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NATIONAL ASSEMBLY HANSARD 08 February 2017 43-33

 

PARLIAMENT OF ZIMBABWE

Wednesday, 8^th February, 2017

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 AND ABSENCE OF

MINISTERS

          THE HON. SPEAKER:  I have received the following apologies from Hon. Ministers; Hon. Prof. Moyo, Hon. Dr. Mpofu and Hon. Dr. Musiiwa. I have asked the Government Chief Whip to invite the Acting Leader of Government Business to explain the absence of Ministers.

          HON. MARIDADI:  On a point of order Mr. Speaker.  It is now 11 minutes into this sitting and business of Parliament has not started.

You said you had sent the Government Chief Whip to try and extract an explanation from the Acting Leader of the House to explain the absence of Ministers.  Mr. Speaker, I think this is becoming a sick joke that every Wednesday, points of order have to be raised by MPs enquiring why Ministers are not available to come to Parliament.  The Constitution is so clear on what is expected of Ministers.  Section 107 (2) of the

Constitution says; “every Vice President, Minister and Deputy Minister must attend Parliament and Parliamentary Committees in order to answer questions concerning matters for which he or she is collectively or individually responsible”  I then go on to Section 2 (2) of the Constitution which talks about the supremacy of the Constitution and says; “the obligations imposed by this Constitution are binding on every person, natural or juristic including the State, all Executive, Legislative, Judicial Institutions and Agencies of Government at every level and must be fulfilled by them.

 It is now almost 15 minutes and we should have started business of this Parliament but 15 minutes later, we see Ministers waltzing into

Parliament as they like.  Mr. Speaker, why do we not suspend Questions Without Notice segment  and go onto other business and ignore

Ministers completely until such time as we feel they are taking this

House seriously, only then can we start to engage them.  As it is, Ministers have disengaged Parliament, so I think we must respond in kind.  We must also disengage and continue with other business of Parliament until Ministers are serious and then we can start to engage them.

          THE HON. SPEAKER:  Order, order Hon. Tshuma, please take

your seat quietly.  This is a serious point of order.  I have asked the officials to register the Ministers who came and when they came in.  I shall also be writing to His Excellence, the President R. G. Mugabe on the issue and the violation of the Constitution by the Hon. Ministers.  I

think that is the stage we have reached now and we cannot proceed accordingly.  The Hon. Ministers, as representatives of the Executive should be in the front line of respecting the Constitution.  Hon. Maridadi said we should waiver the question time and proceed –

I am sorry, I was going to talk about Hon. Chinamasa because he is the Acting Leader of Government Business and I am told he was supposed to go to Senate and proceed with the Finance Bill.  Let me hear what the Hon. Minister has to say. – [HON. MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections.] - Order! Order. As the Hon. Minister Chinamasa was coming in, he had come to excuse himself because he is dealing with the Finance Bill in the Senate.  He tells me that Hon. Ministers were enjoined to make sure that they are present today by the Hon. Vice President Mnangagwa.  So, there is some element of defiance there definitely – [HON. MEMBERS:  Reshuffle, reshuffle.] –

          HON. GONESE:  Thank you very much Mr. Speaker Sir.  I

would like to thank you for the observations that you have made.  I

believe that the Hon. Ministers are not just in contempt of this august

House but they are actually in contemptuous of the whole nation of Zimbabwe; they are not taking the people of Zimbabwe seriously.

I want to suggest Mr. Speaker that you invoke the provisions of

Standing Order 63.  In terms of the provisions of that Standing Order,

the Ministers are actually in contempt of Parliament.  I believe it is not sufficient just to write to His Excellency but it is now time for this august House to crack the whip, so that we also use the powers which are at our disposal over and above what the Executive might be doing.

It is my respectful submission Mr. Speaker that the time has now come for us as an institution to actually hold these Ministers accountable.  I am asking that we have got the registers – let us look at all those Ministers who have been absenting themselves without your leave as provided for in the Standing Orders and let those Hon. Ministers be held accountable.  Let them be held in contempt of Parliament.  That is what I am seeking Mr. Speaker that with immediate effect, can you please put in motion the necessary steps to get the register of all those Ministers who have been contemptuous of this august House and the nation of Zimbabwe.

HON. CHASI:  Thank you Mr. Speaker.  I agree that the issue at hand is a very serious one in that on the face of it, it suggests a contravention of the Constitution.  However, I would want to suggest that we must not treat this matter hastily as I think we are almost about to do.  To treat all the Ministers as being in contempt without giving each Minister an opportunity to explain – [HON. MEMBERS:

Inaudible interjections.] – Yes.  Mr. Speaker, I think it is very important that as Parliament, we must display the highest standards in terms of upholding the standards that are displayed in the Constitution.  As I speak, we can already see some of the Ministers walking in – [HON. MEMBERS:  Inaudible interjections.] – Mr. Speaker, this is precisely my point.  We cannot engage in bush …

THE HON. SPEAKER:  Order, order!

HON. CHASI:  Mr. Speaker, what I am saying is that each Minister is entitled to give an explanation to this House as to why they are not in this House.  It is improper to hold all of them en masse to be contemptuous of the House without giving them an opportunity to answer – [HON. MEMBERS:  Inaudible interjections.] – Each one of the Ministers must be given an opportunity to explain why they are not in the House at this moment in time.  The same standards that we are applying to the Ministers must apply to those MPs that do not come to this House.  Ministers are not held to a different standard, compared to those MPs who do not come to the House – [HON. MINISTERS:

Inaudible interjections.] –

THE HON. SPEAKER:  Order, order!

HON. CHASI:  That is my point Mr. Speaker.  I am just cautioning the House that we must not treat the Ministers en masse and say that all of them are in contempt and so we must hold them to be contemptuous.  Thank you.

HON. MATUKE:  Thank you Mr. Speaker.  May I suggest that this issue be referred to the different caucuses so that we deal with that issue at caucus level – [HON. ZWIZWAI:  Hatidi zvemacaucus.  Inyaya yaSpeaker, Speaker ndiye mukuru.  Ndezvavashe izvi.] –

HON. P. D. SIBANDA:  Thank you so much Hon. Speaker.  I sincerely appreciate what my colleagues from the other side have been saying.  However, it is also important for me to state that I have never commented about the attendance or non-attendance of Ministers since I

came into Parliament.  I represent the people of this country, I represent tax payers – [HON. MEMBERS:  Inaudible interjections.] – I represent people that are paying through their nose to make these Hon. Ministers live a comfortable life.

My colleagues from the other side are encouraging the Speaker to take lightly the issue of people that are consuming tax payers’ money to play delinquency with the duty that they are charged upon to do.  Hon. Speaker, we are an institution of Government that is charged with the responsibility to do a particular duty on each and every day as stated in the Constitution.

The Hon. Ministers are aware that every Wednesday, they have got a duty to report to this House so that they answer questions.  The fact that they take lightly that responsibility, means that they do not sympathise with the tax payers of this country that are meeting the cost of whatever they are enjoying as Hon. Ministers – [AN HON.

MEMBER:  Inaudible interjections.] – I feel you are enjoying and that is why you do not care about coming 30 minutes late to Parliament.

THE HON. SPEAKER:  Order, order.  Can you address the

Chair.

HON. P. D. SIBANDA:  Hon. Speaker, it is my sincere belief that if as Parliament we are going to respect the people of this country, I think action has to be taken against the Hon. Ministers.  Thank you.

THE HON. SPEAKER:  Order, order! I think I had ruled already and I take cognisance of what Hon. Chasi, Hon Sibanda and Hon.

Gonese have said. We have entered into a register the times when the Ministers here present have come in and we have a register of attendance of Ministers every Wednesday. That will be rationalised and a detailed report with my letter will go to His Excellency accordingly.

          Hon. Maridadi had suggested that we waiver the questions. Now there are a handful of Hon. Ministers present here, I want to stand guided. Can we proceed with the questions now that we have some Ministers here?

          HON. MARIDADI: Mr. Speaker Sir, yes. Thank you for this

opportunity but I think this is the last time that we are indulging Ministers – [HON. MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections.]- We could proceed and revert to the business as outlined on the Order Paper but it should be made very clear to Ministers that this is the last time that we are indulging them in this manner. We could proceed as it is outlined on the Order Paper.

          *HON. CHINOTIMBA: On a point of order. I want to seek clarification on why the Chair requested Hon Maridadi’s opinion on whether the House should proceed with normal business in view of the fact that we now have Ministers in the House. I thought the proper procedure would have been to request and see whether the House agrees or not? Be that as it may, I think we should proceed with business as outlined on today’s Order Paper.

          THE HON. SPEAKER: The Chair has discretion. There was no

need for a seconder or objection on that matter. I think the facts were very clear and the matter was put in a very level headed manner. Should the situation arise in future, we shall be guided by your suggestion. I thank you.

ORAL ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE

          *HON. CHINOTIMBA: My question is directed to the Deputy

Minister of Public Service, Labour and Social Services. The Reserve

Bank of Zimbabwe has allowed civil servants to withdraw a once-off $300 of their salaries to minimise bank charges and transport costs. The situation is different from council workers who are patching up potholes and have to withdraw $50 everyday accumulating bank charges of $5 per every transaction. My question is, is this a fair labour practice and are we not segregating the workers? Why are civil servants more special than the rest of the workers?

          *THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF PUBLIC SERVICE,

LABOUR AND SOCIAL SERVICES (HON. ENG

MATANGAIDZE): I want to thank the Hon. Member for this important question. What happened is that when we held a meeting with the Apex Council, a request was made by Government employees that we request the Reserve Bank Governor that they can allow for a once of withdrawal of an amount of $300.  We will try to take it up.  Thank you.

            *HON. CHINOTIMBA:  Mr. Speaker, where we came from, we

were leaders of workers unions and I would like the MPs in here to know that.  I am asking him as the Minister because he is the leader of workers that when the request was made, did they not recognise that they were now diving civil servants and all the other workers when they agreed to that request?  I thank you.

          *HE HON. SPEAKER:  Order, Hon. Chinotimba.  The Hon.

Deputy Minister has admitted.  So, let him go and discuss with the Governor about that issue.

          HON. HOLDER:  Thank you Mr. Speaker.  My question is

directed to the Minister of Primary and Secondary Education.  What is

Government’s policy regarding schools acquiring state of the art vehicles for personal use by headmasters?  For instance, headmasters are now driving 4x4, Ford Rangers and so on, yet that money could be used for other developments at the school.  What is the policy regarding schools acquiring state of the art vehicles for headmasters?

          THE MINISTER OF PRIMARY AND SECONDARY

EDUCATION (HON. DR. DOKORA):  Mr. Speaker Sir, I thank the Hon. Member for raising this very important question where they have observed our school heads driving 4x4s that appear to be state of the art vehicles.  Whether there is policy on this matter, quite clearly we think that a school should acquire a bus for the use of its pupils and teachers.  A school can also acquire a 4x4 vehicle or some two wheeled vehicle and these are matters that facilitate the transaction of school business.  This is all that we can say at this point.  After all, it must be noted that the School Development Committees are the ones that do the purchasing and then through an act of donation, allow the property to accrue to the school’s assets.  Thank you.

          THE HON. SPEAKER:  Can I warn the House.  Please, listen very carefully to the response by the Hon. Minister because some supplementary questions are a waste of time.  I will allow one.

          HON. MAONDERA: Hon. Minister, in light of the instruction that you gave that all the monies from School Development Committees must be transferred to SSF – will there not be abuse by the headmasters where they will end up buying those luxurious vehicles?

          HON. DR. DOKORA: I again stand to thank the Hon. Member

for a pertinent question on the implication that I directed that the School Development Committees credit the SSF Fund with the school development levies.  I think it is premature to affirm that.  At the moment, we were busy doing the consultation on the Education

Amendment  Bill itself to align it to the Constitution.  Then below that

Education Amendment Bill, there are two governing Statutory Instruments – one that relates to school development associations and another that relates to School Development Committees.  It is those two that will now be unified as an outcome of the process of aligning the Act itself to the Constitution.  Only after that unification or harmonisation will we are able to indicate that now it is lawful and this is the direction that we take.  Thank you.

          HON. KHUPE:  Thank you Mr. Speaker.  My question is directed to the Minister of Environment, Water and Climate Hon. Muchinguri.

First of all I would like to thank God Almighty for blessing us with a lot of rain because water is our most precious resource.  Almost 70% of our bodies consist of water.  My question is, what is Government’s policy in regards to harvesting of water as opposed to allowing it to run off.  Water can be harvested from roofs of buildings and from rivers and this water is very essential for livestock, irrigation, gardening and for domestic use if properly treated.  We do not want to experience what we experienced before the rains came where people were going for five days without water?  I thank you.

          THE MINISTER OF ENVIRONMENT, WATER AND

CLIMATE (HON. MUCHINGURI): Thank you Mr. Speaker.  I

would want to thank Hon. Khupe for that very important question.  Government policy is very clear that it is a must for us to harvest all the water by way of damming, building weirs  and we harvest all water from roof tops.  We are unfortunately not able to do much because of limited resources.  It is the responsibility of Government to make sure that each individual enjoys having access to water and where funds permit, we

will be able to harvest as water as possible.  However, as we stand right now, we were only given very few dollars on our budget and I cannot promise heaven but appeal to Hon. Members, where possible to mobilise resources to assist communities.  Our engineers are more than ready to provide technical assistance.  I thank you.

HON. CHAKONA: Thank you very much Mr. Speaker.  My supplementary question is that a number of dams and weirs were washed away, what efforts are being made by the Government to repair those dams and weirs?

HON. MUCHINGURI: Thank you Mr. Speaker.  Unfortunately, because of excess rains which we received this year, resulting in our rivers flowing, some of it to an extent of causing floods in a number of areas; it is not advisable for my Ministry to embark on any repairs on any weirs and dams.  When the river flows become reasonable, we will be able to work with the relevant authorities to make sure that we undertake that responsibility to repair the dams and weirs.  I thank you

Mr. Speaker.

HON. MUCHENJE: Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir.  What is

Government’s intervention plan or policy on the damaging effects of the heavy rains on the environment and on people?

HON. MUCHINGURI : Thank you Mr. Speaker.  I want to thank the Hon. Member for that very important question.  Unfortunately, the responsibility to assist those affected by either floods or flooded rivers rest on the Ministry of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing, which houses the department of Civil Protection Unit (CPU)  I advise her to redirect the question to the relevant Minister.  I thank you.

THE MINISTER OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT, PUBLIC

WORKS AND NATIONAL HOUSING (HON. KASUKUWERE):

Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir.  Let me thank the Hon. Member for the question relating to the efforts that my Ministry through the Department of CPU is taking to assist our people who are in distressed situations because of the rains.  Clearly, we have been affected almost throughout the country, Tsholotsho, Binga and so on – [HON. MEMBERS:

Inaudible interjections.] –

THE HON. SPEAKER: Order, order.  Can the Hon. Minister be heard in silence please?

HON. KASUKUWERE: We have received support from the Air Force of Zimbabwe through rescuing and helping our people trapped or marooned.  However, with regards to housing, my Ministry through the Department of CPU gives support to the affected families to the tune of about US$100.  In addition, we try and source food and various items like tents so that we can assist the families.  I agree that it might not be enough owing to the challenges that we are facing.  However, as you are aware, we made a request to the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development for US$5 million, but our budgetary requirements have not been entirely met.  Hence, we have that challenge.  However, we want to thank the various Non Governmental Organisations (NGOs), our sister Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Services, which has been making efforts to support us to try and resettle as well as rescuing those families.  I thank you Mr. Speaker.

HON. ZVIDZAI: Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir.  My supplementary to the Minister of Local Government is around the same issue of assistance to distressed people as a result of…

THE HON. SPEAKER: We cannot hear you – [HON.

MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections.]

HON. ZVIDZAI: Recently in Binga, more than 12 lives were lost as a result of lightning and it caused a lot of emotional distress, fear and so on in that community.  I wonder why the CPU did not come in and assist.  Is it Government policy to ignore such disasters?

HON. KASUKUWERE: Mr. Speaker Sir, I want to thank the Hon. Member for the question raised.  Binga was one such case that distressed us as a Ministry.  To date, if my memory serves me well, over 78 people have lost their lives in the country.  We know for a fact that we lost a number of lives in Binga, but we have a localised assistance institution in the form of the local department of the CPU headed by the District Administrator (DA).  It also cascades all the way to our councilors.  What happens when there is such a disaster, the councillors are called upon to inform the DA who heads our local department of CPU.  From the DA it moves on to the province all the way to the national response institution.  I am aware that we have been responding very much to the challenge in Binga.  However, like I have said, it is a major challenge that we are facing across the country and we sympathise with the challenges that the families have gone through.   However, we are trying to support them in the best possible way.  Thank you very much.

HON. ZINDI: Thank you Hon. Speaker.  My supplementary question is directed to Hon. Muchinguri – [HON. MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections.] – that is the source of the question.

THE HON. SPEAKER: Order.  That cannot arise as a supplementary question.

HON. MUDARIKWA: Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir.  Good

afternoon to you Mr. Speaker Sir.  My question is directed to the

Minister of Primary and Secondary Education.  Hon. Minister Sir, what is the national policy of your Ministry regarding schools that have gone for five years – Grade Seven primary schools, with zero percent.  Are you going to send these teachers back to the colleges – [Laughter.] – or are we going to see heads roll?  Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir. I want to thank the Hon. Member for asking a pertinent question and for his request to say what is the policy of the Ministry with regards to the academic scores that we generally regard as the pass rate.  It is common cause that when young people spend a year or two in a school and they gravitate towards their national examinations;  the expectation is that they will have some credible evidence that they have gone through that board of experience.

          Two things happen, the first of course, we must commend those that do well.  In those schools where the kids are performing well, it is an indicator of the teacher’s steadfastness in those circumstances but we must also acknowledge the sterling work being done even in those institutions that may actually yield a zero percent pass rate because we must look at the material conditions.  As a Ministry, we then target those schools for special attention in respect of staff development for those teachers, material improvement; it could be learning resources for those kinds of schools.  So, if the Hon. Member is conscious of the schools that are affected in their particular constituency and the two things that I have described here have not taken place, then they should alert me to that situation and we can correct.  Thank you.

          HON. ZIYAMBI: Thank you Hon. Speaker.  If I heard Hon.

Mudarikwa well, he said there are schools that persistently produce no pass rate for five years or more and the Minister is saying we must applaud those schools for they are doing something.  He is telling us that those schools that are not producing a pass rate have been with those pupils and have done a great job when there is not a single pupil who has passed. At least if there is evidence of some pupils who have passed and then the Minister comes with his innovative ideas that we take those teachers and send them for special training, that would be understood.

However, what he is insinuating is that those communities have pupils or the general population is dull and they need special training.  I think the Minister did not answer the question to the effect that when there is a persistent failure, there is a persistent failure.  What is the Ministry doing because honestly, we cannot say that if there is a persistent failure, the community is of failure it needs special education.

There must be some pupils who should shine from that community. What is it that is happening to the teachers who are failing to produce a single pass rate?  I thank you.

           HON. DR. DOKORA: Hon. Speaker, I take great care to listen to

Hon. Members’ questions and I also hope that they in turn raise questions that are following the response that we have given.  I did not in any way here, say that failure is to be condoned.  I did indicate that there are two things that we can do and I invite the Hon. Member to act in concert with that position that we can do staff development.  It does not mean sending them away, it means they can be staff developed within their school and we can also impact on the material conditions resourcing that school so that they are able to work on those materials and improve the outcome.

          However, I must now put a rider because the Hon. Member is insinuating these matters.  We have diversified the curriculum, precisely to be able to capture the wide latent talent so that we are not forcing kids through a narrow grid of academic work.  So, we must be able to vary the curriculum, some that are able to do well in the tech-voc area, some are able to do well in the academic areas.  This is the approach.  Thank you.

          HON. P. D SIBANDA: Hon. Minister, you are talking of varying the curriculum, is the varying of the curriculum including introduction of Islamic studies and are you Moslem yourself?

          HON. DR. DOKORA: I want to acknowledge the question that has been raised by the Hon. Member on my right, who asks a useful question but betrays it by imputing a personal angle to the question.  I would want, before I respond to this Hon. Members’ second question, to also ask them to declare what faith they are?  I hold this Rosary here, so whether I say one thing or another, you are fixated with what you have been reading and that may not necessarily be a fair invitation to a contestation here.  Thank you – [HON. MEMBERS: Inaudible

interjections.] -

The enlargement of the curriculum that we have done is to capture the variety of skills and aptitudes that learners do have.  The question of religion is not an innovation of the new curriculum. If you take the

1980-1987 curriculums in this country, you will find Judaism, Islam, Christianity, all in play and those syllabuses are available for comparison.  So, exactly where this question is coming from, certainly not from the new curriculum, we are not introducing Islam, it has always been there just as Judaism – [HON. MEMBERS: No, no.]- look at the syllabuses. Thank you.

HON. P.D SIBANDA: On a point of order. Hon. Speaker, with all due respect to the Hon. Minister, my question was quite clear and straight forward.  Is the expansion of the new curriculum introducing

Islamic studies? I think that is what the nation is waiting to hear from the Hon. Minister.  Let him answer that question because there is clear apprehension from the people outside there that the Hon. Minister intends, through expansion of the curriculum, to introduce Islamic studies.  Does he intend to introduce Islamic studies into our education?

I thank you.

HON. DR. DOKORA: Hon. Speaker, I do not know how I can

put it.  I said, the old curriculum is available and the new curriculum is also available.  You will find that we have maintained the themes as carried in the old curriculum to the new curriculum and we can make it available for publication.  We are not introducing Islamic studies, they were already there –[HON. MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections] –

          *HON. MAHOKA: My question is directed to the Minister of Primary and Secondary Education.  What is Government policy regarding…

          THE HON. SPEAKER: Order, order!  I allowed the questioner

first, Hon. Sibanda to clarify.  You cannot start raising points of order.  Either you ask your first question or a supplementary, not a point of order.

          Hon. P.D. Sibanda having wanted to speak

THE HON. SPEAKER: I have not recognised you.  What is your supplementary question?

          HON. MUTSEYAMI: My supplementary question to the Hon.

Minister of Primary and Secondary Education is, what is the motivation which is driving you within these past three years, you have been the

Minister responsible for the Ministry, we have had so many changes.  What motivates you to have all these changes, bearing in mind that in many ways it is so stressful on the part of teachers and children.  What is this motivation which is driving you so much to have this curriculum changed? – [HON. MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections] – [HON.

MEMBERS: Hear, hear.] –

          THE HON. SPEAKER: Order, order! I am hesitant to name some

Hon. Members.  If I call you to order, please comply.  Can we hear the Hon. Minister? 

           HON. DR. DOKORA: The Hon. Member seeks to understand the

sources of our efforts to implement a new curriculum.  Hon. Speaker, this nation will remember that in 1998, His Excellency, the President appointed a Commission of Inquiry into Education and Training.  That Commission was headed by Professor Nziramasanga.  He reported in 1999 and a battery of changes were proposed in that curriculum.  1999 is some distance from where we are.  We have also in 2013, began the process of consultation to update the recommendations in the light of the current global and national context.

          Out of that, we were able to zero in on the recommendations that are possible to be implemented within the current – [HON. MEMBERS:

Inaudible interjections] –

          THE HON. SPEAKER: Order! Hon. Damasane, please!  Hon.

Minister carry on.

          HON. DR. DOKORA: So, for the Hon. Members who are

scholarly and wish to draw further ideas and consolidate their understanding with the new curriculum, that 600 page volume is available at the Curriculum Development and Technical Services Office.

It is available and it was presented to Cabinet and acceded to in 1999.

The updating that we did - post 2013, we had the Government’s

Blueprint for development of relevant curriculum for the nation and that is under ZIM ASSET.

          My task in the Ministry was to produce that relevant curriculum for our time and that is what we have achieved.  That is what we are about going on to implement.  Thank you.

          HON. MAJOME: on a point of order Mr. Speaker. Thank you

Mr. Speaker for affording me room to make this point of privilege.  Mr. Speaker Sir, I want to request through you that the Hon. Minister makes available to Hon. Members, copies of this new curriculum because from what I have gathered, Hon. Members are debating something we have never seen.  It is equivalent to the Shona proverb of kuera nyoka negavi iyo isipo.  Ngavaunze nyoka yacho tione.

          I understand that Hon. Members need this so that they see it, it represents our constituents, so that we can engage from an informed point of view and consult our constituents.  May be our fear about the curriculum is not serious.  From what I gathered, even the Portfolio

Committee on Education has not seen itand we were not consulted.  We also need to consult our constituents.  So, it is a point of privilege Mr. Speaker Sir, so that we get copies of the curriculum, see it and engage with the Hon. Minister.  – [HON. MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections] –

          THE HON. SPEAKER: Order, order! I think Hon. Majome’s

proposal is reasonable.  It may not be sufficient just to distribute.

Perhaps if the Hon. Minister can be so indulgent to conduct a workshop

–[ HON. MEMBERS Hear, hear.] – and bring in the Summary of the Nziramasanga report and then the document on the new curriculum so that Members of Parliament can interface with the Hon. Minister.  Hopefully we reach some understanding of some of the motivations behind this.

           HON. DR. DOKORA: I would like to thank you Hon. Speaker.  I

would like to thank Hon. Majome for raising the matter.  I think there is no harm from my part to issue a second set to all Hon. Members because these were issued – showing Hon. Members a copy of the document.  If I raise this one, some of you may be able to remember this document.  I am the happiest Minister to be able to say that we will issue the documents and then we will follow it up with the proposed workshop, just to unpack the substantive issues that are contained therein.  I am aware that the Portfolio Committee from the days when it was being chaired by the now Hon. Member for Norton and then another Member who chaired the Portfolio Committee and the current Chair Hon. Kanye are part of a series of engagements that have been made with Parliament.  I am happy to oblige and I will provide the materials as well as to engage in a workshop.

           THE HON SPEAKER:  Order, order Hon. Members.  The matter

is closed and I shall not allow any supplementary questions.  We shall have the workshop and deal with the matter more decisively.

          *HON. MAHOKA:  My question is directed to the Minister of Primary and Secondary Education, Dr. Dokora.  What is Government policy on the issue of school children travelling 15kms to go and write examinations because satellite schools are no longer allowed to hold Grade Seven examinations?  Last year you said we should build a block and strong rooms but now you wrote to those satellite schools that Grade 7 pupils can no longer write their exams there but to walk 15kms to go and write examinations elsewhere, which is a very long distance for pupils to travel to write examinations.

          THE MINISTER OF PRIMARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION (HON. DR. DOKORA): The Hon member seeks

information on whether school children will continue to walk 15kms to 20kms for purposes of writing examinations. Our interest as a Ministry is not to maintain schools as satellites but to be able to develop those schools alongside with the communities, so that they become established and registered.  So, this is an early reminder to say that this requirement of the Ministry will give that additional impetus to the communities to work towards developing the necessary requirements for registration.  However, all reasonable steps will be taken to ensure that the examination …

           THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER:  Order, order Hon. Minister, I

think I heard the Hon. Member asking her question in Shona.

*HON.  DR. DOKORA:  For a school to be eligible for registration, it should have adequate blocks and strong rooms to keep the examination papers as well as a house or two to enable the Head and some other member of staff to stay at the school.

             THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER:  Order, order Hon. Members,

please lower your voices.  They are no longer whispers.  Everyone would like to hear the Minister’s response.

          *HON. DR. DOKORA:  That is our wish, to have satellite schools to be established and registered.  The Hon Member’s question is emanating from the letter received from ZIMSEC which is responsible for ensuring that there are no examination paper leakages.  I am actually proud of the standard that ZIMSEC has set which saw us having no leakages at all in the last examinations because of the control measures that they have put in place.  So, if these letters have been sent so early in the year, they want to ensure that those satellite schools and their communities work towards ensuring that their schools are registered.

Towards examinations, we then check who has prepared adequately to hold examinations and who has failed to do so.  Indications will be given to those who will have acquired the required standards to hold the examinations at their schools.

          *HON. MAHOKA:  The Minister did not answer my question

fully.  Now that they have not yet built those schools, does it mean these children should walk 20kms or they should stop writing examinations?

          *HON DR. DOKORA:  I did say because the letters have been sent so early in the year, you are being given ample time to ensure you have the required structures.  I know MPs have always worked hard to fund raise with their communities – [HON. MEMBERS: Inaudible

interjections] –

             *HON. MARIDADI:  On a point of order Madam Speaker.  Can

Minister Dokora not give simple answers when responding to questions?  He is using idiophones but without saying anything.  Hon. Dokora, please give us simple answers so that everyone understands.  Why do you harden your heart so much?  What is it Minister?  Please, I implore you Minister.

*HON. DR. DOKORA:  I know that our mother language is not easy for everyone.  So, if Hon Maridadi is saying he does not understand idiophones - but that is what our children are learning in schools.

However, to answer the supplementary question, you should not see the Ministry as being insensitive to the distances being travelled by the pupils.  I said in response to the supplementary question, we should not feel as a Ministry that we do not care about the children.  We care for them – [HON. MEMBERS:  Inaudible interjections.] -  We said that we are going to look for funding to come up with a joint venture.  I once explained what that meant and I said that for us to have a joint venture and have schools registered, there should be an alignment of the Education Act to the Constitution.  Once we have done that, we can work with the parents and pupils so that we can raise the initial capital from the private sector and be in a position to deliver in these institutions.  This is what we should be doing. Treasury has given us …

          *HON. CHINOTIMBA:  Madam Speaker, I have a point of

order.  I think that maybe we should go with the Minister to our communal home so that he can appreciate what is on the ground before he comes here – [laughter.] – By the word communal home, I meant we should take him to the ZANU PF caucus before he comes here to respond to these issues.  I thank you.

            THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER:  Order, order Hon. Members!

Can we have order please!  I am calling for order Hon. Members!

          HON. GONESE:  I have a point of order Madam Speaker.  In

view of the fact that we started Question Time a bit late, I had consultations with my counterpart, Hon. Matuke and we were of the same mind that if we could have an extension of time.  I think we started about 30 minutes late.  In that same vein Madam Speaker, I am asking and I thought I was going to have universal from both sides of the House.

          THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER:  Can you come to the point.

          HON. GONESE:  I am asking for 30 minutes extension Madam

Speaker.

HON. MATUKE:  I second.

          Motion put and agreed to.

          HON. MLISWA:  On a point of order Madam Speaker, it is

important for the two sides of the House to recognise that there is an independent candidate, so they were talking, I was not consulted – [HON. MEMBERS:  Inaudible interjections.] – While I will allow this to go on, when they are trying to seek the House to consult, it is important for both sides of the House to understand that there is an independent candidate – [HON. MEMBERS:  Inaudible interjections.] – I heard the Chief Whip saying he consulted the other side.  I could object to that because I do not belong to that side.  Can you consult me next time?  It is important.

          *HON. ZIYAMBI:  Thank you Madam Speaker.  My

supplementary question is directed to the Minister of Primary and Secondary Education.  Section 75 of the Constitution says everyone has the right to basic education.  Hon. Mahoka made reference to what is also occurring in my constituency.  The Minister came here and said Hon. Members should work hard to ensure that schools should be there.  This is in contradiction with the Constitution.  The Constitution says basic education is a right to every child and Government should provide that.  When the satellite schools are being closed, is the Ministry complying with the Constitution?  Thank you.

            *HON. DOKORA:  The Hon. Member has made reference to the

Constitution.  Also, referring to the Constitution, we have basic education at primary and secondary education.  However, it is going to be done in a progressive fashion when we have resources that are there to respond to the demand side of education.  As a Ministry, we accepted that satellite schools could function as normal schools so as to fulfill that requirement in the Constitution of this country.  What has been raised as a question initially is not the closing of the satellite schools but the issue of conducting examinations – [HON. MEMBERS:  Inaudible interjections.] -  No school can conduct an examination when they do not have material conditions to ensure that examination papers are secured.

When we get to examination times around October, ZIMSEC works with the district offices.  The examinations are distributed from the district office to a school on a daily basis.  It means that after the examinations have been written, they have no right to keep the scripts at the school.  Thank you.

HON. BHEBHE:  Thank you Madam Speaker.  Can I have it noted that for three consecutive weeks I have always wanted to ask this question and Hon. Minister Chombo comes here for 15 minutes and he is gone. In particular, last week I was asked by the Hon. Speaker to hold my question so that I can ask it this week. I have a national constituency which is the motor industry, where all the motorists are our clients. I am under pressure to have this question answered by the Minister. In that case Madam Speaker I believe that whatever policy that happens in Government is tabled in Cabinet, therefore I will direct this question to whoever is the Leader of the House at this juncture.

          Madam Speaker, as I have just said my question should have been directed to the Minister of Home Affairs…

          THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Now the Minister of Home

Affairs is not in the House and the Leader of the House, Hon Chinamasa is in the Senate, are you appointing the new Leader of the House?-

[HON. MEMBERS: Yes]-

          HON. BHEBHE: In that case I will ask the question and the Leader of the House should answer. Is it Government’s policy..

          THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: There is no Leader of the

House, Hon. Bhebhe. Could you please bear with the House so that we can go ahead and ask other questions?

          HON. BHEBHE: Hon. Kasukuwere is offering to answer the

question.

          THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: He is the Minister of Local

Government, Public Works and National Housing. Bear with us Hon.

Member.

          HON. BHEBHE: I will bear with you Madam Speaker. I would want to be assured by yourself Madam Speaker, that next week Hon. Dr.

Chombo should be in the House and should not run away in 15 minutes because we have  pertinent questions that have been postponed for a very long time.

          THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: We will make sure.

          HON. GONESE: On a point of order. Thank you very much Madam Speaker. I think the point raised by Hon. Bhebhe is very important. We have an Hon. Minister of Government who was in this august House and we all know that Question Time has not ended. I think it is unacceptable and it is not the first time. If you recall I once raised that issue when the very same Hon. Minister performed a disappearing act. It must be noted and that the Chair should bring it to the attention of Hon. Minister Dr. Chombo that when Question Time starts, he must be here until end of Question Time so that we do not have this scenario coming up time and again.

           THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: I hear you Hon. Chief Whip. I

think we have got to look into that so that we write him. Once a Minister stands up you will not know where he is going. You cannot hold him back. I think we are going to write to him.

          HON. NDEBELE: On a point of order. Madam Speaker please indulge me. I want to weigh in on the same one. I am a junior Member of this House and I am totally surprised why we have a whole school of ministers, why they cannot organise themselves as to come up with a temporary Leader of the House so as to attend to important national business. What is playing out in Education is a clear example of failure by this Government to do anything.

          THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Hon. Member, please take

your seat. The Leader of the House is not elected. He is appointed by the appointing authority. It is not the duty of Ministers to elect each other.

Can we proceed with other questions?

          HON. MLISWA: Madam Speaker you made a ruling that there are no more questions. With due respect, you did make a ruling. We must make progress. Not only that, the Members of Parliament can take pleasure in that the Minister of Primary and Secondary Education will be appearing before Portfolio Committee on Education, Sports, Arts and Culture tomorrow. We will be with him.  We must make progress. You did rule.

          THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Hon Mupfumi, if we call for

order you go and sit down so that we recognise the one who will be holding the floor.

          Hon. Mliswa, I was giving a ruling on supplementary questions on that particular question. Now I think I am advising the Hon. Member that he should not ask same question because on that one we are going to have a workshop where we are going to be given copies of the Nziramasanga Report. Please refrain from repeating what we have been discussing.

          *HON. MUPFUMI: There are 16 official languages in Zimbabwe and I see that Shona and Ndebele are the predominant languages. Now that you are saying the same Shona and Ndebele should be taught, why should we not have the 16 languages taught from primary education so that all the teachers know all these languages?

          *THE MINISTER OF PRIMARY AND SECONDARY

EDUCATION (HON. DR. DOKORA): Thank you for the question

Hon Member. I believe this is a question that we can expatiate and debate over it during the MPs workshop.

          HON. P. D. SIBANDA: My Supplementary is in line with the question that the Hon. Member asked, we understand that the Ministry has decided to introduce teaching of Mathematics in Shona and Ndebele.

Is that the current Government’s policy and if it is the current policy, what about those areas where Ndebele and Shona are not taught in the schools? In what languages will Mathematics be taught?

          *HON. DR. DOKORA:  I believe that there is now a vast

difference of what the questions are like.  If you look at the new education policy, it says that a child should be taught in vernacular when they are in the infant class, which is the first class meaning, the ECD up to Grade 2.  We have never restricted that to Shona and Ndebele.  We are saying whatever language is in the Constitution, the teachers in those areas should be able to speak the mother tongues of that region.  That is the basic policy of the Government and this is to ensure that the children benefit from a medium of instruction in their mother tongue for ECD up to Grade 2.

For Grade 3 upwards, it will be different.  In the past we used to say, Grade 1 to Grade 3, it will be Ndebele and you would use English here and there.  Then from Grade 4 upwards, we then start instructing in English.  We have lowered that Grade 2s be instructed in their mother tongue and that only in Grade 3, they should get the instruction in English.  In infant classes, such subjects as Maths and other sciences can be taught in their mother tongue.  Let me give you a clear example.  If we say we have introduced science in the infant grades, that is ECD up to Grade 2.  We would say, if you take a feather and put it on the table and tell the children that are in the ECD or Grade 1 and say we want to find out who can blow some air on to this feather so that it moves - you will be instructing the children about energy.  I thank you.

          HON. P. D. SIBANDA:  What is going to happen to those areas where Ndebele and Shona are not taught?  Secondly –[HON.

MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections.]-

            THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER:  Order, order Hon. Members.

What is exciting? I do not understand honestly.  I think the Minister answered your question from his first part but I think the mistake that was made by the Minister is that you asked in English, and then he answered in Shona.  So may be the Hon. Member did not understand the answer.

          HON. MLISWA: On a point of order Madam Speaker.  In terms

of Section 6 of the Constitution which is under languages, it is very clear where it says;  ‘The following languages, namely Chewa, Chibarwe, English, Kalanga, Nambya, Ndau, Ndebele, Shangani, Shona, sign language, Sotho, Tonga, Venda, Tswana, Venda and Xhosa are officially recognised as languages in Zimbabwe.’ It goes on to also say on (3)

‘The State in all institutions and agencies of Government at every level must a) ensure that officially recognised languages are treated equitably;’ It is in the Constitution and you cannot start this one and not start the other and b) taking into account that the language preferences of people affected by governmental measures or communications.  4) ‘The

State must promote and advance the use of all languages used in

Zimbabwe, including sign language,’ which also comes into picture’.  I also represent the disabled in my Constituency and how did they benefit from this.  We must create conditions for development of those languages.  Can we be guided by the Constitution?

          THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER:  I still remember that that question was answered sometime back here in the House but, maybe the Hon. Member was not yet here.  If I may be helped by the Minister to give an answer on that one?

          THE MINISTER OF PRIMARY AND SECONDARY

EDUCATION (HON. DR. DOKORA):  The constitutional provisions

are very clear to the Ministry and we have raised this matter to a level of policy.  This is why when we talk of the use of indigenous languages in the instruction at infant level; we are making reference to the provisions of the Constitution.  So, if a school is in a Nambya area, Tonga area and so on, that is where that language will be used at that level.  So surely, we cannot be expected to do much more than that at this stage.

          Additionally, I do not train teachers but I staff develop those that have already gone into additional training.  So, I will then staff-develop them to ensure that we are talking about an infant level which is ECD to Grade 2.  Thank you.

          HON. GABBUZA:  Thank you Madam Speaker.  I believe that my question cannot wait for a workshop because I am worried about examination classes.  Minister of Primary and Secondary Education,

Grade 7s are already preparing for examinations and so are Form 4s.  My wish for clarification is to know, which curricula are they preparing the examination in?

          THE MINISTER OF PRIMARY AND SECONDARY

EDUCATION (HON. DR. DOKORA):  The old curriculum.  Thank

you.

             *HON. ZEMURA:  Thank you Madam Speaker.  My question is

directed to the Minister of Primary and Secondary Education.  There is an issue at schools where uniforms are no longer purchased from shops.  The schools now produce their own uniforms and with very small badges on jerseys.  Their uniforms are exorbitantly priced – at $25 whereas you can buy them from ordinary uniform suppliers for $2.  Is that Government policy to make life difficult for the parents?  I thank you.

          THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER:  After this question, I would

ask Hon. Members to ask questions to other Ministers who are not in education.

          *THE MINISTER OF PRIMARY AND SECONDARY

EDUCATION (HON. DR. DOKORA): Government policy is that,

where the uniform is sourced from is not important – whether it is from a shop or from a school.  We expect that the procurement procedures are properly done.  People are involved in competitive bidding – one says it is $10 and so on and if it is not being done, our audit teams will pick up on that one as they visit the schools.  If there is a specific issue, you put it in writing so that we can follow up with that particular institution but uniforms can be purchased from anywhere.  I thank you.

*HON. MLISWA: My question is directed to the Minister of

Public Service, Labour and Social Services and in her absence, her Deputy.  Whilst I was still in ZANU PF, in our campaign, we promised to create 2.2 million jobs.  Of the 2.2 million jobs that we promised to the people, especially youths – in my Constituency, Norton they do not have jobs, how many have been created by the Government? – [HON.

MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections.] –

THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: That question was answered.

HON. MLISWA: But I do not remember it being answered – [AN HON. MEMBER: Yapfuura iyo.] – For my benefit because I was not here, can I be told how many.  I have a right to know, I represent my constituency, I was not here and this has to do with my constituency.  As such, can you respond and tell me the figure; I will be most obliged

Madam Speaker.

 

Hon. Member, it was

answered last week and it is in the Hansard.  Hon. Member, I think you will help the whole House because we cannot keep on answering the same question every week.

HON. MLISWA: Madam Speaker, the Hansard for last week has not yet been published, so what should I do?  It is a simple question, I was not here, he must answer.

THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Hon. Minister, can you please

answer the question.

THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF PUBLIC SERVICE, LABOUR AND SOCIAL SERVICES (HON. ENG. MATANGAIDZE): Thank

you Madam Speaker.  I concur that we have gone to lengths to answer this question and clearly, he can go online and pick the answer from the Hansard online.

HON. MLISWA: He must answer my question.

He is answering – [HON. MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections.] – Hon. Minister, if you have the answer to this question, you will have to answer.  If you do not have, you can say you will bring the answer to this House so that it becomes clear.

HON. ENG. MATANGAIDZE: Thank you Madam Speaker.

Like I said, we have already covered this issue.  If there are specific details, that he requires, by all means, he should put it in writing then we follow up – [HON. MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections.] –

HON. MLISWA: Madam Speaker, the Government offered 2.2 million jobs, he is the Minister of Public Service, Labour and Social

Services.  Out of the 2.2 million jobs, how many jobs have been created?  There is no need for me to put it in writing.  It is the duty of Government and his department to create jobs.  Can we be told how many jobs have been created, it does not need a written questions, he must have statistics when he is coming here or else he must be fired and go to his constituency.

Hon. Minister, can we have

statistics on this particular question – [HON. MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections.] – Order, Hon. Members.

HON. ENG. MATANGAIDZE: Madam Speaker, I have been

clear on this. If he requires specific numbers like he is asking for specific figures, surely, he should put that in writing so that I respond –

[HON. MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections.] –

THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order, order.  Hon. Mliswa, I

think we require the answer which is well researched and with statistics.

Would the Hon. Minister go and do that and bring it next week.

HON. MLISWA: You said it was answered before I persisted on this, what did he answer?  You said it was answered last week, we are a Parliament of record.  Madam Speaker, you said it was answered and today you say you must put it in writing.  So what answer did you proffer to us – [HON. MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections.] –

HON. GUZAH: Madam Speaker, should the House capitulate only to the whims and caprices of one Hon. Member here – [HON.

 

MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections.] – I also want an answer from you Madam Speaker.  At some point in time, the question that has been raised is a particular question, which regards specific statistics.  Why should those statistics be available here at this instance when the Minister has indicated very clearly that he is going to produce those results?  Why are we capitulating – [HON. MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections] – 

Hon. Guzah having been using unparliamentary language against Hon. Mliswa was sent out by the Deputy Speaker and escorted out by the Sergeant At - Arms.

THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Can we have order please.  I wanted to explain.  Hon. Mliswa I am not sending you out because you were seated but you were making a lot of noise.  I reprimand you because you have to behave yourself – [HON. MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections.] – Order Hon. Members.  If I call for order, you sit down.

I want to explain to Hon. Mliswa.

Hon. Mliswa having continued to talk.

THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Hon. Mliswa I will send you out – [AN HON. MEMBER: Send him out, send him out.] – [HON.

MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections.] – Can we have order.

Questions Without Notice were interrupted by THE HON.

DEPUTY SPEAKER in terms of Standing Order No. 64. 

          HON. TOFFA: On a point of order! The Minister of Education was meant to give a Ministerial Statement last week and he has not done so.

          THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Hon. Member, today is a

Wednesday, it is a Private Members day.  So, the Minister cannot give a statement and also if he does not bring it, it means he is not ready. If he is ready he brings the statement here.

ORAL ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS WITH NOTICE

POLICY ON COMPENSATION OF PEOPLE DISPLACED FROM

THE ZAMBEZI VALLEY

HON. P. D. SIBANDA asked the Minister of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing to state whether the Ministry has a policy to compensate the people who were displaced from the Zambezi Valley during the period 1955-1958 to pave way for the construction of Kariba  Dam.

 THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT, PUBLIC WORKS AND NATIONAL HOUSING

(HON.CHINGOSHO): Thank you Hon. Speaker.  I am sorry, I have been supplied with wrong papers.

THE HON. TEMPORARY SPEAKER (HON. DZIVA): Hon.

Deputy Minister does that apply to all your questions?

HON. CHINGOSHO: Yes.

HON. P. D SIBANDA: On a point of order,  Order Number 69,  I just wanted it to be put on record that last week, the Hon. Minister of

Local Government was in the House, he saw the question but before the

Questions with Notice, he went out.  Today, again he has done the same and left his Deputy ill prepared.  So, I just wanted to be at least on record that that is how the Minister of Local Government is behaving towards this question.

THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER: The Minister came with wrong

papers and I think it is an error.

MEASURES TO CREATE WILDLIFE SANCTURAY IN RESETLD

FARMS

4. HON. CHIMANIKIRE asked the Minister of Environment,

Water and Climate to inform the House on the measures that the Ministry is taking to create wildlife sanctuaries in resettled farms that have been vandalized by poachers in areas such as Mashonaland Central

          THE MINISTER OF ENVIRONMENT, WATER AND

CLIMATE (HON. MUCHINGURI): Thank you Madam Speaker.  I

would like to thank Hon. Chimanikire.  One notable wildlife sanctuary in resettled areas of Mashonaland Central Province with poaching problems is the Manzou Game Park.  The Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Authority deployed ranchers to Manzou Game in order to deal with poaching.  The ranchers have been permanently deployed and are carrying out anti-poaching activities with the aim to create a safe haven for wildlife.

          Looking into the near future, Madam Speaker, the Parks and Wildlife Ecologists will be carrying out assessments on resettled farms in order to establish community conservancies particularly for farmers who wish to carry out wildlife farming on their farms and have expressed the interest to do so to our parks authority.  I thank you.

BENEFITS TO VILLAGERS FROM THE CAMPFIRE POLICY

5. 5. CHIMANIKIRE asked the Minister of Environment, Water and Climate to give a summary of the benefits to villagers from the campfire policy in the first six months of 2016 province by province.

THE MINISTER OF ENVIRONMENT, WATER AND

CLIMATE (HON. MUCHINGURI): Madam Speaker, at present

Campfire benefits are largely generated from the hunting of various species of wildlife.  Most of the Communities from provinces that benefit significantly from Campfire are located in districts that are adjacent to National Parks and buffer areas for wildlife management.

Safari hunts are spread across the entire hunting season from April to October but practically stretch into December of each year.

          It will therefore be misleading to disaggregate community benefits for the first six months across provinces as that would greatly distort the correct position regarding the extent to which communities are benefiting or are not benefiting from the campfire programme.

          I am however, pleased to report that campfire association has just completed a verification exercise of the income received by communities in 10 districts for the period 2010-2015 for 10 major districts with wildlife.  These districts are Beitbridge, Binga, Bulilima, Chipinge, Chiredzi, Hurungwe, Hwange, Mbire, Nyaminyami and Tsholotsho.  The results show that over the last 6 years, the income generated from trophy fees is approximately US$11 million.

          HON. P. D. SIBANDA: On a point order.  I notice that a Member who had been ejected out of the House, suddenly came back.  I think he has realised and has gone out.  Thank you.

          HON. MUCHINGURI: The results show that over the last six years, the income generated from trophy fees is approximately US$11 million, while a further US$4 million has come from the sale of hides, concession fees and other sundry income.  The agreed split of these funds….

             HON. MUTSEYAMI: On a point of order Madam Speaker.  My

apology Hon. Minister.  I stand guided Hon. Speaker, if a person is ejected from the House, he is entitled to leave the complex.  He is not allowed to remain within the periphery of Parliament.  How come an

Hon. Member ejected stays outside and is within the periphery of Parliament?

          THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER (HON. DZIVA): Your point of

order Hon. Mutseyami has been noted.  It is only that there had been miscommunication between the Serjent-at-Arms and the Speaker who was here.  According to Standing Order Number 108, “the Chair must order a member whose conduct is grossly disorderly to withdraw immediately from Parliament for the remainder of that day’s sitting.

The Serjent-at-Arms must act on such orders as he/she may receive from the Chair in pursuance of this Standing Order.  Members ordered to withdraw in pursuance of this Standing Order or who are suspended in pursuance of Standing Order Number 109, must immediately withdraw from the precincts of the House.”  So, he is not allowed to come back to the House.  Thank you for that.

          HON. MUCHINGURI: The agreed split of these funds is that not less than 55% of the revenue is paid as ward dividends, not more than 35% is allocated to the Rural District Council (RDC) for wildlife management, habitat management, fire control monitoring and hiring of game scouts.  Fifteen percent is retained by the RDC as an administrative levy.  On average, the campfire district wards received 42%, ranging from 23% to 66% of the combined concessions and trophy fees but the wards received approximately 58%, ranging from 26% to 77% of the trophy fees.

          Madam Speaker, the United States of America’s suspension of ivory imports from Zimbabwe in 2014 has had a significant impact on campfire and resulted in the cancellation of 108 out of 109 which is 57% elephant hunt in all major districts initially booked by USA citizens in 2014.  The net impact of this was a reduction of campfire income for all areas from US$2.2 million in 2013 to US$1.7 million in 2014.  A similar pattern prevailed in 2015 with only US$1.6 million realised and a further decline is anticipated in 2016 where outfitters struggled to sell elephant safaris.  Those that did had to heavily discount their prices.  Negotiations for the opening of the ivory imports into America are at an advanced stage.  I thank you Madam Speaker.

          HON. SANSOLE: I would like to find out from the Minister - why is it difficult to identify where the US$11 million accruing from trophy fees, was from which national parks, which Rural District Council benefited and to what extent?  Thank you.

          HON. MUCHINGURI: I am afraid Madam Speaker that, that

information was not provided.  Perhaps, if he could put it again on the

Order Paper, then we can undertake some more research.  I thank you.

          THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER: Hon. Sansole, your question

needs a more detailed answer, if you may put it in writing so that the Minister will look into the issue.

PLANS TO ASSIST WOMEN IN MINING

11. HON. CHITURA asked the Minister of Women’s Affairs, Gender and Community Development, to inform the House whether there are plans to assist women involved in mining who are facing challenges of exorbitant prices in securing those claims.

          THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF WOMEN’S AFFAIRS GENDER AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT (HON.

DAMASANE): Madam Speaker Maám, let me wish you the compliments of the season and my Hon. Members for 2017.

          An Hon. Member having said something unparliamentary

          THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER: Order, Hon. Member, please

withdraw your statement.  I want the Hon. Member to behave like an

Hon. Member of Parliament.  Can you please withdraw your statement?

Hon. Murai, between the two of you, there is someone who said something.  Hon. Mutseyami, can you please withdraw your statement now before I ask the Serjent-at-Arms to escort you out.  Hon. Mutseyami, be honourable and withdraw your statement.  I will not allow that in the House.

          *HON. MUTSEYAMI: Ndamedza.

          *THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER: Wamedza chii?

          HON. MUTSEYAMI: I cannot remember what I said.  I withdraw

everything.

THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF WOMEN’S AFFAIRS, GENDER AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT (HON.

DAMASANE): Madam Speaker, I would like to thank the Hon.

Member for raising the question.  Madam Speaker, the mining sector in Zimbabwe has generally been regarded with mystification as a sector for the rich and powerful.  This is because mining is associated with high capital investments, big machinery and underground activities.  For women, the situation is made worse by occupational segregation and lack of access to capital, even for the most basic tools.

Madam Speaker, as positive discrimination strategy to enhance women’s participation in the mining sector, the Ministry always pursues negotiations with relevant Ministries and departments for them to charge reduced rates to women miners.  Madam Speaker, the following proposals have been made to relevant Ministries:

1. To extend the payment periods for the charges, that women miners be allowed to mine before full payments of the total charges required then the charges be deducted from the periodic sales of minerals until full payments have been made.
2. Government to subsidise charges made to women miners as a way of economic empowering through the mining sector.
3. To encourage women to mine in groups so that they share the burden of raising the required initial capital.

A case in point is Kitsiyatota Mining Consortium for Women which has demonstrated that women are able.  These women are in Bindura, Mashonaland Central and their activities have caused the

Ministry of Mines and Mining Development and Frederick Rebecca

Mine to allocate claims to women and the youth.  Furthermore, in all the

10 provinces, the concept of putting women’s activities in the sectors yields good results.  I urge Hon. Members, Madam Speaker, to take seriously these sectors namely, Women in Agriculture, Women in Mining, Women in Trade – the list is endless.

Madam Speaker, the voice of women by sectors is audible other than an individual woman approaching Ministries in legal matters, pricing or securing of claims.  Those Hon. Members who follow Questions Without Notice religiously will recall what the Hon. Minister of Mines and Mining Development, Hon. Chidhakwa, said about women in mining.  He said that women are good debtors hence, the financial interventions by ZB bank in assisting women.  Women are so faithful and Fidelity has it on record that women come to sell the minerals there.

Madam Speaker, some of these proposals are part of the Mines and Minerals Bill which is before the House.  I would also want to urge all

Members of Parliament to support the empowerment of women through the mining sector in their constituencies.  Furthermore, the challenges of exorbitant prices for the claims vary from constituency to constituency.  For instance, Hon. Members are able to negotiate with big mining companies to give tributaries to women, that is to say they give part of their claims to allow women to carry out mining activities.  For instance, it is taking place at Patchway Mine in Kadoma.  I thank you Madam Speaker.

HON. GABBUZA:  Thank you Madam Chair and thank you to

the Deputy Minister for a very elaborate response and for the efforts that they are doing to assist the women miners.  What I wish to enquire on, Madam Speaker, is the issue of extension of payment for the claims.  Unfortunately, the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development has not done so.  Could the Ministry be in a position to assist further because most women miners, their claims have been forfeited for failure to pay, especially in Matabeleland South regions of the Umzingwane District?  Could the Ministry be in a position to further engage with the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development and perhaps waiver, particularly for women, on that particular issue?

HON. DAMASANE:  Madam Speaker, I would like to thank the Hon. Member.  I think in the last paragraph, I said this varies from constituency to constituency.  So, I will urge the Hon. Member, so that I give him a befitting answer, by supplying me with those exact areas.  I have given an example of Patchway in Kadoma.  That is happening - thanks to that Hon. Member who did.  So, he can supply me so that next Wednesday, we can respond to his supplementary question meaningfully.

HON. NDUNA:  Madam Speaker, are we cognisant of the fact that the Deputy Minister of Women’s Affairs, Gender and Community Development will not dwell deep into the Mines and Minerals Act.  My follow up question or clarification would be to the effect of how she is going to contribute towards the occupation of the claims by women and the subsistence of those claims in total, in that women get to be evicted as soon as they get on to the claims by their male counterparts as the fairer or weaker sex.

Also, aware Madam Speaker, that Section3 of the Gold Act criminalises possession.  What is it that the Ministry is going to do to expeditiously get the Minister of Mines and Minerals Development to bring the Act for repealing in this House in order to protect the women and also aware that Section 3 (68) of the Mines and Minerals Act outlaws prospecting without a licence in the advent of 2000 Agrarian Reform Programme.  These women are the ones that are being disenfranchised because of this archaic, moribund, historic and antiquated piece of legislation.  What is it that the Ministry is doing in order to just encourage the Minister of Mines to bring that piece of legislation so that the House can repeal it?  I thank you.

HON. DAMASANE:  Thank you Madam Speaker.  I will also thank the Hon. Member for his questions.  First and foremost, the question raised with notice was so specific to basic operations with how the women are assisted and the like.  Now, if we go to the Act, it is now for my counterparts in the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development because the Act is not embodied in the Ministry of Women’s Affairs, Gender and Community Development.  That is why I said the Ministry is working hand in hand with the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development to put across proposals that will appear in the Mining Bill that will favour women and the youth.  That is my basic answer for the question which comes after the one with notice.

Then secondly, what happens in my alluding to sectors within the

Women’s Affairs, Gender and Community Development Ministry and within the women’s community is that we have women in mining and these bodies are legal and have presidents.  When we meet, as a Ministry, the presidents of women in mining, women in agriculture, feed into the three departments of women affairs, the gender department and the community development as to the actual position in the grass roots of what is taking place.

So, we can take along on board his sentiments and how we can curb the issue of women being evicted from claims, but I would  say off the cuff, we are making inroads because of the mood of the Ministry of  Mines and the mood of the women in mining and their groups.

Everybody is sensitive to a mother or a youth who is into mining.  We are not thinking of the bigger aspect of how Unki, ZIMASCO or Gold Medallion is doing.  Let me end there Madam Speaker.

MEASURES TO CURB THE PROLIFERATION OF THE BLACK

MARKET

18. HON. MAHIYA asked the Minister of Finance and Economic

Development to explain the measures in place to curb the proliferation of the black market which is likely to emerge as a result of the introduction of the Bond notes.

THE MINISTER OF FINANCE AND ECONOMIC 

DEVELOPMENT (HON. CHINAMASA:  My response Madam

Speaker is that the black market for foreign exchange the world over is caused by the scarcity of foreign exchange, that is when the demand for foreign exchange is higher than supply.  Black market for foreign exchange in Zimbabwe, if it exists, is therefore not caused by bond notes.  Black market for foreign exchange is prevented by increasing the supply of foreign exchange which means increasing exports and any other receipt of forex such as diaspora remittances.

          Madam Speaker, bond notes are trading at parity with the US$ as is evidenced by the parity prices in all major retail outlets. If the black market exists, then it means that those who are participating on the black market are doing so for nefarious purposes that include externalisation.

          It is also imperative to note that the Reserve Bank’s strategy to use small denominations of $2 and $5 bond notes is designed to mitigate against black market practices.  I thank you.

          HON. MUTSEYAMI:  Thank you Madam Speaker.  I am very

grateful for the pronounced response from the Hon. Minister.

However, my supplementary question purely on the aspect of the black market rates happening with regards to the bond money; there is a situation which is happening as we speak now which is going towards the issue of black market.  If you manage to have time Minister, may you move out of the office and move around town on foot and not in your Mercedes Benz.  We have informal shops around town, especially the electrical shops and hardware, they have price tags for products in the shop in US$, bond money, Eco-cash transfer and swipe.  These are varied prices for the same product.  This is happening here in Harare in most informal shops.

HON. CHINAMASA:  I have taken note of that and it will be investigated and it is reflecting that someone owning that informal shop wants to externalise US$.  The problem that we encountered last year through the drying up of the foreign exchange market was caused by especially foreign businesses coming to mop up our US$ which is why we introduced the bond notes in order to stem and stop capital flight of the US$.

I want to say that in the long term, the measures that have been taken by the Reserve Bank will certainly dry up availability of that foreign exchange to those who want to practice black market activities.  I say so because and I pointed out this in this august House before – since May last year, we are moving away from an over-liberalised foreign exchange market to one which is managed.  What this means is that we know which players or companies export out of the country.

Almost 80-90% of exports are managed through the central bank.  The central bank has now introduced a system whereby for each export, it retains 50% foreign exchange for use for importation of fuel and also for use by those economic players who are into import substitution who may want to import raw materials.  The other 50% goes to the exporters, for itself and also for purchase of spares and raw materials.  We think that over the future and as we start the tobacco auction system, we should be able to know what foreign exchange is coming in through the traditional structured channels and we are going to manage it for the entire economy and not for individuals.

There will be very little foreign exchange available outside that market which can be traded on the black market.

HON. MISIHAIRABWI-MUSHONGA:  Thank you Madam

Speaker.  My question to the Hon. Minister is, in the event that one has gone into a shop and what Hon. Mutseyami has said is happening, what does one do?

Yesterday, I walked into a pharmacy and not an informal shop.  I wanted to buy drugs.  They now have specific drugs which are cash drugs and they want US$.  If they say cash, they want US$.  There are drugs which you can buy by swiping and those that you can buy using bond notes.  You cannot buy specialised drugs using bond notes or through swiping.

As I speak, Zuva Service Station at Groombridge is saying you can only swipe for 20 litres, anything else has to be paid in cash.  If you are saying this is illegal, what do I do if I encounter such a situation?  Is there a number where I can phone?  Do I report them to the police?

What is the current policy of Government?

HON. CHINAMASA:  Thank you very much for bringing these developments to my attention.  These are matters that I am going to discuss with the Governor.  Infact, we were discussing precisely these developments especially the incident you mentioned about Zuva – all fuel importers are not using their own foreign currency.  They are using foreign currency that they are given by the central bank so they have the least excuse to demand payment in foreign exchange.  These are issues that clearly we are going to follow up.  If there is any loop-hole in the law, we will certainly seek to close it.

I can understand those because at the moment we are going through a patch of problems of availability of foreign exchange to import raw materials.  So, if something like this is happening, I can understand where they are coming from in order for them not to collapse their industries.  However, we are giving priority to importation of fuel and they are given foreign exchange directly.  They are not using their own foreign currency, they neither create foreign currency nor export fuel.  So it is an issue that we will look into and we will come up with an answer soon. – [HON. MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections]. -

          THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER:  I think the Hon Minister is

clear that they are going to look into the issue and come with a response on the measures that they will take on that issue.

          HON. GABBUZA:  The Minister talks of people that are banking money in the formal system, they can apply for it but we have our friends, the Asian community along Chinhoyi street and the Nigerians, all of them are not banking money.  I am sorry to mention the nationalities and countries but that is what is happening.  They do not accept swipes, they will take the cash and throw the bond notes back into the streets to buy the higher denomination at $107 for a single $100 note.  What do we do about those?  Is there a policy to make it obligatory for people, especially businesses to bank money into the formal system so that the cash is available?

          HON. CHINAMASA:  I must say that the policy with respect to banking is in place and what might be lacking is enforcement, which is why it is important that these reports are made directly to the Central bank, who can enforce the Banking Use Promotion.  It is against the rules of anti-money laundering for businesses to receive cash and put under the pillow.  The law requires them to bank all the proceeds.  What we need to put in place are enforcement measures to ensure that those you are reporting to us are basically supervised.  Clearly, if Zuva is accepting foreign currency as cash payment, I doubt that they are banking it.  You should report such issues to the Central Bank because there is a department that deals with issues to do with anti-money laundering activities or you can phone the police.  It is also essential to identify those who are breaching the law so that they can be brought to account.

STRATEGIES FOR ATTRACTING DEPOSITS IN THE FINANCIAL

SECTOR

19.   HON. MAHIYA asked the Minister of Finance and Economic

Development to explain to the House, the contingent strategies for attracting deposits in the financial sector to encourage banking of money by the informal sector.

                 THE MINISTER OF FINANCE AND ECONOMIC

DEVELOPMENT (HON. CHINAMASA):  Government has put in

place a national financial inclusion strategy to promote banking by those who are currently unbanked.  The strategy involves putting in place a number of initiatives which target the priority groups that include SMEs, Women, Small Holder Farmers and Youths.  In addition to the national financial inclusion strategy the RBZ is also putting in place measures to promote deposits from the informal sector through various schemes.  I might also take the opportunity to say, in the last season, we honoured all our commitments on maize deliveries to GMB.  We insisted that those should be paid through the commercial banks.  So, anyone who delivered maize to GMB was obliged to open a bank account and all payments were done through the commercials banks.  We did the same with respect to tobacco auctioning.  All those 90,000 tobacco farmers, the majority of whom had never had a bank account were obliged to open a bank account through which all receipts were made.

We are going to insist with respect to cotton growers that they should also be able to open bank accounts.  We have done that with respect to artisanal miners – makorokoza and when we pay through Fidelity Refiners and Printers, we are insisting that they open bank accounts.  I do not think you can think of any skill in terms of financial inclusion, encouraging savings and banking more than what we have already achieved so far.  That is in the agricultural and mining sector.

Thank you Madam Speaker.

HON. WATSON:  Could the Minister say that those people, who in his explanation have been encouraged to open bank accounts, were required to conform to having an ITF 263 which is a tax clearance certificate.  In creating a situation, we will take our informal sector into the formal sector.  Currently, those of us who are in the formal sector are having immense problems in terms of conforming to ZIMRA’s requirements.  Will those people – artisanal miners for example, be in a position in fact, to comply?  Will they want to, because at the moment it feels like a war zone for those of us who have been compliant for years, who followed what we were required to follow and have tried but are yet to fully succeed?  It has become so incredibly difficult and there seems to be little or no leeway for businesses that have been formalized for many years, including export businesses in terms of the requirements, in order to have gained this year’s RTF 263.

HON. CHINAMASA:  I am not aware so far of any difficulties that have been encountered by the 90,000 tobacco farmers to open bank accounts.  In fact, we went out of our way to simplify the requirements because we were challenged, specifically with respect to tobacco farmers.  I am not also aware with respect to those farmers who delivered maize to GMB of any challenges that they had with ZIMRA with respect to opening bank accounts.  If there are any specific challenges, please bring them to my attention so that I can engage ZIMRA, to understand the rationale behind their requirements. This is with a view to simplifying so that we do not have this problem cropping again and again. Under the exercise that Government is undertaking under the programme, ease and cost of doing business, those are issues that we are looking at but we cannot just talk about ease and cost of doing business in general terms. We have to zero in specifically for instance on the problems affecting the sector that you are talking about. It is them who should tell us what the challenges are because we make the laws but we do not know how it affects you. We make rules, forms and we do not know how it affects you. It is up to you to engage us so that we have a clear understanding and whether we agree with you or with ZIMRA. We have the power certainly to simplify things. I would want to invite the Hon. Member to engage us so that we understand the challenges that she is mentioning.

HON. SANSOLE: Supplementary. The Minister’s response makes

no mention of interest offered by financial institutions. Is it possible that the Minister, through the Central Bank, can get the financial institutions to pay out interest rates that are higher than they are currently doing at the moment in relation to bank charges because the question is about deposits and keeping deposits in the banks longer. At the moment, there is no incentive to keep money in the bank for long periods because it does not earn interest. In fact, the longer you keep it, the more you lose in terms of bank charges. It would be more of an incentive to get the banks to pay out interest rates on deposits which far exceed the interest charged for loans and maintaining bank accounts.

HON. CHINAMASA: I thank the Hon. Member for his question. He is raising an issue which we are also grappling with in relationship with our discussion with the commercial banks. We have been asking them the same questions why they are not paying interest on deposits. Their response and I think it has some merit. They say 90% of bank deposits are what they call demand deposits. A demand deposit means a depositor can come any day to withdraw it. It is no good to the bank. The bank prefers to have medium to long term deposits which they lock in order to lend to borrowers.

The bank’s role is to lend money but they do not lend their money, they lend the depositors’ money. If the depositor puts in money today and says I may come tomorrow to withdraw it, that money is useless to the bank. So, they argue that they cannot pay interest on demand deposits. I have come up in my two previous Budgets to give incentives and to try to get a resuscitation of those who are of my age of what they used to call paid-up-permanent shares which were with the Building Societies. You would go and invest your money for 6 months, 1 year, 2 years and 3 three years and they will pay you interest because they can use that money for mortgage lending and lending to the commercial sector. The discussion we have basically with the commercial banks is that they should pay interests on deposits but their answer is already what I have given you. A lot of those banks have instruments where you can put your money for three months, four months, six months and one year. If you do, you will get interest.

The other discussion we also have with commercial banks is that they should cap their interest charges and bank charges. That I think the Central Bank has in a way succeeded through consensus to reduce to whatever levels they used to be; 20%, 25%, 30% to 15%. The interest rates now in the market are ranging from 6% to 15% depending on the customer. If you come across cases where the interest rates are above 15%, let us know so that we can pursue it with the bank charging such exorbitant interest rates.

HON. GONESE: I want to thank the Minister for his response but my concern is from the first response to the question. The Minister was not clear on what measures, he simply made reference to measures which they are putting in place to try to encourage the informal sector to bank money. In the same vein, we have the challenge, and this is a follow up to the response to the second supplementary question – I am in agreement with the Minister, l am also not of the same age with the Minister but I also recall having these paid-up-permanent shares. In addition, in the past, you had a situation where savings accounts even on demand deposits would attract small rates of interests. It was only current accounts where you would use your cheque book which did not

attract interest.

I remember Barclays Bank even had what they used to call a barsave account where you would have a limited number of cheques you could write and from that same account, you could actually get interest.

My question to the Minister is, why as the person responsible for the financial policy in conjunction with the Reserve Bank which is responsible for monetary policy, why cannot they put their heads together to get to a situation where there is some encouragement because there is some incentives for people to put their money in the bank, instead of a situation where when you put your money in the bank it slowly but surely disappears as a result of which you do not have any inclination to put the money in an institution where at the end of the day your money will be disappearing?

HON. CHINAMASA: I thank Hon. Gonese for the supplementary questions. I must say I agree with you almost all the way. With respect to the informal sector banking, you cannot force people to save. You cannot force people to open bank accounts. What we have been doing in that direction is that where we are paying ourselves, maize, wheat, gold and where we have influence on the tobacco floors, we are insisting that you must open a bank account. The discussion we have with the banks is that, even when they argue that these funds are demand deposits, the truth of the matter is that they have got a rule which says, you must keep some money in the bank.

The totality of those little monies in various accounts adds up to a lot of what you would consider permanent money. So, they should pay some interest basically in recognition of the fact that they have got those monies which remain in their bank accounts. We need to have a market friendly approach. I have not been in the mood at all to force things on the economic players. I would rather we negotiate, argue and we agree. Once you become arbitrary, that model does not work. That is one of the explanations that some of the monies that they are getting to on lend especially external money; they get it at higher interest rates. I have cases where it has been demonstrated to me that some of the money, they get it at 8 to 10% and they have to put their own mark up when they on lend.  So, that obviously affects the overall interest rate.  So, those are issues which we are grappling through engagement with the multilateral institutions so that we can be in a position to reduce our country risk premium so that we can access the capital markets directly and be able to access these funds at reasonable interest rates.

I still want to come back to the paid up permanent shares – that is the route to go and I have given incentives to encourage depositors who deposit in these instruments that the income that they derive from such investments is exempt from tax and  I can to consider any other additional incentives put on the table so that we encourage savings by our people.

The issue that you raise again is correct that the banks again on the Current Account that in the past, only the Current Account would not attract interest and only the Current Account.  In fact, would attract bank charges.  That is no longer so.  I do not think that there is still anything called a Current Account because everything now has been almost sort of standardised and is like the same account and so on.  But, it is an issue that we will continue to look at.  Overally Madam Speaker, I want to say, we have to encourage savings.  It is savings that we can build this economy on.  Currently, we are a consumption society.  We eat what we make every day and there is nothing that we save for the future.  As a result, the international best practice is that, a country should have at least 25% savings but we are wallowing around 23%.  That is as bad as we are as a country.  We are basically a consumption society and that is not a good basis for economic development.  I thank you Madam Speaker.

HON. MARIDADI:  Madam Speaker, I think that the banking sector is not reciprocating to the measures that the Hon. Minister is trying to put in place because the Hon. Minister comes up with very good measures, he gives incentives to depositors but the banks are not reciprocating.  Hon. Minister, paid up permanent shares are no longer attractive because I for one lost a lot of money through paid up permanent shares which were at Founders.  I deposited money for my daughter when she was one month old and when she turned 16, I went to Founders and the money had been wiped out.  So, it is not attractive at

all.

Also, banks are not being entirely honesty Hon. Minister when they say, demand depositors are not useful.  The reason banks would put a table outside on the pavement and approach anybody who walks across trying to open a bank account – it means that that depositor is very useful.  When money sleeps in a bank overnight, the bank will use that money to close their positions with their treasury department.  So, say all Hon. Members of Parliament receive their salaries and it is put in a bank account and they withdraw all of it the following morning, overnight that money is used to close bank positions – money that they have borrowed at a premium or that they have borrowed that they are lending out.  The question here Hon. Minister is that, also banks are not being entirely honesty.  Where they get money for on lending especially offshore funds, there is hardly any money that banks get that has an interest of more than 5%, but when they lend that money in this country to their depositors, they lend at a interest of about 18%.  There is not a business and it does not really matter where it is – whether it is in the United States or in Zimbabwe that can survive when you borrow money and you want to pay back at an interest rate of 18% unless you are

selling corpses.  Unless you are going to the graveyard and you are digging up corpses and you are selling them because you are getting them for free.  Interest rates at more than 15% does nothing but kills business.  Business in Zimbabwe Madam Speaker..

THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER:  Conclude your question Hon.

Maridadi.

HON. MARIDADI: It is a suggestion to the Minister that banks are not being entirely honesty to you Hon. Minister.  The measures that you are putting in place – banks are not reciprocating.  Please, ask banks to reciprocate and this nation will move forward.  Thank you.

THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER:  Thank you for being honesty

that it was not a question but you were just giving your side of the story.

Which is not allowed during Question Time.

PROGRESS ON THE REHABILITATION OF THE ROAD TO

CAPOTA SCHOOL FOR THE BLIND

          22 HON. CHIGUDU asked the Minister of Transport and

Infrastructural Development to inform the House on the progress that has been made regarding the rehabilitation of the road to Capota School for the blind considering that the road is winding and difficult to manoeuvre making it virtually impossible for use by the visually impaired persons.

          THE MINISTER OF TRANSPORT AND

INFRASTRUCTURAL DEVELOPMENT (HON. DR. GUMBO):

Madam Speaker, Capota Road construction project was suspended in 2005 during the hyper-inflation period.  A total of 8 km was completed up to tarmac level and 5.5 km was left at various stages of construction.

          Currently the road is characterised by severe corrugations and the motoring public is not opting to use the winding earth track which runs along the permanent road.  Efforts are being made by the Department of Roads to carry out maintenance grading at least two times every year in order to improve the riding quality of service on the road.

           The project has also been allocated some funds in the 2017 Annual

Budget which is adequate to complete the remaining 5.5 km.  Madam Speaker, I want to inform the House that the Hon. Member, who has asked the question, knows very well that we have even given her the figures in Masvingo when we visited Masvingo Province.  So, she is quite aware of what is happening on that road and the amount of money that we have promised to give her for the construction of that road;  herself and the Hon. Member of Parliament, the Deputy Minister Mharapira.  I want to thank.

WRITTEN SUBMISSIONS TO QUESTIONS WITH NOTICE

DISTRIBUTION OF FOOD TO THE VULNERABLE GROUPS IN

GLEN-NORAH CONSTITUENCY

          21 HON. MAONDERA asked the Minister of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare when the Ministry would distribute food to the vulnerable groups in Glen-Norah Constituency.

           THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF PUBLIC SERVICE, LABOUR

AND SOCIAL WELFARE (HON. ENG. MATANGAIDZE): Allow me Hon. Members to inform the august House that the food distribution under the peri-urban programme targeting vulnerable households commenced in Glen-Norah on 10 august 2016.  This programme is coordinated through the Provincial Drought Relief Committee chaired by the Provincial Administrator.  Since commencement of the programme, the Glen-Norah beneficiaries have received food assistance on a monthly basis.  The last distribution was on Wednesday, 1 February, 2017 where 446 households received 22.3 mt of maize grain at the ward distribution point situated at Glen-Norah B Community Hall.

          The Hon. Member is advised to work hand in hand with the provincial structures in order to ensure that the needy are accessing food assistance.  The House is also informed that the programme will be extended to other vulnerable groups once the results of the ZimVac Urban Livelihoods assessments are approved by the Cabinet.  I thank you.

MONEY COLLECTED BY ZINARA IN 2016

23.    HON. G. SITHOLE asked the Minister of Transport and Infrastructural Development to inform he House how much ZINARA collected during the year 2016, province by province and to state how much was disbursed to local authorities.

          THE MINISTER OF TRANSPORT AND

INFRASTRUCTURAL DEVELOPMENT (HON. DR. J.M.

GUMBO):  Mr. Speaker Sir, for the twelve months ended 31 December, 2016, ZINARA collected total revenue amounting to $173 552 491.

From this total, is then deducted commitments related to the Plumtree to Mutare highway, grader maintenance, toll gate construction, outstanding obligations especially on the Airport Road and administration costs.  The total amount disbursed to road authorities in 2016 is $41 031 2020.  I have tabled a document detailing the breakdown of disbursements to individual local authorities in the different provinces.

REPAIR WORK OF THE JOTSHOLO-MZOLA-DANDANDA

ELECTRICITY SUB-STATION

25. HON. M. KHUMALO asked the Minister of Energy and Power Development to:
26. inform the House whether Jotsholo-Mzola-Dandanda electricity substation would be repaired to enable the electrification of more than 400 schools and surrounding business centres;
27. to inform the House when Chief Gumede’s homestead would be electrified considering that the electricity line was installed five years ago.

          THE MINISTER OF ENERGY AND POWER

DEVELOPMENT (HON. DR. UNDENGE): Madam Speaker, with

regards to when Chief Gumede’s homestead will be electrified, I would like to point out that the Chief’s homestead is not yet ready for connection.  The houses have no internal wiring that is required in order for power to be connected.  It should be noted that it is the responsibility of the chief to carry out wiring of the houses before ZETDC installs the meter and connects electricity.

MOTION

BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE

          THE MINISTER OF FINANCE AND ECONOMIC

DEVELOPMENT (HON. CHINAMASA): Madam Speaker, may I

move that Orders of the Day, Numbers 1 and 2 be stood over until Order of the Day, No. 3 has been disposed of.

Motion put and agreed to.

MOTION

RESTORATION OF THE MOTION ON THE CRITERIA FOR

CONFERMENT OF HEROES’ STATUS ON DESERVING

ZIMBABWEANS ON THE ORDER PAPER

          HON. MISIHAIRABWI-MUSHONGA: Thank you Madam

Speaker.  Thank you Leader of the House.  I move that the motion on the criteria for the conferment of heroes’ status on deserving Zimbabweans which was superseded by the end of the First Session of the Eighth Parliament, be restored on the Order Paper in terms of Standing Order No. 73.  I thank you Madam Speaker.

          HON. GONESE: I second.

          Motion put and agreed to.

          On the motion of THE MINISTER OF FINANCE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT (HON. CHINAMASA), the House

adjourned at Twenty One Minutes to Six o’clock p.m.