved in beneficiary identification for social transfers to vulnerable persons, laid off workers, and eligible self-employed persons in the informal sectors.
- The Committee notes with concern that the security sector remains exposed as most of them are manning checkpoints without the necessary protective equipment despite disclosures of release of ZWL$197 million operational support for the sector. The Committee is also concerned with the lacklustre government response to reports of inadequacy of facilities and security at the country’s quarantine facilities. This has seen a spike in positive cases at these facilities and frequent escapes which led to spike in local transmissions. The budget review statement disclosed that ZWL$35.5 million was allocated to shelters where the homeless are placed despite the huge increase in the presence of vagrants across many cities. The report also indicates that quarantine centers received ZWL$50 million.
- The Committee is concerned with the delay in the disbursement of the $18.2 billion Stimulus Package, which amounts to 28.6% of the 2020 National Budget. When the package was announced, it was worth US $720 million using official exchange rate of US 1 Z: 25 and US 360 million using parallel market rates. These delays in the wake of imminent prolonged lockdowns will exacerbate the impact of the pandemic on the economy. As such, a growth target of -4.5 % may not be achieved.
- The Committee is encouraged by the performance of the Foreign Exchange Auction Trading System which came into effect on 23 June 2020 where the maximum and minimum bids are converging towards the equilibrium. The auction system was adopted amid a background of forex market indiscipline and hyperinflation. The minimum entry-level of US50 000 however means that a huge chunk of the market is excluded from auction system which creates opportunities for the parallel market.Zimbabwe has a huge informal economy, estimated to be the second largest in the world after Bolivia. It is therefore crucial that the interbank market is also strengthened to cater for small forex requirements. Operating rules for tender sessions should be maintained in order to enhance the public's confidence toward the auction system. The mistakes of 2004 where the Auction system degenerated into an allocation system should be avoided at all costs. Interference with the market mechanism and monetary indiscipline lead to inefficiencies that will cause the total collapse of the Auction System as well as failure to defend the local currency. The covert massaging that happened to the interbank rate should be avoided.
- The Committee notes with concern the rapid redollarization of the economy and the deafening silence of the Mid Term budget review statement on measures to reverse this. There is need to put in place in place measures that encourage the use of the Zimbabwe dollar and Government must show the way as a measure of building confidence. The Minister should have clearly stood out to defend the Zim dollarand crafted measures to support and create demand for the ZWL$. It is important to note that not all companies are accessing foreign currency from the auction system.
- The Committee notes a temporary suspension of trading on the Zimbabwe Stock Exchange implemented on 29 June 2020. The drastic move was taken ostensibly to reign in exchange rate spikes which the ZSE and mobile money transfers are alleged to be fuelling as the bourse was now being used as a proxy for the determination of parallel exchanges rates, which fuelled inflation. Suspending the stock exchange should be for the shortest possible period as prolonged suspension is becoming a major knock on Zimbabwe’s already threadbare image as an investment market. As such, the ZSE will find it difficult to attract investor appetite owing to such perceptions. This suspension is also likely to frustrate investor appetite in the envisioned Victoria Falls Stock Exchange.
- The Committee supports restrictions made to mobile money transfer platforms. Mobile money transfer service providers restricted some elements of mobile money services including cash out services and merchant lines. The new limit of $5 000 is however not favourable for business transactions for example payment of salaries.
- Related to the above, the Committee calls upon the RBZ to strengthen its monitoring mechanisms to curb nefarious activities in the banking sector which fuel the parallel market. Punitive measures must be put in place for individuals and institutions found on the wrong side of the law. Regular compliance checks should be preferred to abrupt policy announcements and reversals which cause havoc in the market and are a source of the current lack of confidence.
- The Committee is concerned with the absence of the supplementary budget despite the glaring need for such given the fact that the country is experiencing 3-digit inflation levels and a depreciating exchange rate. Although on average utilisation has been 46%, there is widespread imbalance on the utilisation. It is no secret that employment costs have increased from the budgeted ZW$17.8 billion on account of the salary review effected from January 2020, recruitment of additional 4 713 health personnel to fight COVID-19, payment of Risk Allowance to the frontline health workers, effective April 2020, as well as review of health specific allowances for health personnel. Recently, Government awarded its employees a 50% salary adjustment and a non-taxable US$75 allowance across the board. The Minister acknowledged in his statement that inflationary pressures continued to undermine budgeted provisions — including the cost of providing public services — but no budgetary adjustments were made to cater for that. The Minister also disclosed, when he appeared before the Committee on 3 June 2020 that additional 400 nurses and 200 medical staff recruited in March led to an increase in employment costs from Z$1.2 billion in February to Z$1.7 billion in March. However, this does not add up as this translates to more than $800 000 per person.
The Committee applauds efforts of government to create employment through the Youth Employment Tax (YETI) Incentive, but would be pleased to be favoured with statistics of how many employers have accessed the incentive and how many youths have benefited in terms of employment. The Committee also notes the ZWL$500 million for the National Venture Capital Fund set aside in the budget for the youth to create their own jobs, the same applies to Empowerment Bank ZWL$50 million, Women Development Fund ZWL$20 million, etc. The Committee recommends that the various funds set aside be released for the various programmes to commence.
- The Committee acknowledges that while this is mathematically correct in terms of averages that release was at 46% as at 30 June 2020, the various ministries utilise resources differently. Some had overspent by June 2020 while others had underspent. This points to imbalanced releases rather than inability of the Ministries to absorb. The Ministry of Mines and Mining Development had utilised only 10,9 percent of its budget by June 2020, while the Ministry Environment, Tourism and Hospitality Industry utilised only 8% of the allocated budget. However, the Ministry of Local
Government and Public Works had already used about 78 percent of allocated resources by June 2020, , NPA 356% and the Ministry of Defence and War Veterans 67,9 %. Quarterly performance reports received from Ministries attribute below par performance to such erratic releases.
- The Committee commends Government for alleviating the plight of the poor by introducing the Urban Mass Transport System (UMTS) with effect from 21 January 2019 in order to alleviate the transport challenges facing the commuting public as a result of unjustified price increases by commuter omnibus operators. The Committeecalls upon Government going forward to come up with a longterm plan which is sustainable given that the Mass Transport System in its current form was a reaction to the sharp transport increase. Local Authorities should be empowered to run the Mass Public Transport System on a cost recovery basis. There is therefore need to increase supply of more reliable conventional buses to minimize waiting times and improve efficiency.
- The Committee urges Government to further revise upwards the minimum taxable amount for the 2 percent Intermediated Money Transfer Tax to from $300 to $500, which is still too low as most products which the poor purchase at any given time would cost more than $300. The Committee commends Treasury for revising tax bands with tax free threshold reviewed from ZW$2000 to ZW$5000 to ramp up demand, though it is still too low. Corporate tax credits of up to 50% for Covid19 donations to release funds for working capital are a shot in the arm for our firms as we fight the dreaded pandemic.
- The Committee notes with concern the need to take crucial steps in tax reform. There is however need to build trust and provide proof for taxation to work. Citizens must be able to trust their governments that their hard earned resources are being used wisely and that people benefit from projects completed through taxation funds. Tax simplification needs to be adopted as complex tax systems foster a culture of tax evasion and create opportunities for corruption. There is also need to merge certain taxes and also eliminate some. The Committee recommends implementation of electronic tax payment and e-filing systems which also increases compliance and save on compliance cost. The Committee also notes the need for non-tax reform through identifying sources of revenue for example property tax, excise taxes and carbon tax. These could also deter unwanted behaviours such as driving cars in already congested areas, smoking and consuming unhealthy foods .
- The Committee is concerned that during the period from January to June, total social protection expenditure amounted to ZW$902, 2 million against targeted expenditure of ZW$1,253 billion. The distribution of major expenditures among other social interventions were as follows: Drought Mitigation ZW$412,2 million, Basic Education Assistance Module ZW$150 million, sustainable livelihoods ZW$67,3 million, support to disabled persons ZW$7,1 million, harmonised social cash transfers ZW$158,1 million, support to elderly persons ZW$3 million, children in difficult circumstances ZW$5,1 million, health assistance ZW$11,9 million and Covid-response ZW$85,5 million. This is far less than resources allocated towards the roller meal subsidy programme of $1.03 billion although the mealie meal is not readily available in shops.
- The Committee calls upon Government to urgently find a solution to the striking health workers as their continued absence from work in the wake of the pandemic is affecting the poor more. The announced budget review only offered health care workers tax exemptions which may not be adequate to get the health sector back to work.
- The Budget review did not give an update on the committed ZWL$500 million for National Venture Capital Fund. And the ZWL$ 700million for free sanitary wear for rural primary and secondary learners from Grade 4 to Upper sixth form in the 2020 budget.
- The Committee is also concerned with the challenges government workers are facing to liquidate their USD75 allowances. A convenient arrangement should be made with due consideration that these domestic Nostros that have the potential to destabilise the money market.
- The Committee is concerned with lope activity in the economy which has led to significant imports of food stuffs that amount for example in 2018, $403 million, in 2019 $465 million and $229 million in the first four months of 2020. Added to fuel imports that amount to at least US$80 million a month, this puts significant pressure on the available forex. The Committee therefore calls upon the Fiscal Authorities to complement the Monetary Authorities who have put in place measures to promote productivity in the economy.These include the reduction of the bank policy rate from 70% in November to 35%, 25%, and further again to 15% in March 2020. The statutory reserve ratio on bank deposits was reduced from 5 % to 4.5 %.
CONCLUSION
The Committee calls upon the Fiscal Authorities to dignify these policy statements by evaluating previous policies before proposing new policies or adjustments. Economic agents’ confidence is built by providing feedback on policy targets and an honest self-introspection of achievements, challenges and remedial measures. The Committee calls upon all stakeholders to act in good faith and for the good of the nation. A genuine social contract is needed where all stakeholders negotiate in good faith for a common good under the auspices of the Tripartite Negotiating Forum should be established.
1. ANNEX 1: SUMMARY
▪ The overall economy is forecasted to contract by 4.5% in 2020 against an initial projection of 3% growth . 11
The economy is expected to recover and grow by 7.4% in 2021 due to the COVID 19 pandemic The manufacturing sector will contract by 10.8% against the initial projection of -1.9%.
▪ As at 31st May 2020, total foreign currency inflows amounted US$2.35 billion, against foreign payments
I thank you Madam Speaker.
HON. MUSHORIWA: Thank you Madam Speaker. I just want to add my voice to this debate and also as a Member of the Budget and Finance Committee. I want to start from the credibility of the Monetary Policy Statement as given by the Minister. It is the view that there is a general lack of coordination from the various policy statements that you have given in this House. You look back even when you gave the initial Budget for this year and then the Mid-Term Budget Review, there is no marriage between the two. Some of the policy pronouncements and projections that you gave in the Budget and then if you try to marry them with the Mid-Term Review, you find that there is nothing that inter-connects them.
That brings me to the question that we sometimes feel that the Minister when he presented the Mid Term Review Statement appeared not to have addressed us the Hon. Members and Zimbabwe at large. It appears as if the statement was meant for some outsiders rather than for us Zimbabweans. I will give you one good example. First and foremost, the expectation that Zimbabwe had was that the Hon Minister was going to come and bring a supplementary budget to this august House. The Minister says he cannot bring a supplementary budget because in his statement he says the money that was allocated in the Budget is sufficient. The question is that at whose cost?
The Chairman talked about the crisis in the health sector. The nurses and doctors are not reporting for work because they do not have the funds. Talk about CDF, we are being asked to go and do a project with ZW$180 000 using the interbank rate. That $180 000RTGS is less than US$2500. There is no project that you can do in a constituency and the Minister does not see the need to increase the money. If you check within the various Ministries including Parliament of Zimbabwe, there are certain outstanding payments that have not been made and all those outstanding payments, whether it is Ministry A or B including the Judiciary, when you do not make those payments and then you say no I have got sufficient resources when we know that certain payments were supposed to be done which have not been done. We then ask a question, is the Mid-Term Policy Review, the Budget, the Fiscal Policy of the Government, is it tailored to us the Hon. Members of Parliament? Is it tailor made for the people of Zimbabwe because the people of Zimbabwe are saying there are certain gaps and certain issues that need to be addressed which the Hon. Minister is failing to address in the Budget and the Fiscal Policy Statement that he is actually issuing.
Madam Speaker, we need to have our books balanced, yes we need to make sure that we reduce over expenditure but we have to do it considering the political, socio-economic environment that we find ourselves in. This year Madam Speaker, there is COVID and there is lockdown. A number of our people are not gainfully employed. I represent a high density constituency and I will tell you Madam Speaker the disconnection between the Fiscal Policy Review Statement and the people that I represent.
Firstly, the Hon. Minister says that there were some monies that were allocated for the vulnerable groups but the money that has been disbursed is so little. I know because we did a programme with the Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare identifying the people that we felt needed to be assisted in Dzivarasekwa. I can tell you Madam Speaker that as I speak right now, less than 3% of those people have been assisted and the 3% that have been assisted have been given a paltry amount; an amount that cannot make them buy even cooking oil, salt and sugar. It is so little and this is why I am saying there is a disconnection between the Minister’s Fiscal Policy Statement and the reality that is happening on the ground.
When we talk of the civil servants Madam Speaker, if you do not reward your workers, what they will do is they will pretend to be working. Right now we know the Minister introduced the COVID allowance, the US$75, which we understand was meant for three months. My view Madam Speaker and the view of the Committee is to simply say the COVID allowance needs to be extended because we do not know when COVID is going to end. You cannot take it after the three months; it has to go beyond. Some of us even feel that the amount needs to be increased, maybe to about US$100 or US$150 primarily because the banks deduct about $15 or so in terms of bank charges. Our workers, the civil servants are not benefiting much and it is my view that right now that COVID allowance plus the paltry salary that we are paying our civil servants is now permanent income for the workers. So, this is the reason why we are saying it has to be extended at an increased level.
Madam Speaker, the Hon. Minister and the Reserve Bank have been trying to make sure that the auction system works. I agree that the auction system for the time being has actually been working. The rate has gone up to about $83 compared to the parallel rate which is around $100. However, here is the catch Madam Speaker. The percentage of people that are participating on the auction system, a huge chunk out there is not yet accommodated into the auction system. I understand and commend the Minister to say that the small scale sector is also benefiting but I think it needs to go beyond that. We need to make sure that even individuals also participate. There is also a system that allows everybody so that they move away from the black market.
We know that the central bank has now instructed Econet or ecocash to do certain things, to minimise and to limit the transactions but Madam Speaker, when the Government says that the maximum amount that a person can deal with per day on ecocash is limited to $5000, it just tells you that there is a disconnect. What is it that you can do with $5000? You cannot even fuel a tank with $5000. You cannot even buy groceries for the family with $5000. What it means is that we are actually punishing our own people and that is unfair. In as much as we are trying to cure the parallel market but the cure should not be harsher than the problem that we are trying to solve. That is why I am saying we need policy statements that resonate with the people that we are representing, that resonates with the masses of this country. This is the reason why even as Parliament we are prepared to walk the talk, walk with you Hon. Minister to fix this economy but we also need you to take cognizant of some of the views that we say in the House because we come from them.
One of the things Hon. Minister that you may not be aware of is whenever we go back to the constituencies, they actually ask what are you guys doing, we sent you there to raise the issues that affect us. When they look at the fiscal policy they say, but does it connect or touch the ordinary person’s life. It does not matter Hon. Minister including the people that are in business, whether it is CZI, ZNCC or the Retail Association of Zimbabwe, there is need for buy-in of everybody in this country so that we can move this country forward. Hon. Speaker, I thank you.
HON. T. MOYO: Thank you Madam Speaker. May I take this opportunity to thank the Hon. Chair for a well articulated report. Firstly, I need to thank the Hon. Minister for the Mid-Term Finance Bill. It was presented at a time when Zimbabwe is experiencing a multiplicity of problems among them the issue of drought, COVID 19 pandemic, effects of Cyclone Idai and issues to do with climate change. We need to commend the Hon. Minister for that report because he is working very hard to make sure the economy grows. It is important to note that the Hon. Minister has done very well in stabilising prices, especially after the introduction of the auction system. We have witnessed before this innovation that economic saboteurs were always dealing with ecocash, one money and everyday was a new exchange rate. People in our constituencies were disadvantaged because there were new prices for commodities, especially the basic commodities like cooking oil, bread, soap, salt etcetera. With the introduction of the auction system, we have witnessed that the price have stabilised. Infact, some of the prices have been reduced. I remember last week when I walked into OK Supermarket, a bottle of cooking oil used to be sold for 300 but now it is going for RTGS230, which shows that the Hon. Minister is doing a lot of work.
However, we also want to commend him for recognising the vulnerable families. A very good and people - centered Government is known to prioritise the people, to supply people with inputs before the onset of the rain season. As I am speaking, cotton farmers are in the process of receiving seeds, fertilizers and insectsides, which is highly commendable. The Grain Marketing Board is also in the process of receiving Compound D, Top dressing fertilizers as well as the seed. We need to commend our President for the Presidential Input Scheme and also commend the Finance Minister for a job well done.
In his report he acknowledged that the civil servants will receive COVID-19 allowance which is highly commendable. What I need to appeal to the Minister - he said the allowance would be for three months and the period has since lapsed three days ago. We want to appeal to you Hon. Minister to reflect and also continue with that allowance because COVID-19 is still there. COVID-19 is a pandemic which we will continue to experience everyday so it should be an ongoing allowance and should be reviewed upwards to about USD100 together with allowances and salaries.
The Minister should also take note of the salaries of civil servants. Most of our civil servants are not earning enough. You need to review their salaries upwards so that they can continue to be patriotic as they have always done.
Another issue is an appeal to priorities irrigation. It is not just infrastructure that we need but we also need de-siltation of dams. At the moment, as I am speaking, in my Constituency Gokwe, Chireya, we do not even have a single dam that has been de-silted. However, with community engagement, through the Member of Parliament, we are trying our best to ensure that some of the dams that have experienced siltation are silted. We are doing some efforts to participate in de-siltation so as to improve water carrying capacity of those dams and that will pave way to productivity which is the theme of his Excellency that we want productivity in agriculture and it is the backbone of our economy.
I heard you talking about ZISCO Steel in your Mid Term Statement. It used to be an economic hub of Zimbabwe. ZISCO Steel is important and it needs to be financed because it affects upwards and downstream industries. There are so many forward and backward linkages associated with the resuscitation of ZISCO Steel and it is very important for us to prioritise. We may not have to go and resuscitate the old ZISCO Steel, but there is equipment which is in line with modernity, equipment which is necessary to ensure that we start exporting steel. We cannot export steel when we have iron ore, limestone in Zimbabwe.
Another issue that the Hon. Minster mentioned in his Mid Term Statement is the issue of gold deliveries. It is a fact. We are likely to have reduced tonnage in terms of gold that is delivered to Fidelity. These days small scale miners wait for two weeks to be paid. I need to applaud you Hon Minster for the payment that is done by Fidelity that they will pay 100% in terms of USD but now people are waiting for 2 to 3 weeks to be paid. This gives an advantage to economic saboteurs who may want to involve themselves in illegal trade and export our much needed gold to Dubai sabotaging our economy. We should make efforts to ensure that gold deliveries should be paid within 48 hours so that those leakages maybe stopped.
As for vulnerable people, we need to commend you for the amounts that are being paid to vulnerable families, especially in view of the impact of COVID-19. However, I think there is need to review upwards what they are paid. Focus should be made on both urban areas and rural areas.
For the COVID-19 Stimulus package, I think that is very good that you intend to give a stimulus package for the economy to quick start in view of the impacts of COVID-19. However, more funds should be injected into the economy so that the time that we spent during lockdown may be compensated.
Finally, as Hon. Members of Parliament; the issue raised by my Hon. Chair, the amount that we are paid as Constituency Development Fund is very little, it is less than USD2000 yet in the past it was USD50 000, one could do projects which people could observe that the Hon. Member is undertaking borehole drilling, road construction and so on and so forth.
I remember last year when we were in Victoria Falls discussing the budget where we talked about the Constituency based allowances, whereby Hon. Members will be capacitated to move around their constituencies doing their work and we have not yet received that. So, Hon. Minister may you move forward and find some sources of funding so that we can get those constituency based allowances. This will enable us to perform our work diligently so that we can be rated as those people who are working very hard.
HON. TOGAREPI: Thank you Madam Speaker. I also want to raise my voice on the debate. I would like to thank Government for a job well done. For a long time as a Government we relied on borrowings, funding our expenditures through other people’s money and that has tended to worsen our situation. In fact, I want to thank our Government through the Ministry of Finance, what you have done, especially for the funding of Harare-Beitbridge road where a lot of work has to be carried out. I think our newspapers and those who are responsible for publicity and even those in the social media must take time to go and see good, tremendous and professional work that is happening along this very busy road, very important and strategic road in terms of our economic development. There is a lot of work going on there and I am happy that the greater part of the funding is coming from our own initiatives as Government. I think as people of Zimbabwe, we must be very thankful of that initiative because it is going to free us from debt capture, if you would like me to say that.
The other thing I want to thank you Minister and our Government for is the support that you gave to SMEs. SMEs are very critical to our economy and because of the COVID-19 pandemic subdued demand the situation there was likely to destroy that area and that was going to bring hell to this economy without them because like it or not, 80% to 90% of economic activities in Zimbabwe today is all SMEs, and coming up with that mitigatory strategy to give them funding as Government during this covid pandemic was very important. We would like to thank Government for that initiative, that tells us that our Government is actually very proactive. We were ahead of many other countries in coming up with that package and I want to salute you for that.
Coming to the civil servants - we all agree that the salaries are very low, but of course – again, it is about us managing what we give people from what we have. If we give them more than what we have, we may also create a problem and create again another inflationary environment that we will not be able to manage out of. However, I also think Government can move out of only money because we have seen that the monetary benefits that we give people in an inflationary environment do not turn out to be then beneficial. Why do we not look at other benefits like giving stands to members to build their own houses and give them concessionary loans to build those houses and then they can then earn an income out of that stand which can then help them out of the quagmire of looking for money or looking for salaries that are then attacked by inflation.
We can also provide transport. Civil servants if they can get transport, let us look at the major expenditure areas of people. It is transport, accommodation, paying school fees, all those things can help us out and help our civil servants in the interim period, because whether we like it or not, we are moving forward and I am one of those people who are very excited with the direction we have taken as a country and I believe we are going out of the woods very soon.
The other issue Minister is we still have – do not ask me where I got that, but we still get people who have huge bank balances. Whether those monies were gotten legally or illegally, we still have those huge bank balances that are still attacking the foreign currency by demanding it and creating these rates that we see and those people we should find a way, Minister, of dealing with those bank balances. If their sources are corrupt, let us deal with that and let the money be forfeited to the state. If they were got through proper business, they are still used to buy foreign currency on the black market, let us find a way to curb that, otherwise the stability that we see on our currency now, if we can find a way - I mean our Government is doing a good job. You have already brought in good measures to deal with the financial stability, but we now need to sustain that. I foresee a missing link and that missing link is people who still have those huge monies. I do not know where they got them. I am still also digging deep to say how can someone have such big monies in an individual account? We still have people who have these cellphone lines full of monies. We need to deal with that and we need to be ruthless sometimes and ensure that we protect everyone else because those who have huge monies, Madam Speaker, do not suffer if these people push the exchange rate up. They have already a lot of money. They can pay hospital bills; they can pay for their transport. They have got cars, fuel - they have everything.
So we need to protect the poor who are actually being sabotaged by these people who have lots of money. If it is true money, if it money that was gotten out of good work, let us find a way that this money is not abused. If it is ill gotten money let us find a way that it goes back to the people who were disadvantaged while this person was looting wherever that person was looting.
So Minister, it is sustainability of the status quo, what you have created now going forward. Let us look at totality, every other sector. We have already dealt with SMEs. I think we should also look at packages for farmers. If you look at the weather reports and predictions that are there now we are likely to have a very good season, but let us not have a mistake of giving people seed end of November. We will get next year with those seed packs in people’s homes. Let us find a way. Other people think otherwise but I still think Command Agriculture was going to be the best opportunity for it to deliver given that we are going to have good rains. The predictions are positive. Let us find a way of supporting. The way you have supported your SMEs can we not support our farmers and other areas so that we all benefit from the new thrust and advantages that you have brought to our economy at the moment. I thank you.
HON. BITI: I would like to add my voice on the mid-term review. What are the structural problems that we are facing? The first one Madam Speaker has to be that our country is arrested by new productivity. The growth rate that we anticipated in 2020, the growth rate that we have seen in the last five years is depressing. The Minister himself acknowledges low levels of growth that are stipulated in 2020. In his letters to the IFI 2nd of April 2020, the Minister actually projects that our growth rate is as low as minus 20% in 2020. Madam Speaker, there is the issue of unemployment; 95% of our people are employed outside formal employment sector. We have got four generations – we have got people who are in their 40s right now who have never been formally employed, munhu asati ambobairwa chitupa naemployer.
So, employment is a major issue in our economy but the big evil of unemployment is the issue of a population inequation. By year 2045, Zimbabwean population will have doubled to 20 million. We are not generating enough jobs to keep up with the level of the population. Most of the population is in urban areas and the population of Harare alone within the next ten years will be over 10 million people. Madam Speaker, you can see that in employment, there is hardly any suburb in Harare at the present moment which does not have any informal sector.
I am an MP for Harare East which houses 40 areas like Highlands, East View and Caledonia. The whole new suburb has masses. We are faced with a challenge of a population employment. We are faced with a challenge of humanitarian crisis. According to the UMTP, 10 million of our people are poor and August and September is the pre-period of vulnerability because it is far away from the harvest season, but too far away maybe from the rain season and 79% of our people are living in extreme poverty surviving on less than US$1.20 cents per day.
Madam Speaker, we call it a tsaona. If you go to Huruyadzo in Chitungwiza, Zimbabweans our compatriots are surviving on a plate of mealie-meal, coupled by a bit of cooking oil and four leaves of vegetables. This is a situation of hunger which is used across the country. Another challenge we are facing is that of . Our figures are going up instead but the good thing is that the critical people are not dying, but before the disease you have created a new name that need to be reflected and that name is suffering of our people. The informal sector is closing right now because of the law.
Maybe women who sell vegetables and tomatoes, if they could be assisted in the informal sector in Glen View and Mbare because they are not able to make it. That is the balance sheet of our contribution Madam Speaker and that is the balance sheet that our people are living in. The question that then arises is the Minister’s statement of 7th July, that attempts to address these fundamental issues that our country is facing. I submit with great respect that regrettably, the Minister’s statement did not answer the fundamental challenges that our people are facing.
Regrettably the same review that the Minister of Finance presented, you have put it as having presented it in another planet like Mars, Jupiter or Venus, because it does not reflect the suffering of the people to the manner in which ordinary Zimbabweans are reproducing themselves in Dotito, Seke, Chendambuya, Tsholotsho, Victoria Falls, Hwange, Seke, and maybe in Lupane. We need the policy to be relevant, credible, and legitimate and it is going to be legitimate if it answers and addresses the challenges that our people are facing.
Madam Speaker, talk of a budget surplus of Z$800 million on the parallel market, it will be a mere US$88 million. You cannot boast of a surplus when there is so much deficit in the economy at the present moment, when civil servants are earning salaries that are less than US$20, when a Member of Parliament is earning less than US$120 - that kind of situation Madam Speaker, when nurses have to strike for two months demanding for protective equipment and senior doctors have also gone on strike when the situation in our hospitals has gone haywire and also maternal mortality rates have gone up.
One cannot talk of a surplus because the budget is not delivered. So, our people are now existing outside the budget and surviving outside first formal economy. I used to call it the kiya kiya. The ordinary numbers including what I have said right now are actually outside the formal living and are finding ways and means of surviving outside that and when that happens, it is called vulnerable.
The Minister of Finance is obliged in terms of Section 300 of the Constitution to bring in figures for the debts that have been contracted and that should have been guaranteed twice a year if you had brought that to the House. So the normal thing to do is to bring those figures during the mid-term review and during the actual budget. The Minister never presented from December 2018 and he has failed to refer to the provision of the Constitution in Section 300. So that is a housekeeping issue.
Another housekeeping issue is that the Minister has incurred expenditure from the public wages. Civil servants are now having a cushion of US$75 per month to the . So Madam Speaker, once you spend money outside the original budget you are obliged by law to bring a Supplementary Budget, to bring an Appropriation Bill to cover all the debts vis a vis the expenditures that you would have done. As I am talking to you right now Madam Speaker, before you is the Finance Bill. It is making revenue proposals, in other words the Minister is proposing new taxes which we are going to be introducing after this debate. So once you propose new taxes it means you are proposing new revenue inflows. It means the budget is going to increase and once your budget is going to increase, it means by operation of law you cannot bring in an Appropriation Bill.
So, the Minister decided to play it down by not bringing a Supplementary Budget or an Appropriation Bill, but the reality is that we all know that it is either due to inflation and other inflationary demands, hence a supplementary budget was called for. Madam Speaker, I want to comment on the Monetary Policy.
THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER: Order Hon. Biti, may you please wind up.
HON. BITI: Madam Speaker, the auction is a false reclamation of the economy. Only around US$15 million is released per week but that US$15 million is coming from the Central Bank. In other words, it is not an open auction. An open auction is a platform where buyers and sellers go to exchange in the market, for example the tobacco auction floors. So I see it as a way of acquiring foreign currency by few individuals. Since the auction floor was introduced, not more than 20 players have participated from that foreign exchange market. The bulk of transactions are being done by few individuals where a market rate still remains around 103, 105 and around 110.
What has happened to the economy is that everything is now being sold in US dollars. I was in the rural areas, I come from Murewa. I tried to buy tomatoes at Murewa Centre few days ago, they are selling in US dollars. So, the Minister and the Government must bite the bullet and introduce a regime of multiple currencies. It pains me that every single day there are vehicles that come from South Africa carrying goods called malayicha, goods paid in Zimbabwean dollars through grey imports. So if we dollarise we will come back into our formal economy.
Madam Speaker, allow me to conclude by saying we need to resolve the debt issue. Former Minister Mr. Chinamasa spoke of the BIPPA Plan of 8th October 2013. The Minister does not have a foreseeable plan but Madam Speaker, we need to resolve the Zimbabwe debt crisis. It is affecting development. The last …..
THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER: Order, your time is up Hon. Biti.
HON. BITI: In conclusion, the economy is dead.
THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER: Your time is up. Thank you.
HON. BITI: Hon. Speaker, I wish if you had given me more time.
THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER: Hon. Biti, there is a statement which you made that people are not dying of COVID, may you kindly explain what you were trying to say. This is a pertinent issue, so we cannot mislead people.
HON. BITI: I meant that we are a blessed country since many people are recovering.
THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER: Thank you.
+HON. S. NDLOVU: Thank you Hon. Minister. The economy is going to be stable because of the auction system. This has stabilised pricing of things even though they are still high because people cannot afford current market prices though they are not skyrocketing as they used to do. Because of that, I thank you. May you continue with the good work.
Madam Speaker, on monies for the elderly, everyday people come asking about these monies which they are not able to access. I always refer them back to Social Welfare. The NetOne system makes it difficult for them to access the money. People should access their funds.
On 2019 CDF, the money was less than US$2 000. The projects that we are running are charged in US dollars. Now, with something less than 2 000 dollars there is nothing I can do at the constituency. We want to do things that are visible to the people with the CDF from Parliament. Right now, it is 180 000 RTGs and still it is less than US$2 000. So there is nothing we can do with such money for 2020 projects. I heard that you said there is a surplus and I am surprised Hon Minister that if there is a surplus our hospitals are not working and nurses are not going to work. The medical personnel want enough PPEs. Yesterday, we read a story that we lost a nurse at Mpilo Hospital due to COVID. This means that the nurse was working without PPEs. What happened then for the nurse to succumb to COVID. The nurse is now deceased. How many people are dying because there are no nurses and medical personnel at the hospital? The surplus money should be channeled towards the hospitals so that the people can get treatment. Things are tough in this country. Many people are supposed to go to the hospitals but how can they go there when there are no medical personnel.
What are you going to do? Hon Minister, we appeal to you to inform the President that we are suffering. Buses are not enough. There is a rumour that the busfare will go up very soon. At Cowdry and many other places in Bulawayo, many people are getting home late after work. When they meet the police details on the way, they are fined ZW$500 for breaching the curfew regulations. They cannot go home early enough. The buses should be increased so that the workers can get home early.
As Members of Parliament, we need to open offices as we have been promised that we shall be given relevant monies to pay for the personnel to run those offices so that people can visit and lodge their complaints there instead of coming to our homesteads. If they go to those offices, there are measures that may be taken to reduce the spread of COVID. I am pleading with you Hon Minister that we may be given the monies that were promised to us so that we can go to the constituencies as promised. We are still waiting Hon Minister.
The civil servants are crying about their US$75 allowance. The process is just unbearable at the bank. You have to go there for a whole week to liquidate the money. The banks are taking close to US$15 on these allowances. Again you cannot take all of it. Pensioners are also getting US$30 and they are crying because the banks are taking US$9 and they cannot be seen going back and forth. They should access it without any hurdles. Pensioners spend the whole day at the bank and the queues are just long. The pensioners need to be helped so that they do not take long to access their money. Someone goes to Bulawayo from Tsholotsho and they sleep in the queues and at the bank they are told that we do not have the necessary resources. They sleep outside and it is cold. It is a pity Hon Minister what we see on the queues. Let us look after our pensioners by making sure that the banks have enough funds to disburse to them so that they can go home early.
THE MINISTER OF FINANCE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT (HON. PROF. M. NCUBE): Thank you to Hon. Members here present for their contributions. It has been a lively debate indeed, very important. Let me begin with some comments from the Committee on Budget and Finance. I will respond formally to the report and it is worth highlighting some issues in that report as he has given me a copy of the report and I will make sure that we do a proper formal response as soon as possible. The report notes the anemic growth, generally due to COVID that is panning out across the globe, in fact a negative growth frankly. Actually, in Southern and Sub-Saharan Africa, it is performing slightly better than the rest of the developed world and Zimbabwe is in that category; although it is all negative growth I must say but it is still slightly better than the rest of the world. It is all due to COVID, an invisible enermy. It is a serious issue. Who knew that this kind of shock was lurking somewhere around the corner and low and behold, we get hit by it. It knows no boundaries and it knows no exception. It knows no colour, creed, race and gender. It hits us all and economies have been badly hit. He also notes that we expect inflation to drop by year end. This is still our intention.
A lot has been said about the auction system, so I will say something and then maybe add some nuances as I proceed. The stabilisation in prices is brought about by the auction system which has been very successful so far in stabilising the exchange rate but also stabilising the inflation, price increases and price movement in our shops. We decided to open the window for SMEs so that the system becomes more inclusive and he commended us for this as the right thing to do.
He also mentioned that we needed to submit a public debt report twice a year and this is on the way. We did submit during 2019 and we will be submitting the public debt report as is required by the law. There is no issue of truancy there I can assure him and other Members who raised that issue.
He also commended us for allocating funds to support agriculture but that perhaps we need to spend some resources towards financing irrigation. I agree with him that we need more facilities or rather infrastructure to evacuate water from our bodies. We have numerous of these water bodies. I must say that we are really pushing hard on this. Recently, I visited the Chilongo Irrigation Scheme in southern part of the country and I was pleased to see the progress that has been made in rehabilitating the irrigation system and we expect it to be fully rehabilitated by October. The source of water is well-defined. The pump station has been rehabilitated and the canals for moving water around are being repaired. So, there is very good progress, we are focusing on this.
I can also report that in the Binga area in Bulawayo kraal and I am just mentioning those examples because I went there to see for myself. We just allocated specific funds and I wanted to make sure that I understood how the funds are being spent. Bulawayo kraal for example, the centre pivots that are there are being repaired and also the piping from the Zambezi River is being repaired. We have bought all the piping that was needed. In fact we have allocated about $73 million and the pump house works so the irrigation system will start spitting out water soon. Planting has started and in the Binga kraal area, initially we thought we will plant winter maize but then it is too hot, so we have decided to plant white sorghum. We are very serious and focused on the issue that Hon. Mhona has raised regarding mechanisation.
He then moved on to talk about the Belarus programme that needs to be expanded and better managed. I am happy to add that as Government, we have gone into agreement with John Dell from the United States through a facility of just about over US$51 million to supply tractors, combine harvesters and again we have decided to introduce a commercial approach to managing this equipment through a unit that will be created through Agribank, a leasing unit that will manage this equipment properly to make sure that we do not repeat the mistakes of the past around mechanisation programme.
He went on to talk about gold deliveries and that perhaps the target this year will suffer enormously from the leakages which I in fact had mentioned before that security needs to be stepped up to make sure leakages are dealt with. I must say that on the pricing front, we have responded. The Reserve Bank has responded by changing and improving the retention ratio at 70:30 and then making sure the SME producers receive their monies in US dollars. Yes, I hear complaints about speed of disbursement. We will seek to improve on this to make sure that these deliveries improve. It is not that gold production has gone down or something. In fact gold production has gone up. The world price for gold has also gone up so it is an issue of dealing with these leakages and getting the price, paying people early and I can assure you we are doing our best and we will continue to do our best in this regard.
He then went on to talk about the infrastructure side that the Harare – Beitbridge Road has good progress but perhaps we need to make sure that the speed picks. I thought we were doing very well on that. I urge all of you to drive on that road, even if it is just to see the road and then you see for yourself the progress that has been made. The five companies that are contracted to do the 20 kilometre bits along the road are doing a good job. One of them is doing so well that they have actually started on their second part of their 20 kilometre allocation. I really want to push hard so that we can get close to the 200 kilometre by year end target; at least as close as possible by year end. We are pushing very hard and supported by resources.
My Permanent Secretary basically meets the contractors every week. He makes contact every week. Sometimes I joke with him to say are you the Minister of Transport? What the hell is going on? But the idea is that as Treasury, we are so focused that the project should be delivered. We need transportation and movement. Why? It is important for the country and also it is a very important road. That is how we get our goods at least coming through that angle from our neighbouring countries in terms of trade; that is the road we use for export as well. So, its economic impact is well understood and Treasury’s co-interest is also well understood in this House. You allowed us to put aside a portion of the fuel levy to basically cover that road and that is what we are doing and part of the surplus is going in that direction.
On the COVID releases, the Chairperson of the Committee, Hon. Mhona mentioned the figure for budget releases and so forth but I must say that he is right about those numbers and it was back then when I presented to the Committee but the numbers have changed dramatically since that day. Remember, the National Taskforce meets every week, Cabinet meets every week so every week we are reviewing the budgets, reviewing where we are and our strategy so numbers keep moving. Our application of budget is not just health only. Health is the core but it is also to the enforcement agency who actually enforce prevention in the first place. It is also to Local Government in terms of the infrastructure for quarantine centres, hospitals and so forth, so it is right across Government and also Social Welfare for the COVID 19 social transfer so it is right across Government and numbers have changed quite dramatically.
Issues around cash transfers were also raised by other Members. We have really once tried hard to accelerate the registration of the vulnerable under COVID so that more people can benefit from the $300 per person allocation. That number will continue to push up. Some of you also mentioned the delays in payment. People were issued with NetOne lines but payments are not coming through easily. This also is partly explained by the action we took on mobile banking platforms in terms of the bulk lines which are used for disbursing the funds because of that regulatory action which was necessary and has contributed to the stability of our currency. It was necessary but of course that did have negative impact and negative externalities on some critical payments and the Reserve Bank has since taken a step towards ameliorating on that front and then allow these bulk lines to start operating again but they ought to be registered with the Central Bank. They need to have permission for them to operate these bulky lines. We would not wish to have them be used again by unscrupulous people to do their shenanigans and make sure that we reduce the possibility of money laundering.
On the auction system, he commended that we have made progress on that and this again stabilised the prices.
There was no supplementary budget; the Committee expected a supplementary budget. When I put the Mid Term Report together - actually in the month of April we had seen a drop in revenue. There was one month that we were even worried that we would not be able to meet the salary bill. So, if I come here and say we need a supplementary budget when in fact the revenues that we had told you about as a focus are dropping, it does not make sense.
So in terms of our revenue projection back then when I presented the Mid Term Budget, is that we were on target for what we had told you would be the target which is the $57 billion, and the expenditure would also therefore stay within those levels. Besides, we had only spent 46% of the budget when I presented the Mid Term Review.
So everything was still aligned to what you had provided before, largely being driven by the COVID-19 negative impact which kept us on that track and ameliorated against the other countervailling force and against the impact of inflation which you cited as a reason why we ought to have had a supplementary budget.
On the bus public transportation system as was mentioned by other Hon. Members that we need more buses; this is commendable so far that we have been able to subsidise transportation cost for our citizens in the urban areas and we are expanding into rural areas. I was in the Midlands two weeks ago speaking to the people on the ground, so even as a non-constituency Member of Parliament, I go to the ground talking to the people on the ground. I have also been to Muzarabani last weekend before I went to Midlands. What came out in the Midlands clearly was this issue of mass public transportation system which we will continue to make sure that more buses are provided and that the roads are improved.
On the striking health workers, we are continuing to engage; talks are going on between those who are involved and as Treasury, we have supported the engagement process. They are very viable, we want them to deliver their services and we are offering them packages and emoluments that we believe will go a long way to alleviating their plight but still allowing us as a nation to live within what we can afford. We do not have enough supporters out there in terms of those who can support the public sector budget directly. So when it comes to direct support of public service budget, that is limited, we are only limited to what we can raise domestically in terms of domestic borrowing but also in terms of what we have with regards to taxes that citizens have contributed. So, those are our normal budget constrains but we are doing everything we can to engage all civil servants and the health sector workers.
We have put in place a special risk allowance for frontline workers and we are looking into it. We are trying to see whether that should be reviewed and this is part of the negotiations. Our intention is to move it up naturally, but we are working out the numbers so that it is affordable.
Some of you have raised the issue of the USD75 COVID-19 allowance across the board - you are saying that should be extended, which is also the recommendation of the Committee chaired by Hon. Mhona. We have taken that on board and we will look into it .To round off on Hon. Mhona’s report, we will do a formal response as is required of us as Treasury.
Turning to Hon. Mushoriwa; the Hon. Member kept mixing up the Monetary Policy Statement and the Fiscal Statement, anyway, I forgive him it was about the Fiscal Statement and the Mid Term Budget Review, so I understood him in the end. He mentioned lack of coordination between what we presented in the Budget 2020 and the Mid Term. However, I do not think he has been paying attention; really, there is actually complete alignment that we did not even change the budget. It stayed the same, there was no supplementary, it cannot get more aligned than that.
Secondly, if you look at the objective - that objective did not change, we are still focusing on productivity in terms of approach. We are focusing on job creation which I will come to because Hon. Biti also raised it – that has not changed. We said this is our year of productivity but COVID-19 has caused us a challenge but we are staying in the course to make sure that we focus on productivity, job creation and competitiveness.
Supplementary budget - our expenditure was at 45%, it was not even at 50% and also our revenue had tied because of COVID-19. So, we are comfortable that we should just maintain what you had approved for the 2020 Budget going forward. We are in this together, so there are no shenanigans. In fact what we should be worried about is if the stewardship of your finances is done right or not in terms of wanton over expenditure. Can you imagine if we had wanton over expenditure - first of all, who would finance the over expenditure? Would we borrow in the market, at what interest rate? The interest rate will shoot up! We would have to monetize those Treasury Bills again, which is what we used to do before and we have stopped that. We would have to monetize that, money supplies go through the roof, inflation is up there and the exchange rate is all over the place.
However, we want to make sure that is a thing of the past and in the last two years we have not been on any wanton expenditure path. We have moved away from that completely and we have stopped abusing the Reserve Bank window which in the past has been used extensively for financing down the expenditure. So we are living within our means and that is a good thing.
Auction system should accommodate more people – it is doing that, we are allowing SME’s now to participate. In between auction; yes, people come to the auction, they receive monies from that auction, they are successful, the rate is published as a weighted average, and it is a Dutch auction. So it goes up all the way, so that it accommodates a range of bids, but in between auctions you are free to approach your bank to seek foreign currency.
All the auction is doing is signaling the right price for foreign currency for that whole week, because that signaled process is what was missing. That is what the Old Mutual implied rate was driving upwards, that is what the parallel rate has been distorting and we wanted to show leadership as Government that we can lead and give the market some leadership so that there is better price discovery – that is what it is doing. It is not meant to supply all the foreign currency that the country needs. There is more foreign currency out there, the auction is mainly giving you a price signal as to where the price should be. Should you approach the bank and you are free to do so in between to buy foreign currency.
Hon. Moyo noted the impact again of the auction on stabilising process and mentioned that for example cooking oil has dropped from about $300 to $230. The Hon. Member noted that we need to again move faster on ZISCO revival, it is a big company in the economy of the Midlands but also in the economy of Zimbabwe as a back bone of the good sector and I agree with him that as a Government we are looking into the revival of ZISCO. In the post Cabinet briefings you have been told we are working on this and in the not so distant future, we will be inviting bidders. In fact, we do not even invite them, they are making offers on the table, saying why not consider us? So we are evaluating to make sure that the right leader is accommodated to move this project forward to make sure that we produce steel.
Competitors are also busy in the market. We have seen there is some investment in the sector starting with the coke and coal aspect in the Hwange area. So if we look at the value chain towards at least carbon steel production that has begun from other players who have come into the market who are then supplementing our efforts as Government to revive ZISCO and in the process we will solve the electricity supply problem through investment by those companies in thermal coal and in power stations that will result in us as a country being a net exporter of electricity.
On the Constituency Development Fund raised by several members, I must say that the leadership of the House has been on this issue. They came to see me and my team and said Minister, do something about the CDF. So I wanted to let Hon. Members know that your leadership has not been sleeping on the wheel. They have been encouraging me to do something about it. We are looking into it to see if we can increase the CDF so that you can support your constituencies and the projects that you desire to deliver for the people on the ground.
Turning to Hon. Togarepi, he commended us again for financing the Beitbridge-Harare Road, and like I said before, please go and inspect that road, drive on it to see the good work that is being done, we are very focused on it. He also mentioned the support for SMEs during COVID-19. We want more of them to come forward so they can benefit from the stimulus package. On civil servants, he emphasised the non-monetary benefits and I agree with him. I mean, we have started - when it comes to transportation, through the subsidised ZUPCO programmes which includes civil servants. If you look at the Civil Service Commission they have dedicated buses for moving civil servants around. So we are doing something. We want to do more in the housing sector. We will be looking into that going forward and I agree with him.
The issue he mentions is about some huge bank balances in the banking sector, unexplained wealth and so forth. We are going to look into that so that this excess liquidity ceases to be a risk to the stability of our monetary system and the exchange rate. Some of it involves of course instituting discipline, enforcing the law about unexplained wealth, but also it involves offering special instruments to mop up that liquidity, attractive instruments that will then sterilise the liquidity so that it does not become a risk to the stability of our exchange rate and the economy at large.
His last plea was look, let us maintain the status quo, let us keep the economy stable and I agree with him. That is exactly our intention. You know colleagues when we did an assessment, and I am happy to share with you this assessment of progress we have made on the Transitional Stabilisation Programme (TSP), up until introduction of the auction. I think that we ticked all the major boxes in terms of achieving the objectives of the TSP in the last two years. It has been run remarkably well actually as to how much we have done. It has been amazing and I am happy at some moment to take you through the review process because there was one thing remaining and that one thing was stability of the currency which we have achieved through the introduction of the auction system. So I agree that this kind of stability ought to be maintained. That is what we desire, that is what we targeted at the beginning of the TSP.
Then to Hon. Biti I must say I did not quite follow his first point. I think I heard in the tail end something about growth. I have already commented on that - that as a policy maker we are focused on stimulating growth. That is why we introduced the $18 billion package to drive growth, but I did not fully hear the question and that we were assisted by some technology here which boosted the sound then I could hear the rest of his contribution, but his next contribution that I heard clearly was on unemployment where he indicated that there is high youth unemployment and unemployment generally. We are not generating enough jobs, most people are in the informal sector and I agree with him. The reason why we introduced the Youth Employment Tax Incentives Programme (YETI) which you approved and we all applauded was because we wanted to stimulate jobs and job creation. So this House, working with the Government, I represent the Government, we are doing something about, it but let us also be clear and also recognise that covid-19 knocked us out of our trajectory there. So I will be coming back for the next budget so that we must continue with the YETI programmes. I am preannouncing one of my requests to you. Please be ready for that and I hope you will support me.
I am also onto the jobs issue and I care deeply about it. Some of the youths have come to me through the Minister of Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation and said Minister, what if you also introduce some tax breaks for companies owned by the youths, and I thought that is an interesting idea. So it is an idea they put on the table. So they are making their contribution already to our 2021 budget. I am letting you know - so let us debate when we do the retreat and see if it is something we can accommodate. We are focused on this issue of job creation but also making sure the youth can employ themselves, so we do not worry about their job creation and then they employ others in the process if they are successful entrepreneurs.
Hon. Biti went on to talk about how people are barely surviving and so forth but that is the reason why we have a social protection programme. We introduced the $300 covid-19 cash transfer programme. We also have the ZUPCO mass transportation system for subsidised transportation system. That is a direct welfare benefit to our vulnerable citizens. We have the grain relief programme in terms of food, especially in the rural areas, but of course because of the shortage of grain we did not have good season last year. Grain has been an issue and also the importation of grain has also been impacted by covid-19 because of the letters of credit which have been slowed down in terms of their confirmation by covid-19, but we have been on to it and we have been supplying grain, but those have been some of the constraints.
The roller meal subsidy is well intentioned, which is that let us subsidise basic food for our citizens and we have that subsidy still in place. I know some of the operators were saying Minister please increase the price from $70 to something else higher because of this and that and I said no. it is a subsidy for ordinary citizens, keep it at $70. When they approached the President and tried to get him to increase he said no, keep it at $70. So we are determined to maintain that subsidy. It is very critical. We know matsotsi keep diverting the mealie meal and all manner of things. They do that. The moment something is subsidised arbitrates come in matsotsi come in and so forth but it does not mean it is a bad policy as a policy for delivering affordable food for our citizens.
Then if you look at the Presidential Input Scheme where we are trying to capacitate our own vulnerable farmers to feed themselves by giving them inputs; that is welfare to our people to make sure that they can live a better life, we can improve their income. So when an Hon. Member says that we are doing nothing about the plight of our citizens, that is not correct. He should talk to our citizens. I was in Muzarabani last week talking to the citizens. I am not an MP for the area and I do not have to be, but just talk to our people, they ask their questions. Ten people asked me random questions and it is quite clear they appreciate what we are trying to do as Government. They also appreciate our constraints. So sometimes when you speak as Members of Parliament, I wonder - did that specific Hon. Member really speak to the people or they just want to make a moot point, it is political banter. When you speak to the people you hear a very different story of appreciation of both the benefits of what we are doing, but also appreciation of the constraints that we face as Government. All the other issues that you raise here they also raised them and I answered in the same way.
Also to suggest that the mid-term budget did not speak to the people, it speaks to the people. Look at what you have done with the $18 billion stimulus package. That speaks to production, improvement in the nature of the economy, social welfare and protection of the vulnerable. That is exactly what it does. Someone says Minister do not speak of a surplus – the communication about a surplus is about communicating the fact that our finances are sound and that as Treasury we are not out of control and as Government we are not out of control. If we were, you will be unhappy as the House that oversees what we do as the Executive. I am waiting for the day if we overrun, I want to see what you will say when we overrun the budget and give you a huge budget deficit but I do not think you will be happy. You should be happy with this kind of situation but also be happier if you know that the revenues that you approved are being applied in the right areas and development is progressing.
On the issue of debt that Hon. Biti raised, I have already answered that and again we will be tabling a report. There is no issue there. Our debt is well known if maybe the issues are about structure debt. Structure debt is what it is – you structure by making sure it is collateralised with the commodity gold or platinum. That is normal and typical; that kind of debt is what we call off-balance debt. That is why it is collateralised in the first place in that way and that is how it is structured. So, that is not an issue. In terms of the debt that is uncollateralised sitting in Treasury that is about US$8 billion external debt. We know what it is and I have been publishing it and bringing it here all the time. So, in terms of giving an impression that something is hidden, there is nothing that is hidden.
On the monetary policy, Hon. Biti mentioned about the auction that does not represent the reality and perhaps not free. This is a very good price discovery process that we have put in place in terms of the auction and that is what it is. It has improved and that is why the rate is stabilised in the first place. It is not fixed but it is a result of market forces and in that auction we do not even fix the exchange rate. You come and bid at whatever rate and the rates are published and there is a range. That range has been narrowing over time since we started and that is engendering stability. So, we do not fix any rate and it is open. Inbetween you can approach any bank to source foreign currency but having the benefit of the auction rate which is an indicative rate, a result of the price discovery process.
The external debt resolution plan that we need – we have been working on it. The SNP was part of that story and our conversation with the external partners around COVID and debt resolution was exactly that. There were a lot of questions about it in the past and even in the Committee it was raised but you can see our thinking in terms of that process and it is quite clear that we have two parts that we are following:
- To seek bridge financing from the G7 countries, from the creditors in the first place for that and they have got their own conditions and that is okay.
- The other is to go the commercial route where we seek the bridge financing from commercial sources and we are working with both of those.
Madam Speaker, if we are going to go the commercial route and borrow US$100 million to meet the gap for the African Development Bank and $800 million to meet the gap for the World Bank, the total will be US$1 billion. So, these Hon. Members asking me to go and borrow US$1 billion to pay those two institutions when I should be borrowing US$1 billion to feed our people, to invest in our roads and to finance COVID, it will be misplaced priorities if I borrow the money right now to pay off debts. I should be borrowing money to finance development and the development will pay for those debts. That is our thinking right now but do not ever think that we do not have a plan. We do have a plan and we think through these issues.
+Hon. Ndlovu, I have heard what you said, the economy is okay but you want us to improve. You were crying that people are not accessing their monies that Net One is not disbursing the money properly but we are acting on that. What disturbed us was the issues of mobile money transfers there were problems around bulk line clients. We have worked on it and it is now proper and money is going around properly. We are working on it but of course such matters are always teething.
You talked about the CDF, we are looking on it and we may increase it. The surplus, we are channeling towards the roads and COVID. So it is better for us because we eat what we kill and that is what we will do. On matters of the buses, we are going to increase ZUPCO buses, We will try to fine-tune the US$ allowances and liaise with the RBZ so that we curtail the issues around this matter. For the elderly, they will have their queues and I will talk to the Bankers Association, thereafter talk to the RBZ and then talk to the Social Welfare so that we help the elderly. Thank you very much Madam Speaker.
FIRST READING
FINANCE BILL 2020, [H. B. 4, 2020]
THE MINISTER OF FINANCE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT (HON. PROF. NCUBE) presented the Finance Bill 2020, [H. B. 4, 2020].
Bill read the first time.
Bill referred to the Parliamentary Legal Committee.
On the motion of HON. TOGAREPI, seconded by HON. MHONA, the House adjourned at Twenty-Six Minutes to Seven o’clock p.m. until Tuesday 8th, September, 2020.
PARLIAMENT OF ZIMBABWE
Wednesday, 2nd September, 2020
The National Assembly met at a Quarter-past Two O’clock p.m.
PRAYERS
(THE HON. SPEAKER in the Chair)
ANNOUNCEMENTS BY THE HON. SPEAKER
APPOINTMENT TO PORTFOLIO COMMITTEES
THE HON. SPEAKER: I have the following announcements. I have to inform the House that ZANU PF Party has assigned Hon. Esther Nyathi to serve on the following Portfolio Committees: (a) Information, Media and Broadcasting Services. (b) Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development.
PETITIONS RECEIVED FROM ZIMBABWE PARENTS OF HANDICAPPED CHILDREN, DEAF ZIMBABWE TRUST AND WOMEN INSTITUTE OF DEVELOPMENT
THE HON. SPEAKER: I wish to inform the House that on 7th July, 2020, Parliament of Zimbabwe received a petition from Zimbabwe Parents of Handicapped Children beseeching Parliament to facilitate provisions of free or subsidised medication for children living with epilepsy. The petition has since been referred to the Portfolio Committee on Health and Child Care.
I also wish to advise the House that on 20th July, 2020, Parliament received a petition from Deaf Zimbabwe Trust beseeching Parliament to amend and align Section 193 of the Criminal Procedure and Evidence Act with the Constitution and domesticate the United Nations Convention on the rights of people with disabilities. The petition has been referred to the Portfolio Committee on Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs.
Furthermore, on 22nd July, 2020, Parliament of Zimbabwe received a petition from the Women Institute of Development beseeching Parliament to engage with Government regarding the need to urgently address the Bulawayo water crisis to ensure the promotion of the right to safe, clean and portable water to the residents. The petition has since been referred to the Portfolio Committee on Lands, Agriculture, Water and Rural Resettlement and Local Government and Public Works.
CONTRIBUTIONS BY MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT
THE HON SPEAKER: I have to inform the House that in order to maintain social distancing, Hon. Members can make their contributions from wherever they are connected from.
COVID – 19 RESULTS
THE HON SPEAKER: I have another very important announcement. Following the testing of COVID – 19 to Members of Parliament and staff on Monday, 31st August, 2020 and Tuesday, 1st September, 2020 we have been advised that the City of Harare and Parliament Clinic will be contacting only those who tested positive to Covid-19 from today until Friday, 4th September, 2020. Consequently, those who do not receive any call by Friday, 4 September, 2020 would have tested negative to Covid-19.
We urge those who test positive to strictly observe the World Health Organisation guidelines on isolation as advised by the Ministry of Health and Child Care and the Parliament Clinic. We also urge you to remain very calm and positive and we would like to assure you that we are together in this Covid-19 pandemic. You will be in our prayers everyday and we wish you a speedy recovery.
Further details that relate to those who have tested positive will be given by the Parliament of Zimbabwe and the Medical Team that has been assisting Parliament of Zimbabwe. I must say before we opened for this session here, there were quite a number of Members of Parliament and two staff members who had tested positive, but I was very pleased to learn that they have taken the results well and all of them have recovered – [HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear.] – However, this animal called Covid-19 is a strange one. I am aware of the people who tested negative and after one or two weeks they went back to get tested, they were positive.
So, being negative is a guarantee that at that particular moment we have been found negative but the testing will have to continue. It is a question of Parliament Administration putting together the necessary testing kits so that at least every two weeks or so we are retested – [HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear, asi kanorwadza.] – Hakarwadzi kanotokonya chete – [Laughter.] – Well, it is better to have the discomfort so that you will be on the knowing side. I think it is better that way – [HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear.]
APOLOGIES RECEIVED FROM HON. MINISTERS
I have to inform the House that I have received the following apologies from the following Hon. Ministers:
Hon. Dr. Muswere - The Minister of Information, Communication Technology, Postal and Courier Services,
Hon. Kazembe -The Minister of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage,
Hon. W. Chitando -The Minister Mines and Mining Development,
Hon. J. B. Matiza - The Minister Transport and Infrastructural Development
Hon. D. Garwe - The Minister National Housing and Social Amenities,
Hon. C. Mathema - The Minister of Primary and Secondary Education
Hon. J. G. Moyo - The Minister of Local Government and Public Works
Hon. Dr. S. Kanhutu-Nzenza - The Minister of Industry and Commerce.
I want to believe that these Ministers have got their Deputies who I see are around. In terms of the Constitution, they are allowed to answer questions from the floor.
HON. BITI: Ko Minister of Health.
THE HON. SPEAKER: I did not receive any communication from the Minister of Health – [AN HON. MEMBER: Ko Hon. Minister Soda] – [Laughter.] – But the Deputy is around.
HON. MISIHAIRABWI-MUSHONGA: Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir. I rise on a point of privilege; you did touch on the issue that I am going to raise. It is the issue around communicating from various places. I am not sure what arrangements have been made today, but yesterday some of us were trying to engage in the debate that was taking place. We did raise our hands on virtual and we were not able to be recognised. I kept on raising my voice and at one time I said on a point of order and some of my colleagues who were in here could hear me and kept on saying she is trying to come in and we were unable to come in.
So in terms of virtual, it can only work when it becomes possible for us to engage in the debate. We kept on raising hands but there was no response even on the chat. We were actually sitting in Parliament with you yesterday but it was difficult to engage in any debate at that time.
THE HON. SPEAKER: Were you properly linked?
THE HON. MISIHAIRABWI-MUSHONGA: Yes, I was properly linked. I could see the Minister debating and people being asked to come in. I was actually getting desperate, I put my hand up on virtual and at one time I said on a point of order and I could hear Hon. Madzimure saying Hon. Misihairabwi-Mushonga is trying to come in but it was not possible. So you can only see what is going on but if the Presiding Officer is unable to bring you in so that you can speak, it becomes very difficult.
THE HON. SPEAKER: Hon. Member, yesterday we had a technical problem but your hand was recognised and because of the panel being short, we could not proceed with your desire to interface. That is why we kindly said if you could be around so that you are given the opportunity to debate accordingly.
So far, there is Hon. Toffa, you are appearing on the screen. Also there is a chat where you can write and indicate how you want to contribute and I will try to cast an eagle’s eye assisted by the technical people here to recognise you.
We are in a learning process. I am sure that should be appreciated in the circumstances.
HON. BITI: I rise on a matter of national importance, namely the land question. There are three things that have happened in the last few months that are of major concern to every decent Zimbabwean. The first one was the enactment of Statutory Instrument 42 of 2020. Statutory Instrument 42 of 2020 says that any former white farmer can apply to the Minister of Lands for his own farm and the Minister of Lands has got the powers of granting him his original farm or another farm.
The second thing that has happened is the execution in June of 2020, of the Global Compensation Agreement in respect of which the Government of Zimbabwe undertook to compensate former owners of land, the huge amount of US$3.5bn half of which must be paid by next year.
The third thing that has happened is the joint statement by the Minister of Finance and the Minister of Lands made on 29th August 2020 in respect of which the two esteemed ministers announced that there will be compensation and a return to the erstwhile owners of all land that was covered by BIPPA Agreements and that the present black owners of that land will be dispossessed of that land.
We are concerned about three things, the first is that the whole essence of the liberation struggle was around land and therefore, the three things that the Government has done is a betrayal of the Land Reform Programme. Chairman Chitepo, Joshua Nkomo…
THE HON. SPEAKER: Order! The Hon. Member who was speaking is exceptionally a seasoned Member of Parliament. Today is question time and the issues so raised could have been raised by way of questions to seek clarification from the responsible Minister or Ministry. The Ministry, I believe is represented and they could have easily answered. The Leader of Government Business is here. Alternatively, the Hon. Member could raise issue by way of a motion and then there will be full debate on the matter to his satisfaction and perhaps the satisfaction of the House. To that extent, the point of privilege is suspended. Let us have the cue that I have indicated and I also give leeway to Hon Biti to ask a question in that regard later.
ORAL ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE
HON. T. MOYO: My question is directed to the Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Water, Climate and Rural Resettlement. What is Government’s policy regarding the desiltation of water bodies particularly dams and rivers in an effort to improve the holding capacities most needed for irrigation?
THE HON. SPEAKER: Hon. Member, you do not seem to be connected. Can you link up please?
HON. T. MOYO: I did not get today’s ID. What I have is yesterday’s ID and password.
THE HON. SPEAKER: It is still the same.
HON. T. MOYO: Yesterday I was connected but today it is not connecting.
THE HON. SPEAKER: Hon. Member, you should have approached the staff. The links have been sent to your emails
HON. T. MOYO: I opened and here is nothing?
THE HON. SPEAKER: If you have a problem, come forward. We will suspend your question for the time being. Hon. Moyo, approach the Chair to be assisted.
HON. NDUNA: My question is directed to the Minister of Local Government as it relates to mines and those that are involved in resource extraction and rehabilitation of road infrastructure, maintenance, rejuvenation and reconstruction. What is Government’s policy in relationship to the miners who extract within your local authorities as it relates to the aforesaid?
THE HON. SPEAKER: Your question is not clear. One moment you are talking of miners and the next moment you are talking about local authorities.
HON. NDUNA: Mr. Speaker Sir, as it relates to the miners in the local authority areas, what is Government policy in relation to those miners rehabilitating the infrastructure, in particular the road network where they are conducting their mining operations in the local authority purview.
THE HON. SPEAKER: Mining permits are given by who?
HON. NDUNA: They are given by the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development with the consent of the local authorities. Thank you Mr. Speaker.
THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND PUBLIC WORKS (HON. CHOMBO): Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir and thank you Hon. Nduna for that question. Whenever a miner gets a licence, they are supposed to get a permit from EMA and within that permit, they are supposed to rehabilitate wherever they use the land. So, before they even finish all the mining, they are supposed to rehabilitate according to their permit. Thank you.
HON. T. MOYO: Thank you Hon. Speaker Sir. My question is directed to the Hon. Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Water, Climate and Rural Resettlement. What is Government policy regarding de-siltation of water bodies, particularly dams and rivers in an effort to improve their holding capacity mostly needed for irrigation? I thank you.
THE HON. SPEAKER: Order. Hon. Leader of Government Business, if I may address myself to you. There are two deputies in this Ministry and they are not here. This is totally unacceptable. You have three Ministers, one substantive Minister and two deputies and all of them are not here. It is not right in terms of Section 107 (2) of the Constitution. Hon. Leader of Government Business, you may assist.
THE MINISTER OF JUSTICE, LEGAL AND PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS (HON. ZIYAMBI): Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir. First of all, my apologies; you are very right that at least one of them must have been here. That message was communicated and even His Excellency has emphasised the need to respect Parliament. Be that as it may, from what I heard from the Hon. Member, he wants to know the Government policy as regards de-siltation of dams to ensure that we increase the catchment of those particular dams. From what I heard from him, he knows that the Government has indeed a policy but what may perhaps be slow is the implementation of that programme of de-silting our dams, which is ongoing and it is an administrative process to ensure that most of our dams are de-silted and the holding capacity of the dams is increased. Thank you.
HON. T. MOYO: With the onset of the rainy season which is around the corner, I am aware the process might have taken in some areas but what can be done to expedite the process of de-siltation. Thank you.
THE HON. SPEAKER: That question is an impossibility. When you have issues of false moisture, there is nothing we can do. Let me also remind the Hon. Members that it is easier if you submit your intention to ask questions to your whips. It is easier that way. You may help us to circumvent the challenges of ICT.
HON. MAHLANGU: Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir. My question is directed to the Minister of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare. What policy measures is the Government taking to ensure that pensioners who throng banks on scheduled pay days do indeed get their monies in cash without fail at the banks? Thank you.
THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF FINANCE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT (HON. CHIDUWA): Thank you Mr. Speaker. Thank you Hon. Member for the question. I think this is a question that we have also addressed in our past sessions where we have said we are giving priority to pensioners when they go to the banks to collect their pensions. But what is happening is, in line with our monetary policies, in terms of the cash injection that we are putting in the economy, we are following a drip feed policy where we are not just injecting a lot of money since it is going to be inflationary. So, in light of that and also together with the issue of Covid-19, we had said it is very important that people make use of their mobile banking in order to minimize handling cash. I would say this is what we are encouraging our pensioners to do.
However, the Central Bank had also communicated to the banks to make sure that every bank has got a dedicated teller who is dispensing cash strictly for the pensioners. I thank you.
HON. P. D. Sibanda having crossed the floor.
HON. TOGAREPI: Hon. Speaker, we have Hon. P. D. Sibanda here, using very derogatory and racist language against other Members.
THE HON. SPEAKER: Hon. Sibanda, can you take your seat where you belong?
HON. MATEU: Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir. The $30 that the pensioners are receiving is also attracting ridiculous bank charges from some of the banks. What can be done by the Ministry to ensure that pensioners who are getting the paltry $30 are given that money in full? I thank you.
HON. CHIDUWA: What we have done to make sure that the pensioners get their full $30 is for Treasury to absorb all the costs; that is when it comes to ATM cards and any related charges. So we have done that to make sure that the pensioners will get their full $30. Anything outside that arrangement means there is need to engage our banks again.
HON. MADZIMURE: The $30 that the pensioners are getting attracts USD1.50 cents per every USD10 transaction that you make from your Nostro account to your ZWL account. May the Minister inform the House the correct position whether it is individual banks that are doing so or it is the Ministry that instructed that particular charge?
HON. CHIDUWA: As I have said, we have instructed for the pensioners to get the full $30 which means that if there is anything that is happening outside that arrangement, then it is something being done by the banks, hence we are going to engage them.
THE HON. SPEAKER: Hon. Minister, do not engage, crack the whip so that they follow Government policy.
HON. PHULU: I would like to direct my question to the Minister of Health and Child Care. What is the Government policy with regards to the treatment of Covid-19 for those patients who would have reached critical conditions? We have heard other countries talking about treatment protocols; others are talking about remdesivir, hydroxychloroquine and so forth. What is our policy in that regard not merely on prevention and testing, beyond treatment and testing?
THE MINISTER OF JUSTICE, LEGAL AND PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS: (HON. ZIYAMBI): Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir. I want to thank the Hon. Member and I request him to put that in writing so that he can get a detailed treatment protocol of all the drugs that are being used.
THE HON. SPEAKER: Hon. Leader of Government business, again we have a fully fledged deputy Minister of Health and Child Care and he has not tendered his apology. These Ministers are undermining the Presidency totally. There is no apology tendered and the Hon. Leader of Government Business cannot know everything. May I appeal again through you, if next these Ministers do not come, there must be someone from the floor to raise a point of order and move a motion accordingly so that we can then charge Hon. Ministers for Contempt of Parliament. They are undermining the Government. I thank you.
HON. MADZIMURE: On a point of order! Mr. Speaker, it is common cause that we have the pandemic and I do not expect that a Minister can come to day and say they need to research on a protocol. We all know that the moment that you get infected by Coronavirus, you will obviously go through a process where you can deteriorate or you can start recovering. However, the Government should have understood the protocols. For a Minister to stand up and say, the Minister needs to come and pronounce a statement as far as the protocol is concerned, I do not think we are doing enough because people are dying and they need to hear from Government. The protocol must be written down; it must be known by head not to wait for a statement to be issued in the House. It ceases to become a pandemic if this is the way we deal with the issue of the pandemic.
THE HON. SPEAKER: Let me say the Hon. Leader of Government Business was humble enough to respond in the manner he responded and I think we will go by that response and Hon. Phulu can put the question down for a comprehensive answer not-withstanding what I have observed that the Deputy Minister should have been here to answer the questions.
HON. PHULU: On a point of clarification Mr. Speaker Sir. Do I write it down in the normal course as a written question or do I get a special dispensation that I write it down, I give it to someone and it is dealt with next week.
THE HON. SPEAKER: Just put it through appeal on the Order Paper.
HON. PHULU: Mr. Speaker Sir, I will do so. However, my question is basically being relegated to an endless dark hole. It will never emerge in the near future.
THE HON. SPEAKER: It will emerge. If you put it down today, tomorrow it will be on the Order Paper for next Wednesday. So I do not think that is a bottomless hole.
HON. PHULU. Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir.
THE HON. SPEAKER: Yes, as long as I am there it will not be a bottomless hole.
HON. J. SITHOLE: Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir. My question is directed to the Minister of Local Government and Public Works. What is Government policy towards allocation of stands to persons with disabilities on the waiting list?
THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND PUBLIC WORKS (HON. CHOMBO): Thank you. There are some areas that I missed, can someone fill me in. I just heard about waiting list and also the disabled.
THE HON. SPEAKER: What is Government policy on allocation of land to disabled people?
HON. CHOMBO: Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir and thank you to Hon. Sithole for that question. For anybody to get a residential stand or to be considered, they have to be on the waiting list and on the waiting list we have special categories like the war veterans, the disabled. Those are given special treatment and as such, if they go to the local authority they are given first preference. They do not have to go on the waiting list where all the residents go. So they get special treatment with the local authority. Thank you.
HON. J. SITHOLE: My follow up question is, are there any measures that have been taken to ensure that the land which is allocated to persons with disabilities is going into the rightful hands?
HON. CHOMBO: It is unfortunate that I have had a current incident with Kuwadzana disabled which is Tashinga. They had that problem whereby they were allocated but did not get the land. As local government, we intervened and made sure that land that was put aside for them, they got it. You know in any department there can be some shenanigans going on but we make sure as a Ministry that the local authorities adhere to that policy. Thank you.
HON. MADZIMURE: How do local authorities ascertain the level of disability that makes one qualify? Regarding war veterans, we know they have got percentages. They go through an assessment which tells you at what percentage you are. How are the local authorities going to determine the qualifying cases?
HON. CHOMBO: Definitely as a Ministry, we are not qualified to be able to qualify how disabled a person is but there are visible disabilities and there are other disabilities which you can get a letter from the social welfare and they present that and we also consider that. Thank you.
HON. MUSAKWA: Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir, my question is directed to the Minister of Finance and Economic Development or alternatively the Minister of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare. It concerns Government policy regarding subsidised mealie meal. What ratios, if any, exist for the authorised distributors as to the percentage of subsidised and non-subsidised mealie meal they are supposed to carry or stock because sometimes, you find that a 30 tonne truck is delivered and they tell you that only 5 tonnes is subsidised, the rest is not.
I want to know Government policy as to the percentages they should carry regarding the subsidised mealie meal because people are suffering. Thank you.
THE HON. SPEAKER: We have heard the question. Next time Hon. Deputy Minister can you bring your gadget please.
THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF FINANCE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT (HON. CHIDUWA): In terms of the subsidised roller meal, our thrust is to make sure that the subsidised roller meal reaches every corner of the country. We do not have a specific ratio, but we would want that anybody who wants the subsidised roller meal should get it and at the moment Silo Food Industries is the one that is milling the subsidised roller meal, so literally all the maize they are getting from GMB is targeted towards subsidised roller meal. Thank you.
THE HON. SPEAKER: The question was what is the percentage of subsidisation. Is it 10% of the reserved price or is it 50% of the reserved price.
HON. CHIDUWA: In terms of what is coming from Silo Food Industries which is milling the subsidised roller meal it is 100%.
THE HON. SPEAKER: 100%? – [HON. MEMBERS: It cannot be 100% we are not getting it for free.] – Just a minute. Allow the Minister to explain himself – [HON. MEMBERS: Then it is a donation.] -
HON. CHIDUWA: The way I understood the question is when a 30 ton truck is coming, you sometimes find that only 5% is for subsidized and 25 tons is non-subsidised. So what is the ratio between the subsidized and non-subsidised. That is the way I understood the question.
HON. MUSAKWA: My supplementary question Mr. Speaker Sir is what follow-up mechanisms does the Ministry have to enforce compliance and what measures are they taking to make sure that the targeted people, the vulnerable access that mealie-meal because in most cases, it is bought by shop owners and the ordinary public targeted by that mealie-meal will buy from the shop owners at inflated prices. What follow-up measures are in place?
THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF FINANCE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT (HON. CHIDUWA): Thank you Hon. Speaker. In terms of compliance mechanisms that are in place, that is being managed by the Ministry of Industry and Commerce and for us, we manage the subsidy - but compliance is under Industry and Commerce.
HON. TOFA: Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir. My question is directed to the Minister of Local Government with regards the dire water situation in Bulawayo. What is Government’s policy to deal with the current and immediate desperate situation in Bulawayo?
THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF NATIONAL HOUSING AND SOCIAL AMENITIES (HON. CHOMBO): Thank you very much Mr. Speaker Sir and thank you very much Hon. Toffa for the question. Of course, we are seized with the issue of the Bulawayo water situation and we have been going up and down to try to rectify it. If you recall in the newspapers, the President - to show the seriousness of Bulawayo water situation, visited the place a week or so ago and promised the nation that it is going to be on his priority list to make sure that Bulawayo water situation is addressed. As a Ministry, we have been there many times to try to address that. We have engaged companies that are trying to make sure that they address the immediate and also the long term. We have realised that there is a problem of water in Bulawayo but there is a system problem whereby some of the pipes the way they were constructed, there are some areas which are now rusted and that needs some maintenance and so forth. We are trying to address that immediate problem to make sure that we get water, but we are putting in place long term measures to make sure that we will not have that perennial problem of water in Bulawayo.
HON. NDUNA: Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir. I also see in the immediate past that there has been allocation of devolution funds to try and alleviate the plight of the unsuspecting innocent citizens in terms of water and sewer reticulation. To what extent have you continued to go on that trajectory in the release of devolution funds to provide clean potable drinking water?
THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF NATIONAL HOUSING AND SOCIAL AMENITIES (HON. CHOMBO): Thank you very much Mr. Speaker Sir and thank you Hon. Nduna for that follow up question. We have dispatched the devolution funds to all the local authorities and as you know, that our resources financial are limited. Whatever we get from the Ministry of Finance we have disbursed but because of the pandemic, some of the money has been diverted to address some immediate problems like making sure that we have the isolation centres up and running...
THE HON. SPEAKER: Hon. Deputy Minister, you are addressing the Chair please!
THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF NATIONAL HOUSING AND SOCIAL AMENITIES (HON. CHOMBO): I am sorry Hon. Speaker Sir. The little resources that have been disbursed to the local authorities have been outstretched and some of the money that was supposed to be going to address the water situation has been outstretched and not been able to address the water situation as required. Thank you.
HON. MADZIMURE: My supplementary question is that we have always known that we have the Zambezi Water Project as the panacea to the water shortage in Bulawayo and this has been said over and over again. Can the Minister explain what the progress is so far regarding harnessing water from the Zambezi River?
THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF NATIONAL HOUSING AND SOCIAL AMENITIES (HON. CHOMBO): Thank you Hon. Madzimure for that question. The Zambezi Water Project is a national project. It does not fall under the Ministry of Local Government, but as Local Government we go out of our way to make sure that we also engage the relevant Ministries to make sure that they speed up that project to alleviate the water problems in Bulawayo.
HON. CHINYANGANYA: thank you Hon. Speaker Sir. My question is directed to the Minister of Finance. What is Government policy regarding the 2% transactional tax on pensioners?
THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF FINANCE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT (HON. CHIDUWA): Thank you Hon. Speaker. If I may get clarity – is it the 2% for the transaction charges for the electronic? If it is so, at the moment we are applying the 2% on all transactions. So there is no variation that is specific to any group.
HON. CHINYANGANYA: Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir. I want to thank the Hon. Minister for the response. My supplementary question is what the Ministry is going to do to make sure that pensioners are exempted from the 2% transactional tax because they have been feeding into the fiscus during their working time? It is high time they should be exempted from the transactional tax so that they enjoy the discount amount and the timeline when they will start to be exempted? I thank you.
HON. CHIDUWA: Thank you Mr. Speaker. In terms of improving the standard of living for our pensioners, it can be done through the suggestion that was given by the Hon. Member to exempt the pensioners from the transactional tax or we can revise the pensions upwards. As for the administrative burden, it is easier to adjust the pensions upwards. This is what we are working on and we have issued a statement before to say we will continue to look at the conditions of living for the pensioners.
*HON. E. NCUBE: Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir. My question is directed to the Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Water, Climate and Rural Resettlement. What are the Ministry’s plans with regards to the availability of livestock vaccines during this Covid – 19 era where we cannot move to towns to get such vaccines?
THE MINISTER OF JUSTICE, LEGAL AND PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS on behalf of THE MINISTER OF LANDS, AGRICULTURE, WATER, CLIMATE AND RURAL RESETTLEMENT: Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir. I want to thank the Hon. Member for the question. Government is in the process of procuring more vaccines and indeed there is a programme to look into that to ensure that all our livestock get the necessary vaccines. I thank you.
HON. BITI: Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir. My question is directed to the Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Water, Climate and Rural Resettlement and in his absence to the Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs. Mr. Speaker Sir, on 29th June, 2020, the Government of Zimbabwe represented by the Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Water, Climate and Rural Resettlement, through the late Minister Shiri; may his soul rest in peace, executed a Global Compensation Agreement with representatives of former commercial White farmers in the global sum of US$3.5 billion in respect of compensation for improvements.
Mr. Speaker Sir, the Constitution of Zimbabwe is very clear in terms of Section 295 (4), which makes it very clear that compensation can only be payable if there is an Act of Parliament. I would like to ask the Minister of Justice, on what legal basis that agreement was executed where there is no Act of Parliament defining assessment and the methodology of payment. In addition, why was that agreement which imposes fiscal obligations on the Consolidated Revenue Fund executed outside the approval of Parliament?
Lastly, on 29th August on Monday, the Minister of Finance and the Minister of Lands advised that they will be compensating farmers who were covered by BIPPA through land as well. That same compensation is again covered by Section 295 (4), which demands that there has to be an Act of Parliament. So, why is Government acting outside the law and why is the Government reversing the Land Reform Programme? Thank you Hon. Speaker Sir.
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 which allows us to clarify certain issues. Mr. Speaker Sir, the issue of agricultural land is covered in Section 72 of the Constitution and Section 295 as the Hon. Member has alluded to. If you go to Section 72, it clearly spells out that agricultural land is vested in the State and it also indicates how it is acquired. It then indicates also that - if you go to Section 72, it will actually give a rider that, “subject to Section 295” … So some of the provisions of Section 72 are overridden by Section 295” ...
If you go to the Constitution, it indicates that there is need for compensation for improvements for a certain category of former White farmers; compensation for improvements only. This is the category of farmers that is covered by the Global Compensation Agreement signed in the month of August, 2020. The Hon. Member is indicating that there is no Act of Parliament. Mr. Speaker, I submit that it is not true. We have the Land Acquisition Act which has provision for that. Perhaps the Hon. Member wanted us to have a specific Act to deal with compensation alone. That Act allows us, hence we had that particular Statutory Instrument. So if he is not comfortable with that, that particular Act has provisions.
He then goes on to say why we had an agreement outside Parliament. Mr. Speaker Sir, all agreements including treaties are signed first before they come to Parliament. I do not know why he is agitated to have the agreement coming to Parliament first before it is signed. The Executive makes a decision that we want to sign this agreement then it will take the necessary steps to get Parliament approval. So, I do not see why he is saying that the Executive does not want Parliament approval. In any event, if we decide that we want to use tax payers’ money, the Appropriation Bill covers the required amount and it will be approved here. I am not sure where he is getting it from.
Then the second category of farmers that the Minister spoke about includes indigenous farmers and farms that were covered by bilateral agreements. Again, this is in the Constitution. The Constitution clearly states that we have to pay compensation for both the land and the improvements. What we are doing is - we had an exercise; a land audit and we are saying there is an indigenous farmer whose farm was taken away. The Constitution acknowledges that the farm was not supposed to have been taken in the first place.
So, I was saying in terms of Section 295, there are two categories of farmers that have to be compensated for both the land and improvements. Our thrust is on productivity on the farms and we are undertaking a land audit. What we are saying is; where it is possible to give back to the indigenous farmer that particular farm that he had, we are looking into it but where the situation dictates that it is not practical, we look for an alternative land. Lastly, we then talk about full compensation. This is our thrust; is the land still available, can we give it back, if not possible can we give an alternative land. That is in compensation for that particular land and it speaks to what the Constitution is saying.
Hon. Speaker, there is another category of farmers. After Independence, we had bilateral agreements and I want to remind Hon. Members that the land was stolen. You do not transfer a right that you did not have. So in 1980, whatever agreements that we did and we gave those white farmers the land through bilateral agreements, they become more or less like the indigenous farmer because they got that right from us. We cannot take away a right that we gave them when they bought those farms. We are saying these BIPPA farms are about 37 and again if the farm is still available the first option is to return the farm. If it is not available, we look for an alternative. If it is not available, then we speak about the compensation process in terms of monetary value.
Mr. Speaker Sir, there is nowhere in the agreement where it speaks about reversal of the land reform. The first category that I spoke about, the Constitution is very clear. The forefathers who stole must pay compensation for the land, not Zimbabweans. So, Zimbabweans must not be afraid, nobody is going to be chased away from any farm. We are following due process to say you can go back if it is possible because that black bought the farm that was stolen from his forefathers and we cannot punish that particular individual twice. That is the process. The laws are there, the enabling legislation is there according to the Constitution and we are putting in place administrative processes to ensure that we move forward and we focus on productivity so that we increase our productivity and we have closure regarding this land reform process. I think it is now at its tail end and we are working towards closing this process and ensuring that it is a closed chapter – [HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear.] –
HON. BITI: The statement by the Minister of Lands and the Minister of Finance for the 29th August, 2020 was very clear that BIPPA beneficiaries will be awarded their erstwhile land and they are many - they are more than 37. What are you doing by taking away land that is already owned and occupied by black people who are occupying those BIPPA farms? The solution should simply be to pay the compensation instead of taking away the land. Over and above this Hon. Speaker, you already have Statutory Instrument 62 of 2020 which allows the Minister of Lands on application to give the former white farmer his original farm upon application. Hon. Speaker Sir, if this is not a reversal of the Land Reform Programme, I do not know what else it is. Thank you.
HON. ZIYAMBI: Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir. I want to thank the Hon. Member for his question. I listened attentively to what he was saying. He said there are farmers on the farms, why disturb them? In my earlier response, I said where it is possible. I do not see why he is arguing with me because what he is saying is exactly what the two Ministers said. To say that where it is possible to give back the land we will do that, but if the circumstances dictate that it is not possible, we look for alternative land. We have done an audit and we know that we have several pieces of land that are unoccupied, abandoned or unused. In trying to rationalise, we are doing all these permutations to say what is possible for us to have closure. Again, he cites Statutory Instrument 62. It speaks to those two categories of farmers; the black indigenous farmers and the BIPPA farmers. It does not speak to all the categories. If he has a list of several BIPPA farmers, perhaps he may need to approach the Minister of Lands, to say that all our land was covered by BIPPA farmers. But what I know is, they are not many and we are not reversing the land reform. Exactly what he is saying, that is what we are thinking to say if it is possible and the circumstances dictate that we can give back that farm, then we will do that. I thank you Mr. Speaker.
HON. PHULU: Parliament can craft an appropriate formula for assessment of compensation and all these other things that are covered in the Statutory Instrument. Is that not the position that the Government will follow?
HON. ZIYAMBI: I want to thank the Hon. Member for the question. Indeed it speaks about compensation. In any legislation, it allows you to issue regulations and procedures. When you bring a Statutory Instrument, it is Parliament that approves Statutory Instruments. If Parliament rejects a Statutory Instrument, it does not see the light of the day. All subsidiary legislation is approved in the august House.
The Land Acquisition Act speaks about compensation and that is why I said there is an Act that we use to make regulations and the SI to give effect to that particular section that deals with compensation for land. The Executive will be doing itself a disservice by bringing issues of coming up with formulas for compensation to Parliament. We must simply separate functions. The Executive does what is has to do, it brings to Parliament for approval and once it comes here, you can debate whether what we have done is correct or not. But for the process to originate from here, that is not the correct procedure. What we are doing is the correct process and we will continue doing that and bring whatever we will have done to Parliament if need be. If we need to have funds appropriated, Parliament will approve the funds. I thank you.
HON. NDEBELE: I wish to check with the Minister, he has mentioned something very important – the completion of the land audit, when is Government, by way of policy, likely to make public; province by province, the results of the audit that he was speaking to so that as a nation, we put closure to the land question so that allocations are not done surreptitiously in the middle of the night.
THE HON. SPEAKER: The last part of your question should be withdrawn because you have no empirical evidence of surreptitious allocation of land.
HON. NDEBELE: With all due respect Mr. Speaker, I will withdraw that.
THE HON. SPEAKER: Appreciated.
HON. ZIYAMBI: I want to thank Hon Ndebele for his request that the land audit results be published. I will forward that to the relevant minister for his consideration. It is not an unreasonable request. I am happy that he withdrew the last statement as per your instruction.
HON. NDEBELE: There is something that you have taught us overtime that to every commitment we must attach timelines. Could the minister favour us with a possible timeline so that the desk takes note of that and it does not fall through and we get to know when he is likely to make public the allocation?
THE HON. SPEAKER: There is no big deal. The report is there. Completed already.
HON. SHAMU: What is Government’s horticulture development policy?
THE MINISTER OF JUSTICE, LEGAL AND PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS (HON. ZIYAMBI): I want to thank Hon Shamu for the question. My understanding pursuant to what I responded to in terms of our thrust now, is to increase productivity on land and horticulture is part of our agricultural produce. Our thrust now is that we need to ensure that all our land is very productive and our thrust is to ensure that there is productivity including horticulture. If he has got specific issues that he wants to zero in on, he can put the question in writing so that they can actually give a detailed policy statement to say that in terms of horticulture, our thrust is to focus on these particular commodities and these ones are not our priority at the moment. That is the suggestion I can give.
THE HON SPEAKER: Hon Shamu, I am sure you are quite happy with that. A detailed proposal will be given next week.
HON. SHAMU: I will abide by your ruling.
THE HON. SPEAKER: Leader of Government Business, if we can have a Ministerial Statement next week on that one.
HON. M. MPOFU: My question is directed to the Minister of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare. What is Government’s position on ensuring the availability of social welfare because it is now almost a month without the distribution of food?
THE MINISTER OF JUSTICE, LEGAL AND PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS (HON. ZIYAMBI): Our policy is very clear in terms of food mitigation. We have several programmes that are in place in rural areas and it has expanded even to some of our urban areas whereby we give grain in terms of food mitigation. As the Hon. Member is aware, we have had successive droughts and we are in the process of importing maize. The process of importation in the midst of Covid has been very slow indeed. So in some areas, we have shortages of grain and in others we have it but all efforts are being done to ensure that we have grain and our people do not starve. I thank you.
HON. O. SIBANDA: My question is directed to the Minister of Energy and Power Development.
THE HON. SPEAKER: Hon. Sibanda, can you link up properly, we cannot hear you. Perhaps he has got some internet connectivity problem.
HON. MADZIMURE: Thank you Mr. Speaker. In view of the recoveries that we are now recording as far as Covid is concerned in our country which now stands officially at 85%, it means we are doing quite well. Can the Government consider the issue of relaxing some regulations like the curfew so that economic activities can pick up? Can also the Government consider relaxing the time for starting business from 8 am to 7 am and in the evening to get up to even 6pm. This is because manufacturers have been subsidising workers whilst they are not working up to the standard requirements of all the industries that produce products.
THE HON. SPEAKER: Did you get your times correctly for the curfew?
HON. MADZIMURE: The curfew starts from 6 a.m. to 8 in the evening.
THE HON. SPEAKER: From where?
HON. MADZIMURE: From 6 in the morning to 8 in the evening – [Laughter.] –
THE MINISTER OF DEFENCE AND WAR VETERANS (HON. MUCHINGURI-KASHIRI): Thank you Hon. Speaker. I would like to thank Hon. Madzimure for that very important observation. Whilst I appreciate the percentage which he has alluded to on the success story of our recoveries as 85%, I need to correct that statistics are still at 80%. What he did not mention also is that whilst the percentage of recoveries is increasing, the percentage of infections is also increasing. So, there ought to be some balance.
The success story is pointing to the good mechanisms that we have put in place including the curfew which we introduced after a very scientific review which analyses our capacity and capability. Decisions that we make are informed whilst thorough research is done. If and when we are satisfied that the environment is conducive, we will consider that. At the moment, there is equilibrium between increases in infections and increases in the recoveries, so it is important that we continuously review as we improve. I thank you.
HON. MADZIMURE: Thank you Hon. Minister for the response. There is one question that you did not attend to, the issue of relaxing the time that manufacturers can open their factories and also the time they can knock off. This is in view of the fact that we now have longer days than nights, which means workers still have got enough time to commute between their homes and workplaces. We now have longer days than the nights.
HON. MUCHINGURI-KASHIRI: Thank you Mr. Speaker. I have already alluded to the responsibility of the taskforce to make sure that we review with the whole essence of ensuring that the health of our people remains paramount. This is the work of scientists and we stand guided by them. under normal circumstances, work begins at 8 o’clock and ends at 5 o’clock but we are assessing as I have already mentioned that we will continuously assess as we did to make sure that we moved the working hours to 4:30 and so we will continuously review. Therefore, if you would allow the taskforce to do its work.
HON. NDEBELE: Thank you Hon. Speaker. I am glad everything seems to be evidence driven, but Hon. Speaker, if local transmissions are on the spike - what scientific data informs the intention by ZIMSEC to run public examinations in the near future?
THE MINISTER OF DEFENCE AND WAR VETERANS (HON. MUCHINGURI-KASHIRI): Thank you Hon. Speaker, I agree that we are guided by evidence based decisions. We do have eight pillars of experts who study the situation within our region and also we work very closely with W.H.O. At the moment, as I have alluded to, we have reached an equilibrium stage in our statistics and we are satisfied that our interventions are bearing fruit - which Hon. Madzimure pointed to. In that case, a lot of research was done by the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education ,together with the Ministry of health and they are responsible for making recommendations to the task force and the task force also recommends to Cabinet.
So at the moment we are very satisfied that it is the statistics, the interaction which they undertook with all relevant stakeholders that has been done and both indicated that they are happy. All measures have been put in place to make sure that the environment will be safe to allow examinations to take place. So with that situation we want to assure the nation that as I have indicated, everything is science based, we undertake research to make sure our level of error is minimal. I submit.
HON. MATEWU: My question is directed to the Minister of Local Government and Public Works. There is an emerging catastrophe in our local authorities, because in most of the local authorities fuel is now charged in USD. Now, service delivery has been affected because our councils do not have foreign currency, they charge their rates in ZWL. What is your Ministry doing to ensure that service delivery is not affected in terms of collecting rubbish and so forth and that our local authorities can actually access fuel in RTGS as they do not charge their residents in USD?
THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND PUBLIC WORKS (HON. CHOMBO): Thank you Hon. Matewu for such a question. The local authorities charge in RTGS but they can also charge equivalent for those who would want to pay in forex using the auction rate.
However, let me hasten to say the local authorities; if they have a problem financially, they can apply for a supplementary budget but as of now, we do not have any local authority that has come forward with a supplementary budget to augment their financials.
HON. MATEWU: The question here is not about a supplementary budget but how then do they get the foreign currency. For example, they are already charging in RTGS so where can they buy that USD because most banks are unable to sell people USD. So, where do you expect the local authorities to get that USD even if they are charging in RTGS?
HON. CHOMBO: We have an auction system which is open to everybody and we have a lot of service stations that are currently selling fuel at RTGS. As I have said before, I do not have any local authority that has come to our Ministry or to seek assistance in the procurement of fuel but if you have such, my Ministry is open to assist as we are there to deliver service. I thank you.
HON. NDEBELE: The mere mention of the USD speaks volumes about the elephant in the room, I just want to check with the Executive, if at all the argument that we are in the de-dollarisation stage still subsists.
HON. CHOMBO: I think that question is best addressed by the Minister of Finance but my Ministry is not in the dollarization stage – which I would want to specifically state. Thank you.
THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF FINANCE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT (HON. CHIDUWA): Thank you Hon. Speaker Sir. What I would want to state is that we have not dollarized, what we have is the dual usage of the USD and the RTGS and the conversion of the USD should be done at the ruling auction rate. So, in line with the submission that has been done by the Hon. Member, in cases where local authorities would want to charge in USD, it should not be forced but it is allowed. What I would want to state is we have not dollarised. What we have is the dual usage of the United States dollar and the RTGs and the conversion of the United States dollar should be done at the ruling auctioning rate. So in line with the submission that has been done by the Hon. Member in cases where local authorities would want to charge in United States dollars, it should not be forced, but it is allowed for the local authorities to charge either in United States dollars or in RTGS, but the conversion should be done at the ruling auction rate for that week. Thank you.
Questions Without Notice were interrupted by THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER in terms of Standing Order Number 64
ORAL ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS WITH NOTICE
THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER: We are going to suspend questions 1 to questions 7 and then we will go to question number 8.
REPLACEMENT OF ELECTRICITY POLES AND CABLES IN MBERENGWA EAST CONSTITUENCY
- HON. RAIDZA asked the Minister of Energy and Power Development to inform the House when the collapsed electricity poles and cables in Wards 3 and 8 in Mberengwa East Constituency will be replaced as they pose grave danger to people and animals.
Question again proposed.
THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF ENERGY AND POWER DEVELOPMENT (HON. MUDYIWA): Reports were made by clients and a complaint was received via the Mberengwa East MP Hon. Raidza on the above faults in ward 3 and 8 of the constituency in the last week of November 2019. This was at a time when there were numerous faults due to the early rains. However, the faults in both wards were resolved in December 2019.
WRITTEN SUBMISSIONS TO QUESTIONS WITH NOTICE
REPAIR OF ELECTRICITY TRANSFORMERS IN HIGHFIELD WEST CONSTITUENCY
- HON. CHIDZIVA asked the Minister of Energy and Power Development to inform the House when vandalised electricity transformers in Highfield West Constituency as reported to the Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority under Case Reference Number 24/17 six months ago will be repaired.
THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF ENERGY AND POWER DEVELOPMENT (HON. MUDYIWA):
REPORT ON VANDALISED TRANSFORMERS IN HIGHFIELD – HARARE SOUTH DISTRICT | ||||||
ITEM | Substation number | Location | Transformer size | CauseFault | Comment | Date of Replacement |
1 | 2417 | New Canaan | 315kVA | Vandalism | Replaced | 24/04/20 |
2 | 2482 | Western Triangle | 315kVA | Vandalism | Replaced | 16/05/20 |
3 | 2418 | Western Triangle | 315kVA | Vandalism | Not yet replaced | Awaiting delivery of new transformers |
4 | 2195 | New Canaan | 315kVA | Vandalism | Not yet replaced | Awaiting delivery of new transformers |
ZETDC has placed orders with various suppliers to procure transformers and deliveries are expected in the second to the third quarter of 2020 |
INSTALLATION OF JOTSHOLO-DANDANDA ELECTRICITY POWER LINE
- HON. M. NKOMO asked the Minister of Energy and Power Development to inform the House as to when Jotsholo – Dandanda electricity power line would be erected.
THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF ENERGY AND POWER DEVELOPMENT (HON. MUDYIWA): The line needs about 52x12.6m long wood poles. There was a shortage of poles in the country but orders have now been placed with this particular line being targeted for repair as soon as possible.
RURAL ELECTRIFICATION PROGRAMME IN KARIBA-NYAMINYAMI DISTRICTS
- HON. HOUGHTON asked the Minister of Energy and Power Development to inform the House when the Rural Electrification Programme will be done in the following areas in Kariba-Nyaminyami Districts:-
- MvurAmachena Primary School.
- Negande Clinic, Secondary School and Chief Negande.
- Chilimba Primary and Secondary Schools.
- Mola Primary and Secondary Schools, Clinic and Chief Mola.
- Mayovhe Primary School
- Chalala Primary School.
THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF ENERGY AND POWER DEVELOPMENT (HON. MUDYIWA): Due to inadequate capacity on the Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company (ZETDC)’s electricity grid network, the Rural Electrification Fund (REF) managed to extend the electricity grid network only up to Siakobvu Rural Service, beyond which voltages were below unacceptable levels. To ensure that there is adequate capacity on the ZETDC’s grid in areas including Kariba-Nyaminyami, ZETDC is currently constructing a 132 kV line linking Karoi 132/33 kV and Alaska 330/132 kV substations. Once the Alaska to Karoi line is completed by 2022, the electricity grid network can be extended to Kariba-Nyaminyami area without any capacity challenges.
The electrification of the institutions in Kariba-Nyaminyami will require a substantial amount of resources as the distances to be covered are long. REF will need to first construct a 28 km 33kV line from Magororo Primary School in Hurungwe to link with the existing 33kV line going to Siakobvu. Thereafter, the grid will be extended from the existing Siakobvu line as indicated in the table below:
Table 1: Planned Implementation Programme for Kariba-Nyaminyami Area.
Name of Institution | High Voltage Line (kV) | Distance from the Existing Grid Network | Planned Year for Project Implementation |
Backbone line from Magororo to Siakobvu 33kV line | 33 | 28km | 2021 |
Mamvuramachena Primary School | 33 | 10km | 2021 |
Negande Clinic, Secondary School and Chief | 33 | 28km | 2022 |
Chilimba Primary and Secondary Schools | 33 | 41km | 2023 |
Mola Primary and Secondary Schools, Clinic and Chief | 33kV | 33km | 2023 |
Mayovhe Primary | 33kV | 48km | 2023 |
Chalala Primary School | 33kV | 55km | 2024 |
MEASURES TO CURB THEFT AND VANDALISM OF POWER CABLES
- HON. I. NYONI asked the Minister of Energy and Power Development to explain measures being put in place to curb stealing of power cables.
THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF ENERGY AND POWER DEVELOPMENT (HON. MUDYIWA): Vandalism of distribution transformers and conductors has been on the rise during the past five years. This has resulted in losses of about US$2 million per year. The vandalism scourge is a serious drawback to the economy due to lack of guarantee of security of electricity supply.
The fight against vandalism requires an all stakeholders approach but in the meantime ZESA has put in place strategies to curb this menace as outlined below:
1.1 Physical Protection Target Hardening
Screening and barricading of substation is done for both pole mounted and ground mounted distribution transformers in all ZETDC regions. ZETDC is also in the process of blocking drain valves on distribution transformers to make it difficult for thieves to open and drain oil.
1.2 Installation of Intruder Detection Systems
ZETDC has resolved to install intruder detection systems on approximately 27 000 distribution transformers nation-wide at an approximate cost of US$13 500 000.00 but due to financial resource limitations, this will be done in a phased manner. About 80 transformers have been installed as a pilot project. Contracts are now in place to install 8 000 sites this year 2020.
1.3 Copper Harvesting
ZETDC has an arrangement with Central African Cables (Pvt) Ltd (CAFCA) where copper conductor is harvested and exchanged for aluminium. This has seen a decline in vandalism of distribution lines where implemented. This is an on-going exercise which is expected to significantly reduce this scourge.
1.4 Lobbying for Cancellation of Copper Licences
The issuing of copper licences perpetuates theft of copper as licenced dealers will absorb the contraband and sell it as scrap while some will quickly smelt it into ingots before exporting it. ZESA has been lobbying for the scrapping of copper licences in favour of a centralized system for disposal of non-ferrous metals. There have been complexities in this area, which is compounded by the existence of multiple legislation; i.e. Copper Control Act Chapter 14:06, Minerals Marketing Corporation of Zimbabwe (MMCZ) Act Chapter 21:04 (S.I. 39/2005: Definition of a mineral) and Electricity Act Chapter 13:19, Second Hand Goods Act, among others. ZESA continues to engage Government for assistance in this regard.
1.5 Stakeholder Engagement and Cooperation
ZESA Holdings Loss Control work with the complimentary arms of Government (e.g. CID, MFFU, SARPCCO and Interpol for cross border investigation) in the fight against vandalism of electricity infrastructure.
1.6 Anti-vandalism Campaigns
ZETDC conducts anti-vandalism awareness campaigns through electronic audio, visual and print media to solicit for public involvement in the fight against this scourge. The campaigns are an important part of the activities at any public exhibition that the utility participates.
1.7 Community Participation in Protecting Assets
ZETDC encourages clients to form neighbourhood watch committees that guard against the vandalism of electricity infrastructure. This has been received well and some communities have mobilised resources to protect transformers in their communities. Clients also cooperate in responding to alarms when there is an intrusion.
1.8 Security for Replacement/New Transformers
It has been agreed that before installing a replacement or new transformer, ZETDC has to ensure that the transformer is adequately protected against theft and vandalism. All the Customer Service Centres work with clients to ensure that this is achieved.
1.9 Stiffer Penalties
The problem of theft and vandalism of transformers and lines to get copper and oil is a serious threat to the operation of ZESA. It would be very much appreciated the 10 year mandatory sentence could be reviewed in line with what is obtaining in the Southern African Region. In South Africa, the Criminal Matters Amendment Act, Number 18 of 2015 provides for a 30 year jail term. The organisation will continue to engage Government on cancellation of copper licences while implementing strategies within ZESA’s control. On the other hand, ZESA will continue to lobby for harmonisation of legislation to ensure that there is order.
CRITERIA FOR SELECTION OF FUEL FILLING STATIONS THAT SELL IN FOREIGN CURRENCY
- HON. I. NYONI asked the Minister of Energy and Power Development to inform the House the criteria used in selecting fuel filling stations to sell fuel in foreign currency.
THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF ENERGY AND POWER DEVELOPMENT (HON. SODA ZHEMU): During this period characterised by the Covid-19 pandemic, the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe allows holders of free funds to pay for goods and services in foreign currency. The bank published Statutory Instrument 85 of 2020 specifically to allow for this at law. The service stations that are currently selling fuel in foreign currency are those that have their own free funds and can get customers who can either be individuals, NGOs, corporates and embassies who are also able to pay in foreign currency. The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe continues to make available funds to oil companies to sell fuel to the rest of the customers who do not have access to foreign currency. Such fuel is sold in local currency.
The Exchange Control Circular 8 of 2019 produced by the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development provided for the implementation of Direct Fuel Import (DFIs). The Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority (ZERA) is currently working on the criteria for designating retail sites which will sell fuel in foreign currency (DFI sites). DFI Regulations outlining the implementation modalities will be announced soon.
Questions With Notice were interrupted by THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER in terms of Standing Order No. 64.
MOTION
BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE
HON. TOGAREPI: Madam Speaker, I move that Order of the Day, No. 1 be stood over until Order of the Day, No. 2 has been disposed of.
HON. MHONA: I second.
Motion put and agreed to.
MOTION
REPORT OF THE INTERNATIONAL FORUM ON DEVELOPMENT OF PARLIAMENTARIANS AND THE RUSSIA-AFRICA PARLIAMENTARY CONFERENCE HELD IN MOSCOW
HON. K. PARADZA: Thank you Madam Speaker. I rise to present a report of the International Forum on Development of Parliamentarians and the Russia-Africa Parliamentary Conference held in Moscow
HON. MHONA: I second.
HON. K. PARADZA:
1.0 Introduction
1.1 The 2nd International Forum on the “Development of Parliamentarism” was held in Moscow, Russia from 01 to 3 July 2019. The Conference discussed the broad framework of legislative support for trade, economic and humanitarian cooperation between Russia and the African countries and the exchange of legislative experience. The programme included issues on; International Security and Stability, the Development of a Digital Economy, Youth and Environmental Policies.
1.2 The delegation led by Hon. Advocate Jacob Francis Mudenda, Speaker of the National Assembly included the following Members and Officers of Parliament:
Hon. Kindness Paradza, Member of Parliament;
Hon. Martin Khumalo, Member of Parliament;
Hon. Priscilla Misihairabwi-Mushonga, Member of Parliament;
Hon. Joana Mamombe, Member of Parliament;
Hon. Chido Madiwa, Member of Parliament;
Hon. Masango Matambanadzo, Member of Parliament;
Ms. Martha Mushandinga, Principal Executive Officer to the Hon. Speaker;
Mr. Robert Sibanda, Security-Aide to the Honourable Speaker.
1.3 Upon arrival, the Hon. Adv. Mudenda expressed gratitude for the solid relations between Zimbabwe and Russia. Furthermore, he stressed the importance of the synergy between Russia and Africa as they develop and solidify cooperation between and among Legislative Assemblies.
2.0 Attendance
2.1 The International Conference was attended by 38 African delegations, 25 at the level of Speakers of National Parliaments, 10 at the level of Deputy Speakers, 300 Members of Parliament and 50 experts. This event has become landmark event in Russian-Africa relations.
3.0 OFFICIAL PLENARY OF THE FORUM
3.1 During the Official opening addresses, it became apparent that the following areas of cooperation need to be enhanced through mutual cooperation: -
3.1.1 The Chairman of the State Duma, Vyacheslav Viktorovich Volodin is convinced that cultural, educational and humanitarian cooperation are important areas that need to be developed and intensified in the current Russian-African relations.
3.1.2 Hon. Volodin suggested the need for continued discussion on issues of harmonising legislation in the scientific and educational spheres, and reminded that hundreds of thousands of African students studied in the Soviet Union and Russia, and now 17 000 African students, a majority of them on private contracts were studying in the Russian Federation.
3.1.3 Hon. Volodin reiterated that, "strengthening all aspects of relations with African countries, including humanitarian and trade and economic cooperation was now the priority for Russia. The development of Inter-parliamentary relations should intensify cooperation between Russia and African countries."
3.1.4 Parliamentarians, academic researchers and experts called for an increase in the number of Government scholarships and grants for the training of specialists for Africa as a significant part of developing and building trust as well as mutual understanding in the current Russian-African relations.
3.1.5 There is need for a broad-based interactive dialogue between Africa and Russia in the fields of education, health care, demography and culture as integral part of future bilateral cooperation.
3.1.6 To stimulate growth and cultural hegemony, there is need to enhance linguistic programmes as has been in the past where African students embraced Russian culture and were engaged in fields of specialisation such as medicine and engineering. These educational programmes need to be broadened.
3.1.7 Russia has set up Centres of Science and Culture in Egypt, Zambia, Morocco, Congo, Tanzania, Tunisia and Ethiopia. Russia is ready to expand the network of its centres and humanitarian ties in general.
3.1.8 The Deputy Head of the State Duma, Hon. Olga Timofeeva urged the two partners to take advantage of the interaction in the field of medicine. The African continent has become a major source of outbound medical tourism. However, there is need to note that Africans are interested in developing their own health care system with other countries playing a complementary role.
3.1.9 There is need to enhance Parliamentary Diplomacy as a mechanism to build humanitarian ties. The role of Parliamentary Diplomacy cannot be overemphasized as an adjunct to the Executive interface in foreign policy initiatives.
3.1.10 Science should play a part in the development of cooperation between Russia and Africa. Without technological breakthrough in ecology, health and education, the two partners are not able to break the deadlock needed to solve the problems that both the Russian people and the people of Africa are facing. By training specialists, Russia should contribute to future of Russian citizens and the people of Africa in their continental development.
3.1.11 During this session, it became apparent that Russia was triumphantly returning to Africa after several years of hiatus. Africa should take advantage of this reawakening in the multilateral economic and trade relationships with Russia.
4.0. Addresses by Speakers and Heads of Delegations to the Conference
4.1 Hon. Advocate Jacob Francis Mudenda, Speaker of the National Assembly, expressed gratitude to the warm welcome by the State Duma and the Russian Federation and felt extremely most welcome to the friendly country.
4.2 Furthermore, the Hon. Speaker posited that the Second Russia – Africa Parliamentary Conference affirmed Russia’s undiluted commitment to cementing strong political and economic ties with Africa under the pedestal of the Development of Parliamentarism. The Hon. Speaker implored both parties to approach this mutual partnership with an open mind, noting that sustainable socio-economic development has to be anchored upon sound Parliamentarism, the cradle of constitutional democracy legality and the rule of law. Zimbabwe welcomes this innovative initiative which must live up to the warranted shared socio-economic development between Russia and Africa on the apex of bilateral and multilateral axis.
4.3 The Hon Speaker affirmed that Africa recognises and acknowledges that Russia has transformed itself from a centrally planned economy to a globally integrated market-based economy which is ready to do business with Africa. Africa is now fast becoming the world's powerhouse of business opportunities offering immense scope for Russian businesses in areas as diverse as agricultural products, machinery, mining, auto components, chemicals, Information Communication Technology and other digital enabling services.
4.4 Hon. Advocate Jacob Mudenda also pointed out that the Conference is another opportunity to compare positions, develop solutions and give impetus to further cooperation between Russia and Africa but more importantly, an opportunity to turn words into concrete actions. Hon. Mudenda argued that it was distinctively evident from the large number of African delegations that had been invited to Moscow over the past few years, that a marked new chapter to re-activate relations with Africa had been born. He however cautioned that Russia's influence might not take roots anytime soon if the Conference declarations are not vigorously and promptly implemented.
4.5 The Chairman of the State Duma, Viacheslav Volodin, reiterated the need to strengthen the between Russia and Africa, including humanitarian and trade and economic cooperation as one of the priorities. The development of inter-parliamentary relations should intensify cooperation between the two parties. There is need for mutual cooperation on equal basis.
4.6 The Deputy Foreign Minister in Russia, Hon. Mikhail Bogdanov, pointed out that Russia regards Africa as an important and active participant in the emerging polycentric architecture of the world order and an ally in protecting international law against attempts to undermine it.
4.7 Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Rwanda to the Russian Federation, H. E. Jeanne d'Arc Mujawamariya appreciated efforts to use Conference platforms to exchange views on common problems, issues for the African continent and the Russian Federation.
4.8 The President of the Senate from the Republic of Kenya, Hon. Kenneth Lusaka, emphasized that the interaction and cooperation in the area of culture, science and art is necessary to guarantee future generations benefits from the cooperation.
4.9 The Speaker of the National Assembly of Zambia, Hon. Patrick Matibini stressed the need to develop multifaceted relations between Russia and the entire African continent. Furthermore, the Presiding Officer praised efforts in developing Inter-parliamentary relations and noted that the relations are still "very influential and really promising”. Hon. Matibini reiterated the need to intensify bilateral cooperation in areas of education, medicine, technology and agriculture.
4.10 The Chairperson of the National Council of Namibia, Hon. Margaret Mensah-Williams, highlighted the previous educational assistance received from Russia and appreciated the impact of the huge number of doctors and other specialists in their country who studied during the Soviet Republic and now in the Russian Federation. These worthy efforts have always translated further into greater development, thus appealing to Russian authorities to maintain that appreciable level of socio-cultural and humanitarian assistance to African countries.
4.11 The President of the National Assembly of Mali, Hon. IssakaSidibé, reminded the Conference that Africa should address challenges related to migration, education and the impact of climate change on the environment. Parliamentarians should work for the benefit of the nationals. Cooperation should be enhanced to eliminate inequality in the economic world order.
4.12 Hon. Dias dos Santos confided with the meeting that the Forum on “Development of Parliamentarism” and regular Conferences on “Russia-Africa” could become a catalyst and conduit to addressing many pressing global and regional issues. He cited international terrorism one of the key threats facing the world and the decision to counter it should be found together. He marshalled the meeting to guard against the growing number of young people being recruited into terrorism.
5.0 International Security Dialogue: Legislators for Peace and Stability
5.1 The session drew participants from Asia, Africa, Eastern Europe, Middle East and North and South America. The major focus was the rise in international terrorism which is a threat to world peace. Delegates condemned the superpowers that have the tendency of sponsoring terrorist activities as a way of destabilising internal democratic processes, especially those developing nations that are rich in natural resources like oil, gas and minerals.
5.2 The delegates noted that State-sponsored terrorism had destabilised such countries as Libya, Somalia, Syria, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka and India. They observed with concern how some developed nations continue to destabilise and interfere in the internal affairs of many developing nations. The escalation in organised crime, drug trafficking, tribal and old historical conflicts were also identified as other ancillary threats to world peace. The proliferation of small arms, especially in conflict zones like Libya, East and Central Africa also came under the spotlight.
5.3 The major worry was that some of these terrorist attacks involved the use of biological and chemical weapons, especially in Syria and other hot spots. The fear among some delegates was that if left unchecked, some of these terrorists would one day acquire nuclear weapons and use these weapons of mass destruction to wipe out human life the earth.
5.4 The negative effects of such terrorist attacks is the rise in the number of refugees and migrants, a phenomenon that is threatening all continents. Global warming, climate change, desertification, poverty, human trafficking and forced migration were also identified as threats to world peace and stability.
5.5 Participants in this Session agreed to use the International Parliamentary Union (IPU) as a platform to petition the United Nations so that model laws can be crafted and subsequently domesticated as a measure to combat terrorism.
5.6 Participants came to a consensus position that a global common list of terrorist organisations such as Al Qaeda, ISIS or Boko Haram should be drawn and widely circulated to alert the whole world to know so that individual countries can take precautionary measures to counter them.
5.7 There was agreement to share intelligence among member states on the activities of these terrorist organisations. Participants also called on the superpowers to stop funding, arming or colluding with terrorists as a means of driving their own foreign political agendas.
6.0 Lawmaking and Legal Framework for the Digital Future:
Challenges and Solutions
6.1 The major thrust of this Session was to build consensus on two main issues:-
6.1.1 Developing legislation to facilitate equity in the access of the digital world to all – the main question for this challenge was in addressing the gap between the “Haves” and the “Have Nots”.
6.1.2 Developing a balance between freedom of expression and the protection of other people’s rights.
6.2 The Session received 14 presentations from Eastern, Western Europe and from Africa. The Session noted that the discourse would have benefitted from engagement with the digital giants such as Apple, Facebook and Huawei who have in the absence of laws themselves defined the rules that govern the digital world.
6.3 The second consensus was the need to Parliaments to develop a united ideological position on what defines the digital world. There is need for consensus building with regards empowering the marginalised communities with digital capacity.
6.4 Debate centred also on the management of the digital world through legislation and need to restrict the aggression of the digital world. It was noted that the digital world should be regulated to avoid the pitfalls of:
- The spread of false information (Fake news)
- Threats on the sovereignty of states.
- Threats on service provision such as power supply on banking system.
6.5 The African presentations focused largely on the challenging of transiting from using the digital world use in facilitating “democratic” changes such as in Egypt and Tunisia as well as ensuring that the digital world is transformed to a more developmental use and hence striking the balance between democracy versus development in the 4th Industrial Revolution.
6.6 The session dealt in depth with the challenges of the digital worker but has limited on solutions to manage that world in the context of the threats posed by the 4th Industrial Revolution which is driven by artificial intelligence being anchored on the 5G digital platform.
7.0 The Role of Youth in the Development of Parliamentarism: Experiences and Priorities
7.1 Representatives from different countries took turns to share their experiences of the implementation of the youth policies and institutions in their own countries.
7.2 The focus of this theme was to create a platform for shared experiences and outlining priorities of young people towards improving parliamentary practice and inclusion.
7.3 The session also addressed developmental problems and perspectives of humanitarian law as well as understanding the legal voids in National and International law. These perspectives focused on the prohibition of cyber-attacks against civilian population and civil infrastructure, restriction of remote and autonomous weapon systems and regulation of military artificial intelligence.
7.4 The discussion also centered on emerging trends and identifiable voids within the legislative framework across countries in the restriction of wide-area explosive weapons used in cities, enhancing protection of journalists covering military conflicts, enhancing protection of cultural heritage sites, ensuring delivery of humanitarian aid and services as well as the harmonisation of national approaches to organisation of acceptance of refugees and recognition of their international legal status, especially as they affect young people.
7.5 The round table discussion noted with major concern the diminished total number of Young Parliamentarians in the world, with only 2% of total Members of Parliament under the age of 35. This means that there is very little representation of young people’s issues in lawmaking which leads to only a few young persons contributing to the development of Parliamentarism. The designed systems and institutions in most of the countries deter young people from participating in parliamentary processes, hence the need to open more institutions to allow young people to participate more effectively.
7.6 The round table also noted with concern that in many countries where there are institutions that support the participation and contribution of young people there is a lot of interference from the State, thereby diluting the independent thinking of young people. Also, the lack of access to information by young people is one of the major contributors to their low participation in the development of Parliamentarism. Emphasis was therefore put on the need to avail more avenues for the access of information by young people and promote a culture of public interest research to counter this challenge of lack of access to information.
7.7 Furthermore, the round table analysed how countries are progressing in the implementation of institutions and policies that encourage youth participation in parliamentary programmes. A special mention was made of the global institutions like the United Nations where international youth conferences are held regularly and UNESCO that plays a critical role to ensure civil awareness and democratic participation of youths. In addition, there is a growing positive trend in most of the countries of establishing youth institutions like Youth Parliaments to give space to young people to contribute to the legislative sphere of development.
8.0 Role of Legal Regulation in Poverty and Inequality Reduction:
8.1. The discussion centred on the following key issues on the sub-theme:
8.1.1 Combating poverty and inequalities in socio-economic development as one of the main priorities of international cooperation;
8.1.2 The norms and principles of social policy aimed at overcoming poverty and inequality as consolidated in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Conventions on Economic, Social and Cultural rights should be embraced by Parliament;
8.1.3 The enhancement of the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), an international treaty adopted in 1979 by the United Nations General Assembly; and the
8.1.4 The propagation of global and regional initiatives to combat poverty and inequalities as encapsulated by African Union’s Agenda 2063 should be shared globally.
8.1.5 It is instructive to note that the represented countries agreed on the vital role Parliaments in alleviating poverty and inequalities in their national development agenda. Parliaments are central to any discourse on development, they approve budgets from which development projects are funded or not funded.
9.0 Russia African Humanitarian Cooperation – A Parliamentary Dimension
9.1 This discussion was attended by seventy three countries from Africa in an effort to strengthen their multilateral ties with Russia.
9.2 Russia highlighted the humanitarian aid it provides for Africa which has no political strings. The discussion centred on the need to contextualize aid since most countries have development needs unique to each one of them at a bilateral level.
9.3 Most countries in Southern African reiterated the need to get support in the areas such as education, health, access to water and sanitation, poverty reduction and developmental inequalities.
9.4 It was agreed that other areas of cooperation should include the improvement of governance and putting an end to the scourge of corruption.
9.5 The attending countries looked forward to a forum that will create a balance between the rich and the poor countries. This had the ripple effect of curbing migration, thus gravitating the African continent to a zone that attracts domestic growth for increased employment opportunities in Africa.
10.0 Role of Parliaments on International Humanitarian Law and Humanitarian Cooperation
10.1 This session was led by academics from universities of four (4) countries who sought to define International Human Law with special emphasis on the need to ensure that the growing trend wherein super powers, through other powerful global geo-political groupings are setting new international roles that are circumventing long standing Humanitarian International Law and tenets.
10.2 The major thrust of their interventions has brought about the following critical perspectives and impact on International Humanitarian Rule as it impinges on International Peace and stability;
10.2.1 seeking to reduce the number of victims due to military operation;
10.2.2 mitigating humanitarian calamitous consequences;
10.2.3 reducing international conflicts;
10.2.4 curtailing organised crime and terrorism; and
10.2.5 ameliorating the problem associated with refugees.
10.3 In the end, it was agreed that there was need for the domestication of International Humanitarian Law (IHL). Furthermore, by national Parliaments, States should make a deliberate commitment to ensure that they ratify the international treaties in the sphere of international law and provide oversight on the Government implementation of the same. The round table discussion also advocated for the training of state security organs on International Humanitarian Law.
The session concluded with a call for the strengthening of inter-parliamentary cooperation on the promotion and respect for International Humanitarian Law, particularly the need for parliaments to collectively advocate for strict adherence to it and its attendant rules.
11.0 Recommendations
11.1 The Parliamentarians gathered at the conference forum agreed that it was unacceptable to use of Inter-parliamentary Institutions and forums for political provocations and extremist actions.
11.2 Forum participants appealed for the inter-parliamentary cooperation channels to promote the comprehensive improvement of the global economic management systems in order to resolve the skewed crisis in the global economy to ensure greater economic and financial stability through the harmonisation of international trade relations that should result in sustainable dynamic growth.
11.3 Parliamentarians should further improve the lawmaking process in the interests of their sovereign peoples.
11.4 Broaden Parliamentary cooperation to ensure that there is sustainable development, international and regional security, environmental well-being, enough stamina to fight poverty and inequality, establish collaborative efforts in countering terrorism, extremism, drug trafficking, illegal migration and other common challenging security risks.
11.5 The Forum urged Parliamentarians to use all the opportunities of Inter-parliamentary cooperation to remove barriers and promote inclusive, equal and mutually respectful dialogue, eliminate emerging threats to peace and security, resolve disagreements in strict compliance with the fundamental norms of international law, reduce conflict potential and confrontation in the world, build trust and develop a constructive unifying agenda for international cooperation.
11.6 The meeting condemned the methods of resolving international disputes through use of force and sanctions pressure. This was seen as a destabilising tool which was against international law and violated the interests of other people by militating against achieving sustainable development goals. It is unacceptable to use political sanctions and other repressive measures against Parliamentarians including restricting the rights of national delegations to travel to Inter-parliamentary fora. This contravenes the fundamental democratic values, principles of international law and the development of Parliamentarism.
11.7 The meeting noted that the conditions of global digital transformation and transition of the world economy to a new technological paradigm is at hand. There is need to develop a common vision and harmonisation of approaches to law making in the digital era which requires intensive inter-parliamentary coordination, exchange of legislative practices and close cooperation in the development of uniform international standards. These initiatives become the key for inclusive economic growth.
11.9 Parliaments and Inter-parliamentary cooperation should play a significant role in the adoption of the principles of responsible behavior in the information space and formation of a safe and open global information environment. The media, civil society and all the stakeholders involved in dissemination of mass information and development of regulations in this area, must take concerted efforts in countering disinformation and “fake news”.
11.10 There is need to further expand parliamentary support for development of international humanitarian cooperation as well as cooperation in education, science, technology, culture, health care, sports, tourist exchanges, youth contacts and more active involvement of young people in the process of developing and making decisions on social, economic and political issues of national and global nature. The youths are the future of both Africa and Russia as well as the world at large.
11.11 Focus should be on a comprehensive intensification of a broad, equitable, political and economic cooperation with African countries and their institutions to ensure sustainable development for inclusive growth.
11.12 The Conference expressed readiness to expand the exchange of legislative experience between Africa and Russia in key areas of trade and investment. This Forum should be a platform to create a favourable legal environment and eliminate obstacles towards building a comprehensive mutually beneficial partnership in areas that include trade and investment, promotion of structural transformation and the transformation of Africa into a prosperous and secure continent.
12.0 Bilateral Meeting between Hon Advocate Jacob Francis Mudenda, Speaker of the National Assembly, and the Chairman of the State Duma, Vyacheslav Viktorovich Volodin
12.1 Introduction
The Hon. Speaker expressed gratitude to the host Speaker on behalf of the delegation for the warm reception in Moscow. Furthermore, he conveyed fraternal greetings from the people of Zimbabwe and expressed their deep appreciation of the humanitarian assistance received from Russia following on the aftermath of the devastation caused by Cyclone Idai in terms ameliorating the victims’ livelihoods and their ravaged infrastructure.
12.2 Appreciation for the Second Invitation
The Hon. Speaker appreciated that this was the second time his delegation had been invited to Russia for the Conference. It was therefore imperative that the decisions of the Conference should be implemented timeously to avoid the pitfalls of being labelled a talk shop. The invitation is an open testament of the strong bilateral relations between Zimbabwe and Russia. Russia stood by Zimbabwe throughout the liberation struggle and Zimbabwe remains deeply indebted for this solidarity during the liberation.
12.3 Theme of the Conference
12.3.1 The Hon. Speaker acknowledged to his counterpart the theme of the Conference which dovetailed well with the progress being made in Zimbabwe and Africa whereby Parliaments are increasingly playing a role of championing development as the directly elected representatives of the electorate. The representative and oversight roles of the legislature cannot be overemphasized as the institution of Parliament should be accountable to the people who elected the Members of Parliaments.
12.3.2 He informed the State Duma Speaker that Zimbabwe is a constitutional democracy, hence its configuration of a delegation from all parties represented in Parliament. Zimbabwe believes in a multiparty political system to ensure that that the voices of different people from different political persuasions can be heard in Parliament.
12.3.3 The Hon. Speaker averred that there was need to strengthen bilateral and multilateral relations to spur rapid economic growth in Africa. It is apparent that the developed world needs to stand shoulder to shoulder with Africa as the world moves towards the fourth industrial revolution grounded in digital economies. As far as the implementation aspect after the Conference, the Hon. Speaker of Zimbabwe expressed hope that Russia and Africa will come up with very solid protocols and international agreements in order to enhance the political as well as the economic relations between Africa and Russia in a practical mode.
12.4 Russia’s View of Development Cooperation
In response, the Chairman of the State Duma, indicated that Russia upholds and respects the platforms of international cooperation such as at the United Nations. In this regard, fora as the current meetings of Parliamentarians provide a bridge through which Russia can participate meaningfully in the development of Africa. Russia can also do well with taping from the experience of seasoned politicians in the mould of Speakers and Parliamentarians from Africa.
13.0 RECOMMENDATIONS
Recommendation | Action | Timeline | |
13.1 | Heightening Bilateral Relations between the State Duma and Parliament of Zimbabwe. | Invitation for the Chairman of the State Duma, Vyacheslav Viktorovich Volodin, to pay a Bilateral Visit | October 2019 |
13.2 | Move to ensure greater economic and financial stability, harmonisation of international trade relations, sustainable and dynamic growth through improved investment laws. | Establish a mutual framework of partnership between the two Parliaments to exchange views and ideas through bilateral benchmarking visits. | October 2019 |
12.3 | Strengthen digital framework for interaction and the curtailment of fake news | Identify key actors in the digital world to finance programmes that are aimed at countering the proliferation of fake news | November 2019 |
13.4 | Establishment of a Zimbabwe- Russia Friendship Association | Establish a Zimbabwe -Russia Friendship Association to champion mutual cooperation between the two parties | September 2019 |
13.5 | Rapid Implementation of Resolutions of the Forum to ensure that Zimbabwe benefits from the emerging cooperation between Russia and Africa | Arrange a meeting between Parliament of Zimbabwe, the Embassy of Russia in Zimbabwe and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for rapid implementation of resolutions | October 2019 |
14.0 CONCLUSION
14.1 H.E. President Vladimir Putin graced the International Parliamentary Conference by delivering a closing speech on the 3rd July 2019. In his address to the delegates, President Putin applauded the relations between Russia and Africa and underscored that “African nations have achieved steady progress in social, economic, scientific and technological development and have played an increasingly important role in addressing pressing issues on the international agenda”. Thus, Russia fully supports the efforts of African partners to resolve local conflicts and crises, counter terrorism and extremism, drug trafficking and trans-border crime, and confront other challenges and threats to regional and global security.
14.2 It was agreed that the Forum should be an annual event for purposes of implementing resolutions arising from the Forum timeously.
14.3 The meeting ended with both parties pledging to ensuring that the resolutions of the Forum should be followed up with speed so that they are timeously implemented for the good of the people of Africa and Russia.
3
Hon. Advocate Jacob Franis Mudenda, Speaker of the National Assembly of Zimmbabwe and Chairman of the State Duma Viacheslav Volodin
HON. TOGAREPI: I move that the debate do now adjourn.
HON. MPARIWA: I second.
Motion put and agreed to.
Debate to resume: Thursday, 3rd September, 2020.
On the motion of HON. TOGAREPI seconded by HON. MPARIWA, the House adjourned at Fifteen Minutes to Five o’clock p.m.
PARLIAMENT OF ZIMBABWE
Tuesday, 1st September, 2020
The National Assembly met at a Quarter-past Two o’clock p.m.
PRAYERS
(THE HON. SPEAKER in the Chair)
THE HON. SPEAKER: Order, there is COVID testing exercise going on. There are quite a number of the Hon. Members who have presented themselves for testing. We want to complete the exercise today. So those who have not been tested, the doctors are ready outside, you may proceed and get tested. It does not take five minutes and you can come back thereafter.
HON. TOFFA: I want to seek clarity with regards to the Vice President’s announcement. How many reports is he giving us? Is he giving us the 2018 and the 2019?
THE HON. SPEAKER: That is correct. Part of this will be distributed into your pigeon holes and a soft copy to your e-mail so that you will read them accordingly and be ready to debate on Thursday. Thank you.
MOTION
BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE
THE MINISTER OF JUSTICE, LEGAL AND PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS: I move that Orders of the Day, Numbers One to Four on today’s Order Paper be suspended until Order of the Day Number Five has been disposed of.
Motion put and agreed to.
SECOND READING
ATTORNEY GENERAL’S OFFICE AMENDMENT BILL [H. B. 14, 2019]
Fifth Order read: Adjourn debate on the Second Reading of the Attorney General’s Office Amendment Bill [H. B. 14, 2019].
Question again proposed.
HON. MATARANYIKA: Thank you Mr. Speaker for giving me the opportunity to present the Report on the public consultations on the Attorney. General’s Office Amendment Bill by the Portfolio Committee on Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs.
Before the enactment of the Attorney General’s Act in 2011, the Attorney General was responsible for both civil and criminal mandates with the Directors of Drafting, Prosecution, Legal Advice and Civil Division and the Attorney General’s Office was Principal Adviser to Government and at the same time rendering prosecution service on behalf of the State. The Adoption of the new Constitution in 2018 created the National Prosecuting Authority to handle prosecution. The AGs role solely became that of Principal Legal Adviser to Government. Of the four directorates that existed, the AG retained the three directorates of Civil Division, Legal Advice and Drafting while Prosecution was moved to the National Prosecuting Authority.
In terms of Section 114 of the Constitution, the Attorney General is appointed by the President as the Government Principal Adviser with additional responsibility for representing the Government, non criminal legal proceedings and drafting the Government’s legislation. Under Section 115 of the Constitution, the AG can be removed at any time by the President. The Attorney-General’s Office Amendment Bill was gazetted on the 21st February 2020 and its main purpose is to amend the Attorney-General’s Office Act, to provide for the appointment of the deputies to the Attorney-General (A-G). The amendment seeks to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of the A-G’s Office.
Methodology
In fulfillment of Section 141 of the Constitution, the Portfolio Committee on Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs conducted public hearings in Harare, Mutare, Gweru and Bulawayo on the 13th and 14th of July 2020.
Clause 1
This clause provides for the short title of the Bill. No comments were raised on the clause.
Clause 2
This clause repeals the preamble in the Attorney General’s Office Act to align it with the Constitution by restating provisions of Section 114 of the Constitution. The clause replaces the preamble to the Act with an extract from the present Constitution, replacing the existing extract from the former Constitution. The clause further acknowledges that constituting the Attorney- General’s Office as a separate entity will enhance its independence, effectiveness and efficiency. Members of the public welcomed the provision for the Attorney General’s Office to be outside the civil service. They further emphasized that there is need to adequately resource the Office and for it to be responsible for its own conditions of service.
Clause 3
This clause amends section 2 of the Act by defining “law officer.” Officers that served under the A-G before enactment of the 2013 Constitution were generally referred to as law officers. In addition, some government departments and ministries have lawyers under their purview. The clause provides that the A-G will assume authority over law officers in departments and ministries, other than those specifically excluded by the definition.
Members of the public were of the view that the Bill should clarify the relationship between the Attorney General’s Office and the Ministry of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs. It was proposed that the relationship should not compromise the A-G’s Office independence.
Clause 4
This clause inserts a new section into the principal Act on the appointment of Deputy Attorneys-General by the President, after consultation with the Judicial Service Commission (JSC). The clause also empowers the Deputy A-G to act in the absence or incapacity of the A- G, and guarantees his/her tenure of office. They are not civil servants, and the Government cannot reduce their salaries and allowances during their tenure of office. No comments were raised on this clause
Clauses 5 and 6:
These are consequential changes arising from the adoption of the 2013 Constitution. They align the provisions amended to section 114 of the 2013 Constitution. Clause 6 amends section 4 of the principal Act to make the Attorney-General the chairperson of the Attorney-General’s Office Board, replacing the existing provision for the chairperson to be a former judge or senior lawyer from outside the Office. Deputy Attorneys-General will not be members of the board. No comments were raised on the clause.
Clause 7
This clause inserts a new section into the Act, which provides that ministries or Government departments cannot employ lawyers to render any legal services relating to the functions of the Attorney-General’s office without the approval of the Attorney- General. The clause restates that the A-G is the principal legal advisor to Government. No comments were raised on the clause.
Clause 8
This clause inserts a new provision into the Act which states that the Attorney-General’s opinion or advice on a question of law is binding and definitive on all executive arms and branches of the State, unless overturned by a court of law. The provision seeks to ensure that the AG’s Office will be the key player on legal matters for Government. Participants expressed concern with the clause as it proposes that the advice of the A- G’s office is binding on ministries and Government departments. They expressed the view that advice, by its nature, can be taken or rejected, therefore compelling Ministries to take this advice.
Clause 9: This is a transitional clause in ensuring a smooth takeover of the centralised legal advice role by the AG for Government. Some Ministries and departments have legal officers under their wings and the provisions intend to synchronise their work to that of the AG’s office. Members of the public were of the view that the clause is not clear as it provides that every law officer, that is a civil servant employed within the Ministry to do legal work is deemed to be seconded to that Ministry until reassigned by the Attorney-General.
Participants hailed the view that the Attorney General cannot re-assign civil servants, that is the function of the Civil Service Commission.
Committee Observations and Recommendations
The Bill will go some way at least towards amending the Attorney-General’s office Act’s Constitution. The Committee appreciates the role of the Attorney-General’s office Bill in assisting the Attorney-General to discharge his onerous constitutional duty. Among the most important is to promote, protect and uphold the rule of law and to defend the public interests. Section 114, subsection 4, paragraph b of the Constitution, there is need therefore to formalise the appointment of additional Deputy Attorney-General by an Act of Parliament. The Committee welcomes the intention to bring all legal officers employed in the civil service under the single roof of the Attorney-General’s office to the Attorney-General as their head.
Presently, public legal officers are appointed on a piecemeal basis to the Attorney-General’s office and to the several Ministries of the Government. The formalisation of every legal public officer to be answerable to the Attorney- General is commendable. The Committee commended the Bill for finally putting in black and white what has been recognised and practiced before, namely that the opinions of the Attorney-General on a question of law are binding on the Executive unless overturned by a court of law.
It is the Committee’s recommendation that the opinions of individual legal officers in the Government must be in conformity with that of the Attorney-General on the same matter, since the Attorney-General is the principal legal officer of the Government. All legal officers in the line Ministry should fall under the Attorney-General.
Conclusion
The Bill is a welcome development as it raises another important milestone in the ongoing process of the alignment of our laws to the Constitution. The Attorney-General’s office should be separated from the Civil Service in interest of the appearance and reality of impartiality in the discharge of all legal services to Government departments and the need to referring and hire staff of a calibre adequate to the discharge of the functions. I thank you very much Mr. Speaker Sir.
HON. NDUNA: Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir. In supporting the report of our Committee headed by Hon. Mataranyika, I just want to add a few comments on the Bill, which comments are of a general nature. This Bill seeks to repeal a law that was passed nine years ago, during which time one Attorney-General, who was Johannes Tomana sought to raise an objection on why he could not have a board at that time; a board that fell under him. This law has not come into force and even after coming into force, it has not been utilised Mr. Speaker Sir. However, it is permissible to repeal a law that has not been utilised and I am going to comment as follows:
Mr. Speaker Sir, the Bill itself needs to be checked in terms of typos and the incorrect punctuations, omissions and capital letters, in particular on the following sections; Section 4 (2), which states that the minimum number of women on the Attorney-General’s office board must be at least three or four. Mr. Speaker Sir, there is need that the Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, as he responds, needs to clarify why those numbers.
Mr. Speaker Sir, also in reference to the Comptroller and Auditor-General in Section 21, it needs to be updated. The title now is Auditor-General.
Mr. Speaker Sir, the date 31st December, 2011 in Section 26 (6) needs to be corrected. These are just typo errors which cannot actually impede on the publication and assenting to the Bill by His Excellency Mr. Speaker Sir, because they keep referring to that Bill that came into force in 2011.
Mr. Speaker Sir, more importantly for the Attorney-General himself, the provision should be inserted stating that his salaries and allowances cannot be reduced as has been alluded to by the Chairperson, while the Bill contains such provisions for the Deputy Attorney-General but nothing is said about the Attorney-General in relation to the salaries.
Mr. Speaker Sir, as I conclude, there is in Clause 8, I want to appeal to the Minister because this Bill may encourage those suing Government to add a new ground for their complaints that the Minister or other officials being sued went against the Attorney-General’s legal opinion and are in contravention of the Act of Parliament. Although such opinions are meant to be confidential, it is the view out there Mr. Speaker Sir, that sometimes confidentiality is not held for long.
The second issue will lead to the anomaly that if a Permanent Secretary declines to follow an incorrect opinion given to him by the Attorney-General’s office, he/she will be breaking the law, that is, the new Section 22 (a) whilst at the same time complying with the law as it really is Mr. Speaker Sir.
The last issue Mr. Speaker Sir, which I think we can find addressing can actually seek and find a haven in the heart of the Minister and may give rise to pointless disputes within Government over whether an opinion was on a question of law or a question of fact or a question of mixed law and fact. Mr. Speaker Sir, it is recommended because of the aforesaid, the Minister has come with legal opinion from his office. Mr. Speaker Sir, I want to thank you for giving me this opportunity to effectively, vociferously and efficiently add my voice to this Bill.
HON. PHULU: Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir. I just want to add my voice and actually applaud the report by the Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs. I am a Member of the Committee and I would like to applaud the Minister for bringing this Bill forward and for actually bringing the amendments. It is a very short Bill and the Minister was very concise and targeted certain amendments which were necessary. One can tell that the Minister’s thrust was to bring the Attorney-General’s office Act in line with the current Constitution. So, I would like to applaud that kind of approach because a lot of our legislation still remains to be aligned with the Constitution.
I am not going to comment on the Bill clause by clause, I will wait for the Committee of the whole House for us to deal with each and every section. I want to pick on the proposed Clause 8 which brings in a proposed new section 22A, which talks about the binding nature of the Attorney-General’s opinion and I think my colleague, Hon. Nduna also spoke to this one.
The Hon. Minister would like to ensure that the Attorney-General’s Office becomes effective and when his office renders advice to any Minister, any Permanent Secretary or to any Government department, there must be evidence that that advice is being taken seriously and being followed which is not a culture which we have. One can say that we have it because we have not had clauses that make that mandatory.
However, in so doing, I would like the Hon. Minister to give any department, any Minister or anyone for that matter, who has a contrary opinion to be able to depart from the opinion of the Attorney-General if he thinks the opinion is wrong. I think the manner in which this clause is drafted puts whoever is being advised in a straight jacket such that the advice is strictly a ruling and the Minister has to go to court to have it overturned or has to persuade the Attorney-General himself to say but your juniors have given me this advice. The procedure is too cumbersome especially if you read it with clause 7, which says “if any head of a Government office, whoever it may be, is not able to approach independent counsel for a second opinion unless he goes through the Attorney-General’s office”. So, the Attorney-General’s office will not approve that separate opinion if he strongly believes his opinion is perfect.
I think the Minister, the Permanent Secretary or whoever is being advised should surely be allowed the option of seeking a second opinion from independent counsel without approval from the Attorney-General’s Office in that particular incidence. I think that will add some vitality and space to interrogate opinions within our Government. I am not saying this because I am not creating positions for counsels but certainly anywhere you go, surely a Government office should be able to brief counsel for an independent opinion discussed with the Attorney-General so that there can be a ground even to persuade the Attorney-General to say there is another opinion that could be heard. I thank you
HON. P.D. SIBANDA: Thank you Hon. Speaker for affording me this opportunity to add my voice to this amendment. Firstly, I want to thank the Hon. Minister and the Committee for this Bill. What I thank the Hon. Minister for is realising that there is inefficiency and ineffectiveness in the office of the Attorney-General and that inefficiency and ineffectiveness has to be attended to.
Hon. Speaker, inefficiency and ineffectiveness in my view, in the office of the Attorney-General, is more apparent in the departments of drafting and also in terms of how at times legal advice comes slow and shady to Government in certain instances. It is therefore appreciated that the Executive has decided to ensure that ineffectiveness and inefficiency is cured.
However, it is my submission that inefficiency and ineffectiveness in the office of the Attorney-General cannot be cured by appointment of extra Deputy Attorney-Generals. The reason why I submit so is because the job of a Deputy Attorney-General just like that of the Attorney-General, is more administrative rather than operational. It is my view that in these days, when there is an encouragement for Government to reduce its expenditure especially employment, one would have expected that instead of increasing the administrative burden and administrative positions, the Ministry should instead have gone to increase positions of operational legal officers in the officer of the Attorney-General rather than burdening the fiscus with more administrative positions that are going to gobble more money and bring less result to the areas that we want to improve efficiency in.
I also want to concur with the submission that the advice of the Attorney-General should be binding following on line Ministries. The advice of the Attorney-General is not a general advice; it is a specialist and professional advice. Most of the people who receive that advice are not trained in the legal purview and therefore it is important that when an Attorney-General gives that advise, the line Ministry should take it as it is and apply it as it is. That - in my view, Hon. Speaker, will also assist in terms of accountability and diligence of the Attorney General in the discharge of their responsibilities.
I just want to give you an example Hon. Speaker. If an Attorney General is going to give advice, let us say out of 10 advices that they give to the Government, nine are found to have been wrong or inappropriate, that improves our view of assessing the capacity or the capabilities of the person that is occupying that office. However, if line Ministries are given a leeway to reject professional advice that would have been given, it becomes a bit difficult for Government to measure the capacity of an individual occupying the office of Attorney General.
I also totally agree, Hon. Speaker that all public legal officers should fall under the office of the Attorney General so that we increase both accountability and responsibility and supervision of the work of public legal officers. That is my submission Hon. Speaker. I thank you.
HON. MADZIMURE: Thank you Mr. Speaker. I just want to raise two issues specifically. I am not a member of the Committee but I just want to raise a few issues. One issue, Mr. Speaker, regards the board. I am aware of the composition of the board but I strongly feel that for the sake of ensuring that good corporate governance is maintained, I am still of the opinion that the Chairperson of the board should be somebody else, otherwise the purpose of that board will simply be to rubberstamp the views of the Attorney General.
So to ensure that there is good performance and there is also accountability, I was of the opinion that maintaining a situation where you have a former judge chairing that board - despite the fact that the composition is mainly of the people in the Attorney General’s office, that would enhance the performance because I am also of the opinion that that board actually looks at the performance of the entire office; how it is performing, how are the cases being handled, even the advise itself.
This leads me to the issue of the advice of the Attorney General being said to be final. Mr. Speaker, it is like you may even have a Minister who is quite knowledgeable and who can contribute towards the perfection of the board and might have a better opinion, even though he or she will doubt the opinion of the Attorney General. If it is final, then you have got no choice but to just accept. So I am of the opinion that I think you still need an independent opinion and that must also be considered. Thank you Mr. Speaker.
THE MINISTER OF JUSTICE, LEGAL AND PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS (HON. ZIYAMBI): Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir. I want to thank the Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee of Justice for the report that they presented and I have taken note of their contributions. I want to thank the Hon. Members also who have contributed. I will try to respond to some of the issues that have been raised.
The first one Mr. Speaker Sir is that in the Bill there is a proposal to set up the office of the Attorney General and it indicates that they are public servants but are not part of the civil service. We are not saying that the Attorney General’s office is independent from the Executive. These are Government legal practitioners. It is like you are saying you go to visit your lawyer and you are saying your lawyer is independent from you. There is nothing like that. There is no need for independence of the office of the Attorney General but rather we want to ring-fence them so that there can be a better way of negotiating their package, comparing with their counterparts in the private sector. So we are not focusing on them becoming independent and being an animal that tells the Government what to do. The client is Government. So if you visit your client, you tell your client I want you to do one, two, three, four. I think on that regard it is okay.
I am not sure where reference to the board is coming from like what Hon. Phulu said. This is a very short and precise Bill. We only have about eight amendments, so do not read the whole Attorney General’s Bill and focus on things that are not in the Bill, like there was an indication on the salary of the Attorney General. It is set by the President, it is an appointee of the President, but the Constitution speaks only about the Attorney General. It does not make reference to the deputies. So what we are trying to do is to give effect to that.
The Attorney General’s Office is a huge department with several departments. We have Drafting, Legal Advice, and And Civil Division. So we want to ensure that the salaries of the Deputy Attorney Generals are ring-fenced in that regard.
I also want to thank Hon. Phulu. He was very worried about the issue of the opinion of the Attorney General being binding on all Ministries. The mischief, Mr. Speaker Sir, that we were trying to cure by this is Ministries were now employing legal advisers outside the Attorney General. The Constitution is saying the principal legal adviser of Government is the Attorney General so what would happen now is Ministries will have legal opinions that may be different from what the Attorney General is giving to the Executive and we have been losing cases because of this scenario. So we want to address one of two things to say all legal advisors report to the Attorney General. In other words they now work under the supervision of the Attorney General and whatever advice that they are giving the Ministry, the relevant officer in that Ministry must be able to go and consult the superiors to say that we have this particular problem in my Ministry and this is the advice that they are seeking and the opinion of the Attorney General must be overriding.
If we then say that Ministries must be allowed to seek for a second opinion, we will burden the fiscas for nothing. We are in agreement that these are our lawyers. You visit your lawyer, you give him a brief, you go there and the lawyer tells you that this is what you have to do, you say no, I want to seek a second opinion. Why did you go there in the first place?
Also I want to thank Hon. Sibanda. He captured it correctly. If the Attorney General is giving us wrong advice and he is the one responsible for giving us wrong advice, it will be apparent and his inefficiency will be seen rather than when we have a scenario where Ministries are forum shopping, you create a system where a Government is not coordinated. So we are looking at a scenario where all law officers report to the Attorney General who then becomes the Chief Legal Advisor.
I also do not agree that the Deputy Attorney General’s job is purely administrative. It is not. We have Mr. Dias, he sits with us in Parliament when we have Bills and that is technical they do a lot of technical work which is outside administrative work. So I believe this is a short and to the point Bill that I urge the Hon. Members to accept as it is. It is not very complicated and it seeks to address certain deficiencies that we have. Therefore in that regard, I move that the Bill be read a second time.
Motion put and agreed to.
Bill read a second time.
Committee Stage: With leave, forthwith.
COMMITTEE STAGE
ATTORNEY GENERAL’S OFFICE AMENDMENT BILL [H. B. 14, 2019]
House in Committee.
Clauses 1 to 8 put and agreed to.
On Clause 9:
HON. PHULU: Madam Chair, the issue is that it says that every Law Officer and currently we have many Law Officers in the police, Zimra and all over the place. One of the things that this Bill is curing is to remove them from the Public Service Commission so that they are under the Attorney General’s Office. They are not deemed to be assigned to the Ministries where they are or to the departments where they are. Do they remain civil servants the moment they are deemed to be assigned to that Ministry?
If indeed they remain civil servants, the Attorney General does not have the power of law to reassign civil servants. Currently speaking, the Attorney General cannot reassign teachers or anyone in the civil service because we have a Commission that deals with that. I think there is an oversight in the wording such that the day when the Attorney General says I want to reassign so and so, I have now found a function for him, someone will object and say he is a civil servant and you have no power to reassign the civil servant. Thank you.
THE MINISTER OF JUSTICE, LEGAL AND PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS (HON. ZIYAMBI): Thank you Madam Chair. There are two issues here. We have Law Officers that are employed by Government solely for the purposes of giving advice and legal drafting or doing civil work for going to court and representing Government. What has been happening is that Ministries have been employing Law Officers as their legal advisers and what we are saying is that no Ministry will employ a lawyer as a legal adviser to that Ministry. The Attorney General is the one who is going to second somebody to that Ministry but we are excluding the security sector. The security sector has got its own set up and so they are not included, but all the other Government departments, they will not be able to have a legal adviser that they employ themselves or request the Public Service Commission to say can you employ for us a legal advisor.
In other words, it will not be the duty of line ministries to go to the PSC to request a legal advisor. If they request a legal advisor, it will be the duty of the PSC to say to the Attorney General, Ministry of Finance requires the services of a legal advisor and it is the Attorney General who will then assign that particular person to say go and work in that particular Ministry. I thank you.
HON. PHULU: Thank you Madam Speaker. A point of clarification - if we look at the definition in Clause 3 of a law officer, it has infact included a person retained by any Ministry and also employed or retained on contract by any security service, so actually they are included. May be at law, this service - but before you deem them seconded, there is no law which says those who are apparently employed as law officers in any Ministry are immediately deemed to be under the Attorney General’s office first, and he then immediately assigns them to the Ministry in which they are now. They are apparently civil servants as we see it. So this Bill must divert them from being civil servants and put them under the Attorney General’s office so that he can reassign them wherever they are and when he wants to shuffle them he can do it. Right now, this Bill does not say that the diversion of these civil servants is moving them to the Attorney General’s employ. Thank you.
HON. ZIYAMBI: Thank you Madam Speaker. I want to concede that I thought that this one was removed, that makes reference to the security sector. Anywhere where we speak of soldiers, they are employed as medical doctors, lawyers or you are a plumber, you go through their military training and you attain their rank. I think I will have to consult and find out why it is still there. I agree with Hon. Phulu, but regarding the civil servants, my take is, the Public Service Commission (PSC) is only an employer. It does not have the requisite technical skills to supervise anyone. I will give a good example of doctors. The PSC is not staffed with medical personnel to supervise doctors. The PSC’s duty is not to supervise engineers. You have a whole Ministry that has got professionals that will be supervising those civil servants in line ministries. What we are saying is, the principle is not who has employed but who they are reporting to. We are saying all legal advisors; all lawyers in Government, the law firm is the Attorney General. That is where you work and report. They are the ones that will assess you and make recommendations to whoever the employer is. If it is Public Service Commission, they then make recommendations.
The PSC will then be the employer for the purposes of other administrative issues outside of the professional conduct of those people. In that regard, I think there are no issues per se to say who is employing them just like teachers. The Education Officers who supervise teachers are not housed within the Public Service Commission and they make sure that those teachers do what they are expected to do. Where I think you raise an important point which I will then request us to defer the completion of our Third Reading is on the security sector personnel.
HON. MADZIMURE: Thank you Madam Speaker. I just want the Minister to, probably I got Hon. Phulu wrongly. He was saying there should be a clause or something that indicates that from now on, first those people who were already deployed in ministries as legal officers must be deemed to have gone to the Attorney General’s office so that they will be then considered to have been deployed to the ministries where they are working. This is how I got it, that it does not say what happens to the current status. It is like all are being recalled but not physically. It must be indicated that they are now all under the Attorney-General and they will then be assumed to have been deployed to their various ministries. I thank you.
HON. ZIYAMBI: Actually, Hon. Phulu read it wrongly. What I was thinking was correct. Clause 3, amendment of Section 2 interpretation of the principal Act is amended by the insertion of the following definition, “law officer means any civil servant by whatever title or rank designated, employed otherwise than in the Attorney General’s office. In other words, we have law officers that are not employed by the Attorney General’s office but employed by ministries.” This is what it is making reference to, to say that otherwise than in the Attorney General’s office or in any Ministry to give legal advice or render other legal services to that Ministry but does not include any civil servant rendering services as a law officer who is retained on contract by any Ministry in accordance with Section 10 (a) or employed in or retained on contract by any security service or Constitutional Commission. Thank you for going back to it. It is actually correct as it is, that is why I said I thought he had read it correctly. We had missed it, it is actually correct as it is. We are trying to harmonise to say all those law officers in ministries, when this Bill comes into effect they will now fall under the supervision of the Attorney General’s office. I thank you.
HON. MATARANYIKA: Thank you Madam Speaker. I want to ask the Minister whether under the new arrangement, there are going to be any ministries who are going to retain any law officers? If there are, they are being excluded here, being part of those who are under the Attorney General. So, there is need for clarity on that aspect whether all the law officers under ministries are going to be under the Attorney General or whether some ministries are going to retain other law officers who I assume are being excluded under Clause 8.
HON. ZIYAMBI: Thank you Madam Speaker. What is going to happen is; ministries will still have law officers working in their ministries but under the Attorney General’s office. Currently, we have law officers working in ministries, but they are not under the Attorney General’s office. They do not have to report to the Attorney General. They report may be to whoever is senior in that Ministry. Some ministries have got the Director for Legal Services and then law officers. So the law officers will be reporting to the Director, Legal Services in that Ministry.
What we are proposing to do is, every law officer who joins Government goes to the Attorney General’s office first and he will be trained by the Attorney General who will then identify the relevant skills and place them in the correct departments rather than having ministries hiring legal officers; it is not their duty. The principal duty of the Attorney General is to render legal advice to Government. He is the one who is supposed to identify the officers who will work to assist him to give legal advice. Indeed, we will still have law officers in Ministries but they will be reporting to the Attorney General. I thank you.
HON. MATARANYIKA: Thank you Hon. Minister. You have attempted to answer my question. The problem here from what you are saying, it means all the law officers will be under the Attorney General.
HON. ZIYAMBI: That is what we want.
HON. MATARANYIKA: So, that exclusion becomes of no relevance.
HON. ZIYAMBI: It is okay, it is transitional.
Clause 9 put and agreed to.
House resumed.
Bill reported without amendments.
Third Reading: With leave, forthwith.
THIRD READING
ATTORNEY GENERAL’S OFFICE AMENDMENT BILL [H. B. 14, 2019]
THE MINISTER OF JUSTICE, LEGAL AND PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS (HON. ZIYAMBI): I now move that the Bill be read the third time.
Motion put and agreed to.
Bill read the third time.
MOTION
BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE
THE MINISTER OF JUSTICE, LEGAL AND PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS (HON. ZIYAMBI): I move that Order of the Day, Number Six on today’s Order Paper be suspended until Order of the Day Number Seven has been disposed of.
Motion put and agreed to.
SECOND READING
NATIONAL PROSECUTING AUTHORITY BILL [H. B. 20, 2019]
Seventh Order read: Second Reading: National Prosecuting Authority Bill [H. B. 20, 2019].
THE MINISTER OF JUSTICE, LEGAL AND PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS (HON. ZIYAMBI): Mr. Speaker, I think there is a problem here.
THE HON. SPEAKER: Can we be clear so that we do not waste time.
HON. ZIYAMBI: My recollection is, I did my second reading speech on this Bill but for the sake of progress, since this is a very small Bill, I will just go through the memorandum to refresh our memories. I did this, I am very sure; I do not know what happened. Since it is a very short Bill with your indulgence, I can summarise.
THE HON. SPEAKER: You can go ahead Hon. Minister.
HON ZIYAMBI: The National Prosecuting Authority Amendment Bill 2019 is designed to improve the governance structure of the National Prosecuting Authority. The Bill takes into account the account status of the Authority. Currently, if you look at it, the accounting structure says the accounting officer is the Permanent Secretary and it has some conflicting provisions in that it impinges on the independence of the Prosecutor-General. Those are some of the issues that we want to deal with.
The Bill provides for the appointment of the Deputy Prosecutors-General to assist the Prosecutor-General in the discharge of his or her constitutional mandate.
Clause 1 deals with the short title of the Bill.
Clause 2 amends the definition section by introducing new terms used in the Bill. Notably, the Secretary to the Authority which is defined by reference to Section 15 (2) as the accounting officer of the authority. It gives the definition of the Deputy Prosecutor-General.
Clauses 3 and 4 deal with membership of the board and Clause 5 provides for the appointment by the board in consultation with the Minister of the Deputy Prosecutor-General who shall head the sitting prosecutorial sections and other department of the authority as well as supervise the members assigned thereto. The Deputy Prosecutors-General shall be subject to the direction of the Prosecutor-General in the discharge of their duties. Clause 5 just empowers the board to appoint the Secretary to the Authority and gives out his functions.
Clause 7 provides that the Secretary of the Authority shall report to the board and this is a departure from the current scenario where the Director of Administration was reporting to the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Justice. It is just a cleaning up exercise to align with the Constitution and ensure the independency is guaranteed.
Clause 8 proposes that the proportions for the court retention fund be redistributed to accommodate the Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services. What has been happening is that the retention fund was being shared between Judicial Services Commission, Police, National Prosecuting authority as well as the Attorney-General’s Office. Now we want to include the Prisons and Correctional Services as they are a key organisation in terms of the justice delivery system.
Clause 9 is just consequential amendments to the criminal code. Basically, this is to strengthen the governance structure of the National Prosecuting Authority, ring fence its independence and give the Prosecutor General deputies, deal with issues of retentions so that we can also have the Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services getting a percentage of it.
I urge the Hon Members to pass the Bill and I move that the Bill be now read a second time.
HON. MATARANYIKA: The creation of the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) is provided for by Section 258 of the Zimbabwe Constitution. It has the responsibility of “instituting and undertaking criminal prosecutions on behalf of the State and discharging any functions that are necessary or incidental to such prosecutions” the National Prosecuting Authority Act was passed in 2014. At its enactment, the NPA created its staff from law officers who were under the Criminal Division of the then Attorney-General’s Office, the Ministry of Justice and the Public Service Commission. The NPA, through its board, has powers to recruit and fire its own officers. The Prosecutor-General and all his/her staff are required by Sections 259 (10) (c) , 260 (1) and 261 (2) of the Constitution to be independent and exercise their functions impartially.
The NPA Amendment Bill proposes to amend the National Prosecuting Authority Act in order to improve the governance structure of the National Prosecuting Authority. The Bill provides for the Deputy Prosecutors-General and also seeks to amend the Criminal Procedure and Evidence Act (Chapter 9:07).
Methodology
In order to gather people’s views on the Bill in fulfillment of Section 141 (b) of the Constitution, the Portfolio Committee on Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs conducted public hearings on the Bill in Harare, Mutare, Gweru and Bulawayo on the 13th and 14th of July 2020.
Clause 1: Title of the Bill
This clause states that the Act may be cited as the National Prosecuting Authority Amendment Bill, 2019. No comments were raised on this clause.
Clause 2: Interpretation Section
This clause repeals the definitions of Director for Administration and National Director of Public Prosecutions. It introduces a definition for a “Secretary to the Authority” and for Deputy Prosecutor-General (DPG). No comments were raised on this clause.
Clause 3: Amendment of Section 4
The clause introduces the Secretary to the Authority and the Deputy Prosecutor-General into the structure of the NPA to reconstitute the structure of the NPA. Members of the public submitted that independence of the introduced offices under the National Prosecuting Authority should be safeguarded in order to fulfill Sections 259 (10) (c), 260 (1) and 261 (2) of the Constitution.
Clause 4: Amendment of Section 5
This clause reconstitutes the board of the NPA. One of the major functions of the board of the NPA is among others; to appoint prosecutors and a National Director of Public Prosecutions to supervise these prosecutors. Another important function of the board is to make regulations providing for conditions of service of prosecutors and other members of the NPA.
Participants bemoaned the fact that Clause 4 of the Bill proposes that five of the board members are appointed by the Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs. Dominance of the board by the Ministry may compromise the independence of the office. There was a proposal for the introduction of an Appointment Committee modeled around the Committee on Standing Rules and Orders to deal with appointments of members of the board.
Clause 5: Amendment to Section 8
The clause provides that the board, in consultation with the Minister, appoints a number of Deputy Prosecutors-General as it deems necessary, whose duties are to head specific sections or departments of the authority. The Deputy PGs are subject to the direction of and report to the Prosecutor-General on the discharge of their duties. The clause also creates the office of the Secretary to the authority with administrative and technical supervisory functions over staff of the NPA. The Secretary to the authority is the accounting officer of the NPA.
The general opinion from the public was that the appointment of Deputy Prosecutors-General should guarantee the National Prosecuting Authority’s independence and proposed that the recruitment of the PG and Deputy PG should be through public interviews just like with judicial officers in the JSC.
Clause 6: Amendment of Section 12
This clause removes reference to the National Director of Public Prosecutions and replaces it with that of Deputy Prosecutor-General.
Clause 7: Amendment of Section 15
The clause will remove references to Director of Administration and replace it with the newly created Secretary to the Authority. It will also provide that the Secretary to the Authority will report to the Prosecutor-General, not to the Ministry of Justice as the Director of Administration currently does.
Participants welcomed the development and opined that the relationship between National Prosecuting Authority and the Ministry of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs should not be such that the independence of the NPA is compromised.
Clause 8: Transitional Provisions: Amendment of Section 32
This clause provides that the current National Director of Public Prosecutions automatically becomes one of the Deputy Prosecutors-General and his/her service with the authority is deemed continuous. The provision seeks to ensure that there is smooth transition into the new structure of the NPA. In this regard, retention funds under the purview of the NPA will continue to subsist. No comments were raised on this clause.
Clause 9: Amendment of Chapter 9:07: The Criminal Procedure and Evidence (CPE) Act is the main statute on the procedures for the prosecution of crime in Zimbabwe. This clause will amend Section 2 of the CPE Act by removing the definition of National Director of Public Prosecutions, as the office is being removed. In Section 6 of the Act, the clause will insert the Deputy Prosecutors-General, who will be appointed in terms of the NPA Act. Section 266A (6) of the Criminal Procedure and Evidence Act will also be amended to remove reference to the National Director of Prosecutions and replace it with reference to the Deputy Prosecutor-General. No comments were raised on this clause.
Committee Observations and Recommendations
(1) Mr. Speaker Sir, over the years, the NPA has been beleaguered by allegations of malfeasance. A chorus of court decisions, media and NPA members themselves have attested to the fact that there have been serious concerns of impropriety within the institution. The Committee appreciates that the NPA plays a critical role in upholding the rule of law. It is crucial that it is seen to be free from all external pressures which might threaten prosecutorial independence;
(2) The NPA administrative structures established through this Bill are crucial in the administration of justice. As the sole entity constitutionally mandated to prosecute on behalf of the State, it is the Committee’s view that Government must enhance public confidence in the NPA. There is need to guarantee citizens that the State is able to offer protection where laws are not respected;
(3) With clear mandate brought by the Bill, the Committee calls upon the NPA to execute its mandate diligently and without fear, favour or prejudice. It must be independent and be seen to be independent;
(4) It is the Committee’s belief that where officials are mired in controversy and are consistently being taken on review for irrational decision-making and being found wanting by the courts, it damages public confidence. The NPA must instill a strong sense of constitutional values. When these values are internalised and fought for vociferously from within the NPA, the institution would enjoy the confidence of the citizenry;
(5) The Committee recommends that the appointment of the Board of the NPA be done independently, through the Committee on Standing Rules and Orders;
The Committee further recommends that the Deputy Prosecutors-General should go through public interviews.
Conclusion
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) is pivotal not only in the criminal justice system but also in the proper functioning of our democracy. The Bill is a welcome development as it increases the independence of prosecution services. The NPA is a public representative service, which should be effective and respected. The NPA must adhere to the highest ethical and professional standards in prosecuting crime and must conduct themselves in a manner, which will maintain, promote and defend the interests of justice. I thank you Hon. Speaker.
HON. PHULU: Thank you Madam Speaker. I rise on a point of privilege.
THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER (HON. MAVETERA): What is your point of privilege?
HON. PHULU: Madam Speaker, perhaps the Committee on Standing Rules and Orders should go and look at the rules and see how they can be refined to allow Members of Parliament, particularly those who are not here to participate in voting. I realise, we keep saying any debate and we are voting but it is not clear from the rules how those Members who are online are going to vote. I am following and they are complaining to say are we just watching or we are participating. In terms of this procedure, they can raise their hands and vote but the rules are not clear as to whether voting is confined to only Members who are in the House. I fear that some of the Bills that we pass, we do not want them to be compromised. If that can be looked at so that everyone can participate during debates.
THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER: Thank you very much Hon. Phulu for raising such a pertinent point. Currently, we are working on the rules concerning virtual meetings. I am sure we are going to be having rules pertaining to that. However, Hon. Members were told to submit their names whenever they would want to debate. Again, if they raise their hands, I can be able to recognise them and they can respond from wherever they are. Currently, we have said that all Hon. Members have to be using their tablets and what they have to do is from wherever they are, if they are going to raise their hands, they can actually contribute and I am sure we can be able to do that. Also, Parliament is also working in such a way that even us can actually be doing virtual meetings so that everyone will be able to view. Thank you very much.
HON. NDUNA: Thank you Madam Speaker. I just have a few points to add, the first one is the issue of computerization of the National Prosecuting Authority. I have noticed that it just talks of the merits on inclusion of issues that were not there in the previous Act.
I ask that there be expeditious computerization…
THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER: The Hon. Minister is asking which clause you are refereeing to Hon. Nduna.
HON. NDUNA: These are just recommendations.
THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER: So, you are giving a recommendation to the NPA office
HON. NDUNA: In this current set up where we are having computerization or e-governance system, it is prudent in the crime sector for there to be inclusion of computerization, effective, efficient and robust computerization of the systems. The issue that comes to mind quickly is that the records keeping; as long as there is no computerisation or inclusion of the information, communication and technology, a lot of our people out there are going to get away with murder. It is not going to be a matter that the National Prosecuting Authority members and officials are less qualified but it is the very reason that there is no computerization.
Secondly, Section 262 of the Constitution speaks to and about the bringing about of reports to Parliament, annual reports from the National Prosecuting Authority through the relevant Minister who, in this case is the Leader of Government Business and I am a member of the Committee on Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs. If these reports are brought about according to the stipulation of that Section, we certainly are going to have their conduct measured according to the Constitution.
Section 263 of the Constitution speaks to and about the conferring of some additives or some work to the National Prosecuting Authority - that however, should not impede or complete on the mandate that it has. Madam Speaker, I thought it should be very clear on the work of Parliament in terms as it relates to the National Prosecuting Authority on those three issues; computerisation, e-governance as it is stated in the Constitution, the second one, the reports must be apt and should certainly adhere to the ethos, values and the principles of the Constitution as it relates to the tabling of those reports to Parliament and the conferring of some responsibilities by Parliament to the National Prosecuting Authority that does not conflict with their mandate and their current set up.
Madam Speaker, I want to thank you for giving me this opportunity to give some suggestions to the Hon. Minister as it relates to the National Prosecuting Authority Bill. The people of Chegutu West Constituency send their love and have sent me to come and present as I have presented. I thank you.
THE MINISTER OF JUSTICE, LEGAL AND PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS (HON. ZIYAMBI): Thank you Madam Chair. I would like to appreciate the work that was done by the Committee in coming up with this report which is a very good report and also thank the Hon. Members for their contributions.
I wish to respond to some of the issues raised by the Committee. Madam Speaker, pertaining to the issue of the appointment of the board, I want to respectfully differ with what the participants said that the Minister appoints five members. If you go into the actual Bill, perhaps the only person that is appointed by the Minister is the representative from the Ministry, the other Members are seconded and the Minister’s decision is limited to what he is given.
If you go to clause 4, subsection D, five members are appointed subject to subsection 2 – [HON. ZIYAMBI: I am sorry Madam Speaker to switch on Zoom] –
Hon. Ziyambi switching on to Zoom
HON. ZIYAMBI: Thank you very much Madam Speaker, I had forgotten that we are using technology and I had shortchanged fellow Hon. Members.
If you go to the appointment of Commissioners, indeed it says five Members are appointed subject to subsection (2) by the Minister. It says, “One of the persons employed by the Ministry is the only one that I have a leeway to do what I can”, the other one is “One employed in the Ministry is responsible for finance”. Again it is appointed by the Minister of Finance; you will need financial ability because we are one Government, even though we claim to be independent. One person appointed for his or her ability and experience in human resource management, that is the second one. The other one is the auditor, the law society appoints somebody - a name of a person to become part of the National Prosecuting Authority.
It is not like the Minister is appointing five people but they are coming from several organisations. So, I believe in that context it is very good.
The other general opinion from the public was that the deputy prosecutor generals should be appointed through a public interview just like judicial officers in the Judiciary Service Commission. The authority to prosecute is vested in the Prosecutor General. In other words everyone else who is prosecuting will be doing so in the name of the Prosecutor General. So the Constitution then insulated that particular person and guaranteed his independence. Anyone else who helps, there is no need for ensuring that we subject ourselves to that process.
Judicial officers – every judicial officer when he or she is adjudicating a case is supposed to be independent, not to be subjected to the direction of anyone. In other words, if a magistrate is doing a case, you Madam Speaker cannot go and say give that person five months. I cannot go and say acquit. She is supposed to apply her mind, the facts that have been presented and give a judgment independently. Everyone else who works for the Prosecutor General is doing so for the Prosecutor General, so it is not fatally defective if it is like this because they are doing it under the direction of the Prosecutor General and I submit that it does not impinge in any manner on the independence of the Prosecutor General. In any event, he is the one who supervises all of them. They have to do what he wants not the other way round.
The other issue, Madam Speaker, is the Committee recommendations which are well received and I believe that the recommendations are very progressive to ensure that we strengthen the NPA and this particular amendment is targeted at strengthening the administrative aspect of the National Prosecuting Authority. Currently the accounting officer of the NPA is the secretary within the Ministry of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs and that we felt that there is no financial independence so to speak because they have to report to the accounting officer, but now in this Bill which correctly picked the secretary to the NPA board becomes the accounting officer. So we are now enhancing the independence of the Prosecutor General.
So I believe that the issues that have been raised are well received. Hon. Nduna’s contribution is also well received. He is speaking about computerisation. It is not in the Bill but it is a welcome development. It is an administrative aspect and I hope the Prosecutor General is listening or is going to read the Hansard. I will implore him to do that so that in executing their duties they can take on board the new trends that are emerging in the world of computerising our systems. I thank you Madam Speaker and I move that the Bill be read a second time.
Motion put and agreed to.
Bill read a second time.
Committee Stage: Wednesday, 2nd September, 2020.
HON. MADZIMURE: Madam Speaker, I am listening to those who are on Zoom, they are complaining. They are saying you are not recognising them, they also want to debate. Listen, they are complaining.
THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER: I can see Hon. Misihairabwi but unfortunately because we do not have any speakers here, we will not be able to indulge Hon. Misihairabwi. However, I am sure we are going to get into Committee Stage tomorrow. All Hon. Member that will be here that would want to contribute, we are urging you to come and sit in the House since we do not have any speakers currently.
So Hon. Members, I am sure you can hear me, I can recognise Hon. Misihairabwi. Tomorrow we will get into Committee and then you can make your contribution. I can see you are raising your hand on the chat, unfortunately because of the speakers, we cannot recognise you. So Hon. Members, those that come to debate, the other option is for you to also communicate with your Chief Whips so that at least they can be able to record you so that at we do not make your contributions not known or not seen. Thank you.
Also just for the record I recognise Hon. Kashiri. He is also raising his hand. It is important so that we can also appreciate that we can recognise other Hon. Members that are actually contributing to this.
On the motion of THE MINISTER OF JUSTICE, LEGAL AND PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS (HON. ZIYAMBI), the House adjourned at Twenty Two Minutes past Four o’clock p.m.
PARLIAMENT OF ZIMBABWE
Tuesday, 25th August, 2020
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
SWEARING IN OF NEW MEMBER
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: On 4th August, 2020,
Parliament received communication from the Zimbabwe Electoral
Commission regarding the nomination of Esther Nyathi by the ZANU
PF Party to fill the vacancy occasioned by the death of Hon. Alice Ndlovu. Section 128 (1) of the Constitution of Zimbabwe provides that before a Member of Parliament takes his or her seat in Parliament, the Member must take the Oath of a Member of Parliament in the form set out in the Third Schedule. Section 128 (2) states that the Oath must be taken before the Clerk of Parliament. I therefore call upon the Clerk of
Parliament to administer the Oath of a Member of Parliament.
NEW MEMBER SWORN
HON. ESTHER NYATHI subscribed to the Oath of Loyalty as required by Law and took her seat – [HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear.] –
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 Cyber Security and Data Protection Bill [H. B. 18, 2019], all Statutory Instruments gazetted during the month of June, 2020 and all Statutory Instruments gazetted during the month of July, 2020.
On the motion of HON. TOGAREPI seconded by HON. MPARIWA, the House adjourned at Eighteen Minutes past Two o’clock p.m. until Tuesday, 1st September, 2020.
PARLIAMENT OF ZIMBABWE
Tuesday, 4th August, 2020
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. PRESIDENT OF SENATE
DEATH OF HON. SEN. RTD AIR CHIEF MARSHALL SHIRI
THE HON. DEPUTY PRESIDENT OF SENATE: It is with profound sorrow that I have to inform the Senate of the untimely death on Wednesday, 29th July, 2020 of Hon. Sen. Rtd. Air Chief Marshall Perrance Shiri, Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Water and Rural Resettlement, Leader of Government Business in the Senate and Senator for Mashonaland Central Province. I invite Hon. Senators to rise and observe a minute of silence in respect of the late Hon. Senator.
All Hon. Members observed a minute of silence.
On the motion of HON. SEN. CHIEF CHARUMBIRA, seconded by HON. SEN. ENG. MUDZURI, the Senate adjourned at Twenty Six Minutes to Three o’clock p.m. until Tuesday, 15th September, 2020.
PARLIAMENT OF ZIMBABWE
Tuesday 28th July, 2020.
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
DEATH OF HON. MASANGO MATAMBANADZO THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: I have to inform the House of the death of Hon. Masango Matambanadzo, the Member of Parliament for Kwekwe Central. May I invite Hon. Members to rise and observe a minute of silence in respect of the late Hon. Member?
All Hon. Members observed a minute of silence.
MOTION
ADJOURNMENT OF THE HOUSE
THE MINISTER OF JUSTICE, LEGAL AND
PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS: Madam Speaker, earlier this week we have had some of the Hon. Members as well as some staff members testing positive for COVID-19 and in view of that, after consulting both Parliament Administration and His Excellency, we decided that we have to adjourn the House for the purposes of housekeeping, disinfection and also monitoring the trends in the pandemic to the 25th of August this year. So I move that we adjourn the House to the 25th of August, 2020.
Motion put and agreed.
The House adjourned at Twenty Minutes past Two o’clock p.m. until
Tuesday, 25th August, 2020.