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NATIONAL ASSEMBLY HANSARD 20 OCTOBER 2020 VOL 46 NO 77

PARLIAMENT OF ZIMBABWE

Tuesday, 20^th October, 2020

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

PRAYERS

(THE HON. SPEAKER in the Chair)

ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE HON. SPEAKER

OFFICIAL OPENING OF PARLIAMENT AND STATE OF THE

NATION ADDRESS

    THE HON. SPEAKER:  I wish to remind the House that His

Excellency The President of the Republic of Zimbabwe, Dr. Emmerson

Dambudzo Mnangagwa, will in terms of Section 140 (1) of the Constitution of Zimbabwe, address a virtual joint sitting of the Senate and the National Assembly on Thursday, 22^nd October 2020 at 12.00 o’clock during which time he will set out the Government legislative agenda for the Third Session of the Ninth Parliament and in terms Section 140 (4) of the Constitution of Zimbabwe deliver the State of the

Nation Address.

PRE-BUDGET BRIEFING SEMINAR

THE HON. SPEAKER:  I also have to inform the House that there will be a pre-budget briefing seminar tomorrow, Wednesday 21^st October, 2020 in the Jacaranda Room at the Rainbow Towers Hotel from 0830 hours to 1300 hours.  The bus will leave Parliament at 0800 hours from the Nelson Mandela entrance.  In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, you are advised that only the Presiding officers, Chairpersons of Committees, Members of the expanded Committee on SDGs and the Secretariat will participate physically while the rest of the Hon.

Members will participate virtually from either the National Assembly Chamber, Senate Chamber, respective hotel rooms and may also connect from wherever it may be convenient to do so.  Please note that the zoom link will be shared with you before the seminar through your e-mail addresses.

HON. MUSHORIWA:  On a point of order, Mr. Speaker Sir.

THE HON. SPEAKER:  A point of order?  There is no debate that has taken place.

HON. MUSHORIWA:  It is actually in respect to the announcement that the Chair has announced.

THE HON. SPEAKER:  Are you asking for a point of

clarification?

HON. MUSHORIWA:  Yes, it is pertaining to the budget meeting, the one you have announced which is taking place tomorrow.

THE HON. SPEAKER:  Which the Hon. Speaker has announced.

Be very careful with your language.

HON. MUSHORIWA:  My apology, Mr. Speaker Sir.  Mr. Speaker Sir, I just want to point out that Parliament, as we are, we are the representatives of the people and we are supposed to make sure that we uphold the Constitution and the laws of this country.  Budget is such an important instrument in the economy of this country and the Public Management Finance Regulations, Chapter 2, stipulates that the Minister of Finance and Economic Development shall lay before Parliament the budget strategy paper and it is supposed to be laid on 31^st July.  We could have understood that because there was COVID-19, there could have been delays, but Mr. Speaker Sir it is wrong for this House to condone an illegality to participate in budget processes without the Minister having come before this august House to lay the budget strategy paper, or at the very least to seek condonation in this august House.  So Mr. Speaker Sir, I am actually thinking that it is wrong for us to even go forward with budget processes until the Hon. Minister respects this august House.  I thank you.

THE HON. SPEAKER: A very pertinent and sound observation

which is very legal.  Some two weeks ago, this matter was raised and I had instructed the Chairperson of the Budget, Finance and Economic Development to bring that to the attention of the Hon. Minister to do exactly what Hon. Mushoriwa has indicated.

     HON. MHONA: Thank you very much Hon. Speaker Sir for

according me this very important time to clarify on the issues raised by my fellow Hon. Member who happen to be a Member of the

Committee…

Hon. Mhona having been off on the virtual platform.

         THE HON. SPEAKER: You are not linked.

HON MHONA: Thank you very much once again Hon. Speaker

Sir for the very important debate that was raised by my fellow Hon. Member who happen to be from the same Committee.  I think I need to induce a whipping system because I had said to my Members that I am going to announce on this very important attribute.  For better reasons known to my fellow Member, of which I think with your power, I need to fire him from the Committee Hon. Speaker Sir – [Laughter.] –

However, he has raised very important issues and also to clarify - it is not the Public Finance Management Act, it is, according to Statutory

Instrument 135 of 2019, which are Public Finance Management General Regulations where this has been cited.  In particular, Section 11 (1), paragraph c.  For the benefit of the House, I can just go through to the relevant legislation, it says, “Ministry of Finance provides the Budget

Strategy Paper to Cabinet not later than the 30^th of June and provides the Strategy Paper to Parliament for information and comment, not later than the 31^st of July.  Hon. Speaker Sir, with your wise counsel, truly, you actually mandated me to engage the Minister, of which I tried and apparently managed to get hold of the directors in the relevant Ministry and ensured them that this is a very topical issue and that it is a constitutional matter which cannot be taken lightly.  With your wise counsel, I warned the Minister that failure to come and seek condonation – because already this has happened and the only way he can be excused is through a condonation.

With your indulgence Hon. Speaker Sir, I have directed the Minister through his proxy to appear before this very important House to seek for condonation before we go for the pre-budget consultation.  I am sure right now he is in a Cabinet meeting and failure to come today; he has to come tomorrow Hon. Speaker Sir to seek for condonation before this august House.  Truly speaking, this is an oversight from the Ministry, which must not be tolerated going forward.  We want to speak to the dictates of the Constitution so that if the law says 31^st of July, we had to go to public consultations without being guided in terms of priority areas.  However, since we have the mandate according to

Section 141 to go to the public and solicit for their views, we had to go on Hon. Speaker Sir.  With your indulgence and guidance, I have done the same in trying to get hold of the Minister whom I am sure will appear before this august House and seek for condonation through your indulgence.  Thank you Hon. Speaker Sir.

THE HON. SPEAKER: It is not a question of seeking condonation, the Hon. Minister must present that document to the House before pre-Budget seminar, tomorrow. So, I am instructing you now to go out of this House, get the Clerk of Parliament and look for the Permanent Secretary who must fish out the Hon. Minister to come and do so this afternoon – [HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear.] –

HON. MHONA: Thank you Hon. Speaker Sir.

HON. TOGAREPI: Thank you Mr. Speaker, I rise…

THE HON. SPEAKER: Hon. Mhona, I said leave the House and look for the Clerk of Parliament.

HON. MHONA: Thank you Hon. Speaker Sir.

HON. TOGAREPI: Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir.  Mr. Speaker Sir, I rise to encourage all Members of Parliament; on the 25^th of October, the whole country will be united to fight the illegal sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe.  I therefore request all Members to stand with the people of Zimbabwe in calling for the removal of sanctions.  On this day, SADC countries and all progressive countries of the world will be standing with Zimbabwe to fight these sanctions.

It will be very unfortunate if representatives of the people of Zimbabwe, parliamentarians - will keep quiet and not stand with the people they purport to represent, that sanctions be removed and stand with the people of Zimbabwe for the removal of unconditional sanctions against the people of Zimbabwe.  Therefore Mr. Speaker Sir, it is my request that as Members of Parliament, we can also come up with a joint statement that as representatives of the people of Zimbabwe, we would want sanctions to be removed for the development of our people, for the provision of social services, for everything that will make Zimbabweans happier and go about their business.  So, I call upon Members of this House to take a strict choice whether to stand with the people of Zimbabwe or not.  I thank you – [HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear.] –

HON. T. MLISWA: Mr. Speaker, just to add my voice to Hon.

Togarepi’s call for the anti-sanctions march, participation…

THE HON. SPEAKER: Procedurally, you cannot debate a point

of privilege.

HON. T. MLISWA: Okay, let me go to my point of privilege which is emanating from a well articulated submitted ministerial statement by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Hon. S. B. Moyo on Thursday last week. It will not be complete if the line ministries do not respond to it. Your indulgence is sought in that he clearly stipulated the foreign direct investment which had come into the country under each Ministry but of course, he was not the person to talk about the implementation and the progress of that. Seeing that Portfolio Committees are the engine rooms which unfortunately have failed, this is the vehicle which again is the responsibility we can indulge his office...

THE HON. SPEAKER: Did you say unfortunately he failed?

HON. T. MLISWA: Unfortunately, Portfolio Committees in their mandate have failed to bring these Ministers before them to account for the foreign direct investments in terms of how far the implication has been. We have always known Portfolio Committees as the engine rooms of Parliament speaking into this vehicle. It is also incumbent upon this vehicle which hosts the engine room to hold them accountable by coming up with a ministerial statement on the foreign direct investment which the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade alluded to so that they can tell us on the progress of those.

Time is moving and we were quite satisfied by the brilliant presentation of the Minister of Foreign Affairs and such work and such a brilliant submission would not certainly go well if there is a compliment coming in from the line ministries like Ministry of Energy and Power Development, Ministry of Mines and Mining Development and from the various tourism sector specific to them so that we are able to ask them in terms of the progress on how far they have gone. I would like to say the Ministers have an easier part to play because the Hon. Minister of Foreign Affairs was impressive, humble and he knew exactly what he was talking about but equally said he could not respond to issues which are with the line ministries.

So it is important that we hold them accountable for the foreign direct investment. Your indulgence is sought Mr. Speaker Sir, where we could have each Ministry coming up with a ministerial statement and we are able to understand and to respond because I feel the economy really is  the $12 million economy in mining. We would want to know how far we have gone in terms of that. The $50 million of the Chinese factory in Norton, how much has gone into that because the structure which is there does not look like it is a $50 million but it is the line Ministry that must respond to that.

I really want to thank him, and for other Ministers to learn from the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade on how he presented his issues. There is also the Minister of State and Implementation. I do not know if with your indulgence - he comes here a lot but questions are never asked, if there is anything. That is not the Minister that we must also ask in terms of implementation on all these Government programmes. I have not seen that happening and maybe it is us who are not doing our work, but being a Minister of State and Implementation; can we go and ask him those questions because the Minister of State in the President’s Office, you cannot really ask questions. I am not privy to the protocols in that regard.

Let me end by saying the anti-sanctions in as much as it is important, a joint caucus would also help and having the welfare for the Members of Parliament as an agenda to the same thing. The two would go well because the welfare of the Members of Parliament is important.

If it could be put on the agenda then the anti-sanctions becomes second. The welfare of the Members of Parliament should be first and that one second. I am sure they will all participate. Thank you.

THE HON. SPEAKER: Hon. Mliswa has put forward a

suggestion and we place this at the door of the Liaison and Coordination

Committee (LCC), that as we start on the Third Session of the 9^th Parliament, each Chairperson will have to engage the line Ministry under their Portfolio and invoke a response in that direction. I want this one coordinated by Hon. Togarepi who is the Chairperson of the LCC and that it must be done as a matter of urgency before the end of the year particularly as we begin our Third Session of the 9^th Parliament.

*HON. MADZIMURE: Thank you Hon. Speaker. It has been a

number of days since schools have been opened. We are still waiting for other children to go back to school. However, since our children have gone to school, we have noted a number of misdemeanours that are happening at schools. These are things that might affect our children’s behaviour. It might come back to hound us and it might take a number of years to fix. Right now, we expect other children to go back to school. As it is, this will give us a headache. We are going to use a lot of money and it will exceed the amount that we should spend to fix this current problem.

I would like to propose that the Minister of Primary and Secondary

Education comes to this House and present a report of what is

transpiring in schools because we need to fix this. As we were going around the country as the Budget Committee and capturing people’s views, a number of parents were expressing concern over what is happening. They think that we do not care about the future of our children. My request is that the Minister of Primary and Secondary Education should bring a ministerial statement to this House and address the House with a explaining what is happening and what is going to happen.

If you watch a number of videos that are circulating on social media, the videos are obscene and some are shocking. This is happening in schools and it is also happening on our streets. We have seen a number of girls falling pregnant and if this continues for the next two or three months it will be really bad. So my request is that the Minister of Primary and Secondary Education should come to this august House and explain what Government is doing to make sure that teachers go back to school. I thank you.

THE HON. SPEAKER:  I shall engage the Hon. Minister to make a Statement tomorrow so that he can indicate to this Hon. House what steps are being taken to remedy the situation.

MOTION

BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE

HON. TOGAREPI:  I move that Orders of the Day, Numbers 1 to 23 be stood over until Order of the Day Number 24 has been disposed

of.

HON. MPARIWA:  I second.

Motion put and agreed to.

MOTION

PROLIFERATION OF CHILLING INCIDENTS OF MURDERS

HON. TOGAREPI: I move the motion standing in my name that

this House-

DISTURBED by the proliferation of chilling incidents of murders that have been perpetrated against members of society for ritual purposes in various parts of the country;

CONCERNED that victims of such heinous crimes are the vulnerable and unsuspecting members of our communities mostly women and children who are targeted by insensitive and brutal killers who unwittingly believe that they can eke a living and get rich overnight through the harvesting of human organs;

DEPLORING AND CONDEMNING in the strongest of terms

such heart wrenching and retrogressive practices which instil a deep sense of fear, revulsion and insecurity among our people who can no longer safely conduct their routine family errands and chores without suspicions of what might befall them or their loved ones at any given time.

NOW, THEREFORE, calls upon

1. the law enforcement agents to mobilise all necessary resources to expeditiously bring to book the unscrupulous culprits who are wantonly wreaking havoc among communities in the country;
2. the Legislature to enact deterrent and punitive legislative measures to effectively and completely eradicate incidents of ritual murders in different parts of the country by the end of 2020.

HON. NDUNA: I second.

*HON. TOGAREPI: Thank you Mr. Speaker.  After experiencing

the painful killing of a young child for ritual purposes, I decided to come up with this motion.  It is painful that as educated as we are, our nation still has a Zimbabwean person who still believes in ritual killings of children for lucky charms.  It showed me that we still have a long way to go in becoming humane especially looking at different traditional or religious beliefs.  There is need for Government to show the nation that the idea of killing each other will not be tolerated.  You should work hard to become rich.  You should work hard to become educated and you should not kill.

Hon. Speaker, I urge Members of Parliament to go and senstise people that what happened to the late child from Makore family is a taboo, this has no place in our country.  This is not developmental – [HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear.] – Who, knows may be this child was going to be tomorrow’s leader, for example a Member of Parliament;  but someone decided to kill that child.  To make matters worse, the person who was involved in the killing was the child’s uncle.  The child was given his uncle’s name and the child knew that but the uncle killed him for his business to become successful. This is painful Mr. Speaker that you will be working hard in trying to uplift your child yet there is somebody who wants to kill that person.

Our plea to Police and all Zimbabweans is to work together to curtail the killing of young children and other people.  There is still that spirit in quite a number of people.  I know that  some traditional healers do their businesses in a proper way but there are others who encourage people to kill people for ritual purposes.  We want those traditional healers to be convicted together with their clients because they were working together – [HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear.] -  We want them to be send to jail.  There are prophets like Tsikamutanda who are busy encouraging bad practices within families. They are dividing families and they should be banned…

THE HON. SPEAKER:  What is to bhana?

HON. TOGAREPI:  I am sorry Hon. Speaker, kumiswa. Those people should be banned from practising.  This should be banned because this practice is affecting many people. They start believing these false prophets.   I urge the Government to give more funds to ZRP Public Relations in 2021 Budget for them to be able to move around educating people that there are deterrent measures to those who kill people.

Mr. Speaker Sir, I am one of the people who believes that the death penalty is quite intense but in this instance, I feet that this man deserves death penalty.

Mr. Speaker Sir, I desire that as a nation, we must empower civic organisations so that they are given the opportunity to go around the country, to our schools, educating people that some customs we believe in do not work because some people do that believing that this works.

Such beliefs are caused by one’s upbringing, not knowing that these are just myths and these things do not work. Sacrificing someone’s blood does not work. What would make you to succeed in life is working hard.

Such practices should be discouraged.

As Parliament, we need to work with Government so that we find ways of capacitating our police so that they will move around the country educating the nation about bad cultural practices that do not work. There are some cultural practices that we still believe in which are archaic, obsolete and retrogressive, which do not assist us as a nation. There must be research on such cultural practices so that people are made aware of these bad practices. This is really painful. I have heard that in Central Africa, those who live with albinism are being sacrificed for ritual purposes in order to boost ones business. Such thoughts are retrogressive and they should be discouraged.

Those who believe in such practices, whether they are traditional healers, prophets and others might end up  believing in those things and we will end up seeing a lot of people being sacrificed. That kind of behaviour is bad and this will not work. Sacrificing other people will not work. The people of Zimbabwe need to know that for one to succeed, it is important to work hard in business because the more time you spend in your business, the more you succeed. The secret to succeed is

working hard. You cannot excel in life by sacrificing other people. I would like to request other Hon Members to dedicate a day in their constituencies to sensitise people about these bad cultural practices. As Hon Members, we can engage our traditional leaders like chiefs, headmen and traditional healers then we discuss on such bad practices which are not acceptable in Zimbabwe. This might open our people’s minds and it might open traditional leader’s minds as well.

My desire is that the issue of taboos should be looked into by Government so that we understand why such thoughts are found in people, then we will be able to know how to remove such thoughts. If this is emanating from traditional healers, then maybe we need to convene a meeting of all traditional healers in Zimbabwe so that such issues are addressed once and for all. It is my desire that we need such a day as a nation so that we address these bad practices and do away with them. May the spirit of the departed child rest in peace but those who destroyed his life should not have peace. I thank you.

HON. NDUNA: I want to add my voice to the motion that has been brought here by the Chief Whip. The motion that he speaks to and about is a motion that brings a lot of anger deep within me because if you want to get anyone to be sad, if you want them to feel very sad, if you want any human being to cry, you need to take away their child, wife and husband in the event that one is married. Having said that, I want to touch on the last point that the mover of the motion raised. I want to bolster it as follows; that we are Members of Parliament who have legislative role, representative role and oversight role on the Executive in the manner it carries out its mandate.

The representative role is the one that I want to touch on and go further to say we need, as Members of Parliament, like he said, to actually raise the bar and emotions within our constituencies and make sure that we do a solidarity march with the family of the young man who is now deceased and was murdered for his body parts. We want to make sure that when the message reaches our constituencies, what happened to the toddler will not happen again in our constituencies.

Mr. Speaker Sir, the Constitution of Zimbabwe recognises in the Bill of Rights in Chapter 4, the freedom of worship.  That freedom should not be abused to mean murder, mutilation or killing of somebody for their vital organs.  That freedom of association and freedom of worship as enshrined in the Constitution should not be abused, especially as it relates to when it infringes on other people’s rights.  The

Constitution also goes further to talk of rights of children Mr. Speaker

Sir.  The rights of children are women’s rights; rights of children are men’s rights because children are the future of tomorrow.  So the Constitution Mr. Speaker Sir should not be abused by the people because of the freedom of religion and association with any other religion.  Therefore, on that score I now call upon your Portfolio Committee of Parliament to call religious leaders in their...

THE HON. SPEAKER: Hon. Nduna can you please cover your mouth.

HON. NDUNA: I wanted to...

THE HON. SPEAKER: Otherwise you start to infect the gadgets

here.

HON. NDUNA: Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir, I was just trying to catch my breath again.   Mr. Speaker Sir, concerning your relevant Portfolio Committee, I want to make a clarion  call that it calls the relevant department, faith healers and all traditional healers included so that it interrogates them on their position relating to issues that are before us, in particular where a toddler or a child is murdered for their body parts.  It must be very clear and should be impressed upon them that no one can be enriched using another person’s life or another person’s vital organs but only effort through resilience and hard work can get somebody where they want to be in terms of enrichment and economic development and wealth.

How do you want to be enriched and economically developed Mr. Speaker Sir, if you sleep like somebody who is in the morgue, you sleep for more than 8 hours and you hope to become rich by either genital mutilation or murdering somebody for their body parts?  This is just a suggestion, proposal and advice to those that think that they can murder and get away with impunity and maybe also murder their way to enrichment.  It does not work like that, it is in the hands that either you are gifted with or it is in the mind, it is in your body if you are going to get rich you are not going to get rich through the murder of another man.

Mr. Speaker Sir, I just want to touch on the religion, or faith that touches on Christianity as it relates to the issue of murder Mr. Speaker

Sir.  The Bible in Matthew Chapter 33:6, says ‘seek ye first the kingdom of heaven then all other things shall be added unto you’ including wealth.  If you do not seek the kingdom of heaven, certainly you will start looking for wealth through such acrimonious and very ludicrous behaviour and acts that we are touching on here this afternoon.  So, it is my thinking Mr. Speaker Sir that the people that engage and indulge in such activities need to seek God first and foremost.

Mr. Speaker Sir, the Bible in Psalms 90:10 says, ‘the days of our years are threescore years and ten, and if by reason of stenth they are fourscore years…’  The young man we are talking about has been cut off from the earth at the time when he has not even gotten up to 20.  If we do not speak against this Mr. Speaker Sir, no one else will.  We as parliamentarians, in particular myself, coming in from Chegutu West constituency, I want to use this pedestal and platform to denounce such acts Mr. Speaker Sir to say no one can ever be enriched by cutting off what the Bible has said to be life for somebody under this earth.

Any other years above 70 years Mr. Speaker Sir, the Bible goes on to say one should honour their mother and father so that their life upon this earth can be long and can be much more than 70 years.  It is my thinking Mr. Speaker Sir that no one should have their life cut off before they get to the age that is religiously allowable which is 70 years.

Mr. Speaker Sir, I also ask in the same vein that we recognise what the Bible teaches us; in Jeremiah 33:3, God says ‘Call unto me and I will show you great and mighty things which you know not’ because ‘I have got plans for you which are plans of good and not of evil.’  Plans to see you have an expected end because he says the gold and silver is mine.

People are trying to look for the gold and silver in the wrong places. You do not look for gold and silver through the blood of another man, through the head decapitation and severing of vital organs of children.

It is my thinking therefore, Mr. Speaker Sir that if we adhere to the values of the teachings Christianity, we can get where we want to be using the dictates of the Holy Bible, already Mr. Speaker Sir, it does not speak of killing another man, especially in the New Testament.  There is no eye for an eye.  It is my thinking therefore Mr. Speaker as I wind up that anything that is set forth on this earth that does not include

Christianity is vanity and comes in vain.  Psalms 127 verses 1 and 2 says the builders build but in vain if they build without God, the watchman watches but in vain he watches without the Lord.  I therefore ask that this nation embraces Christianity in terms of their wellbeing so that they do not kill another man, without failing to adhere to the values of Christianity which speak against the ills.  Let us embrace the Bible because it is the only thing that ends the only narrative that I see can get us together, galvanise us and make us united against these ills.  Mr.

Speaker Sir, thank you for giving me this opportunity to vociferously, effectively and eloquently debate on this motion.  I want to say the people of Chegutu West Constituency speak against these ills through me in Jesus name.  Amen.

+HON. MABOYI:  Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir.  I want to debate a little about Tapiwa, a little child. I would like to say he was killed for the name that was given to him.  Tapiwa died for the name that was given to him, his uncle’s name.  I believe that Tapiwa’s uncle was a devil.  It is scarring that someone can kill someone in that manner.  It is my belief that if I was given the right to decide this case, I would suggest that he be hanged.  People are not animals which can be killed like that.  As a woman, I feel pain on the manner that he died. It was not a proper manner that he died.  His body parts were cut off.

It is very scary - I cannot describe it but it all emanates from traditional healers.   These traditional healers and Tsikamutandas are the ones who cause people to commit such heinous acts.  I would like to talk a bit about Tsikamutanda because they are a problem in my constituency.  They come from Maranda in Mberengwa.  They have caused divisions amongst the people.  They are mostly involved in witchcraft and they bring various objects and allege that they would have removed them.  They come with cats and beasts and people in the rural areas believe that - I once approached the police when I heard they were in my area.  The police went there and but did not do anything.

Some prophets with red and green cloth also cause children to be killed.  I like working in the garden and if you kill me and remove my hand it will not work for you.  Tapiwa’s uncle and his agents should not be given a custodial sentence because they are mental patients.  It is my request to the President that these culprits be hanged.  If they are not given deterrent sentences they will influence others.  They should be given deterrent sentence so that others of a like mind are deterred. I thank you.

*HON. MUCHENJE:  Thank you Madam Speaker for the

opportunity to add my voice on the debate.  I come from that area and I know Tafadzwa the murderer.  This was shocking and an abomination in the area.  It is unbelievable, especially to those staying in the area where it has happened.  The murder of Tapiwa was painful because there is no parent who can expect that a relative can kill another person in the family.  Every time I look at Tapiwa’s mother I feel pained.  We all have children in our families and if you think the child I was with in the morning, his head has been decapitated and cannot be found.  The legs and his hands are on their own.  That situation traumatises.  After the issue became public and the one perpetrator of that murder case had been identified, then eventually the head could not be found.  It was really touching and painful.  The most challenging issue is that as residents of that area and people who know how the story transpired and knowing that the perpetrator spoke and confessed that he killed four other people, you then end up wondering why the head has not been found yet and why it is delaying.  I wonder how groceries and donations help the family.  The family does not just want groceries but they want closure to the matter. They want the head to be found so that it can be buried together with the body.  I am pleading that as legislators and

Government, we assist this family so that the child’s head is recovered because Tapiwa’s mother is suffering.  This is really painful.  That is my first point.

Secondly, we need to identify people who should be reported to the police in our communities.  The man who killed Tapiwa was an evil man because his wife left their matrimonial home due to physical abuse.  His wife gave birth to a disabled child after suffering physical abuse.  On being left by his wife, Tafadzwa used to move around with his son even going to beer halls with him for five years.  The community was supposed to identify that this man’s behaviour was not good and the man was evil.  So when we see people perpetuating and perpetrating violence on their families, we need to identify and report them because this has been happening for a long time.

I have also noticed that when issues are being investigated, this man was an irresponsible man.  If a man could take beer and feed it to a small child, it shows he was not a good man.  We are just quiet concerning Tapiwa’s issue.  There is no need for a lawyer because this man deserves a death penalty. If he is put behind bars and gets out of jail, where is he going to go?  In this case there is no need for a lawyer.  We do not need a lawyer but in various communities there is religious and other laws – this is unacceptable. Chief Mangwende knows that in this area no one is allowed to kill another person.  The Headmen also knows that.

As Parliament, we need to be in solidarity with this family and then bury this child because we are representatives of the people.  I believe this is one of the first cases of ritual killings of a child in Zimbabwe. I live in a community of people. If we have children in our rural communities; they should not go to the gardens on their own; they should not go to herd cattle to look after livestock and they are not supposed to walk for long distances because this exposes them.  We have been doing this for a long time but we are now failing.  We need to educate our communities that young children should not do anything on their own.

Just the other day, there was a similar case next to Murewa Centre, where some children were taken by strangers. Parents need to look after their children.  As legislators, we have the oversight role as well as the representative role.  We need to request for a bus from Parliament Administration so that we go and visit this family and then we can empathise fully with them.  After visiting them, we will then be able to speak in confidence having seen what they are going through. If this trend continues it jeopardises the work of future legislators.

As a Member of Parliament, I am requesting that Government should intervene so that the family finds closure and that the head is found.  As a parent, this is really painful.  You cannot just bury a body without its head.

*HON. ZEMURA:  Thank you Hon. Speaker for giving me the opportunity to debate on this issue regarding the death of Tapiwa Makore who was seven years old.

This is a painful issue.  As the people of Murewa, we were really affected by this issue.  We are neighbours with the Shamba family, even the perpetrator of this ritual killing is someone that I am familiar with.

We visited the family when we were invited as MPs together with Hon.

Minister Matiza. We failed to control ourselves when we saw Tapiwa’s mother.  We were shown where the family dug Tapiwa’s grave. The child was not buried because the Chief refused to bury that child without finding the head.  He also informed the police that Tapiwa could not be buried without his head and hands.  His legs were found two weeks after death in a state of decomposition.  This issue really pained the whole of Murehwa community, i.e. our leadership, Government departments and the community itself. Everyone who spoke at the funeral cried.  Imagine a young child being murdered and mutilated like a chicken.

The perpetrator said that when he was mutilating the child, the child responded. He spoke about the gruesome murder.  When speaking about the gruesome murder, how does the child’s mother feel?  There is need for personal counselling and socio-psycho support for the victim’s parents because the father tried to speak at the funeral but it was really difficult for him.  Those who tried to speak on behalf of the family could not do so either.

Looking at this issue that happened in Murehwa, Government should intervene and demonstrate that this is unacceptable.  Currently, it has been a month and a week since the child was murdered and the body is still in the same state.  There is no head and no one knows whether the body, arms and other parts are together. What I appreciated is that a lot of people visited the family.  Others are still coming using different modes of transportation, i.e. buses, cars, et cetera and bringing tonnes of mealie meal and different food stuffs because mourners still need to eat.

This has never happened in Zimbabwe and it is very painful.

Contributions are also coming through. A delegation from Doves Funeral parlour came and spoke in an emotional manner.  They advised that Doves Funeral parlour was going to cover all the funeral expenses,

i.e. burial and other requirements as and when Tapiwa’s remains are set to be buried.  Chief Mangwende communicated that there was need for the head to be found so that the body is interred in its complete state.  He stated that if all the body parts are not found then the child would not be buried in the community.

So Government needs to look into this issue so that the perpetrators of this ritual killing are prosecuted.  We also need to visit Murehwa prison where the perpetrator is imprisoned.   Currently, the other prisoners who committed small crimes like stealing and other crimes, I do not believe that they are free but because it is a jail, they still have to share the cell with this man.  This is quite a touching issue and right now schools will be opening very soon.  You will find that children are going to be running away because they are afraid of ritual killings.  However, since this is now public information, the last speaker stated that Parliament should visit the family and also educate the nation against ritual killings.

This is not just about Makore who murdered his nephew but people end up saying Murehwa men or people are bad and some will be saying that men are evil.  Imagine someone mutilating a child when some even fear slaughtering chickens.  When Tapiwa’s burial date is set then we would need to invite each other especially those from

Mashonaland East and Murehwa to come together and bury our child.

This is the first case in Zimbabwe where a child’s hands and other body parts are not found.  This is touching and affecting a lot of people.

I thank you Hon. Speaker Ma’am for giving me the opportunity to speak about these bad acts.  I worked with the elder brother of the perpetrator at the municipal offices. He was a good man but now his young brother has committed this despicable act.  I thank you Hon.

Speaker Ma’am.

*HON. MATANGIRA:  Thank you Madam Speaker Ma’am.  I

will not say much but Tapiwa’s issue is a very emotional one. In this august House where laws are promulgated, we assemble here to formulate laws and all children of our nation are being represented by Tapiwa.

Right now we need to make sure that the businessman, traditional healer and the uncle who performed the ritual killing is also prosecuted.  My proposal is that they must be handed the death sentence.  We read this in the Bible when Cain murdered his brother Abel.  These people must be brought to book and face the death penalty.  We know that everyone has his/her time of passing on but this has put a dent on local business people across all political divide.  All those in business ventures are eventually portrayed as people who have dirty money since owning a business now seems like a curse …

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

Matangira, may you use one language please?

*HON. MATANGIRA:  This motion Hon. Speaker, is very touching because when God has blessed you with a child then you will be confident that God has indeed blessed you.  This is painful to all Hon. Members. What surprises me is that the perpetrator of this ritual killing is known, the business person is known and the traditional healer are all known yet the head of the child has not been found. So, where are the investigators? The investigators should dig deeper into this issue so that the head is found. There is no problem; the man who mutilated the child should be accountable so there is need for prosecuting the perpetrators. They can be told that since they mutilated a child then their heads are also going to be cut-off. If then there are three or five heads these heads will represent Tapiwa’s head. I thank you.

*HON. MANGORA: I would like to add my voice to this debate

as a resident and child of Murewa sharing border lines with the family. We are related because we come from the same community. I am saying this representing Tapiwa. I know a lot of people spoke about Tapiwa’s mother and as a woman, I sometimes think about Tapiwa’s issue because this affects me. Even when your child is beaten up and collapse, even if the child is alive you will feel a lot of pain.

However, mai Tapiwa who has a child who was mutilated and the way Tapiwa died considering the weight of the perpetrator who killed the child and sat on the child for ritual purposes, he was a big man who was above 40 years. I am going to use the words that he used that the child was resisting and pressed the child down until the child became still. The police after investigations indicated that the child was forcefully subdued. I am trying to demonstrate the ritual killing, the evil and despicable act that was done by this ritual killer.

Why should justice not prevail instantly because imagine if I was Tapiwa who was forced to drink beer despite his tender age and then he was given sadza and fish by force and beer so that he could sleep. Even when he awoke, he was carried at night. I believe that Tapiwa died a painful death. When justice eventually prevails, such issues should be taken into account because there are some people who manipulate others. This uncle manipulated his worker taking advantage that he was a paid worker. So, the biggest perpetrator is the uncle who was responsible for this act and he took advantage of the situation that this young men was a poor who was herding livestock for Tapiwa’s uncle.

When justice prevails, then Makore senior should be prosecuted and the driver of the Honda Fit which was used should also be prosecuted. The driver of that car is known and it is known that he participated in the ritual killing and should be brought to book. The traditional healer who is known and who spent three days at his homestead from Monday to Thursday after the incident and question is what is stopping the police from discovering the head or doing their investigations and finding where the head is?

As a parent, it pains and the courts should look into the issue. I do not know much about court systems so I believe that this ritual killing is more serious than armed robberies, rape causes and other petty crimes. The young man who killed Tapiwa confessed and explained how he killed this child. I am requesting that the law should take its course so that this child rests in peace and amai Makore will be comforted. I will not say much because we are really pained as a community.

I am saying that as a nation let us demonstrate to other countries that in Zimbabwe we will not have a similar case of killings. People should not believe that ritual killings will enrich them or improve their businesses but we need to work hard because the blood of innocent victim cannot enhance anyone’s business. We grew up knowing that there are people like traditional healers who do such bad practices. I am requesting that those who practice such bad cultural practices should be prosecuted. We know when schools open some children will know about the case. Even those who continue posting things on social media should desist from such practices because this is really affecting Tapiwa’s parents and their family. I thank you.

*HON. RWODZI: I rise as a woman and parent to support the motion that was moved by Hon. Togarepi and my fellow Hon. Legislators. We are really touched as women. What affects us most is what has been explained that the perpetrators of this ritual killing are known. Let us start with the businessman who sent the uncle. The employee confesses that he has done a number of ritual killings. As legislators, people laugh at us and some even insult us. There are no other issues that are been discussed but this issue. Some people are now trying to look after their children and ask us what we are doing as legislators regarding this issue or what is our police doing. We have noted that they arrest robbers and other criminals but what is happening with this case? Is it because of magical powers or what?

The death of Tapiwa is quite clear.  Everyone knows that the child was mutilated and justice should prevail forthwith like what Hon.

Matangira said that this case should be finalised.  We are people who fear God and at times we do not believe that such things can happen.  These people should be forced to say the truth and if it fails, then send us as Hon. Members of Parliament to engage them and see whether we are going to fail or not.  As an Hon. Member of Parliament, I am ashamed to go and see Tapiwa’s mother.  How am I going to express my condolences?  What if she asks where her child’s head is?  Government should help us and intervene in this issue so that there is closure and the perpetrators are prosecuted as soon as possible.

As a parent, when you hear that your child has been beaten up, at times you restrain yourself but at times you feel like revenging, investigating and finding out what happened.  However, in this case, after this mutilation, this case is just low. This has happened to a child but the police is just watching and not saying anything.  They just folded their hands as they listened to this young man explaining how he committed the ritual killing.  When someone decides to enhance their business, they are told by traditional healers to kill people.  Most traditional healers are registered with ZINATA.  This is a crime which should be investigated and every traditional healer should be registered with ZINATA so that they practice following the ethical standards that are set.  Even when this case goes to court, it must be clear and there must be evidence of what happened.  If the traditional healer is not registered with ZINATA, he must be arrested.  So, let us continue lobbying for all traditional healers to be registered. If these are cultural practices that we believe in, traditional healers should operate within the confines of the law.  I thank you Madam Speaker.

*HON. MUTOMBA:  Allow me Madam Speaker to read from the

Bible, Genesis 6:5-7.  “Now that the Lord had seen that the sinning was too much and their thoughts were evil all the time, the Lord was not happy with the manner in which people behaved on this earth.  The Lord said I will destroy people from this earth.”

Madam Speaker, this motion that was brought before us by the Chief Whip Hon. Togarepi, that of Tapiwa, is a very painful one.  If you listened to what I just read, we should look closely at what the Lord said about the evil things that people were doing.  We look at what works that the people were involved in that made the Lord to regret creating people.  He was so angry to the extent that he decided to exterminate people from this earth.  Even those in Sodom and Gomorrah, they were killing each other, men were marrying men and women were marrying women.  The killing which took place then is the same manner Tapiwa Makore died.

My Hon. Members, it is very painful to be given a flower in your life by the Lord but because of greed and lack of knowledge, people desire to have more money, they need blood of a human being, a heart or head of a person and that results in murder.  Jehovah said my people die because of lack of knowledge.  It is true there is no business without a customer.  A customer is a human being.  Can you imagine the dying minutes of Tapiwa Makore, being given opaque beer/traditional beer to make his death as easy as eating porridge.  Like I said, for a business to be successful, it needs a customer but instead we are seeing a father and a businessman killing a young person, a customer that is supposed to be buying from him.  Instead we are seeing a father closing the channel in which they were supposed to get money from a customer by killing him for his head and heart to make his business flourish.  We have lost it as Zimbabweans.  We are crying saying things are tough but are we looking at whether our actions please the Lord or not.  We are supposed to unite and look at the situation that befell the family of Tapiwa.  How many children have we been reading in the newspapers that are missing and nothing has been done about it?  Children are being innocently killed, men also are being killed and nothing is being done.

We greatly support what Hon. Togarepi has raised in this House to say those who committed these murderers including the traditional healer and all the relatives involved should be burned to death.  I am kindly asking this Hon. House to come up with a resolution on this matter and the resolution has to be on record.  I know there are deliberations that are being done to come up with such laws but in this scenario something must be urgently done.

We are supposed to come up with one voice saying no to these murders.  Whilst we are taking time to come with a resolution, somewhere in Buhera or Mutare, a child is being killed.  Precedence must quickly be set so that other murderers will learn the repercussions of such actions in society.

The lawyers are not forthcoming in standing for this matter in the courts; yes there is no reasonable lawyer who can stand in defence of such demonic actions.  These perpetrators should just be sentenced to death, we should set precedence and respect the Lord.  Therefore, as parliamentarians we should come and stand together and come up with a resolution to fast track this case.  These people should be hanged to emphasize what the Hon. Chief Whip, Hon. Togarepi has said.  I thank you.

HON. NYAMUDEZA: Tapiwa’s predicament is a very sad one to

everyone who is sane.  The cases of murders that are being recorded in this country sums up to say the law is not effective in this country.  The country has no clarity to the law; the law that criminalises those who commit murders is sometimes surpassed by corruption through bribes to escape justice.

What all Hon. Members are saying is that there are a lot of murders being committed around the country.  Three days after Tapiwa was killed, in Chipinge a dead man was discovered, it was also suspected that it was a businessman doing his rituals and the police know about this issue.

A child is a greatest gift for human beings, when you start aging; you need these children to assist you.  This Tapiwa’s case, if it is possible, the Government should fast track and come up with a law to that effect.  However, I am requesting through you Hon. Speaker that the Minister of Justice makes a Ministerial Statement with regards to such murderers going on in this country.

As a country, we are very grateful that the Lord has opened our eyes through this Tapiwa’s story that there are a lot more of these cases that are happening in our country.  In Gwanda, there are a lot of artisanal miners; people are no longer living in peace because of these miners.  A lot of people have also been murdered amongst these artisanal miners but nothing was done to prosecute the perpetrators of the law.

This habit of these so called businessmen who want to advance their business through killing other innocent souls should be brought to an end. As has been mentioned by other Hon. Members, the body parts are known where they were hidden but we are wasting time by not coming up with a resolution to this matter.

In Malawi, they have come up with legislation to say if you are caught threatening or touching anyone with albinism, you will be sentenced.  Such laws like these in Malawi should also be implemented in our country.  A human being must not be slaughtered like a chicken or a cow.  I am in support of what all Hon. Members said, even the Hon.

Member who brought this motion, it is a motion that assists us as Members of Parliament to fix things in our country.

A committee should be set up to go to Murewa, in solidarity and as a compassionate gesture to the family of Tapiwa.  Let us make resolutions to this matter urgently.  It is not only painful to women but to us as men because how else will I bring back the child?  We would have understood it better if the child had fallen ill and died.  I thank you.

*HON. GOZHO: Thank you Hon. Speaker.  I would like to thank the Chief Whip for the motion he has moved in this House.  I have been paying particular attention to the case of Tapiwa on Tilda Moyo’s show on radio to get all the updates.  The issue of his missing head is a very painful one.  As a female Member of Parliament, I was thinking that all female Hon. Members should go to the police station demanding the head of Tapiwa.  The Chief in Murewa declared that the child cannot be buried without his head. This issue of Tapiwa Makore is very painful.  These murderers who are killing children and old people - even in Nembudziya, we had an issue of a businessman who was involved in the murder of a human being but the issue never went anywhere.  We are thinking these people are from Murehwa because his body parts were missing.

What I am asking is that if these murderers are given the death sentence - let them be killed so that everyone sees, so that other people in Zimbabwe will learn that killing someone is a very big crime.  Let it be a lesson to others that it is a crime to kill someone.  To cut short someone’s life is very difficult and painful.  To this judgment also I say if possible before the head is availed let them feel the same pain Tapiwa felt.  It was very difficult when I carried my child for nine months and imagine someone taking that child just to kill for business sake.  It is very painful.  Every day when I listen to Tilda Moyo’s Show I feel great pain because of this.  I thank you.

+HON. E. MASUKU:  Thank you Madam Speaker.  Tapiwa’s

issue is indeed a painful one.   Tapiwa’s issue has disturbed everyone in Zimbabwe showing that those people who killed Tapiwa for ritual purposes should be punished.  If possible they should be killed.  They should just be killed so that the pain that we as Zimbabweans are feeling is also felt by the people that committed this crime.  There should be a follow up as to where Tapiwa’s the missing parts are.  It is not possible that no one is aware of where the head is.  We therefore ask for further investigations because we are so much touched by this ritual killing.

As I speak, there is a 10 year old child that has been missing in Ntabazinduna for the past three days.  This shows that if nothing is done about such ritual killings we are going to face a continuation of such in our society.  Punishment should not only be done to those people that killed Tapiwa, but to everyone else who uses such things as knives to kill other people. It is our plea that such people be punished.  If possible we bring back the issue of making sure that people get the death penalty whenever they commit such cases.

My message to Tapiwa’s family is that we continue to stand by them and we continue to cry with them during this difficult time.  We are also saying as Government, we need to make sure that those people who will think of committing such ritual crimes do not ever try to do this.  Thank you Madam Speaker for these few words. 

*HON. CHIHURURU:  Thank you Madam Speaker.  As a woman the manner in which the child died in Murehwa is very painful.  I just want to say a few words so that we alert each other of what is happening in the country.  The manner in which the child died is very painful and the people who killed this child are known.  As I stand here, I request that the Government give a harsh sentence because after this child died in Chipinge a girl was killed and her breasts were taken off and she was dressed in a uniform so they could not see who it was.  In Chimanimani in Rusitu it was my relative who died.  A man arrived asking for directions to a certain homestead.  She did not realise that there were two other men hiding.  When the mother went out to show them the way she left her door open and the two men entered the house without her seeing them.  When she came back and closed the doors they killed the woman.  When the child heard some noises she enquired what was happening and the men responded saying they were putting something in order in the house.

These men are not known where they went.  It is very painful.  How do we live in a country when these cases go nowhere?  We kingly ask for a harsh sentence for all those who commit such crimes.  Cattle rustlers we hear get harsh sentences, so many years in jail, but for murderers they do not go anywhere.

We ask the National Assembly to come to an understanding to say all those who kill; such crimes should get a harsh sentence.  I have been to Mozambique in Beira.  When I was sitting I heard people screaming. The law in this land Mozambique is that if someone steals something they burn him using a tyre.  What confuses us is that the murderers are known, everyone involved is known but nothing is being done.  This is a shame to us.  We ask the Government to come together so that these people get a harsh sentence.

+HON. S. NDLOVU:  Thank you Madam Speaker.  I would like to thank the Hon. Member that brought this motion that is so touching like this.  As women, each time a person is killed, whether it is an elderly somebody or a child it pains us so much because we are the ones who carry these people as babies and the Bible says ‘thou shall not kill’ but what we are realising now is that killing has become rampant and it has taken us to a point where children are being killed, which is why we are seeing such children as Tapiwa Makore being killed.

Children are now afraid to be sent anywhere within the vicinity of where they are staying. The killing of people has become rampant.  Recently, there are people who were killed in Plumtree; a grandmother and grandfather.  Right now, in Bulawayo a child who was learning at

Milton High has gone missing and the search is continuing up to now.   We continue to read on social media that people continue to be killed because there is no law.  It appears there is no harsh sentence which deters people to kill others.  Artisanal miners continue to kill each other using machetes.  Our plea is that there be harsh sentences so that people stop conducting such killings.

The previous speakers highlighted that these people need to be killed. If necessary, we should make sure that they are killed through death sentence because this is not only troubling the Makore family but the whole Zimbabwean society.  Right now, no one is celebrating because of what has happened.  Schools are going to be opening Madam

Speaker Ma’am, but how are our kids going back to school when we are talking about a missing head.

Our culture, and not only our culture but each time we go and bury somebody, culturally we say the head is supposed to face a certain direction but in Tapiwa’s case the head is missing and the burial exercise is still to be done because there is a missing head.  The culprits made sure that they mutilated the body but the head is still missing.  We just need police officers to make sure that they do their part in making sure that the culprits bring back the head of this child.  The law should be applied because what happened to Tapiwa should not happen in the near future.  If we fail to make sure that we bring a stop to this, we will face problems as a country.

I concur with previous speakers that the appropriate sentence to these culprits should be death sentence.  We should agree as Members of the august House that the sentence be harsh so that whoever will think of killing someone for ritual purposes will think twice, be it a businessman or whoever.  If there is no hangman, we will look for that person as Government and make sure that he does his work.  We know that there is someone holding on to Tapiwa’s head right now.  Madam Speaker, we will not continue to let such ritual killings happen in our country.  I continue to air my voice on this issue and say that these people should be killed.  Thank you very much.

*HON. CHIKUNI: Thank you Hon. Speaker for giving me an

opportunity to contribute, for us to mourn together with the Makore family.  It has now reached an unprecedented level here in Zimbabwe because the cases are just becoming too many.  A lot of people are being killed through murder.

THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Can you unmute your gadget

Hon. Member.

*HON. CHIKUNI:  Thank you. I have nothing much to say, Hon. Members have said a lot.  Where did this come from, to say a business will flourish through spilling the blood of a human being?  People should work hard, that is what brings riches or wealth.  Wealth comes through hard-working.  We are saying as Members of Parliament, let us come together and condemn this so that it comes to an end in our country.

There are things we wonder to say when they will come to an end.

Because of Tapiwa’s death, things of this nature should come to an end.  A lot of people have died through killings by artisanal miners in order to get a very small piece of diamond.  So I agree with other Hon. Members who spoke before me to say a person is not supposed to die like that.  In this House we once agreed that evil should not be paid with evil.  However, as we continue to witness people who commit murder crimes, it does not benefit us to live with murderers in our community.  If it has come out and it is clear that this is the murderer, those from the Makore family are saying bring that head to us. What is also painful is that we continue to wonder where this head is. The murderers are there and that is what is stopping them from burying their child. If it is because of the traditional healer who is using muti to stop people from getting information, let the traditional healer disappear first and the others follow. Thank you Hon. Speaker.

*HON. JANUARY: Thank you Hon. Speaker. I just stood up so

that we mourn together with the Makore family. If I look at the issue of Tapiwa Makore, I feel great pain because as I stand here I am also a victim of such acts. I feel the pain because I also experienced the same. It is not easy for a mother; it leaves a permanent wound throughout her entire life time. Everything that they will do, she will question herself about the whereabouts of Tapiwa. I am really pained and I wonder  what the murderer and the traditional healer are thinking about the relatives as it relates to the missing head. It means we are failing somewhere somehow.

If it was a businessman who wanted to do this, it means it was not only the ritual killing of Tapiwa but it means it has been happening to a lot of people. We would rather close businesses because they cannot continue to get profit after spilling children’s blood, some of whom we are not aware of at this point. Tapiwa’s mother is in great pain, she has got a very big wound. It is easy to comfort people but if it faces you, you then think it is the end of the world.

This is very painful to an individual. It is easier if the child falls ill because you take the child to a doctor where the doctor prescribes medication. It easier that way as compared to the murder of a child; when you expect your child to come back in the evening and you are only told that the child is not there. Tapiwa’s death is very painful. He died like an animal since he was slaughtered. What happened to Tapiwa Makore is very painful and I say may his soul rest in peace.

*HON. E. MOYO: Thank you Hon. Speaker.  I will not say much

because this issue has been debated at length. Our story is centred on judgment that is supposed to be given to the perpetrators of this crime. All we are saying is that these people are supposed to die but it does not mean that Tapiwa will be the last. We are all in pain and we should act with urgency to put a stop to all this. Let us come up with a law to stop this madness and put an end to this. Let us act with urgency and enact a law that is deterrent enough. If there is evidence that these people are the perpetrators, let them face the firing squad in full view of everyone and let us do it now. We know it is painful and it is not God’s plan to have someone slaughtered. Let us enact a law to put an end to this act in our country.  Thank you.

*HON. MAGO: Thank you very much Hon. Speaker. I am not

from Murehwa myself but this is very painful to every woman. I heard another Hon. Member suggesting that we go there to comfort the family. This is a very painful story on how Tapiwa was murdered. Women should be extra careful on protecting our children so that stories of this nature do not happen again.

It is our wish that police show their presence in the rural areas. I meet a lot of road blocks on our way home but in the rural communities, you do not see the presence of the police force. When we grew up we used to meet with the police and we ran away but now there are no such things. These perpetrators should get a harsh sentence so that would-be criminals will learn a lesson from the harsh judgment. Thank you Hon.

Speaker for giving me an opportunity to contribute.

*HON. JAJA: Thank you very much Hon. Speaker. I just want to say a few words on Tapiwa Makore’s story as this is a very painful story. I take him as my own child to say I am here at work, when I get back home, there is nothing.  Government should help on this Tapiwa Makore’s issue.  Time is moving for us to get his head.  We kindly ask the Police if they are failing to interrogate these people who got his head to get information on the whereabouts of his head.  My request is that we get Tapiwa’s head.  I am very thankful to the Chief who said no one will be buried without his head.  As a woman, if I was Tapiwa Makore’s mother, I would feel great pain.  Honestly a chicken is better; the manner in which this young boy was killed is very painful.  Even those who killed him, where are they getting the strength to give such a description of their act. The traditional healer and those who killed him let them die just as Tapiwa died.  They really killed him in a gruesome manner.  I agree with this House for a harsh sentence.  We do not want these people to live, the manner in which Tapiwa Makore died is not good.  Let them give us his head, just for us to see his head.  Where did they put his head?  The Government should be very active in this case so that we get

Tapiwa Makore’s head.  Thank you.

HON. TOGAREPI:  Thank you Mr. Speaker, I want to thank

Hon. Members for the very emotional debates, very touching.  You can tell that this unfortunate incident affected the whole nation.  I would like to say Parliament is going to take all necessary steps to ensure that  the House will be taken seriously and the relevant authority will act accordingly.

I now move for the adoption of the motion that this House-

DISTURBED by the proliferation of chilling incidents of murders that have been perpetrated against members of society for ritual purposes in various parts of the country;

CONCERNED that victims of such heinous crimes are the vulnerable and unsuspecting members of our communities mostly women and children who are targeted by insensitive and brutal killers who unwittingly believe that they can eke a living and get rich overnight through the harvesting of human organs;

DEPLORING AND CONDEMNING in the strongest of terms

such heart wrenching and retrogressive practices which instil a deep sense of fear, revulsion and insecurity among our people who can longer safely conduct their routine family errands and chores without suspicions of what might befall them or their loved ones at any given time.

NOW, THEREFORE, calls upon

1. the law enforcement agents to mobilise all necessary resources to expeditiously bring to book the unscrupulous culprits who are wantonly wreaking havoc among communities in the country;
2. the Legislature to enact deterrent and punitive legislative measures to effectively and completely eradicate incidents of ritual murders in different parts of the country by the end of 2020.

Motion put and agreed to.

THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER:  May I give this opportunity to

the Hon. Deputy Minister of Finance to present a Ministerial Statement.

MINISTERIAL STATEMENT

BUDGET STRATEGY PAPER

THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF FINANCE AND ECONOMIC

DEVELOPMENT (HON. CHIDUWA):  Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir, I

rise to seek condonation in the delays in presenting the Budget Strategy Paper that was supposed to guide the 2021 National Budget Consultation

Process.

The Hon. Minister Prof. Ncube was supposed to come to this

House to seek condonation and table the Budget Strategy Paper.  Unfortunately the Hon. Minister at the moment is still attending Cabinet and I had to stand in for him to allow the process to move forward.  I am aware that the Budget Consultation Process has to be done in line with Statutory Instrument 135 of 2019.  The Public Finance Management

(general) regulations of 2019, Section 11.1 (c), it says the Ministry of

Finance provides the Budget Strategy Paper to Cabinet no later than the 30^th of June and provide the Budget Strategy Paper to Parliament for information and comment no later than 31^st of July.

I would want to inform the august House that the presentation of the Budget Strategy Paper came at a time when we are moving from the Transitional Stabilisation Programme which started 4 October, 2018 and is coming to an end now.  We are moving from Transitional Stabilisation Programme to the National Development Strategy 1.  The National

Development Strategy 1 which is starting January 2021 is supposed to inform the 2021 National Budget.  Because of the Covid containment measures, we delayed the consultation processes.  It is because of the consultation processes that we were not in a position to come up with the draft NDS1 in time.

So the 2021 National Budget is to be aligned in line with the NDS1.  So, I would like to apologise to you Mr. Speaker Sir and to this august House for the delay in the presentation of the Budget Strategy Paper in line with the provisions of Statutory Instrument 135 of 2019.  I would also want to assure this august House that going forward, this is not going to happen again and we are going to present the Budget Strategy Paper as per the provisions of Statutory Instrument 135 of

So, with your permission, I do hereby present the Budget Strategy Paper to guide the 2021 National Budget Consultation process. Thank you.

HON. NDUNA: Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir. I just want to applaud the Minister for coming into the House according to your dictates, our Constitution and our Acts of Parliament that we originate as the legislature Mr. Speaker Sir.  Having said that, if he had presented the National Strategic Paper and document in time, it would have given us an opportunity to seek clarity on exactly what it is that is NDS1 or ND1 exactly hears what it covers what it is that we are supposed to have achieved in which year. Having said that, it is my humble submission that he has to come in to seek condonation. It is my hope that condonation gets to be given so that we can chart the way forward. We can use that document as a pathfinder in the Second Republic because I believe, in all fairness, that it also speaks to and about Agenda 2030. Even if I have not had sight of it, it is my thinking that if we go ahead with tomorrow’s presentation and subsequent presentations thereafter, because of today’s submission and condonation that is sought, it is only prudent that we continue on that path for our national economic development – not only our 2021 National Budget as enshrined and as underpinned by the National Development Strategy. It is my hope and view that in the future, we get to have these submissions on time so that it gives us an opportunity to effectively, efficiently and vociferously give our input as we would have been sent by the electorate in our representative role and also adjudicate our oversight role without any impediments. I thank you.

HON. MHONA: Let me also thank the Hon Minister for coming

before the august House to seek condonation. Maybe just to reiterate the essence and the importance of this Budget Strategy Paper that is enshrined in our Constitution under Section 141, as a Committee of Parliament, we are mandated to go to the public and solicit views and the only radar that we have under our purview is the Budget Strategy Paper which will then give us the priority areas to focus on. If you have noticed, with your indulgence and wise counsel from your office, you had mandated us to get hold of the Ministry and in particular the Minister to raise that anomaly to say why the BSP was not tabled as enshrined in the supreme law but to no avail. The BSP only managed to be tabled last Friday which was way behind in terms of the schedule that we had to consult the masses of Zimbabwe.

However, with your indulgence, the Hon Minister has managed to come before Parliament, we are still seized with the processes of budget formulation whereby tomorrow we are going for the Pre-Budget briefing where we are going to interrogate the BSP again. I want to thank the Hon Minister, we have delayed in terms of the submission of the BSP but still now we are going to interrogate the BSP again and also next week when we do the Pre-Budget Seminar, we will also be in a position to interrogate the same document. Let it be a wakeup call to the Ministry to say next year as we gravitate towards another 2022 Budget, then the Minister will stick to the dictates of the Constitution. I want to thank you very much Mr. Speaker Sir for indulging us. I thank you.

HON TOGAREPI: Like the Chairman of the Budget Committee

has said, it is critical that our Ministers are sensitive to areas that they are expected to perform before this House. We do not have to follow them up. Sometimes some of them do not answer calls. It is very critical that they liaise with their Chairpersons. Everyone understands that they work under a lot of pressure and there is a lot of work to do. If there are challenges, the Chairperson must know in time that you have got these hiccups and this is how you are going to do to remedy the situation.

If you just keep quiet and when we come here, we just think it is negligence yet you have other commitments that are pressing you. It is very important that as Ministers, we follow the law and what we have laid out to be done as it is written in the Constitution or the laws that govern the presentation of our Budget. It is very critical and simple. This House is very friendly, you talk to your Chairman and we can deal with these things than to have you being called to come and seek condonation  when you can just liaise with the Committee Chairperson and deal with these things upfront without any of these challenges. I thank you.

THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF FINANCE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT (HON CHIDUWA): I move that the condonation be now adopted.

Motion put and agreed to.

MOTION

BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE

HON. TOGAREPI: I move that all Orders of the Day on today’s Order Paper be stood over until Order Number 27 has been disposed of.

HON. MHONA: I second.

Motion put and agreed to.

MOTION

CONDOLENCES ON THE DEATH OF HON. PATRICK

CHIDAKWA

Twenty Seventh Order read: Adjourned debate on motion on the death of Hon Patrick Chidakwa, the Member of Parliament for Marondera East Constituency.

Question again proposed.

         HON. NDUNA: Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir, I will be very brief.  I want to add my voice to the motion by Hon. Togarepi on the untimely death of the Late Hon. Chidakwa.  It is quite saddening but I just have two issues. Now that we have our new Mt Hampden Parliament coming up, we need also to include a robust resilient, effective and efficient health delivery system for the Member of Parliament during our subsistence as Members of Parliament so that at least we can use what we have to get what we want.  We can use our Parliament as safety nets and also derive from it good health delivery system and health care system.

Mr. Speaker Sir, I stand here today debating this motion on the death of the Late Hon. Chidakwa because of health issues which otherwise would have been cured if we had expeditiously reacted to his condition, in particular around the circumstances and around the place of our placement.  We spend a lot of hours in this House Mr. Speaker Sir and to come out of this House to seek health care someplace else certainly would be hampering or it will be retrogressive in terms of our adjudication in terms of our business uptake. It is my thinking and humble submission that as we build our second Parliament building, if we can also include a good health care institution there. so that we can quickly attend to some of these opportunistic infections and some of these ailments that members are grappling with. Mr. Speaker Sir, I want to thank you and I want to also say to the Late Hon. Chidakwa, may his soul rest in internal peace.

*HON. CHIKUKWA: Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir.  I would like

to add my voice to this very important motion.  We worked together in the same Committee; his work was something you could count on.  We were shocked as a Committee to learn of his untimely death. I would like to say that if a member dies, if it is possible within their political parties to replace that Hon. Member with the wife, husband or child so that the family does not lose their benefits. Everyone will eventually die and no one knows the day.

Where I used to work, I will not mention the name of the company, we were getting meager salaries and pensions, people complained but the directors said that money was enough to cater for people’s needs. One of the directors then reached 60 years and it was time for him to get his pension. He then came to the company and said ‘this money is very little it does not buy anything.’  What people said is that when you had authority, you failed to listen to what people were saying, if you had wanted, you could have done something for the people who were complaining, now it would have been good for you also.

What I have leant is that we are here and we are able to make laws, let us make it a point that when a member dies, someone from his family will come and fill that position to finish their term of Parliament so that the family does not lose the benefits.

*HON. MHONA: Thank you very much Hon. Speaker for giving

me this opportunity, I also want to thank the Chief Whip who came up with this motion that is very important. I am also thankful of the issue that was brought before this House when we lost one of us. I want to remind this House that death is a very painful situation.  I am very thankful for what the Late Hon. Chikukwa said.  I am one of the Chairpersons who was working with the Late Hon. Chidakwa.  I am thankful that as we were working I was not worried when it came to the issue of quorum when we had the Late Hon. Chidakwa.  He was someone who was very punctual, even if you look at the register, he attended most of the meetings, and he showed dedication.  What is so painful is the rate at which we are dying as Hon. Members and we are seeing a difference in the way we are treated because some are known and some are not known that much.

Our wish Hon. Speaker is that even if we do not know each other facially when it comes to death, let us unite and work together so that we do not become a mockery as a National Assembly and that we do not look down upon each other.   We lived together in Mashonaland East but he always mentioned that he was from Gokwe.  He was buried in Gokwe.  What really pained us is that we did not have an opportunity as members - to sit down and discuss how we should assist each other during such situations.  We would be very grateful if our Chief Whip would lead us during times of trouble so that we do not seek assistance from anywhere else.  We should come together as a people and work around such situations that we assist each other with resources. Whatever we have we should assist.  Yes, Parliament pays something but as Members of Parliament, let us find time to bid farewell to our colleagues.

This issue of love, you do not send someone to love someone.  It is always good as Members of Parliament when we meet we should know that we have a responsibility as Members that one day we will not be in this House. Let us show love to each other when we meet, which means we are one family.  We are related as people.  I kindly ask this House that next time when we lose one of our colleagues let us come together.  We should know that there is no one else who will comfort the family besides us who are in this House.  Thank you very much Mr. Speaker.  Thank you very much to all other Members who spoke before me on this issue.  Back to you Mr. Speaker, thank you very much for the opportunity you gave me.

*HON. MASHONGANYIKA:  Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir.  I want to thank the mover of the motion that was moved in remembrance - to pay tribute to one of our Members who passed away.  In my opinion Mr. Speaker, looking at the family that was left behind by Hon. Chidakwa, I think as Parliament, we should have in place measures to assist our Hon. Members once they pass on - to ensure that the family has a legacy and remember that he was a representative of the people.

Mr. Speaker, for one to be a Member of Parliament, if we could consult God, an MP should not get sick.  An MP should remain strong because he is a representative of the people and serves the people who will look up to the MP to change lives for the better.  They assist the vulnerable and less privileged, especially the orphaned and other groups in the constituencies that they serve.

In my opinion, I think Hon. Chidakwa’s constituency has lost an icon.  When I look at Hon. Chidakwa during the time that I communicated with him, I realised that he was full of love and was a good representative.  He is not the only one whom we have lost in

Parliament, but I think we do not pay our respects in a dignified way.

We have buses as Parliament and when we go on tours. we use our bus.  When we lose one of our Members, I think Parliament should consider hiring a bus or taking one of the Parliament buses to provide transport to Hon. Members to go and lay to rest our fellow MPs.  I also want to support the Hon. Member who debated before me that if it was possible,

Parliament should also consider the family that has been left behind.

The MP does not have much but that he represents and assists the constituency.  So when an MP passes away, if that MP’s period of serving in Parliament was five years, the MP should be given his full benefits because we need to consider the fact that this person was committed to represent people in Parliament and should be accorded all the benefits and whatever is available to assist the family.  Parliament should consider this.

I also support the issue that was raised that if it was possible we should have a person from the family of the deceased to finish of office for the late Hon. Member.  In my opinion this is very possible.  We can get someone because once the MP gets a constituency he gets support and assistance from his family.  That can be moral and financial support.  There is no way we cannot get someone to represent the constituency in the way Hon. Chidhakwa represented the constituency.  I think that is the matter that we need to consider as Parliament so that his family can be well looked after and also the nation will also remember us as we leave a legacy.  I thank you Mr. Speaker for giving me a chance to add my few words.  I thank you.

*HON. TOGAREPI:  Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir.  I want to thank Hon. Members who contributed strongly to the debate expressing their pain for the loss of Hon. Chidakwa who was our fellow MP. It is painful that when an MP dies, the family does not get anything.  I hope this will be considered because it is painful.  I want to thank Hon. Members who said a lot of positive words about Hon. Chidakwa who worked well with others.  Most of the words that were said that came through this motion should be considered.  There are quite a number of issues that emerged from this debate and as Parliament we have learnt a lot from this debate as a result of the motion on Hon. Chidakwa.  I want to thank Hon. Members who contributed to the motion.  In that regard, I move for the adoption of the motion that this House:

EXPRESSES its profound sorrow on the sudden and untimely death on Saturday, 12th September, 2020 of the Honourable Patrick

Chidakwa, the Member of Parliament for Marondera East Constituency;

PLACES ON RECORD its appreciation of the services which the late Hon. Member rendered to Parliament and the nation; and  RESOLVES that its deepest sympathy be conveyed to the

Chidakwa family, relatives and the entire Marondera East Constituency.

HON. NDUNA:  I second.

Motion put and agreed to.

MOTION

BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE

HON. TOGAREPI:  Mr. Speaker Sir, I move that we revert to

Order of the Day, No. 26.

HON. NDUNA:  I second.

Motion put and agreed to.

MOTION

ALL-INCLUSIVE DEVELOPMENT POLICIES CATERING FOR

THE NEEDS OF PERSONS LIVING WITH DISABILITIES

Twenty-Sixth Order read:  Adjourned debate on motion on the

Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

Question again proposed.

HON. NDUNA: Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir.  I just want to add a few words to this very good motion that was raised by Hon. Togarepi.

I would like to debate in the following manner;  Aware that we have more than 15% of our people that are differently abled or that are disabled in this country. It is therefore very prudent, just and right that we also have principles, ethos and values in place that adhere to the dictates of the livelihood of the people with disability.

Aware that not only are people born disabled, I have already said 15% of our population, more than 1.5 to 2 million are living with disability.  Amongst them are people that have hearing impairment, no limbs and those who are blind.  This is not of their own making; either they were born in that condition and it is inherited or a condition gotten through life.  In particular people with sugar diabetes, at some point in life, they find that their limbs are amputated to save their lives because of an ailment that would have developed that call for amputation of certain limbs.

Some health elements and ailments require that people get to be disabled in order that they continue to be alive.  Having said that, it is therefore right for us to have safety nets in order that people with disability or those that are differently abled at least live a life that is worth living because disability does not mean inability.  The people that I am talking about are people of repute.  The Reserve Bank Governor moves with a limp, meaning that his other leg is differently abled from the other.  The Chief Executive Officer of Standard Chartered Bank also moves on crutches with one leg.

This speaks volumes of the technocrat ability that is embedded in these people that I am talking about.  Disability does not mean inability but it is the values, ethos and conditions that are set by this august House that can make sure that their livelihood is better.  When I speak of disability, I am also alive to the sustainable development goals (SDGs) of 2030 that are clearly inclusive of persons with disability. In 2030, the SDGs commit in the same spirit to empower those at risk of vulnerability and include the people with disability.  It also promotes a universal respect for human rights, equality and non-discrimination. It is my thinking and hope that as long as we do not have an inclusive approach for people living with disability; we are far off from actually attaining the SDGs that were taken over from the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) because the SDGs are quite pointed, incisive in their nature and they have to be attained and achieved by 2030.

The issue that the mover of the motion calls for in terms of his prayer that speaks to the domestication of treaties and international laws that govern people with disability is quite applaudable.  The prayer also calls for alignment of our laws with the Constitution as it relates to people living with disabilities. Our Constitution of 2013 is different from the one that was adopted by the Kenyan Parliament after their elections in 2015.  The Kenyan Constitution actually puts in benchmarks and timelines in terms of alignment of the Constitution with the Acts of Parliament whereas ours of 2013 is a process and did not give timelines of alignment of certain Acts with the Constitution.

Therefore, it is because of this motion that I also call on expeditious alignment of the Acts that govern people living with disability so that they can also at least live a life that is worth noting Mr. Speaker Sir.  I stand here also Mr. Speaker Sir and call for the inclusion of people with disability in this august House.  I am alive to two Hon. Members in the Senate who represent people living with disability but in this august House, we do not have a Member of Parliament who represents people living with disabilities.

I call upon this House to actually stand for the rights of people living with disability, in calling for at least two members of the community who can be chosen from their groups of people living with disability without looking at any political affiliation for them to come here and stand for the rights of people living with disability.  I have already said that we have a lot of technocrats in the society, of people living with disability.  I say in the year 2023 when we have ten youths coming from each province, I also call for at least two members of the community to also join that grouping and also come and serve in Parliament.  If there is need for an amendment in the Constitution, let it be so that we have people living with disability included in the law making process; in the representation of the electorate and in the oversight role over the Executive.

I also call for the reduction of duty or for zero rating of duty on all equipment that is used by people with disabilities.

When I talk of people with disabilities, I talk of people who have driving licences that they obtained whilst they still had all the limbs but some of them now no longer have limbs.  I am alive to Mr. Wunganai of Chegutu West Constituency.  He was my boss in the Air Force but because of diabetes, he no longer has his limbs and spends the whole day sitting on the couch.  A good and high spirited man but he still has his certificate of competence but can no longer drive the vehicle that he used to drive because he used to drive it with both limbs.

It is my clarion call that the Minister of Finance and Economic Development removes duty on specialised vehicles for such people so that all the controls are on his finger tips but he can buy that vehicle from outside the country at zero duty.  In the same vein, all the crutches and wheelchairs, it is my hope that the Minister of Finance and Economic Development finds finances from other duty bearers as opposed to charging duty on wheelchairs, crutches and other pieces of equipment that aide people living with disabilities.  Also, the creams for people living with albinism; that those creams be zero rated in terms of duty. This is my clarion call.

According to our Standing Rules and Orders, the Hon. Minister of Finance and Economic Development is meant to respond to motions and reports within the next 21 days.  I am hoping that the Minister of Finance and Economic Development can come on this pedestal and platform and proclaim that he has embraced this motion and is going accordingly to find duty and economic benefit from other pieces of equipment other than those for people living with disabilities.

Mr. Speaker Sir, 15% is a big number and 15% is a number that we cannot ignore.  Fifteen per cent is more than two million people and it is my thinking that we should all be inclusive in our quest to achieve sustainable development goals starting with our own National Agenda 2030.  We can only achieve it if we embrace the values, ethos and dictates of people living with disabilities.  I thank you for giving me this opportunity to vociferously and effectively debate on this motion for people living with disabilities.  I hope that all the prayer that has been advanced by the mover of this motion plus what I have added are going to be embraced without fear of favour.  I thank you.

HON.  JAMES SITHOLE: Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir. I am quite excited due to the wide ranging debate that was packed out in this motion, where people really displayed that any one of us if not disabled may be disabled at any time in one’s life.

I would like to say that the quality of debate and enthusiasm within our Hon. Members and encouragement that we are getting from civil society groups shows that we are now sensitive to people with disabilities.  I feel that among the issues debated, the issue of the

Disabled Person’s Act needs to be aligned to the Constitution and also the idea of making sure that we domesticate the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities is an issue that needs only a matter of days from today.  With that Mr. Speaker, I move that this motion be now adopted.  I thank you.

Motion that this House -

NOTING that Zimbabwe ratified the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in 2013;

ALSO NOTING that Section 83 of the Constitution exhorts the State to take appropriate measures to ensure that persons with disabilities realise their full mental and physical potential;

CONCERNED that persons with disabilities continue to be marginalised in socio-economic development initiatives, including disbursement of the Covid 19 lockdown cushioning grants for vulnerable groups and e-learning facilities during the lockdown;

ALSO CONCERNED that the Disabled Persons Act [Chapter 17:01] of 1992 has been overtaken by events and no longer adequately caters for the rights of persons with disabilities;

NOW THEREFORE, calls upon:

1. the Government to craft all-inclusive development policies which cater for the needs of persons with disability, amongst other groups;
2. the Ministry of Public Service Labour and Social Welfare and Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education to urgently provide specific grants and e-learning packages for persons with disabilities respectively by 31st July, 2020; and the Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare to present a Bill to Parliament which aligns the Disabled Persons Act [Chapter 17:01] to the Constitution and domesticates the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities by 31st December 2020.

Motion put and agreed to.

MOTION

POLICY AND SELECTION CRITERIA OF BENEFICIARIES

OF THE BEAM PROGRAMME

Thirty Sixth Order read:  Adjourned debate on motion on the Basic

Education Assistance Module (BEAM) Programme.

Question again proposed.

*HON. E. NCUBE:  Thank you Mr. Speaker, I want to add my voice to the issue pertaining to BEAM.  I know that it was debated in our absence but I want to add a few issues since it is a matter that is under our Committee.

The issue of BEAM is a painful one.  Before we got to BEAM in 80s, Zimbabwe had a programme known as ‘Education For All’ which meant that the country was committed to ensuring that everyone becomes literate regardless of whether one came from a privileged family or not.  So people were encouraged to go to school through programmes such as Adult Literacy.  When Government realised that they wanted all under-privileged children to go to school they then established BEAM. Considering this BEAM programme, it is not all the disadvantaged children who are benefitting from BEAM because of corruption. To be honest, those people who select children to fall under

BEAM end up taking their relatives’ children and making sure they benefit from BEAM living out the intended beneficiaries who are less privileged.

If you go to the rural areas and look at the children who are under BEAM, you will realise that half of them are from the disadvantaged families but half of them are relatives of the teachers or those who are part of the selection process. What we request is that when selection is done for students under BEAM, it should not be done by people who are stationed in that particular area. For example, people from Midlands should come and select BEAM beneficiaries in Masvingo and probably, people from Masvingo should do the same in Mutare so that the intended beneficiaries benefit from BEAM programme.

For the headmaster and School Development Associations to do the selection process is unfair because most of the kids falling under the programme are not supposed to be beneficiaries of BEAM. The BEAM Funds arrears in the past year were cleared towards the end of 2019. It is my wish that the funds be released early so that children are not disadvantaged and told to go back home because fees would not have been paid. Government policy is that no child should be chased away from school for not paying school fees but children are being chased away from school even under BEAM. I think we need to tighten this policy or legislation. As a child is sent home because fees has not been paid, that child lags behind in terms of his or her education and the teacher will never go back to where the child last attend lessons in order for him/her to catch up with other students.

The other issue which I want to talk about is the issue of children probably at Primary School and is orphaned, that child should be under the BEAM programme up to tertiary level. If we say that BEAM should only cover for the primary education, it means at secondary and tertiary level papers have to be processed again. For example, if one wants to be a teacher, it will be a cumbersome process. There should be documentation to ensure that a child who is disadvantaged and comes from a less privileged family should know that his education is catered for up to tertiary level.

In conclusion Mr. Speaker, I also want to go back to the issue of the BEAM Programme. We also realise that Government finally pays the fees but the way the payments are done, you find that children who are under BEAM can be told that your name cannot be found under BEAM when others are there. I think that should be addressed because this is stressful and has psychological effects on the child who faces such challenges. There is a lot of corruption in schools. When the

BEAM funds are being paid, all the children should be served not a few.

It is my hope that such matters be dealt with and addressed to ensure that our children are able to proceed with their education without any challenges. If our children are educated, then we know that we have human capital and the country can develop. That is why you hear people talking of Zimbabweans being learned. People from Zimbabwe are known to be learned and have special professions because of the education that they get here. I thank you.

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

HON. NDUNA: I second.

Motion put and agreed to.

Debate to resume: Wednesday, 21^st October, 2020.

On the motion of HON. TOGAREPI seconded by HON.

NDUNA, the House adjourned at Six Minutes to Six o’clock p.m.