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NATIONAL ASSEMBLY HANSARD 20 November 2018 45 19

PARLIAMENT OF ZIMBABWE

Tuesday, 20^th November, 2018

The National Assembly met at a Quarter-past Two O’clock p.m.

PRAYERS

(THE HON. SPEAKER in the Chair)

ANNOUNCEMENTS BY THE HON. SPEAKER

VERIFICATION OF BIO-DATA INFORMATION

         THE HON. SPEAKER: Order, I have the following

announcements.  I wish to advise all Hon. Members who submitted their bio-data forms to the Public Relations Department to kindly visit the

Public Relations Officers who will be stationed at the Members’ Bar, from 1400 hours to 1630 hours during sitting days and verify the information before they are uploaded on the Parliament website.

 

PETITIONS RECEIVED

THE HON. SPEAKER:  I have to inform the House of the following petitions which were received by Parliament pursuant to

Section 149 of the Constitution and Standing Rules and Orders No. 186.

2013. On the 19^th of October 2018, Parliament of Zimbabwe received a petition from Mr. Jacob Sithole, requesting Parliament to ensure that the engagement of non-public service social workers holding officers authorities is in accordance with Statutory Instrument No. 125 of 2013.

The petition has since been referred to the Portfolio Committee on

Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare.

1. On the 31^st October, 2018, Parliament of Zimbabwe received a

petition from the residents of Harare West Constituency, requesting Parliament to investigate corrupt land deals, order the demolition of illegal structures and ensure the compensation of the owners of structures on wetlands by those who perpetrated such developments in those areas.

The petition has been deemed inadmissible and the petitioners have been advised accordingly.

• Furthermore, on the 1^st of November, 2018, Parliament of Zimbabwe received a petition from Mr. Samukeliso Khumalo, beseeching Parliament to ensure that the Municipality of Gwanda provides clean portable water and sewer reticulation facilities to Wards 5 in Gwanda.

The petition has since been referred to the Portfolio Committee on Local Government, Public Works and National Housing.

1. On 14^th November, 2018, Parliament received a petition from Mr. Marko Shoko of Chiredzi beseeching Parliament to ensure protection of the fundamental rights of children enshrined in the Constitution and the International Human Rights Instruments, to investigate the causes of rampant child prostitution in Chiredzi and to find out from the Executive the mitigatory measures being taken in that regard.

The petition has since been referred to the Portfolio Committee on

Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs.

1. On the 14^th November, 2018, Parliament received a petition from Mr. Marko Shoko of Chiredzi, beseeching Parliament to protect the Constitutionally guaranteed right to water for the Chiredzi residents and to investigate the provision of water and sanitation by Chiredzi Town Council as estimate charges being billed for the service are not commensurate with the service rendered.

The petition has since been referred to the Portfolio Committee on Local Government, Public Works and National Housing.

MOTION

PRESIDENTIAL SPEECH: DEBATE ON ADDRESS

First Order read:  Adjourn debate on motion in reply to the Presidential speech.

Question again proposed.

HON. CHIDHAKWA: Thank you Mr. Speaker, Sir, for affording

me this opportunity.  Firstly, I want to congratulate our President His

Excellency President Mnangagwa for winning resoundingly on the 30^th July, 2018 elections.  These elections were free, fair, transparent and were conducted in a peaceful manner.  We would like to thank our President for guiding us through this exciting time.

Mr. Speaker Sir, these elections witnessed a record number of political parties which participated and a record number of presidential candidates who participated in those elections.  We had a high voter turnover for the people who participated in the elections.  I would like to thank the President His Excellency for the whole process which was conducted in peace, and we hope our country is now a mature democracy and we will keep getting better.

I would like to thank the people of Svosve in Marondera East where I come from; the people of Svosve who are also the pioneers of the Land Reform Programme.  They voted for me to become their representative in Parliament and for His Excellency, the President.  I am so grateful for that.   Mr. Speaker Sir, when I got into this House for the first time, I was really intimidated - but as for now, I am well acquainted with the proceedings here, I am ready to contribute and I stand my ground here.

Mr. Speaker Sir, in line with His Excellency’s speech and mantra that Zimbabwe is open for business, indeed my constituency in Marondera East is also open for business.  We are ready to devote 85% of our energies and time to development and only 15% to politics.  The elections are over and it is now time to work.  It is a shame for those people who still want to keep the country in an election mode when the election has been done and dusted – [HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear.] -  Such people have got nothing to offer to Zimbabwe.  What we need now is unity and to move on and rebuild our great country which we all love.

There is no time for bickering here.

My constituency, Marondera is agro-based – I would like to thank His Excellency, the President for the Presidential Input Scheme.  All our people benefited.  I would also like to thank him for the Command

Agriculture.  In my constituency there is a Mr. Kuda Kudenga who had

200 hectares of maize and achieved a large number of tonnes per hectare which is very commendable.  As I am speaking right now, Marondera Grain Marketing Board Depot is full to capacity; we are now turning maize to Murehwa depot.  Wheat follows suit and we are actually referring wheat grown in my constituency to Macheke.  This goes on to prove that if our people are empowered and well funded, we can produce and retain the bread basket status of our country.

Mr. Speaker Sir, my constituency is also a hub of horticulture.  Our tomatoes from Ward 21 are very popular at Mbare Musika and also with supermarket chains.  We are very encouraged that we have got many packing houses that are now in my constituency which are exporting produce outside the country, earning the much needed foreign currency.  We are also very encouraged that the former Mitchel and Mitchel called nhimbe is now being capitalised and plans to resume operations are at an advanced stage.  When full producton start the company is going to employ 2 500 people and 500 out growers.  It is a very positive development.

Mashonaland East’s last season produced 52 million kilogrammes of tobacco, most of it coming from my constituency.  Mr. Speaker Sir, it is high time we have auction floors in Marondera.  This will help decongest the auction floors in Harare and that auction floor can also tap from Manicaland and we expect economic growth in Marondera.

In line with the President’s vision  of educating people, we are in the process right now of opening new schools…

THE HON. SPEAKER: Hon. Chidhakwa, please do not be too

close to the mike.

HON. CHIDAKWA: Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir.  It is my first

time here, please forgive me – I can only get better.   We are on a drive to open new schools in my constituency and as I am speaking right now, we are busy building a school called Chisare, we have finished off the building blocks at Dhirihori and Nyakurwi which were left by the former Member of Parliament.  We are very grateful that we are getting help from the Two Brigade and we are truly thankful to General Mhondo and staff and Prison Services and General Zimondi for the help they are giving to our communities in Marondera East Constituency.

My constituency is very blessed.  We have two universities being         constructed – Marondera University.   The Marondera University is actually tying up lose ends on a funding of $50 million dollars to build student accommodation on a B.O.T basis.  In five years’ time, the University is hoping to have 6 000 students, that is a game changer in my constituency.  It means that these students need to be fed and that will create a ready market for horticulture oriented people and they will benefit.  In addition there is now boom for a service centre called Masomera where there will be need for housing and other services.  We are very grateful to Marondera Rural District Council which is running around to peg and develop stands at Masomera.  So, things are really happening in my constituency.

We also have another university called the Southern Africa Methodist University which is being built at Waddilove.  We are told that negotiations with the partners are nearing completion and they are hoping to start operations soon.  This is going to create employment opportunities for the people in my constituency and we are truly grateful.  With this new Marondera University, there is now a need to upgrade the road from Marondera to Chiduku which passes through the university.  We are very grateful to the Ministry of Transport who have already send a technical team to access the road and are very willing to help us on this road to Masomera which is going to be a game changer in my constituency as it will improve trade, movement of university students.

Mr. Speaker Sir, we are in line with the development thrust of our President, we are building clinics in my constituency.  To date, we have opened Acardia clinic and we will soon be opening Crossborn Clinic in Ward 1. We are very grateful to ZESA who have managed to provide us with some transformers to help us electrify these clinics.  We are very happy in Marondera East Constituency as the road from Cross to Marondera is going to be widened and work will commence soon.  A technical team will be on the ground on the 24^th and we hope that work will commence.  In that vein, we are very happy and we want to thank the Minister of Transport, Hon. Biggie Matiza for helping us and we are truly grateful.

This road will also provide employment for youths in my constituency.  With the help of Marondera Rural District Council and ZINARA, we are tarring our service centre Masomera in anticipation of the growth which is going to happen after the University of Marondera has been completed.  So, we are upgrading the road network at the service and as I have said, things are happening in my constituency despite all the problems; despite the sanctions, we are soldiering on and we will not give up – [HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear.] –

Mr. Speaker Sir, we are very grateful to REA, they have managed to electrify some schools in my constituencies which are Helm Primary and Secondary, Mutukwa, Nyakurwi and Bopoma.  As what Is in the

Bible when God created the earth, it said ‘Let there be light’, there is now light at these schools, thanks to REA and to the President and our visionary leader Hon. President Mnangagwa – [HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear.] – 

         Mr. Speaker Sir, in line with the mantra of our President that Zimbabwe is open for business, Marondera East is also open for business. We have got two church groups that have expressed interest in building a dental clinic at Dhirihori and another American church which wants to build a preschool in my constituency at Mandonga.  With these developments, we are very excited and Marondera East Constituency will never be the same again. Marondera East Constituency is open for business.

Finally, Mr. Speaker Sir, I would like to thank our Chief Gahadza, VaSvosve for the help he is giving us to develop our constituency.  He helps in mobilising the bricks from the locals and supports us in our vision to develop Marondera East Constituency.  We also like to thank our war veterans who have worked hard time immemorial giving us advice and we are very grateful.  I would like to commit myself to the debates in Parliament.  I am no longer sensitive to the bullying in this House but am now a strong man – [ Laughter.] – I am now a strong man, the probation period is over and I would like to announce my arrival in this ward, Hon. Chidakwa from.... – [HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear.] – Hon. Chidakwa from the land of Svosve people, the pioneers of the land reform; I am here to stay.  Mr. Speaker Sir, I thank you very much –

[HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear.] –

+HON. OPHAR. NCUBE: Mr. Speaker Sir, I feel very much honoured to be making my contribution on the motion raised on the Address by the State President, Hon. E. D. Mnangagwa.  What really pleases me is that in 30^th July in 2018, we held our elections and His

Excellency won resoundingly.  In one of his visits, the President came to Bulawayo and as a man of vision; he said he wanted Bulawayo to be the industrial giant it was.  We also have some big investors who want to come and invest in Bulawayo.  What really pleases and entice them to come to Bulawayo is the language of unity; the language of business, Zimbabwe is open for business.  His Excellency is really a gift to the people of Zimbabwe.  Our President, Hon. E. D. Mnangagwa is a man who is always preaching peace and development in the country of Zimbabwe.

I am very grateful to the Lord for adorning our President; he gave him a good life companion, the First Lady Hon. A. Mnangagwa who is a philanthropist and person who really cares about the people of a country whose husband is leading.   We have seen that because of the way she has been moving up and down especially on health care towards mothers and children’s welfare.  The greatest deed which she pioneered was free maternity for pregnant women. She is also fighting a very big war for the relief of people suffering from chronic illnesses such as cancer and also other problems which are to do with maternity and nursing mothers.

We are grateful to the First Lady for what she had done.

The President also worked hard and said we need to have trains which should really be starting to ferry people and goods in Bulawayo.  The passenger fees for boarding transport has since been reduced. We now have these trains which are very cheap and we have trains leaving Bulawayo to Crowdry Park and to Mganwini which is a great relief to the people of Bulawayo.  We will follow our leader Hon. E. D.

Mnangagwa and be with him.  Wherever he goes, we will be with him.  We did not have a vision in the past that we would have representatives but we now have people who are representing Bulawayo at high levels.  We are saying we are dedicated to work hard in support of the visionary, the son of the soil, E.D Mnangagwa.  We have also realised that there are corruption activities which are happening in some schools and this is especially in regards to the Basic Education Assistance Module (BEAM).  It is being abused and learners who are benefiting are those with parents who are well to do; those who can afford yet we thought this BEAM was meant to be for the poor who cannot afford school fees.  We would like the Government to have a thorough inspection on the abuse which is happening on this social vehicle on school fees, BEAM.

I thank you.

HON. RAIDZA: Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir. I rise to contribute to the motion raised by Hon. Kwaramba and seconded by Hon.

Musabayana.  Firstly, I would like to congratulate His Excellency the President of the Republic of Zimbabwe and First Secretary of our mighty party ZANU PF, Hon. E. D. Mnangagwa – [HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear.] – for winning the 2018 Presidential elections resoundingly, makorokoto, amhlope.

Secondly, I would like to congratulate you Mr. Speaker Sir and Madam Speaker on your elections to be Presiding Officers of this House for the Ninith Parliament.  Thirdly, I want to congratulate the fellow legislators on winning their respective constituencies.  Lastly, I want to salute and respect all the inhabitants of Mberengwa East for voting me resoundingly – [HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear.] –

Mr. Speaker Sir, His Excellency the President of Zimbabwe is a visionary, a great man of our time, he is a man of his word, he is a servant of the people of Zimbabwe as he believes and practices servant leadership.  He is a man of peace who preaches love, peace and unity in all his addresses and he is a champion of democracy – [HON.

MEMBERS: Hear, hear.] – He delivered the State of the Nation

Address (SONA) in this august House on 18^th September, 2018.  This SONA was based on five pillars, namely effective governance, service delivery, economic advancement, social progression and infrastructure development.

The expected outcomes of the SONA are more transparent Zimbabweans, a high performance and citizen centered culture of service delivery, significant reduction of poverty levels, a reputable and competitive business environment and a spirit of entrepreneurship and enterprise development.  The attainment of prosperity may sound overly ambitious to some who do not believe that something good will come out of Zimbabwe by Zimbabweans – [HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear.] –

However, when we speak of prosperity we are not speaking of opulence or excess but we are talking of achieving Vision 2030 with a per capita income of $3 500.  Mr. Speaker Sir, however, SONA does not pretend to be the universal panacea which will resolve the numerous causes of poverty in our country.  We need to harness all our efforts as citizens towards supporting His Excellency’s efforts to make Zimbabwe work again.  It is possible in our time to see the goodness of God in the land of the living.

On corruption, our President equates corruption to cancer as it has the capability of destroying the nation as it did in many other nations if it remains unabated President vedu vanosemeswa necorruption.  – [HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear.] – It is possible to have corruption free Zimbabwe as there is a political will to tame this scourge.  In his words during the Inauguration Speech and repeated again in his SONA, our

President said “no person or entity will be allowed to steal, loot or pocket that which belongs to the people of Zimbabweans”.

Our President cherishes hard work in both private and public institutions.  On engagement and re-engagement, our President as a hardworking President, we have seen him taking drastic actions to engage and re-engage the international world which has been isolating our country at the instigation of some of our fellow Zimbabweans.  The international world has been responding very well to the re-engagement efforts of our President as we have been witnessing high profile visits to our country by various Government officials and private investors seeking areas of corporation.  These engagements saw those advocating for sanctions left with an egg on their face.  – [HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear.] –

Our President knows that the country cannot achieve anything in isolation.  Zimbabwe will be a member of the Commonwealth very soon through our President’s efforts.  Many bilateral agreements and MOUs will be re-visited and implemented where necessary for the benefit of the Zimbabwean populace.

On agriculture, as agriculture is the key to growth of Zimbabwean economy, we have seen the Government under His Excellency the President introducing a number of support programmes to the farmers, like Command Fishing, Command Farming and Command Cattle and at the same time mechanising the sector.  In Mberengwa East where I come from, most of our farmers have since received their inputs well ahead of the rain season.  The Command Agriculture has helped a lot of families to have sufficiency in their families.  GMB has also improved the payment timeframe to the farmers who would have supplied their farm produce.     Irrigation schemes in my constituency are equipped to add value to food security in our country.

On mining, it is a key component on the growth of our economy and our President seeks for opportunities as to mechanise the sector especially the artisanal miners, the ones that we used to call makorokoza.  The Government also seeks to broaden the minerals so as to attract more investors in the mining sector.  As a country, we need to take advantage of the abundance of lithium and coal so as to produce green energy.

In Mberengwa East Constituency, we are excited with the vision of our President to open ZISCO Steel.  As we are having abundance of iron ore, the Government also seeks to broaden the minerals as to attract more investors in the mining sector. As a country, we need to take advantage of the abundance of lithium and coal so as to produce green energy. In Mberengwa East Constituency, we are excited with the vision of our President to open Zisco Steel as we are having abundance of iron ore deposits in our constituency.

On infrastructure, the works on modernisation of roads, railways, airports and other related infrastructure does not need to be emphasised. The evidence is there for all of us to see that since November 2017, there has been a great improvement and a number of breaking ceremonies have been conducted. It is prudent to note that His Excellency, our

President does not officiate at the project that is not yet started. In Mberengwa East, we have witnessed major roads rehabilitation between November 2017 and now.

On women and youth empowerment, our President takes issues of empowering women and youth seriously as witnessed on the opening of the two banks for the women and youth with favourable conditions to this sector as compared to conventional banks. We are busy tapping in these initiatives to make sure that we can put food on our tables and contribute to the country’s economy. –[HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear.] The Government focuses on entrepreneurial youth start ups with these innovative funding mechanisms such as venture capital and collateral frame ending.

We are grateful to His Excellency on prioritising these areas for empowerment. The fruits of his hard work will be seen as many women and youth will be able to fend for their families. Crying alone and doing nothing will not help the cause of the women and youth. Stand up and be counted. – [HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear.] On fiscal measures, our President also touched on fiscal measures and he said his Government will continue to consolidate the fiscal position in order to safeguard fiscal sovereignty and build up buffers for counter cyclical policies during periods of economic down turns or global recessions.

As to achieve a target on reducing the debt to GDP ratio, the Government will introduce a range of expenditure revenue and structural reform measures. The President furthermore promised to be strict on expenditure control and prioritisation as witnessed on his leaner  Cabinet.

On the issue of State Owned Enterprises which sits on valuable assets which in many instances represent dead capital, the President said this year, they will investigate how to better leverage these assets as to reduce the burden on the national budget. They will be expected to improve their performance and deal with issues of red-handed and bureaucratic tendencies. They will be expected to deliver on their mandates and be accountable.

The President touched on the issue of Zimbabwe is open for business. Our Government is taking steps to realise its new goal of being open for business. This will be supported by the amendments on the enabling pieces of legislation like the Companies and other Business

Entities Bill, Zimbabwe Investment and Development Agency Bill, Citizenship and Immigration Act, to mention but a few. These amendments will enable greater domestic investments and foreign direct investment inflows. Our country has enormous potential given its generous endowment of natural resources, an existing stock of public infrastructure and comparatively well skilled human resources.

In my conclusion, I will read Isaiah 9, verse 1. The Bible says “But there will be no more gloom for her who was in anguish in earlier times he treated the land of Zebulum and the land of Naphtali with contempt, but later on, he shall make it glorious”. May God richly bless Zimbabwe, our President and all its inhabitants? I thank you Mr. Speaker Sir.

*HON. CHITURA: Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir. I will start by thanking Hon. Kwaramba and her seconder, Hon. Musabayana for introducing this motion. I will also want to congratulate you Mr. Speaker

Sir, for being re-elected into your position of Speaker of the National

Assembly. I am so grateful to the President of this country the Hon. E.

1. Mnangagwa who won resoundingly. I am also grateful to the women folk in Manicaland Constituency for returning me to this position.

I will now dwell on the speech delivered by His Excellency, when opening the First Session of the Ninth Parliament. He told us that we were voted into this august House by the constituents because they had faith in us because they knew that we would come and do business instead of making empty noises. The President talked about the maintenance and the construction of roads in the country. I am grateful for the distance they have done in constructing these roads. I am pleading with the Government that they should create a fund which is called an accident fund which is aimed at assisting people who are badly affected by the accident, especially those who are involved in the accident and are injured.

Some of them die due to injuries because they lack the necessary health care and because they do not have money. The President put some emphasis on tourism. As soon as you get to Christimas Pass you will know that you are in a tourist land. We are appealing to Government to construct a modern airport which can take wide body aircrafts so that if you have early tourists who will come from abroad, instead of landing in Harare and come by other planes, they should land directly from Europe to our place.

We also have some programmes which can be used to attract these tourists such as the Hot Springs and the Bridal Falls. If you want to go and see some of the wonders of Zimbabwe, please visit these areas and you will know that definitely, Zimbabwe is a tourist country. We also have some of these attractions in Chimanimani, but the key to everything is the construction of  an airport.

His Excellency took into account that Zimbabwe is an agro-based economy and what we need are boreholes especially in schools where these learners are being taught how to take agriculture. There is a school such as Tsanzaguru, they had a very good, thriving vegetable garden.  Unfortunately, this went to waste due to lack of water and we implore the Government to introduce irrigation schemes in most of these areas.  These should include Buhera, as it is one of the driest areas in climatic conditions, hence the call for the resuscitation of boreholes and dams.

In these days in which we are currently living, we can no longer rely on drought power but now need traction power.  So people should have tractors that are distributed throughout the constituency for easy access by the electorate and uphold the saying, Zimbabwe is an agrobased country.  The President also introduced the command agriculture programme and in the process, every Zimbabwean citizen received a fair package of agricultural inputs regardless of their political affiliation.

This is a non-partisan programme and is for every Zimbabwean.

Let me continue to talk about transport and roads.  There is a road that needs to be taken care of from Headlands to Mayo as only a straight stretch of this road was tarred and has since been neglected.  We also have the road to Hwedza which passes through Chiware; may we please construct a bridge on this road because children have problems in trying to cross this river during the rainy season.  Looking at the bridge at Odzi, going towards the diamond mining area, this bridge must be constructed as it is essential for the progress of diamond mining.  I also implore Government to further improve tourism attraction by working in these hot-springs areas by constructing better roads and maintaining them.  I thank you.

HON. MADIWA:  Thank you Madam Speaker, ma’am.  Let me

thank you for giving me this opportunity to join my colleagues in this august House to congratulate Mr. Speaker on his appointment as our Speaker.  It is delightful to see him back in his rightful place.  I also want to take this opportunity to congratulate you Madam Speaker as Deputy Speaker of the House and all returning and new Hon. Members in this august House.

I am honoured to stand before the House as the newly elected Member of Parliament for Mutasa North Constituency, that most beautiful constituency in the most beautiful province of Manicaland in this, our most beautiful country.  At the heart of our community is the Eastern Highlands tea plantation, a very prosperious tea plantation.

Let me thank the people of Mutasa North for choosing me to represent them in Parliament.  It is my hope whilst in this House to promote constructive solutions based on equity and social justice for the great problems that challenge us today.

*HON. MAKONYA:  On a point of order Madam Speaker, the

Hon. Member forgot to congratulate His Excellency the President. –

[HON. MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections.] –

*THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order, order, she will

congratulate him.  Hon. Member, you may proceed.

HON. MADIWA:  In so doing, I share my perspective as a woman, as a member of a farming family, as one who was fortunate to have educational opportunities and as one now privileged to represent one of the finest electorates of Mutasa North Constituency.  My greatest wish is that at the end of my time in this House, I shall have contributed towards making Zimbabwe a better country.

Madam Speaker ma’am, I am proud to be a Zimbabwean and I am also proud to be a member of this House.  To those who ask as to why I am here?  I say it is because I want to rekindle the sense of adventure and pioneering the spirit of our forbearers, those courageous men and women who came to this new place carrying little more than their hopes and determination to build a better life.

Let me thank Hon. Kwaramba and Hon. Musabayana for moving

and seconding the motion in reply to the Presidential Speech.  As a representative of all the people in Mutasa North Constituency and also on my own behalf, I want to congratulate His Excellency, the President Hon. E. D. Mnangagwa for his overwhelming success in the Presidential elections.

When I analyse the State of the Nation Address (SONA) by His Excellency, it seems to me that a very good working basis has been established and I trust that nothing will happen during my term of office that will disturb the harmony of the relations so created.  I would like to warn Hon. Members, however, that women are never satisfied unless they have their own way. It happened in this case that the woman’s way is the right way. – [HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear.]

I salute His Excellency for championing peaceful, free, fair and democratic harmonised elections.  May the Almighty bless our President – [HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hea].  Our elections are an important mechanism in democratic and peaceful processes.  Their purpose is to provide citizens with an opportunity to freely choose their political leaders and allocate power peacefully.  The President preached peace from the very day he got into office which motivated me as a woman to also get into politics.  With this kind of peaceful environment, definitely Zimbabwe will see more women engaging in politics through a democratic process. – [HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear.]

Madam Speaker ma’am, my constituency extends from the eastern boarder of Zimbabwe into Mozambique.  The valley is formed as part of the Eastern Highlands mountain range.  Any visitor into Mutare North Constituency will always emerge a proud Zimbabwean citizen equipped with new knowledge on how rich our nation is.

A visit to Mutasa North Constituency will leave one with a life time experience as you find yourself negotiating sharp curves, up-hills and down-hills as you mingle through the interlocking spurs, inselbergs, escarpments and pedestals that characterise the area.  In the course of executing this amazing process, you simultaneously enjoy the delightful view of superb scenery of the spectacular terrain and fresh environment.

Madam Speaker ma’am, His Excellency in his State of the Nation Address emphasised that agriculture remains a key sector in the resuscitation and growth of our economy and the restructured Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Water, Climate and Rural Resettlement will have an accelerated, more coordinated and composite approach to the modernisation and mechanisation of our agricultural sector.

Agriculture is an anchor of rural economic development.  For example, banana production in my constituency has given the valley a different landscape than it was six years ago.  Farmers are flush, businesses are thriving, youths are earning money from agriculture and schools are bustling.  The future looks bright for this rural area of Zimbabwe, a shining example of the power of agriculture in breaking the cycle of poverty and food insecurity.

A drive through the eastern highlands tea estates will give anyone a refreshing mind of how best Zimbabwe can resuscitate the lost legacy of the agrarian economy which we commanded for centuries in this country.  My constituency has the capacity and the potential to do so now with no impediments at all.

It is quite prudent that Government should do all its best to empower the residents of Mutasa North constituency in Honde Valley by deploying more horticulturists to assist the small subsistence farming practices in the area and upgrade it to commercial productions.  This area has full potential to intensify its operations and establish full scale productions which match the pre-existing commercial farming models which was dominated by the white minority commercial farmers in the past.  This is a feasible agricultural strategy, bearing in mind that the soils here are extremely fertile and there is unlimited free-flow of water which can be harnessed for large scale irrigation without need for contemplating the construction of dams.

I visualize a real transformation if Government considers possible commercialisation of the agricultural production in this area.  This would in reality create another revenue base by ensuring that all the products are grown commercially to satisfy export quality standards for an international market.

Madam Speaker, considering that Honde Valley is the home of most fruits being enjoyed by the people of Zimbabwe, I salute His Excellency when he emphasises on scaling up the value addition and beneficiation drive to ensure Zimbabwe enters the regional, continental and global value chains.  Farmers in my constituency are looking forward to this kind of intervention in terms of value addition of their bananas, mangoes, avocado pears, pine apples, et cetera.

Madam Speaker, value addition is not economically exploited in Africa, making it difficult for the continent to grow.  The continent needs to invest in industrialization to create jobs, as well as increase the foreign exchange.  My constituency has the potential to become a hub of fruit canning industries.  I am looking forward to Government to invest in creating industries, building up skills and technologies aimed at producing high-quality products for export, as well as, local use in my constituency.  By industrialization, the nations are also able to address the challenges of jobs, thus creating income for their people.

Madam Speaker, my constituency has lost lives of farmers through serious accidents when they come to sell their produce at Mbare Musika or Sakubva in Mutare.  If you go to Mbare now, most of the people selling bananas there are from my constituency who are selling their produce at a giveaway price.  Establishing a fruit value addition factory in Honde Valley would be ideal for my constituency [HON.

MEMBERS:  Hear, hear.] –

Another most captivating aspect in my constituency is the potential to generate power, which aims at ensuring that the Eastern Highlands Estate receives adequate electricity to promote the continuous production of tea and the excess power is put to the national grid.  Government and private players are challenged to use this as a benchmark to come up with similar projects to sustain the national power needs.  Certainly, if such small projects are established in almost every community with the right landscape, we will surely end the electricity shortages which are bedeviling us at this point in time.  In my opinion, my constituency is a model place which can be enhanced to enrich our people and alleviate poverty in a big way if sufficient attention is paid to this area.

Madam Speaker, the President emphasised that SMEs, women and youths have an important role to play in the modernization, growth and subsequent industrialization of our national economy.  The President noted the importance of these in increased job creation, innovation, environmental stability and more inclusive growth.

Madam Speaker, equality was seen as an issue that came from the industrialized West, peace from the Eastern Bloc and development as a key issue that concerned developing world women.  Throughout history, the central role of women in society has ensured the stability, progress and long term development of nations and I am glad our visionary President in his SONA took note of that.

Globally, women comprise 43 percent of the world’s agriculture labour force, rising to 70 percent in some countries.  For instance, across Africa, 80 percent of the agricultural production comes from small farmers, most of whom are rural women.  It is widely accepted that agriculture can be the engine of growth and poverty reduction in developing nations.  Women, notably mothers, play the largest role in decision making about family meal planning and diet.  Women self report more often their initiative in preserving child health and nutrition as they are the primary caretakers of children and elders in every country of the world – [HON. MEMBERS:  Hear, hear.] – International studies demonstrate that when the economy and political organisation of a society change, women take the lead in helping the family adjusts to new realities and challenges.

Despite positive developments in our country and the existence of official Government policies to achieve 50/50 gender representation in all Government positions, challenges to women is they remain marginalised and underrepresented across all sectors.  Marginalization of women in economic development and in social and political spaces is still prevalent.  Women’s land ownership (right to land) constitutes a critical factor in social status and leads to improvements in their welfare, productivity, equality and empowerment.

Madam Speaker, the SME sector has widely been accepted as the engine of economic growth and poverty eradication in the world.  I salute the President for giving importance to the SMEs.  My constituency has a high potential of exports by SMEs for it is home to all fruits in the country and basketry that is done in my constituency.

Globally, there is an agreement that SMEs hold the key to economic growth based on the fast growth of enterprises and the role of SMEs in generation of employment.  The role of the youths is simply to renew, refresh and maintain the current status of our society, including leadership, innovations and skills.  Youths are expected to advance the current technology, education, politics and peace of the country.

The development and modernization of our roads, railways, airports, energy and ICT infrastructure needs to be accelerated.  This must however be in sync with our domestic realities as well as on-going quest by SADC and Africa as a whole for enhanced connectivity and integrated infrastructure.

Madam Speaker, I welcome the focus, prioritization and investment in the President’s Speech in regard to devolution which is the statutory delegation of powers from the Central Government of a sovereign state to a sub national level, such as regional or local.  It is a form of administrative decentralisation. Devolved territories have the power to make legislation relevant to the area.  Madam Speaker, the process of decentralisation distributes power to territories that want more authority over their own affairs. The most famous example of devolution is in the United Kingdom where Scotland, Wales and Northen Ireland exercise authority over their own lands, but remain part of the U.K.

Madam Speaker, most women in Zimbabwe are subjected to various forms of gender based discrimination and remain marginalised in many spheres, including enjoyment of economic rights.  In spite of their active roles in the economic sector, they own or control less of the land, capital or other assets and earn low income.

His Excellency highlighted major bills to be worked on which includes; the Child Justice Bill and the Marriages Bill, which seeks to provide a child justice system and to outlaw child marriages, respectively and the Mandatory Sentencing for Rape and Sexual Abuse

Bill.

GBV is a pervasive phenomenon deep rooted in gender inequalities. It poses serious negative effects on the survivors, their families and communities at large. The commitment by His Excellency to address this is great testimony of a visionary leader who loves his nation.

In conclusion Madam Speaker, I highly support the Zimbabwe open for business mantra, especially when I look at my constituency. My constituency is eagerly waiting for the much awaited Katiyo border post which will facilitate export of my constituency produce, especially tea through the Katiyo border post to Beira.  I thank you.

HON. S. BANDA:  I have a point of order.

THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER:  What is your point of order?

HON. S. BANDA:  Madam Speaker, my point of order is according to Standing Order Number 103.  It says that a motion should not be on the Order Paper for more than 21 sitting days.  My question is, how long has this motion been on the Order Paper?  Thank you.

THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER (HON. MAVETERA): Hon.

Member, the motion must be debated for 35 hours and this one has only been debated for nine hours.

HON. S. BANDA: Just for clarification. So I think there are two Standing Orders that are contradicting, because if you check 103 it says more than 21 sitting days.

HON. MURAMBIWA: I would like to thank you for affording me this opportunity to make my contribution on the motion on the Presidential Speech which was raised by Hon. Kwaramba, seconded by Hon. Musabayane.

It is such a great honour to address this august House as a newly elected Member of Parliament for Zaka West Constituency. I take this opportunity to congratulate His Excellency, President Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa for winning the elections resoundingly and the elections were free, fair and credible. So I say makorokoto, congratulations, amhlope. I also congratulate our Vice Presidents, Dr.  Constantino Guvheya Chiwenga and Kembo Mohadi for their ascension to these positions of high office. I congratulate all members on their election to this honourable place and would like to acknowledge the members who came before me.

I would like to sincerely thank my community for the great honour they have afforded me to serve them. I take pride in that status but feel humbled by the responsibility that it brings. The hardworking spirit that is in me resonates within my electorate and has made them to trust in my leadership. The electorate in my constituency is of peasant farmers and a good number are small scale entrepreneurs. There is again a group of school leavers who are unemployed. With humble sincerity Madam Speaker, I pray that what little I, their servant may contribute to this debate and this House, may have some substance and food for thought which may culminate and consolidate assured progress for my electorate.

Madam Speaker, a lot of work needs to be done in order to supply water in villages in my constituency. My electorate are in dire need for clean water. Many villagers travel great distances just to fetch water. People in ward 27 and 29 rely on river water from Muchavhutwi river and the same scenario pertains to ward 24, especially village 6 which relies on water from Rupiri river. It was my people’s hope that ZINWA reduces its costs and conditions of accessing water such that my electorate, through irrigation schemes, can increase food production and security, thereby creating employment.

Agricultural projects such as vegetable gardens have reduced malnutrition and encouraged entrepreneurial farming. In many instances, the projects have not only provided communities with food but have produced extra income. I would like to make reference to His

Excellency’s first address to Parliament that agriculture remains a key sector in the resuscitation and growth of our economy. It is therefore incumbent upon me and my constituency to support the enterprise. I therefore suggest timeous enactment of policies aligned to agriculture to encourage the smooth progression of proposed programmes and projects.

School leavers in my constituency Madam Speaker need to be empowered. Unemployment in rural areas can be tackled by identifying and empowering entrepreneurs whose small emerging enterprises can be an effective means for job creation. These youths have to go through effective skills training programmes for rural development. I have observed that these school leavers are oblivious to Government facilitated programmes. Information of Government facilitated programmes and projects evade them and they remain in the dark and continue languishing in poverty. I have, however, observed that this is not only happening in my constituency but nationwide. It is going to be my sole duty to make sure these disadvantaged youths are aware and fully educated on opportunities that are availed by Government.

Madam Speaker, as I said earlier that a good number of my electorate are small scale business entrepreneurs. As a result, Veza Township is slowly developing and if given support it will soon graduate into a growth point. With this growing hype of business activity at Veza, it is with great need that I call the Government to set up Registry Offices at Veza Township. My electorate is travelling for distances more than 35 kilometres to get to Zaka registry offices. Again to boost these developing business enterprises it is imperative that ZESA reduces its terms of costs and an obnoxious bureaucracy to make it easier for an individual to connect to the national grid. Over and above this, Council levies are quite inhibiting and this is a hindrance to business growth.

As a matter of urgency Madam Speaker, roads and bridges in my constituency are in a derelict state and are a hazard to motorists.  To note, is a bridge at Chenyu, the bridge is very low and needs to be uplifted.  During the rain season when the river is in flood, people spent weeks and weeks failing to cross the river to get to school.  As such, I call upon the responsible authority to take note of this.

Madam Speaker, most of the schools both primary and secondary in Zaka West Constituency have no electricity.  As such, I call upon Government to take urgent action to electrify those schools since ICT takes centre stage in the implementation of the new curriculum.

In conclusion, it is my hope that all of you will work with me to bring to reality the dreams of the people of Zaka West Constituency.  I thank you.

HON. S. S. KHUMALO: Thank you Madam Speaker for

affording me the opportunity to address this august House.  I rise to support the speech by Hon. Kwaramba seconded by Hon. Musabayana.

I would like to start by congratulating His Excellency, Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa for winning the Presidential Elections that were held on 30^th July, 2018.  His Excellency is the President of the Republic of Zimbabwe and Commander-in-Chief of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces.  These elections were conducted in a peaceful, free, and fair manner.   They were a democratic election.  I would also like to take this opportunity to congratulate you Madam Speaker and the Hon. Speaker of this House for your election to lead this august House.  May I also take this opportunity to thank the people of Zimbabwe for conducting themselves in a peaceful manner during the plebiscite that the President won and the people of Tsholotsho North for voting for me to represent them in this House –[HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear.]-

Madam Speaker, in his State of the Nation Address, the President assured the nation that the thrust of his Government was to prioritise economic development as a strategic response to challenges that face our economy.  In that economic development, it will seek to leap frog our country’s economy to the status of a middle income economy by 2030.  This objective is achievable if only all Zimbabweans from all walks of life unite and impart their energy to hard work for the betterment of the livelihoods of our society and nation.  Let those amongst us who are bent on politics of misleading propaganda about unfounded machinations of malpractices of undemocratic nature in our political playing field teach themselves patriotism so they see the damage to our future resulting from such malice.

It does not only distract our energies from focusing on building our country for the future but also our standing as a nation in the family of nations of today’s world.

Madam Speaker, the President emphasised the need to develop and mordenise our road infrastructure countrywide.  I beg that the relevant

Ministry of roads and infrastructure rehabilitates, widens and surface the

Bulawayo-Nyamandlovhu-Tsholotsho Road which has been awaiting such development since we gained our independence.  My constituency lies in the arid region five and therefore, it is hard hit by lack of water.  Our main source of water is the borehole at a depth of plus/minus 120 metres owing to low underground water table.  We need improved means of drawing water from boreholes in the form of pumps so as to increase capacity from the boreholes to meet increased demand from within the community that have continued to grow without a matching increase in the number of boreholes provided in the area.

Our community relies solely on borehole water because there is no flowing river or other means like dams.  As such, the President’s speech alluding that there must be water harvesting in the country can only be possible in my constituency by improving the holding of our small dams, ponds and weirs.  Our only small  two dams, Gariya and Cijima badly need reconstruction as the dam walls that they have were breached by water owing to long periods of lack of maintenance since the dams walls are marred which are easy to breach by overgrowth and are weakened easily if that overgrowth is not cleared.

The construction of the Gwayi-Umguza Dam would improve water holding capacity in the constituency.  This dam would facilitate the establishment or development of at least 200 hectares of irrigatable land in the district as envisaged by the President in his State of Nation Address.  Also, the various ponds and weirs that lie across the constituency need scooping, widening and deepening to increase their water holding capacity.  These ponds and weirs are a vital source of water as they cover most villages in the constituency.

Lastly, I would like to applaud our President for his vision and desire to see improvement on education and health infrastructure across the country – [HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear.] – Tsholotsho District Hospital needs a functioning sewage system to make it meet the desired standards of the health system.  The current situation where the sewage reticulation is dysfunctional makes the hospital a health hazard to its patients, and indeed the Tsholotsho growth point. This hospital is situated in Tsholotsho South and it is not in Tsholotsho North.  I am talking like this because it is our district hospital and services both in

Tsholotsho North and South, without functioning system is really bad.

The Rural Electrification Agency has over the years laid power lines in my constituency and these power lines are connecting mostly secondary schools and clinics in the constituency but they are yet to have power connected to the schools and clinics because I am informed it is due to lack of transformers.  I would want to urge the relevant Ministry perhaps to phase than to wait for the whole electrification programme in the constituency so that we can at least see some progress in that area.

Madam Speaker, I would want to conclude by saying Tsholotsho

North Constituency is home of a lot of game because it borders the Hwange National Park and therefore in the constituency, we have a wide range of incidents of animal/people conflict.  The animals/people conflict is mainly due to those animals that come harvesting the crops of the community before harvesting time. Tsholotsho North has got a perennial lack of adequate food for households in the area because of the menace of animals.  I therefore, would call upon the relevant Ministry perhaps to refence the national park boundary with that of the community since it was once refenced and that refencing did deny the elephants free access to the communities.  At least that was a form of barrier that assisted our people from the menace of the game.

HON. S. BANDA: On a point of order Madam Speaker.

THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER (HON. MAVETERA): What

is your point of order?

HON. S. BANDA: Madam Speaker, they are a good number of 4 to 5 Hon. Members who are sleeping in the House – [HON.

MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections.] –

THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER: Thank you for your point of

order though it does not relate to what Hon. Khumalo was saying. I think it is also good for us to respect this House and not to sleep. When we feel that we need to sleep like what the Speaker said, we can as well go out and then we just make sure that at least we drink something for us not to feel sleepy.

HON. S. S. KHUMALO: Madam Speaker, as I was saying that

we need a refence of the area bordering the park and the community in Tsholotsho North so that we do not have the conflict of animals and the community.  I want to once again thank you Madam Speaker and say that concludes my brief. May God bless our President and God bless Zimbabwe.  I thank you.

HON. NDUNA: Thank you Madam Speaker.  I want to add my

voice to congratulating His Excellency on the speech he presented in Parliament, moved by Hon. Kwaramba and seconded by Hon. Musabayana. I also want to congratulate you on your appointment into the Speakers’ bench and also by extension, congratulate Hon. Adv. J. Mudenda on his second term for being appointed Speaker of the

National Assembly.  I would like to congratulate Hon. Khumalo and the

Deputy Speaker Hon. Gezi and Hon. Mutomba and the rest of the

Speaker’s bench.  Going forward, I want to congratulate the Hon. Members of Parliament that found their way to the National Assembly, the 210 of them plus the 60 proportional representation, I want to congratulate them across the political divide – [HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear.] – Madam Speaker, having said that, I also want to congratulate the people of Chegutu West Constituency for deposing their faith in yours truly myself for the very second term. I want to thank them wholeheartedly.  I want to also carry on and say politics is a game of numbers and it is often said that if you cannot beat them join them.  We come here and we are not a hung Parliament, we are under the leadership of a visionary man, luminary and a champion, His Excellency Cde E. D. Mnangagwa and we have the mandate of the people to lead vociferously and effectively this nation with a two thirds majority –

[HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear.] –

Madam Speaker, it is not lost on us to change laws for the good order and governance of the people of Zimbabwe. I am alive to a piece of legislation or a part of the Constitution which can do well if changed for the nation.  This piece of the Constitution speaks to and about the proportional representation in this House in particular the women. It was enacted into the Constitution in 2013 and was going to run for two terms up to 2023.  It is my fervent view and hope that whilst ZANU PF has got two-thirds majority, aware that ZANU PF is gender sensitive, aware that ZANU PF is also mandated with aligning itself to the sustainable development goals; that the Hon. Members in this House are going to see it also in their hearts to change the Constitution so that the issue of proportional representation can continue ad infinitum. – [HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear.] – In so doing, we can have this gender parity both in word and in deeds.  I shudder to think what would happen if we go on to 2023 and we stop having proportional representation in this House.  I have always said and I will continue to say, what men can do women can do better.  We need these women, we need that Hon.

Member except now if she believes she is no longer fit for this House.  Hon. Watson is fit for this House and we want to continue to have her in this House and we can only have her if the Constitution so allows

Madam Speaker Maam.

HON. WATSON: On a point of order.  I would like to correct the Hon. Member, I am no longer a proportional representation, I now have a constituency.

THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER (HON. MAVETERA): Hon.

Nduna, Hon. Watson has rightfully said that she now has a Constituency.  So, may you kindly correct that?

HON. NDUNA: Thank you Madam Speaker.  I am guided

accordingly and I am corrected.  I am sorry for not having recognised that she has grown from being proportional representation, now she has a Constituency.  Madam Speaker Maam, be that as it may, we have 60 women in this Parliament and it is my clarion call that let us protect these women.  We need them in the next Parliament after 2023, let us change the Constitution to read that these women continue after 2023.  Let us use the majority that ZANU PF has got in order to change the laws for the good, order and governance of these proportional women.

That was my introduction.

I want now to speak to and about the issues of Chegutu West Constituency immediately because we have ubiquitous amount of minerals….

HON. TEKESHE: On a point of order, Hon. Nduna is debating

the Presidential Speech for the second time.

THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER: Thank you very much for your

point of order but I am being informed that it is his first time to debate the Presidential Speech.

HON. NDUNA: Thank you for your protection Madam Speaker.  I

do not know what it is that I send as shivers into the spine of the Opposition so much that they would not want me to vociferously debate even if I am supporting them.  I do not know what it is that sends chills into their spines.

Chegutu West Constiteuncy…

HON. MADZIMURE: On a point of order Madam Speaker.

Hon. Nduna is actually contesting your ruling.  If there is anyone whom we would enjoy to listen is him because when you write down what he will be saying, no single sentence will be complete.

THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER: Point of order overruled.

HON. NDUNA: Thank you for your protection Madam Speaker.  I met Hon. Madzimure in Nuroc Arter in Indonesia one time and he promised me that he was going to come back to Parliament and I congratulate him for coming back.

Madam Speaker, Chegutu West lies in the Great Dyke and in

Chegutu West Constituency in Mashonaland West Province is where the Great Dyke is.  It has got the largest width of 11 km and therein lies ubiquitous amount of mineral wealth, in particular in Chegutu West there are more than 40 gold mines in such a small little area.  Why do I speak like this, it is because this is one of the areas where the Chegutu Administration District resides and is the advent of the Community

Share Ownership Trust.  Zimplats is one of  those companies that lies in

Chegutu Administration District and it has a Community Share Ownership Trust that speaks to Chegutu, Zvimba, Mhondoro-Ngezi Community Share Ownership Trust.

Madam Speaker, I am asking that during the launch of this Community Share Ownership Trust in 2010, $10 million seed money was injected by Zimplats into the Community Share Ownership Trust in order to kick start some developments economically and all in that Community Share Ownership Trust.  What this money was meant to do was just supposed to kick start the activities and economic development in this Community Share Ownership Trust.  This money was not supposed to be a grand and was not expected back.

My point exactly is this, by December, 2018, the lawyers and the Trust Executives of this Community Share Ownership Trust would have put together documentation in order that they quantify the amount in terms of resources and monetary value of those shares, that is the 10% that is attributed to the community; the 15% to the workers et cetera.  The quantification is about to be completed by December, 2018.  My clarion call therefore is may this money and remittances to the Community Share Ownership Trust be given to the Trust and to the people that it belongs to in retrospect.  If it is thought that the 10% shares they are worth US$10 million, this money should be applied in retrospect from 2010 when the Trust was formulated.  I say this because it is these companies in particular where platinum and diamond is concerned where His Excellency said these two minerals are going to be State controlled and all other minerals are going to be de-regularised.

Platinum is where the Community Share Ownership Trust is derived from by Zimplats.  I ask therefore that from 2010 when this promulgation was put in place up to date, they have been enjoying fruits, revenue and profits from the extraction of this Zimbabwe a God given natural resource.  Therefore let us empower our people by applying in retrospect the resources or the quantity of the monies so quantified by the lawyers and the Trust Executives.  This is going to do our communities and our people a lot of good.

Madam Speaker Maam, there are two people so far in this nation that won the 2018 elections twice in the same year. It is His Excellency, the President, Hon. E. D. Mnangagwa, who first annihilated Mr. Chamisa in July 30, and he contested and Mr. Chamisa was annihilated again in the Electoral Court. It happened the same way for ‘Yours Truly’ in that I again annihilated one Konjana Machoka in the Electoral Court.

His Excellency the President has said the elections are behind us...

HON. TEKESHE: On a point of order Madam Speaker. We are not allowed to discuss about Members who will not be in Parliament. He is not a Member of Parliament and so, he is not able to defend himself. We are not allowed to say anything about anybody who is outside because he cannot defend himself. Thank you.

THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER: Thank you so much for your

point of order Hon. Member. Hon. Nduna, you are not supposed and you are not allowed to speak of any Members that are not in this august House.

HON. NDUNA: Thank you so much Madam Speaker. I will stop

talking about the Opposition, but I will continue to glorify His Excellency, the President Hon. E. D. Mnangagwa. Vakarova Opposition kuseri nekuseri sengoma yeZion.

HON. TEKESHE: On a point of order Madam Speaker...

       THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER: I have said that he is not

supposed to say it. So, may you kindly continue Hon. Nduna.

HON. NDUNA: Thank you Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, the

President had said the elections are behind us and he now wants to put the issue of economics in front of every development agenda.

HON. TEKESHE: On a point of order Madam Speaker. He must withdraw his statement. –[HON. MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections]-

THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER: Hon. Members, I have ruled

and I have said may he refrain from saying that. May you kindly continue Hon. Nduna.

HON. TEKESHE: But he said something and whatever he said

must be withdrawn. He said it and he must take it back.

THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER: I have ruled, thank you so much.

HON. NDUNA: Madam Speaker, Chegutu West Constituency is

also a cotton country and it is endowed with a lot of farmers that engage their agricultural business in cotton. Government has taken over the

COTTCO debt of US$68 million. It has given in the 2018 season and 2017 season more than US$40 million worth of free presidential cotton inputs. What it means is that the Government has given to the cotton sector for inputs and debt US$130 million going upwards. What I call upon is immediately for David Whitehead which is under judiciary management, and which is a beneficiary and value adding chain to this cotton that has been given input by His Excellency and Presidential support scheme, that  it be removed from judiciary management because the judiciary manager Madam Speaker, is no longer one supported at law.

The Insolvency Act is now there and he has been given US$2 million by ZAMCO in order to resuscitate David Whitehead, but could not produce bank balances and bank statements to satisfy the creditors.

He should immediately be removed from his place as judiciary manager. I also ask that by the strength of this debate, I be given the opportunity to present to this House the objections of Chegutu residents that they have raised against Chegutu Town Council.

On the strength of this debate, I request that the Minister of Local Government sends the Town Clerk of Chegutu packing in that there have not been any satisfactory financial statements and books that have been produced in order to satisfy the residents of Chegutu so that they can have both clean, portable and drinking water, so that they can have an effective and efficient water and sewer reticulation system. I ask Madam Speaker because the letter is long that I present to Hansard and because it is on soft copy so that it is on record in the Hansard and the people of Chegutu West can see that I have submitted their concerns up.

The letter is as follows:      

5 November 2018

Town Clerk

Municipality of Chegutu

P.O. Box 34

Chegutu

Dear Mr. A. Mandigo.

RE:  LODGE OF OBJECTION FOR THE CHEGUTU  MUNICIPALITY BUDGET PROPOSAL 2019.

As a group of residents, we have noted with urgency to act to serve our own welfare. The 2019 budget does not reflect the following information:

• Anticipated revenue based on activities in Chegutu Town which generate revenue for the Municipality such as, service charges, rentals, lease agreements, tax collections and welfare facilities.
• It does not also contain how much you are expecting from the Government or any other donors.
• Your inscribed activities are not costed and do not have time frames of council projects. It lacks continuation from the previous 2017-2018 budget. Generally, the budget lacks consistency which

is not acceptable by the Public Finance and Management Act Cap.

22.19

• There is missing information in your budget on income and expenditure. You should have highlighted your budgeted revenue vis-a-vis actual revenue, budgeted expenditure vis-a-vis actual expenditure, source of supplementary budget if there was any.
• Your proposed upward review of water charges for example, industrial and commercial from $1.00/m³to $1.80/m³, residential low density from $0.80/m³up to 10m,³ thereafter, $1.20/m³, medium density from $0.80/m³up to10m³ thereafter, $1.00m³ same as high density rising from $0.50m³ and in business operating licenses the 10% increment is not justifiable, tariffs for rates and service charges is baseless for it lacks the vital information as to what it seeks to address.
• Over the period of years, the council has failed to provide basic service delivery to rate payers, and as a result the rate payers have resolved not to pay for service that is not rendered. This is evidenced by perennial sewage streams in high density suburbs

such as ward 4, 6, 8 and 11. Most business centers in the high density suburbs do not have proper sanitation, poor road networks and as of residential, we have some areas which have sporadic supplies of water and sadly it never oozes out of our taps. This is a sign of total failure to provide basic services by the Municipality of Chegutu.

In view of the above cited facts as rate payers, through your good and most respectable office, we register our objection to the proposed upward review of water charges, business operating licence, tariffs for rates and service charges as enshrined in your 2019 budget.

We therefore take this opportunity to register our counter proposal of 50% offset in all outstanding service charges arrears on service being owed to the council by the rate payers. This gesture will encourage rate payers to zero their arrears with the Municipality.

• In your summary for budget performance 2017, you mentioned a success of Central Business District (CBD) roads rehabilitation yet presently in 2018 the same CBD roads are being rehabilitated again. To us as rate payers, this is gross incompetence on the

council management and the issue deserves to be investigated with the seriousness it deserves.

• The council is operating with incompetent financial audit system which is lagging two years behind according to your summary of 2018 budget performance which you cited as an achievement.
• As rate payers, we have noted with great concern that the council is presenting blanketed and misleading budget information which cannot enhance public interest. In our view, the council is trying to manipulate rate payers and Government Ministry into endorsing a substandard and incomplete budget.

The new dispensation gears towards a stronger culture implementation. We the undersigned do hereby object and reject your 2019 budget proposal until you furnish the public with all the required figures and information, for this budget document is a trust building tool and exhibition of transparency between Council and rate payers.

        [Time Limit]

  HON. KWARAMBA: I move that the debate do now adjourn.

HON. CHIKUKWA: I second.

Motion put and agreed to.

Debate to resume: Wednesday, 21^st November, 2018.

On the motion of HON. MGUNI, seconded by HON. KWARAMBA, the House adjourned at thirteen Minutes past Four o’clock p.m.