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NATIONAL ASSEMBLY HANSARD 21 October 2015 42-16

PARLIAMENT OF ZIMBABWE

Wednesday, 21^st October, 2015

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

PRAYERS

(THE HON. SPEAKER in the Chair)

ANNOUNCEMENTS BY THE HON. SPEAKER

PRE-BUDGET BRIEFING

THE HON. SPEAKER:  I wish to remind the House that all Members of Parliament are invited to a Pre-Budget Briefing to be held tomorrow, Thursday, 22^nd October, 2015 from 08.00 a.m. to 13.00 p.m. at Pandhari Lodge in Harare.  The bus leaves Parliament building at 7.45a.m.  All members are advised to be extremely punctual.

SWEARING IN OF NEW MEMBERS

THE HON. SPEAKER:  On 6^th October, 2015, Parliament received communication from the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission on the election of the following members of ZANU PF party as Members of the National Assembly with effect from 20^th September, 2015 and these are Hon. Karoro Douglas representing Mbire Constituency, Hon. Katsiru Laurence Lavious representing Marondera Central Constituency and Hon. Makari Zalerah Hazvinei representing Epworth Constituency.

Section 128 (1) of the Constitution of Zimbabwe provides that before a Member of Parliament takes his or her seat in Parliament, the member must take the Oath of a Member of Parliament in the form set out in the 3^rd Schedule.  Section 128(2) states that the oath must be taken before the Clerk of Parliament – [HON. MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections.] -.  Hon. Chamisa, please take your seat.  This is an important occasion – [HON. MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections.] -

Order, order! Hon. Member in the red tie can you please stand up.

Can you please leave the House?

The Hon. Member walked out of the House.

NEW MEMBERS SWORN

HON. KARORO DOUGLAS, HON. KATSIRU LAURENCE LAVIOUS and HON. MAKARI ZALERAH HAZVINEI subscribed

to the Oath of Loyalty as required by the Law and took their seats –

[HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear.] –

 

ORAL ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE

HON. GONESE:  Thank you very much Mr. Speaker.  My question is directed to the Hon. Vice President Emmerson, Dambudzo Mnangagwa.  I would like to find out whether the Executive is committed to the establishment of the National Peace and Reconciliation

Commission, as provided for in Section 251 of the Constitution of the Republic of Zimbabwe?

Mr. Speaker Sir, the Committee on Standing Rules and Orders conducted interviews and forwarded names to the appointing authority but up to now, there is deafening silence as to when the Commissioners are going to be appointed.

THE VICE PRESIDENT AND MINISTER OF JUSTICE,

LEGAL AND PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS (HON.

MNANGAGWA):  I am happy that the Hon. Member has asked this question because it is a question that bothers many more people than those in the House.  The first part of the question is whether Government is committed.  Let me assure the Hon. Member and the House that we

are extremely committed to creating and making the National Healing Commission function.  However, the constraint that Government has is that of resources and that also applies to the Provincial Authority Council.  As far as commitment is concerned, we are committed to obeying the Constitution of our Republic, which we granted unto ourselves without compulsion from anybody. So, we are committed.

HON. GONESE:  Thank you very much Mr. Speaker Sir, my supplementary question is; why has the Executive not taken steps to put in place the enabling legislation?  I think we heard the President’s Speech- the corrected version, which was presented and laid on the table by the Hon. Vice President.  It appears that there is no mention of the bringing in of a Bill to set up that Commission.  I believe that the question of resources, when it comes to the issue of the Bill, would not arise.  I wonder why the Executive has not set in motion the appropriate steps for the legislation, which will enable the Commission, when the

Commissioners are appointed, to be able to operate.

HON. MNANGAGWA:  I think the Hon. Member may be

reminded that not all Bills that come to the Legislature appear in the Presidential Speech.  Secondly, we have already established five

Commissions and none of those appeared in the statement of the President.  It is well known that there is provision in the Constitution that this should be done and there is no need to remind anybody in the House that it should be done, because it is already in the Constitution.  It is the duty of the Executive to do so and so far we have established five.

HON. ENG. MUDZURI:  Hon. Vice President, you have just indicated that you cannot institute certain areas of the Constitution because of lack of resources.  Are you not going to be accused by the whole nation for picking and choosing areas where you choose to defy the Constitution and where you think the resources are not necessary?  Is it not important that the Executive looks at all requirements of the Constitution and tries to distribute the cake to ensure that all Institutions of Government are working?

         HON. MNANGAGWA:  It is simple mathematics and the Hon.

Member knows how Government works.  If there are seven Commissions and we have resources to facilitate the creation of five, obviously two will remain.  Whichever way you put it, you will have to use the resources for five and the other two will remain.  That is what has happened.

         HON. KWARAMBA:  I would like to find out from the Minister of Primary and Secondary Education what Government policy is regarding post Grade 7 examinations, as we are seeing these pupils roaming the streets.

         THE MINISTER OF PRIMARY AND SECONDARY

EDUCATION (HON. DR. DOKORA): I want to thank the Hon.

Member for posing that question.  It is a historical fact that at the end of the Grade 7 examinations or tests, various schools ensure that those pupils are usefully engaged in activities of one kind or another.  If the Hon. Member has seen pupils roaming the streets in her particular constituency, in that area there should be an appropriate agent of the Ministry at the District Education Office to which they can draw attention.  Thank you.

*HON. MANGWENDE:  Thank you Hon. Speaker.  My question

is directed to the Minister of Small and Medium Enterprises and Cooperative Development, Hon Nyoni about the Glen View Furniture Complex which was burnt down three months ago.  A lot of people were making a livelihood out of that but three months down the line, nothing has been done.  Among the people that were making livelihood are the disabled, youth, men and women.  What is the position with regards to the resuscitation of that project?  I thank you Hon. Speaker.

THE MINISTER OF SMALL AND MEDIUM

ENTERPRISES AND CO-OPERATIVE DEVELOPMENT (HON.

NYONI):  Thank you Hon. Speaker.  I want to thank the Hon. Member for asking such a very pertinent question.  Glen View Furniture Complex was and still is the largest SME furniture complex in the country.

Hon. Minister having answered the question facing the Hon.

Member.

          THE HON. SPEAKER:  Order, Hon. Minister, please address the

Chair.   

HON. NYONI:  Hon. Speaker, it was and still is the largest furniture complex in the country.  It was accommodating 5 000 people; 2 000 were actual carpenters and 3 000 were providing services.  When this complex burnt down, the Ministry together with the Ministry of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing found that the problem really, apart from the criminal activity that took place was that people were very crowded.  It is supposed to be accommodating 450 people only, but now it is accommodating 5 000 people.

So, the Ministry of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing is availing land so that we can expand and accommodate these people.  My Ministry has found a private sector that is going to assist in constructing an alternative work place.  We are going to choose one hundred best carpenters and move them away from this complex so that they start a new complex altogether to avoid congestion.

The Hon. Member is very correct that urgency is needed. So, we are inviting private sector to come and work with us to provide infrastructure.  Having said that, I want to thank the people in Glen View, they are doing something themselves and some of them have started putting up shades for themselves.  So, work is already going on but the plan to upgrade it and to move some of the carpenters is underway Hon. Speaker.

HON. MUNENGAMI: Thank Hon. Speaker and I also want to

thank the Hon. Minister for answering that question.  I am also a Member of Parliament for that area.  I remember asking the same question to the Vice President regarding the Glen View complex.  The Hon. Minister said they have some plans of building another alternative complex whereby they are going to accommodate…

THE HON. SPEAKER:  Order, Hon. Munengami, you are

repeating what the Hon. Minister has just said.  What is your supplementary question?

HON. MUNENGAMI: Yes, that is what I am trying to do.

THE HON. SPEAKER:  Try harder! Try harder!

HON. MUNENGAMI:  Thank you.  The Hon. Minister has got some plans to build an alternative complex.  My question to the Hon. Minister is, what is going to happen to those people who are going to be left behind?  Yes, at the moment they are going to build an alternative, what about those who are going to be left behind.  As we speak right now, there is no complex to talk about.

HON. NYONI:  I said that the Ministry of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing, which is responsible for providing land for infrastructure to SMEs and the local authority or the private sector can provide the actual infrastructure.  Provision of infrastructure is not the responsibility of the Ministry of SMEs. The Ministry of SMEs has the responsibility to work with various stakeholders to see that infrastructure is provided.  Having said that, the SMEs themselves; if you go there, they are already putting up their own structures, which is correct and proper because we are encouraging self reliance but the Ministry of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing has to help them to make sure that the structures are within the local government standards.

HON. MUNENGAMI:  On a point of Order Hon. Speaker – [HON. MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections.] – This is a serious matter because we come from Glen View, there is no structure at all at the Glen View Complex which was burnt down.  I wish the Hon. Minister could go there, I can even accompany her. There is no structure at all, I was there this morning, let us not mislead the House here – [HON.

MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections.]

THE HON. SPEAKER:  The supplementary question Hon. Minister is; what is going to happen to those who are going to be left behind in terms of the construction of a new structure?

HON. NYONI:  Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir.  The truth of the matter is that the SMEs there are already putting their own structures – [AN. HON. MEMBER: Munoitireiko nharo.] – Aiwa handisi kuita

nharo, it is a fact – [Laughter] –  

THE HON. SPEAKER:  Order, order, may I suggest to Hon.

Minister Nyoni to please go and check the facts on the ground – [HON. MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections] – Order, I have not finished, garai pasi.  I suggest that the Hon. Minister should go to the ground and when you find what is there, come and make a Ministerial Statement.

         +HON. MISIHAIRABWI–MUSHONGA: I am directing my

question to the Minister of Primary and Secondary Education, Hon. Dr. Dokora.  How far true is the circulating rumour that students will only be allowed to sit for their ‘O’ Level examinations after they have acquired their motor vehicle driving licences?  This information was released by his Deputy Minister.

         +THE MINISTER OF PRIMARY AND SECONDARY

EDUCATION (HON. DR. DOKORA): Thank you Hon. Speaker for giving me the opportunity to respond to this question.  My response to the question is that this is false, there is nothing like that.  I thank you.

HON. ZINDI: Thank you Hon. Speaker.  My attention has been drawn because – [HON. MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections] –          THE HON. SPEAKER: Ask your question please.

HON. ZINDI: Thank you Hon. Speaker for recognising me.  My question is directed to the Vice President, Hon. Mnangagwa, who is the Leader of the House.  With regards to the Constituency Development Fund (CDF), what is the Government thinking along those lines, taking cognisance of the fact that we are already almost three years into the Eighth Parliament?

THE VICE PRESIDENT AND MINISTER OF JUSTICE, LEGAL AND PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS (HON.

MNANGAGWA):  Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir.  I wish to clarify the issue of the CDF.  When it was introduced, there was no legislation to govern or regulate its implementation.  During the First Session of the

Eighth Parliament, there was no allocation for that purpose.  However, Hon. Members of Parliament insisted in the consultations, that they view the CDF as very important for purposes of assisting Members of

Parliament to develop their constituencies.  As the Ministry of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, we then made principles for that Bill, which went to Cabinet and were approved.  We drafted the Bill which went to the Cabinet Committee on legislation and has been approved.

The process now is for the Bill to be tabled here in Parliament for Hon. Members to debate it and if agreed, it will be passed into law.  So, we are seized with the process of bringing the Bill to Parliament after the processes which I have mentioned.  I thank you.

Hon. Misihairabwi Mushonga having stood up to ask a supplementary question.

         THE HON. SPEAKER: There is no need for supplementary – [HON. MISIHAIRABWI – MUSHONGA: kukhona] – buzani.

         +HON. MISIHAIRABWI – MUSHONGA: Mr. Speaker Sir,

thank you for giving me this opportunity.  My question is directed to the Hon. Vice President regarding the Constituency Development Fund (CDF).  Will this fund be extended to the 60 women Parliamentarians who were elected on a proportional representation basis or it will only be for elected Members of Parliament with constituencies?  I feel that we are also entitled to access the CDF as Members of Parliament.

THE HON. SPEAKER: Order, Order, just as well, the CDF

refers to constituencies, so I do not know whether the Hon. Vice President has a different view.

+THE VICE PRESIDENT AND MINISTER OF JUSTICE, LEGAL AND PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS (HON.

MNANGAGWA): Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir for the initial response you gave to this question, which is very appropriate.  As the name implies, Constituency Development Fund is a fund targeted at developing constituency programmes and hence, it will only be directed to Hon. Members with constituencies and not non-constituency Members.  Since this is a Bill, maybe there could be a change of heart regarding this matter.  However, as it stands, it is only for constituencybased Members of Parliament.

HON. SANSOLE: Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir.  My question is directed to the Minister of Environment, Water and Climate.  I would like the Hon. Minister to inform the House on whether the ban on the safari hunting of lions, elephants and leopards has been lifted following the death of Cecil the lion – [Laughter] – if so, can you inform the House whether the ban has an impact on revenue inflows from the safari hunting industry, given that the industry generates about US$40 million per annum.  Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir.

         THE MINISTER OF ENVIRONMENT, WATER AND

CLIMATE (HON. MUCHINGURI): Thank you Hon. Speaker Sir. I

would like to thank the Hon. Member for that very important question, suffice to mention that we had to resort to the ban of sport hunting after we realised that there were a lot of illegal spot hunting activities along the Gwayi area, and we were worried that those that have conservancies and border with Hwange National Parks were not following the laid down procedures as dictated by the Parks and Wildlife Act. Mr. Speaker Sir, can I be protected from those making noise – [HON. MEMBERS:

Inaudible interjection.] –

HON. SPEAKER: You have my protection.

HON. MUCHINGURI: Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir. As a result

of those illegal activities that were happening in the area as reported by newspapers and the various media entities two farmers in the area, Mr. Ndlovu and Mr. Sibanda, who own conservancies, were used to carry out the illegal hunts when they did not have the relevant papers. As a result of the killing of Cecil the lion, there was so much outcry, not only here in Zimbabwe but Internationally of a lion that we had taken care of for thirteen years, only to be lost from a hunt from bow and an arrow. We therefore, decided as a Ministry to carry out investigations to establish the activities that were taking place in that area. We also looked at the involvement of the communities in the area, in poaching and also illegal activities that were taking place.

The Ministry also looked at the porous border which covers

Zambezi river which at the moment is almost 20% full and many poachers that are crossing the river into Hwange National Park. As a Ministry, we were having problems of conservation and preservation and we embarked on investigations to establish what was happening in the Gwayi area. As a stop gap measure, we imposed a temporary ban which was subsequently followed by an imposed ban on trophy exportation from Zimbabwe. For that reason, we realised that it would affect our standing at CITES which is taking place next year because most of the hunters are from the United States and we were forced to link up with some Wildlife Association in order to promote our position as Zimbabwe. Putting our case that spot hunting was legal in Zimbabwe. The United States ban of the exportation of trophies was also promoting a lot of poaching within the Gwayi area and also within Hwange National Park. In spot hunting, one elephant would cost $120 000.00, it means therefore that resources mobilised would be ploughed into developing infrastructure, and also to assist communities in paying school fees and also buying food.  Surrounding communities lose their crops to these wild animals.  The ban is depriving communities with the much needed resources and starved our conservation and preservation of programmes. Thank you.

            *HON. CHINOTIMBA: Thank you Hon. Speaker. My question

is directed to the Minister of Primary and Secondary Education, Hon. Dokora. If you go to China, the people in China learn Chinese until they attain their degrees. The same applies to Yugoslavia and Cuba. My question is when are we going to respect our local languages such as Shona and Ndebele so that we are able to work mathematical problems either in Ndebele or in Shona? When are we ever going to reach that stage because our people are failing examinations because they are using a language that is foreign to them? Those that are from the east come here and they will be speaking Chinese. They are building structures here yet they are good at it. When are we going to change our mindset so that our education is administered in our local language for our children?

I thank you.

*HON. MINISTER OF PRIMARY AND SECONDARY

EDUCATION (HON. DOKORA): Thank you Hon. Speaker. I thank Hon. Chinotimba for the pertinent question. In his question I get the chance to explain to this august House that we now have the position that has been agreed to by the Cabinet Committee in terms of how four year olds up to Grade 2 are to be instructed at school. They will be instructed in the languages that have been accepted in our Constitution. That is the focus that we are now going to take and those are the steps that we are going to implement. We now have teachers that are advancing themselves in those languages such as Nambya, Tonga, Shangani, Venda and other languages.

The second part of his question is when will we have languages that are going to be used for mathematical problems? The advancement in languages is also part of development. It is a process and not an event. Even the English language that we speak in this country proficiently did not start as the English language that we have known. It is dynamic and it borrows from other languages and it was perfected. My Ministry is not alone in doing that. We work hand in glove with the Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development so that there is development in our languages. I thank you.

*HON. SPEAKER: Hon. Minister, I do not think that you understood the question properly.  Is there a policy which says our indigenous languages are used up to university level? Is there a policy in that regard?

         *HON. DR. DOKORA: Hon. Speaker, as a Ministry, we have

started the process by accepting the languages that are stated in our Constitution so that they can now be used as official languages, but it is not our duty alone to ensure that these languages are promoted. There is a Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education which has experts that look into language development so that these languages can be further developed.  I can give another example and say that, in our Ministry, we have others that are learned in other languages with a view that they can be able to know about computers so that we can have Shona, Ndebele and Namibia and you have an equal opportunity to explain the issue of computers without you having problems with the language that you are using.  So, we say that we have started the process but it is not for a single Ministry alone.  I thank you. 

            HON. NDEBELE: Thank you Hon. Speaker for recognising me.

I have a question for the Minister of Mines and Mining Development.  What is Government policy with regards to transparency in the extraction of natural resources for the benefit of all citizens?  Why are mining deals shrouded in so much secrecy?  The last I heard of mega Russian deals was in the Herald.  Why are they not coming here for scrutiny?  Thank you Hon. Speaker.

         THE MINISTER OF MINES AND MINING

DEVELOPMENT (HON. W. CHIDHAKWA): Thank you Mr.

Speaker Sir, and I want to thank the Hon. Member for the question.  I think that we are all aware of the fact that, the President and Government have taken a position against corruption, to ensure that things are done transparently.  It is important to know that the process by which projects are approved is a process that is contained in the Mines and Minerals Act.  Therefore, when you want to understand how a project is approved from the beginning to its approval, you only need to look at the Mines and Minerals Act which is up for sale at the Government Printers.

What happens is that, a project is submitted to the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry.  The Permanent Secretary takes it to what we call the Mining Affairs Board.  The Mining Affairs Board is a board that is represented by the private sector and the government officials who constitute this board.  So, the private sector is actually sitting on this Board.  They make recommendations on any major project to the

Minister.  The Minister then takes that project for approval by His  Excellency the President, who may take it to Cabinet depending on whether that project does have competition.  Here I am referring to the allocation of a concession.  So, if you apply for a concession for platinum, your application comes and it is considered in this process.

When you say why are these projects not being brought here for scrutiny?  I think that the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development makes a report to the Auditor-General.  So, all issues in relation to the Ministry of Mines and Mineral Development are reflected in the

Auditor-General’s documents.   So, there is nothing that you would call shrouded because the process is clear.  Projects come and when they are approved, we make it very clear that projects are approved.  If they are rejected, we also advise that the projects are rejected.  Thank you Mr.

Speaker.

HON. DR. LABODE:  Hon. Minister, you have just described a beautiful process which should generate money for Zimbabwe.  We have 25% of the world’s diamonds.

THE HON. SPEAKER:  Please address the Chair.

HON. DR. LABODE:  Sorry.  Mr. Speaker Sir, the Minister has just described a very transparent process.  Zimbabwe has 25% of the world’s diamonds.  We have more diamonds than Botswana, yet Botswana gets $8.4 billion per annum and we get less that $100 million.

Can you tell us what is happening to our diamonds?

HON. W. CHIDHAKWA:  Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir and I want to thank the Hon. Member for the question.  When you talk about minerals, you talk about minerals as minerals embedded in the soil.  Somebody must explore for those minerals and must be able to demonstrate that there is a presence of a mineral in this concession which justifies a business entity to be established on the back of that mineralisation.  We were able to establish the presence of a mineral in Marange and we took a decision or made decisions to allocate concessions to a number of companies in partnership with ZMDC.  Now, the country is estimated depending on the figures that you are looking at, having between 105 and 159 kimberlites.  These are pedantic until and unless you spend time exploring each and every one of those kimberlite, because not all …

HON. MARIDADI:  On a point of order Mr. Speaker.  The

Minister is giving us a lecture on the diamonds which is not necessary.

The question is where is the diamond money given that Zimbabwe owns

25% of the world’s diamonds?  That is simple.  Where is the money Minister?  That is what we want to know.  If you want to give a lecture, can you please prepare a ministerial statement?

 

Thank you Mr. Speaker.  The Hon. Member is refusing to accept a rationale that is very straightforward and allowing his emotions to get the better of him.  The truth of the matter is that we are mining diamonds right now and the money is going into Government depending on how much it is -[HON. MEMBERS: Where is the money, where, where?]- well ask the Minister of Finance and Economic Development.

         HON. SPEAKER: Order! Order!

HON. MARIDADI: Hon. Speaker, the Auditor General’s report – HON. SPEAKER: Order, please can we be heard.

HON. MARIDADI: The Auditor General’s report from last year indicated that Government did not receive a dime from the diamond companies last year. The Minister comes here and says money is getting into Government, which Government is he talking about? If it is the Government of Zimbabwe, it is not true, there is no money coming.

The Finance Act talks of money going

into Government as a royalty, 2% depletion fee and 0.85% going into MMCZ. This money has been going to Government. The question is, how much as a percentage. That is the question but the fact of the money going to Government through royalties is unquestionable and not debatable – [HON. MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections.]-

HON. MUTSEYAMI: The Minister, when he did his

presentation, spoke to the dictates of an Act to justify transparency with reference to an auditor having done an auditing system. My supplementary question to the Hon. Minister is, what are you doing as a

Ministry to make sure that today’s world moves with current developments that are taking place within the mining companies with reference to the Mines and Minerals Act, in order for us as a country to achieve equity in terms of the money which comes from diamonds. When we refer to an Act which was done by colonialists with an agenda for them to achieve something, what is it that you are doing today for these minerals to help us as a country regardless of the Act?

I cannot work outside the Act. I work

within the confines of the Act, but having said that, even as you have an Act that is outdated, that Act of 1961 has been amended on many occasions to date. The issue about equity and benefitting Zimbabwe is not only an issue of the Act, it is an issue of our Indigenisation Programme and how you negotiate a deal, what you put in the deal. The deals in the diamond sector are all 50( between the Government of Zimbabwe and the foreign partners – [HON. MEMBERS: That is not

true.] – Well, I state a fact and it is up to individuals to check the facts. The Government of Zimbabwe has 50%. Now, that is what should enable us to get 50% of the proceeds after paying royalty, depletion fee and what goes to MMCZ. We are then supposed to have a profit sharing arrangement and a dividend declaration policy.

I want to take this and link it to our desire to consolidate. Our desire to consolidate comes out of the fact that we do not believe that the companies invested insufficient money to drive a profitable business, which is sufficiently explored by way of exploration. Therefore, we

 

know that the structure that is in place will give us the results but we need to implement that structure on the companies and push them to deliver the results.

On the Mines and Minerals Act, if I may take this opportunity, the Cabinet Committee on Legislation approved amendments to the Mines and Minerals Act and recommended to Cabinet. Cabinet is now in the process of looking at the amendments so that they can recommend those amendments to Parliament. So in the next two or three weeks, we will start the process of debating that here in this Parliament.

HON. MHONA: My question to the Minister of Public Service, Labour and Social Services is, what is the Government policy regarding the availability of accessible transport facilities and amenities for the people living with physical or mental disabilities in order to enhance their rights to be treated with dignity as buttressed under Section 22 (1) of the Constitution of Zimbabwe?

THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF PUBLIC SERVICE, LABOUR

AND SOCIAL SERVICES (HON. ENG. MATANGAIDZE): Yes, the Government currently has several programmes that are targeting the vulnerable in our society. The biggest challenge we have at this point in time is the allocation of resources targeting those particular requirements that we have. Right now, the priority area that we are focusing on is the food mitigation programmes viz-a-viz the transportation and facility aspects that the Hon. Member has alluded to. So, yes the Government is seized with that but currently, because of financial limitations, issues are restricted to food mitigation and helping out the vulnerable.

*HON. CHAMISA: I had lost hope but I want to thank you. My question is directed to the Hon. Vice President of Zimbabwe. Hon. Vice President, we have realised that in the past weeks or few months, there are challenges in this country where the Government Ministers are not in agreement on how the nation should proceed in terms of policies. We realise the issue of Minister Zhuwao and Minister Chinamasa, and if you look at the Government meetings that are taking place, there is confusion in terms of who should do what.  My question Hon. Vice

President and Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs is that; is the Government still stable enough to ensure that investment comes into the country because you know that foreign direct investment cannot be attracted when the Government is in shambles like this.  Can we attract foreign direct investment?  I thank you.

         *THE VICE PRESIDENT AND MINISTER OF JUSTICE,

LEGAL AND PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS (HON.

MNANGAGWA): Mr. Speaker Sir, the challenges that he has highlighted are not evident in our Government.  There are challenges that he mentioned about that are not worthy for us to have sleepless nights.  This country is enjoying peace and tranquility and it is well known for being peaceful.  We want to thank the Zimbabweans, all of them that we live peacefully.  If there are others who think otherwise, that should not bring this country into disrepute.

When meetings are done, I do not know whether these are Cabinet meetings or party meetings.  The Government is not worried about what happens at party meetings but if he is interested in finding out what is happening at different party fora, he is allowed to go and find out what will be happening in those party meetings.  I thank you.

• MARIDADI: Thank you Mr. Speaker.  My

supplementary question is directed to the Vice President and Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs.  You spoke very well that there are others who get affected by the spirit of violence.  We observed last week, the President’s wife, in Rushinga saying that if members of the MDC were to go to Mashonaland Central, they should be assaulted; that is violence.  Is that the Government policy?  I thank you.

• MNANGAGWA: Hon. Maridadi, I did not hear that.  If

he can ask me a question on the things that I did not hear, how am I supposed to respond?

HON. SITHOLE:  Thank you Mr. Speaker, my question is

directed to the Vice, President and Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, Hon. Mnangagwa.  It is based on recent reports that the Secretary for the Women’s League in ZANU PF has been engaging in philanthropic activities in which she was actually donating agricultural inputs to various places within the country.  I would want the Hon. Vice President to assure the nation and confirm to us that these agricultural inputs have no direct relationship with the loan that we got from Brazil, the US$98billion.

THE VICE PRESIDENT AND MINISTER OF JUSTICE,

LEGAL AND PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS (HON.

MNANGAGWA): Hon. Speaker, I would want to explain the misunderstanding the Hon. Member has.  We have equipment which we have acquired from Brazil in three phases.  Part of phase 1 equipment arrived, but not all of it under phase 1 has arrived but the equipment that arrived has been allocated to the provinces.  Each province has been allocated eight minimum irrigation schemes.  So, each province will receive equipment for irrigation, tractors and other accessory equipment.  What is happening is that the First Lady is not donating but handing over [HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear] – equipment which has been delivered to particular people so that this equipment is going to be identified irrigation equipment by the Ministry of Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development.  It does not matter, the tractor will plough, whether it has been handed over by him or by her – [HON. MEMBERS:

Inaudible interjections.] –

HON. SITHOLE:  Thank you.  My supplementary question is; I would want the Hon. Vice President to actually explain to the House and the nation at large that in which capacity does the Secretary for

Women’s League donates Government inputs, since she is not a Government official.

HON. MNANGAGWA:  Mr. Speaker Sir, I do not want to be impolite because if I become impolite, I would ask the Hon. Member to collect his school fees but because I do not like to be impolite, I would say that I have corrected the word donation – it is different from handing over.  The equipment was handed over by the First Lady – [HON.

MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections.] –

HON. CHAMISA: On a point of order Mr. Speaker Sir.

HON. SPEAKER:  What is your point of order?

HON. CHAMISA:  My point of order to the Hon. Vice President

is to do with the clarification.  It is a point of clarification.  Is he insinuating that Government....

HON. SPEAKER: Is it a point of order or point of clarification?

HON. CHAMISA:  It is a point of order to give a genesis.  The

Standing Rules and Orders provides for this.

HON. SPEAKER:  Yes, but not clarification.

HON. CHAMISA:  But through a point of order, I am then seeking a clarification.

HON. SPEAKER:  Point of order, can you please proceed with the point of order.

HON. CHAMISA: Thank you very much.  Hon. Vice President and Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, can you elucidate and clarify to the nation and to us...

HON. SPEAKER:  What is the point of order?

HON. CHAMISA:  That is what I am getting at.

HON. SPEAKER: Order, order.  We agreed and reminded each other that the point of order must refer to Standing Rules and Orders.  So, can the hon. member be so directed?

HON. CHAMISA:  Thank you very much Mr. Speaker Sir.  In terms of our Standing Rules and Orders that speak to issues of accountability of Vice Presidents and Ministers, I want to hear from the

Hon. Vice President how a Secretary for Women’s Affairs adorned in party regalia is handing over Government resources at a party meeting?

When is the Secretary for Women’s Affairs visiting the MDC to do the

same?

HON. E. MNANGAGWA:  It is very clear.  We had the Minister of Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development and the First Lady.  After the First Lady had done her political work, she did

Government work and handed over… – [HON. MEMBERS:  Inaudible

interjections.]… this irrigation equipment as allocated by the Government of the Republic of Zimbabwe which is a ZANU PF Government.

THE HON. SPEAKER:  Order, order.  I think discipline requires that if a question has been asked, get the answer and if you do not agree with the answer, you can ask another supplementary question.  So, if you are going to behave like this I will not entertain another supplementary question.

HON. MACKENZIE:  Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir.  My question is directed to the Minister of Lands and Rural Resettlement.  Minister, the 99 year lease is not bankable to enable farmers to use it as collateral.  We have now approached the 2015/2016 agricultural season and farmers cannot use this as collateral.  What is Government doing to assist A2 farmers?  Thank you.

THE MINISTER OF LANDS AND RURAL

RESETTLEMENT (HON. DR. MOMBESHORA):  I would like to

thank the Hon. Member for asking that question which is very important to our newly resettled farmers.  I think the 99 year lease was launched in 2006 and from 2013, we have been working with the Bankers Association of Zimbabwe who have raised concerns with some sections in the 99 year lease which they think does not make it favourable to be used as collateral.  Several meetings have been held and several sections have been revised and I think I would want to say it is work in progress.  Probably in the next two or three months we, would want to see the whole amendments done and acceptable to both parties.

You should understand that there are also issues where we feel that the farmer must be protected by that document and it is not open to abuse by some financial institutions because in some countries we have seen that happening and we are taking all precautions to ensure that the document becomes bankable.  So, it is work in progress.  Unfortunately, since these are negotiations, I cannot give a date to say we will be through by such a date.

HON. A. MNANGAGWA:  Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir.  My

question is directed to the Minister of Sport and Recreation.  The Mighty

Warriors have done us proud as a country.  Now I am asking the Minister, what is the Government going to do in order to finance them to participate in Rio de Janeiro in 2016?

THE MINISTER OF SPORT AND RECREATION (HON.

HLONGWANE):  Thank you Hon. Speaker and let me also thank Hon.

1. Mnangagwa for the question in respect of the performance of the Warriors. First and foremost, let me congratulate again from this podium, the mighty warriors for having defeated Cameroon to become the very first football team in Zimbabwe to qualify for the Olympics.

As you may be aware Hon. Member, Government takes sport very seriously and this shows in the way the new Ministry of Sport and Recreation has been streamlined in order to zoom in and focus specifically on the aspect of sport and recreation without clutter.

Government is certainly going to be intervening to assist the Mighty Warriors as well as the entire delegation of the Olympics team, not only in terms of preparations but also in terms of making sure that they are funded enough to proceed to the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.

HON. MACHINGAUTA:  My supplementary to the Hon.

Minister is that surely he said that the Government is doing something, but we still have to pay Valinhos.  What guarantee do we have that we are now going to be able to send our Mighty Warriors to Rio de Janeiro when we have actually failed to pay Valinhos.

THE HON. SPEAKER:  That supplementary has nothing to do with the preparations for the Olympics.

HON. P. D. SIBANDA:  My question goes to the Hon. Minister of Environment, Water and Climate.  I will prelude my question by giving an example, Mr. Speaker…

THE HON. SPEAKER:  Why do you not go to the question?

Time is not on your side.

HON. P. D SIBANDA:  Thank you Mr. Speaker.  The fishing industry in some countries contributes about 11% of GDP and about 7% of total employment in a nation.  What policies is your Ministry putting in place to ensure that the fishing industry in this country is improved so that it empowers not only the fishermen but also the communities that surround areas where the fishing industry is taking place?  Thank you.

THE MINISTER OF ENVIRONMENT, WATER AND

CLIMATE (HON. MUCHINGURI):  Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir.  My

Ministry recognises the importance of promoting the fishing industry in order for us to contribute meaningfully to the economic development of this country.  In all our dams, the Department of Parks and Wildlife is responsible for overseeing all the 10 000 small dams and also the 200 large dams.  Within my Ministry, we do have a whole unit which is charged with the responsibility to make sure that we produce enough seed which we make certain that every dam has a capacity of a fish family.  I also want to say that we have been extending fishing permits to almost 300 co-operatives within Kariba itself.  I understand that they are making a living and also contributing immensely to the economy of this country.  We will continue to make sure that we promote this industry and even extend it to all the dams that I have highlighted.

Questions Without Notice were interrupted by THE HON.

SPEAKER in terms of Standing Order Number 64.

ORAL ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS WITH NOTICE

REHABILITATION OF ROADS IN HIGH DENSITY SUBURBS

3.      HON. MACHINGAUTA asked the Minister of Local

Government, Public Works and National Housing to state when the maintenance and rehabilitation of main roads in the high density suburbs of Harare, specifically Wards 33 and 34 of Budiriro Constituency will be carried out.

THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT,

 PUBLIC WORKS AND NATIONAL HOUSING (HON.

CHINGOSHO): The Ministry, through the City of Harare is committed to improving the condition of roads in Harare.  Maintenance and rehabilitation of main roads in the high density suburbs is on-going.  Currently resealing works are underway along High Glen road.  Pothole patching is in progress on Marimba road and in Budiriro - Ward 43, Bishop road in Sunningdale– Ward 10 and Crowborough Way in Mufakose – Ward 36.

                 The City of Harare was allocated US$1.3 million by ZIMRA for the year 2015.  Out of that amount disbursements of US$357 949.46 and US$162 948.30 were received on 22^nd September, 2015 and 1^st October, 2015 respectively.  However, the allocation is too little to make any significant impact on the cities roads.  Council has also spent

US$3.9 million of rates income on roads.  This was used mainly in the

Central Business District.  Councils have made submission to Government to review the collection of vehicle licence fees to ensure adequate funding of road maintenance.  I thank you.

*HON. MACHINGAUTA:  Thank you Hon. Speaker, I am happy

with the Minister’s response but I want the Hon. Minister to know that the ones that he is making reference to as High Glen Road, there is no road that is being constructed in Budiriro.  It is good for them to do thorough research when they get these questions. Furthermore the Hon. Minister has talked about funds disbursements, can the Hon. Minister clarify Section 301 of the Constitution; it stipulates that five percent should be allocated by the Government, are such funds that were disbursed reaching their intended targets because there are no good roads in Wards 33 and 43.  I specifically said that there are no roads in Wards 33 and 43.  Motorists are paying for their licences for vehicles in Harare.  The money is supposed to be used for that.  Thank you.

*HON. ENG. CHINGOSHO:  I want to thank the Hon. Member

for the supplementary question.  As I have earlier on elucidated, I did say that in the first place we have inadequate funding.  I further stressed that at the moment the Ministry is in the process of looking at these roads.  The road that you have mentioned, it is one of the roads that are on the Ministry’s programme of roads which require attention.  Five percent that he has mentioned is an amount that is being given to that specific Fund but the amount is very little.  It falls short of our requirements.  We can only envisage that when we have adequate funding, we then get to Ward 43.  Thank you.

HON. CHAMISA: My question to the Deputy Minister is to do with the when aspect of the programme in Harare. Do you have a stand alone programme to say from this time to that time we are going to have a rehabilitation and revitalisation of the road?  I think that is the import of the question, when, for Harare without being specific about the roads point?

THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER:  Order, Honourable Minister,

this question is specifically for Wards 33 and 43 – [HON. MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections.] – the question is for Wards 33 and 43, it is not for Harare.

ENG. CHINGOSHO:  Hon. Speaker, as the Hon. Member has

indicated that we need to come up with specific timetable or programme, I would like to ask the Hon. Member to put the question in writing. I indicated that we are in the process of doing this programme but to know exactly when we are going to do the work in Ward 33, if you can put it in writing – [HON. MISIHAIRABWI-MUSHONGA:  It is already in

writing.] –

         THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER:  Order, order, Hon

Misihairabwi-Mushonga, I am calling for order.  Hon. Deputy Minister, you do not need to ask him to put it in writing when it is already in writing – [HON. MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections.] – if you do not have an answer as for now, can you say let me go and do my research and then come and answer here.

SUPPLY OF WATER IN BUDIRIRO CONSTITUENCY 4.    HON. MACHINGAUTA asked the   Minister of Local

Government, Public Works and National Housing to state when are the residents of Budiriro Constituency (Harare) going to have a normal and stable supply of clean water.

*HON. MACHINGAUTA:  On a point of Order Hon. Speaker,

there is a ruling that you gave in terms of question number three.  You did say that if he is not knowledgeable, he can go and research and bring the answer, he has not responded before we go to question number four.

*THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER:  Hon. Member, I believe the

Hon. Minister has heard what I have said. Hon. Deputy Minister do you have the answer to question number four – [Laughter] – [HON. CHAMISA: Sekuru] – [HON. MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections.] – You may proceed Hon. Deputy Minister.

THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF LOCAL

GOVERNMENT, PUBLIC WORKS AND NATIONAL HOUSING

(HON. ENG. CHINGOSHO):  Thank you Hon. Speaker.  I want to thank Hon. Machingauta for this important question on water.  I would like to thank the Hon. Member for asking this question which hinges on service delivery.  However, Budiriro is currently being supplied with clean water except for high level areas such as Budiriro Five  Shops at Ok and other isolated areas.  This is mainly due to low levels at

Marimba reservoir due to pumps installations taking place at Morton Jaffray Water Works.  We expect the situation to be resolved once installation of the clean water pumps at the plant is completed.

According to the revised programmes, pumps are expected to be in place by end of November, 2015.  I thank you.

HON. J. TSHUMA:  On a point of order.

HON. SPEAKER:  What is your point of order Hon. Member.

HON. J. TSHUMA: My point of order Hon. Speaker is that Hon. Chamisa was not respectful to the Hon. Minister.  I think he must withdraw his statement because he stood up and said, iwe sekuru stand up.  He must address the Minister accordingly.  He must withdraw that statement Hon. Speaker because this is an august House.  We need to be respectful of each other and that must be shown as an example that one cannot just stand up and say sekuru in the august House.

THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER: Order please.  Hon. Chamisa,

did you say sekuru to the Hon. Minister?  If you did, may you please withdraw, it is unparliamentary to say that.

HON. CHAMISA: No, Minister haasi sekuru vangu, sekuru vangu ndiChinotimba.

*THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER: Order Hon. Chamisa, when

we are in this august House, whether there is your brother or your uncle, when they are in here, they are addressed as honourable.  If you said uncle Chinotimba, can you withdraw because you cannot address him as your uncle in here, he is Hon. Chinotimba.

HON. CHAMISA: Thank you Mr. Speaker, ndinomedza mashoko iwayo.

THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER: Itai withdraw zvamambenge

mataura.

*HON. CHAMISA: I withdraw my statement.

*HON. CHINOTIMBA: Mr. Speaker Sir, the reality is that I am not related to Hon. Chamisa – [Laughter] – my point of order is that I was sitting next to Hon. Chamisa, that is why I stood up on a point of order.  He was not referring to me, but to the Hon. Minister as sekuru.  Therefore, he should withdraw his statement on the Minister by saying he made an error.  He will withdraw his statement concerning me outside this august House.

THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER: Hon. Chinotimba, I think that

is water under the bridge.

GROWTH OF BUSINESSES IN MASVINGO

5.   HON. CHIGUDU asked the Minister of Small and Medium

Enterprises and Cooperative Development to state steps taken by the

Ministry to assist small businesses in Mushawasha District, in Ngomahuru area, Masvingo to grow.

         THE MINISTER OF SMALL AND MEDIUM

ENTERPRISES AND COOPERATIVE DEVELOPMENT (HON.

NYONI): Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir.  I would like to thank Hon.

Chigudu for her pertinent question.  You will be aware that Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Masvingo have done a sterling job despite the fact that SMEs countrywide are facing challenges.  Among the challenges being faced by SMEs are access to finance, work space, skills and markets, especially those that are in the rural areas.  These challenges are also common in areas such as the ones that the question is referring to in Masvingo.

Mr. Speaker Sir, this area is between Tokwe Mukorsi and

Musarangazhi rivers.  There is therefore a lot of potential given the fact that these areas are near the Tokwe Mukorsi Dam.  For a long time, these communal farmers have been doing subsistence farming, growing the common crops that rural people grow such as maize, groundnuts and small grain.  It is the Ministry’s hope that because they are near these large rivers, they could embark on irrigation.

However, the Ministry has facilitated the formation of piggery projects in partnership with Batanai HIV and AIDS Service Organisation (BHASO), which is a Non Governmental Organisation (NGO), formed by the late Auxilia Chimusoro.  I am sure you are all aware of this lady who was the first one to open up about her HIV status.  This organisation is teaching this community some social skills.

Under the economic empowerment, the Ministry is actively involved in teaching these groups, business and other necessary entrepreneurship skills.  The piggery project which was formed in partnership with this NGO has ten members; there are seven women and three men.  They sell their products in Masvingo Town.  There are also poultry projects which are run by individuals.  The Ministry is in touch with most of these projects and is encouraging the poultry farmers to organise themselves into marketing groups or cooperatives so that they can have access to bigger markets for sustainability.

Mr. Speaker Sir, there is one farmer whom I can single out as an example, who trained in bee keeping and is practicing this trade very well.  His farm is in Mushawasha and he has popularised bee keeping.  The Ministry has used his apiary to train other communal members around his farm and bee keeping has become very popular.

Mr. Speaker Sir, I would like to let the Hon. Member know that the Ministry is ready to assist her in this area.  If they have identified other areas that need the Ministry’s intervention, they should get in touch with our office in Masvingo.  The office is situated at the Government Complex in Masvingo town.

Mr. Speaker Sir, the other thing that could assist this community is the fact that on the 17^th of October, the Ministry, in partnership with CBZ Bank, launched a US$10 million SME facility in Bulawayo, which would be accessed by any SME countrywide, including these communities.  These loans will be for both working capital and capital development needs for SMEs.  Any SME anywhere in the country can access these facilities.  I encourage the Hon. Member to direct their members likewise.

Mr. Speaker Sir, FBC Bank Ltd, has also availed a similar facility with both working capital loans and developmental capital.  This facility is not limited, but it is as per business needs of SMEs.  I thank you Mr.

Speaker Sir.

Hon. Minister of Small and Medium Enterprises having told Hon.

Zvidzai that he does not reside in Masvingo.

HON. ZVIDZAI: Thank you very much Mr. Speaker Sir.  I do not know how the Minister knows that I do not come from Masvingo but my question is with respect to Mushawasha. This is an agro-based area and one would think that the Minister should talk about what inventions there are in terms of enhancing the raw material side of things. What is the Ministry doing to make sure that people involved in piggery can rear more pigs so that the small grain farmers can produce more? From there, how is she helping the value chain to make sure that the value addition, particularly with respect to these inputs is aided. Normally, the vehicle for that is SEDCO and I am aware that SEDCO in that area is completely not funded. What is the Minister doing to assist with enhancing the capability of SEDCO to help these SMEs? Thank you Hon. Speaker.

HON. NYONI: Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir. I am aware that this is an agro-based area and I think the question said what are we doing to assist the SMEs. So, I stated what we are doing. I said, if there are any areas identified by the community where the Ministry can make an invention, they should be free to approach us. We stand available but the Hon. Members should go back to their communities and assist the communities to be in touch with us on whatever they have started. In my experience, if the Ministry goes to a community and starts projects for the people, it will never be sustainable. If people start their own businesses, the Ministry can support them with training, giving them access to markets as well as leading them to where they can get finance.

Regarding SEDCO, the Hon. Member is correct that SEDCO is under-funded and it is our hope that this new budget will see SEDCO better funded. The Hon. Member is making a very important point about value chains. We are encouraging farmers to grow whatever crop they want and that they should be in touch with the Ministry of Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development (AGRITEX), in their areas so that they grow quality and big quantities. The Ministry will come into the value chain. I will bring a paper in terms of what the value chains that the Ministry is involved in. So, if the people are in small grain or in horticulture, my Ministry will be happy to come and work with them on value chains. Thank you.

HON. CHAMISA: Hon. Speaker, just a point of procedure in terms of our Standing Order Number 56(1) which reads, pursuant to the provision of Section 137 of the Constitution, the quorum of the House must be 70 members, meaning to say at any particular point in time, we are supposed to have 70 members. I am saying this advisedly because it is very important for us to honour our commitment as Members of Parliament. We live very important work individually and collectively to come to the House to transact the business of the people. If you look at our numbers here present, we are less than the quorum that is required.

This is not the first time because last week we adjourned Parliament, and the Hon. Vice President Mnangagwa had to leave midstream the work of the General Laws Amendment Bill because we did not constitute a quorum. I am just appealing to the Chief Whips and also to say if we are to proceed doing whatever we are doing, we are not constituted legitimately and in terms of the Standing Orders and rules and also the Constitution. –[HON. CHINOTIMBA: Inaudible interjection]- No, we must follow the laws. We are a composition of laws. You have a problem with counting Hon. Chinotimba, count properly. Mamboramba ukama hwangu, count properly. Hamusi hama yangu.

THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER: Are you just making a statement

or you are calling for a quorum?

HON. CHAMISA: I am calling for a quorum because doing otherwise is inconsequential and is hot air.

THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER: I am sure we are more than a quorum.

HON. CHAMISA: If there is a quorum Hon. Speaker Sir, I have no problems, I stand guided but I have counted. You may have been advised by Hon. Chinotimba, but I do not think you should trust his counting.

THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER: I hear what you are saying. May

the bells be rung please?

Bells rung.

Quorum formed.

ELECTRIFICATION OF CHIEF MANYEZWA GUMEDE’S

HOMESTEAD

7. HON. MAIL NKOMO asked the Minister of Energy and

Power Development to inform the House when the Ministry will complete the electrification of Chief Manyezwa Gumede’s homestead in Lupane West Constituency.

THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF ENERGY AND POWER

DEVELOPMENT (MS. MUZENDA): Thank you Hon. Speaker. Chief

Manyezwa’s homestead was electrified in March 2013. However, the Chief passed away last year 2014. Chief Gumede Manyezwa is not the substantive, but Acting Chief. According to our policy, we do not provide electricity for Acting Chiefs. Once there is a substantive Chief in Lupane West, his/her homestead will be electrified.  I thank you Mr.

Speaker Sir.

REPLACEMENT OF TRANSFORMERS AT MZOLA 27 BUSINESS

CENTRE

*7.  HON. MAIL. NKOMO asked the Minister of Energy and Power Development to state whether the Ministry will replace transformers at Mzola 27 Business Centre in Lupane West

Constituency?

THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF ENERGY AND POSER

DEVELOPMENT (HON. MUZENDA): The transformer at Mzola

27 Business Centre, which had been faulty for sometime was replaced in July, 2015.  However, the replaced transformer was recently reported faulty again.  Transformers are in short supply countrywide as

ZENT has not been able to meet the huge demand of transformers.

ZETDC is planning to replace the faulty transformer at Mzola 27 Business Centre next month November 2015, once it receives some supplies which are being expected from ZENT early in November 2015.  Thank you Madam Speaker.

STATE OF SAVE VALLEY CONSERVANCY

*9. HON. MASIYA asked the Minister of Environment, Water and Climate

1. to state whether Save Valley Conservancy farms in the South

East Lowveld is still under Government’s ambit and if so, state farms that form this conservancy at present;

1. to state the Save Valley Conservancy that fall under BIPA and those that do not; and further state Government’s protection of such investors in the country;
2. to explain the Ministry’s plans to stop fresh farm occupation in the conservancies;
3. to inform the House whether Chiredzi River Conservancy still exists in the Ministry’s records; and if so, which farms form this conservancy.

         THE MINISTER OF ENVIRONMENT, WATER AND

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

want to thank the Hon. Member for the question to my Ministry.

Madam Speaker, the Save Valley Conservancy was made up of 27 farms.  Some farms that make up the conservancy are under Government management through the Ministry of Environment, Water and Climate. The following properties are being managed by Parks and Wildlife

Management Authority, Bedford Ranch, Humani, Mapari, Senuko2,

Senuko 3 and Impala.  These properties are being run as hunting concessions where the proceeds are shared between Parks and communities.

The following properties are under the management of indigenous owners; Savuli and Msaise are individual owners.  Mkwasine Central Extension is under ARDA while Umkondo is under Bikita Rural District Council.

On the second part of the question, Madam Speaker, a total of 10 properties in the Save Valley Conservancy are protected under Bilateral Investment Promotion and Protection Agreements (BIPPAs) and these are as follows; Chanurwe, Sabi, Chapungu and Musawezi are under a

BIPPA with German.  Chishakwe and Masapasi are under a BIPPA with South Africa, Gunungwe is under a BIPPA with Denmark.  Mokore is under a BIPPA with the Netherlands; Hammond is under a BIPPA with America while Matendere is under a BIPPA with Italy.  Government is protecting investments by returning BIPPA covered properties to their former owners to continue running them.

THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order hon. members.  The Minister is giving an answer which we asked and we are debating on our own calling one another from the other desk there.  If you want to whisper to someone, you should go closer to him.  Hon. Minister, would you please resume your debate?

HON. MUCHINGURI:  Thank you Madam Speaker.  Only 20

farms out of 27 are under wildlife management in the Save Valley Conservancy.  Seven farms were resettled with A1 farmers and are being utilised as agricultural land and these are as follows; Angus, Chigwete,

Levanga, Lot 2 of Angus, Mokore (Angus), Mukazi River (Lot 1 of Angus) and Mukwazi.  Some of these were illegally resettled.  Government, through the Ministry of Land Reform is working towards regularising these programmes.

Madam Speaker, in response to the third question, the Ministry of Environment, Water and Climate has no mandate to allocate land to anyone.  My Ministry’s mandate is to conserve or to have an oversight role on the management of wildlife in conservancies.  It therefore means that my Ministry works hand in hand with the other Government structures such as Ministry of Lands and Resettlement, Ministry of

Agricultural, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development and the Ministry of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing and the new Ministry of Rural Development, Preservation and Promotion of Culture and Heritage.  Through collaborative efforts, we hope that no resettlements will occur in conservancies.  It is dangerous and destroys our environment because these areas are not suitable for any economic activities.

Madam Speaker, in relation to the forum part of the question; the

Ministry of Lands and Resettlements handed over the administration of

Chiredzi River Conservancy to the Ministry of Environment, Water and

Climate in 2007.  The Conservancy was settled by people during the

Land Reform Programme such that out of 20 farms, only two properties,

Ruware Extension and Oscro (Lot 1 Chiredzi Ranch North) owned by an

Italian were left with meaningful wildlife.  The Parks and Wildlife

Management Authority is currently negotiating with the local

community in order to establish a CAMPFIRE Model in the Conservancy.  All 25-year leases were withdrawn from the new beneficiaries.  I thank you Madam Speaker.

*HON. CHINOTIMBA: My supplementary question Hon.

Minister is that, you go to the stage where you say that there are some indigenous players whose leases were withdrawn and that leases have been put together with the whites and the whites had said they were into joint ventures with the community.  Ever since you have joined these communities and these whites, have you ever seen a single white person who sunk a borehole to show that they have given shares to the blacks in the form of the communities?  Was there anything tangible that was brought to give to the blacks?

Secondly, when these lease agreements were scrapped, there were some disagreements.  I do not know as a new Minister; have you made a follow up or made investigations to get to the bottom of this case so as to establish the authenticity of these claims and that these people were not doing what they were supposed to do?  I thank you.

         *THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Your supplementary

question has been heard honourable.

*HON. MUCHINGURI: I want to thank Hon. Chinotimba for his question on people who were left in the conservancies that had been given to the indigenous black people so that they could use, but they were later dispossessed of these conservancies. What has been done by the whites that remained in those conservancies to assist the communities?

I would want to say that Hon. Chinotimba will need to understand that we have different functions. There are some conservancies which are privately owned and what they do as they conserve the animals, they work hand-in glove with us but these are private operators. The community that is near the conservancy, the position is that the conservancies are often not affected by the communities. So, we use what we get from the conservancies for the preservation of animals in our various national parks.

We also have the CAMPFIRE project which benefits the communities that are within the neighbourhood of these wild animals because they suffer in that their crops are damaged and lives are even affected by wild animals. Because of the fact that they live within the communities that are affected by the activities of wild animals, they are given 50% which they can use to sink boreholes, contract roads, pay for children’s school fees and are also involved in food for work projects.

So, there are differences between private owned conservancies and CAMPFIRE projects. CAMPFIRE projects assist the communities, which are in line with his question, but the same cannot be done with privately owned conservancies. The privately owned conservancies are given hunting quarters and such other duties. So, there should be a distinction about the duties. We provide water as a Ministry to communities that are near conservancies.

*HON. MUTSEYAMI: My supplementary question to the Hon. Minister is on the issue that you discussed regarding Chiredzi conservancies, which extend from Birchenough to Malipati in Mozambique. There are people that have gone to live in these conservancies and have cut the fences so that wild animals like elephants and lions attack our people in Chigumira and other areas. These are the white people with conservancies and are no longer putting up the fences such that there are people who are now living with animals. What measures are you going to take to ensure that you remove the people out of these conservancies so that animals can be confined to these areas, and people or livestock are not lost?

*HON. MUCHINGURI: I would want to thank the Hon. Member

for his question. It is true that there are some people that have gone into the conservancies. Our challenge at the moment is that there is no water and the land is not arable. It is a challenge that we are facing and attending to in conjunction with the Ministry of Lands and Rural Resettlement so that these people can be removed from that area. At the moment, the Government cannot put up a fence. The owner of the conservancy is having problems. The fence which was in place was stolen such that people can continuously enter the conservancy. We are wondering as to how the people are making a living because there is no water. We have held a meeting with the owners of the conservancy and they assured us that the fence will be put up. So this is work-in progress I thank you.

ACTION ON FIXING LEAKING VALVE AT OSBORNE DAM

10. HON. SARUWAKA asked the Minister of Environment, Water and Climate to appraise the House on steps the Ministry is taking to plug the leaking valve at Osborne Dam which has reduced the volume of water to less than 30% of the capacity and has the potential to further reduce the dam to a river if no immediate action is taken.

THE MINISTER OF ENVIRONMENT, WATER AND

CLIMATE (HON. MUCHINGURI): The Ministry of Environment,

Water and Climate engaged a contractor, Marmford Engineers (Pvt)

Limited, to repair the leaking outlet pipes or valves at Osborne Dam. Works on the project had stalled due to financial constraints. Due to the severity of the situation, the Ministry through the Hon. Minister approached the Minister of Finance and Economic Development in July 2015, who kindly availed close to a million dollars in August 2015. The local contractor then engaged a sub-contractor from South Africa who are diving specialists in order to speed up the repair works.

The South African sub-contractor arrived on site on 19^th September, 2015 and started work on 21^st September, 2015. To date, they have set up the working platform in the dam at the intake tower where the water is leaking from. They removed the old gate which was failing to close the water on 11^th October, 2015.

The contractors are now fabricating a special gate which they will use to close the current flow, and we expect this to be complete by Sunday, 18^th October, 2015. Thus, we expect the uncontrolled flow to be stopped on this date. Other works which will allow the increased and controlled release of water include the installation of an additional two special gates on the outlet pipes or valves which are currently not functional. We expect them to have completed the works on these

outlets by 10^th December, 2015 to ensure that water can be stored at the peak of the rainy season.

The Ministry wishes to advise that the water which was being released through the leaking pipes was not being wasted. The discharge from the leakage is actually less than the water required by the downstream users. Chisumbanje and Middle Sabi Schemes for ethanol production require an average of 29 cubic metres per second, while Marange Diamond fields require one cubic metre per second and other users in the Save system downstream of Osborne Dam require four cubic metres per second. The total volume of water by the users downstream of Osborne Dam is 30 cubic metres per second. Ideally, Osborne Dam is supposed to release 16 cubic metres per second, but this is not possible because the other two dam outlets are also not functional and need to be repaired. The other dams in the system, mainly Ruti, Siya, Mpudzi and Rusape dams, contribute the remaining 14 cubic metres per second so as to satisfy the total required volume of water.

The leaking outlet was releasing 9.5 cubic metres per second whereas the maximum expected release from Osborne Dam is 16 cubic metres per second. This means that the deficit from Osborne Dam after the leaking was 6.5 cubic metres per second. The drop in the water levels in Osborne Dam is mainly due to increased consumption of water by users as well as the high evaporation levels caused by the above normal hot temperatures that are being experienced.

The repair of the outlets will allow the storage of more water during the rainy season when the demand from the dam is at its minimum. Ideally, all outlets should be in the closed position during the rainy season, which is currently not possible and thus, the need to urgently repair the outlet works at Osborne Dam. The stored water will then be used during the dry season when the demand from the dam increases. The Hon. Member should appreciate that the works are being dune under water and hence, the speed of execution is also a challenge.

HON. SARUWAKA: Thank you Madam Speaker.  I wanted to

find out from the Minister, in her report she indicated that there were works that were supposed to have been completed as of Sunday, 18^th.  In her supervision, would she be able to confirm whether that deadline of the 18^th October has been met.

         HON. MUCHINGURI:   Hon. Speaker, I can confirm that the job

will indeed be completed.  The difficulties that the contractor was facing was particularly with diving underground because there was so much air underground and was pulling and enabling those that were doing the job

to do it on record time.  I thank you Hon. Speaker.

WRITTEN SUBMISSIONS TO QUESTIONS WITH NOTICE

PROVISION OF WATER TO RESIDENTS IN VICTORIA FALLS

2. 2. BUDHA asked the Minister of Local Government,

Public Works and National Housing to explain the measures that the

Ministry has put in place to ensure provision of water to residents in Victoria falls.

THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT,

PUBLIC WORKS AND NATIONAL HOUSING (HON.

CHINGOSHO):  Mr. Speaker Sir, the Municipality of Victoria Falls began its water and sanitation rehabilitation and upgrading in 2012.  The project began with rehabilitating the existing infrastructure to enable it to function efficiently.  However, due to the increase in population, the current revamped infrastructure still cannot meet demand.  The Municipality has been granted borrowing powers by the Ministry to the tune of US$14 million, to enable it to upgrade the water and sanitation infrastructure.  The project has been tendered out and a consultant has been engaged to carry out an assessment and design of the infrastructure.

The scope of the project is as follows:

Raw Water Pump Station

The challenge still remains where another authority, Zimbabwe National Water Authority (ZINWA) is in charge of pumping raw water and selling it to the Municipality.  However, the Municipality has included this component in its project as it is vital to plan from the source to the end user.  There is need to construct a new raw water pump station and equip it with new pumps.  The Ministry’s assistance in the transfer of pumping of raw water from ZINWA to the Municipality is desirable, as any delay in this regard will further delay the project.

Water Treatment Plant and Main Distribution Pump Station

The project involves construction of a backwash tank, revamping of the treatment plant to incorporate modern technology and assessment for possible expansion in future.  Construction of additional distribution tanks at the pump station as well as storage tanks for Mkhosana High Density Suburb is also part of the project.

Replacement of Old Pipelines and Installation of Valves

Most of the pipelines have outlived their life and require replacement.  A total of 6km of distribution pipeline is set to be replaced.  Isolation valves will be installed enabling areas to be isolated in case of breakdowns.

Installation of Prepaid Meters

The Council proposes installation of prepaid meters as a measure to ensure that the Council minimizes bad debts and maximizes revenue collection.

Upgrading of Sewerage System

The project will also ensure that all areas are connected to the sewer system which is conveyed to the treatment plant with improved treatment efficiency.  This will be achieved by constructing an additional sewer pump station to cater for low lying areas, thus eliminating the use of septic tanks and installing an outfall sewer line.  The sewer treatment plant will be dislodged, repaired and expanded if need be, after proper assessments have been done.

The tender for the project design and project management has been done and awarded.  The next stage will be to float a tender for the contractor after the consultant has completed the project design.  This is expected to be done by the end of the year and the whole project is expected to be finished between 18 months and 24 months.

The estimated cost of the project is US$12 million.  US$2 million has already been secured from the sale of land and a further US$3 million will be raised in the 2016, financial year, bringing the total to US$5 million.  The difference of US$7 million will be borrowed from the open market against borrowing powers authorised by the Ministry.

On the successful completion of this Water and Sanitation project (WASH project), the problems of water shortages and inefficient treatment of sewerage will be a thing of the past.  The project at design stage, will incorporate a water and sewerage master plan which will proffer solutions in the short, medium and long term.  This project is expected to be complete by the end of 2017.

AWARDING OF FREE ELECTRICITY UNITS TO EMGANWINI

RESIDENTS

6. HON. MASUKU asked the Minister of Energy and Power

Development when the Zimbabwe Electricity Distribution and

Transmission Company is going to award 160 units of free electricity to residents of Emganwini in Nketa Constituency which  was awarded to other residents.

THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF ENERGY AND POWER DEVELOPMENT (MS. MUZENDA): Thank you Hon. Speaker. Debt

relief was given to domestic customers who were active in the ZETDC billing system as at 30 June, 2013. The $160.00 was to be applied to the outstanding customer debt in the post-paid billing system first and any credit balance would then be used to offset current month charges. Customers who were on prepaid meters and had no post-paid accounts were given electricity units worth the $160.00.

A total of 2,613 Nketa customers in Bulawayo benefitted from the

$160.00 debt relief and were credited as follows:

Credit directly to the prepaid meters                                  840

Credited on accounts in the post-paid billing system      1 773

Customers who feel they could have been inadvertently missed in the debt relief exercise can still approach their respective ZETDC offices for verification.

BENEFITS OF THE PUNGWE WATER PIPE LINE

11.   HON. SARUWAKA asked the Minister of Environment,

Water and Climate to state when the people of Mutasa specifically those from Mutasa District Service Centre, Tsonzo small scale farmers, Watsomba business centre, schools and communities along the Pungwe pipeline are going to benefit from the pipeline.

         THE MINISTER OF ENVIRONMENT, WATER AND

CLIMATE (HON. MUCHINGURI):  The Pungwe pipeline has six

specific take-off points which were provided for by the City of Mutare during the construction phase of the pipeline.  These are meant to serve communities and institutions along the pipeline.  Each take-off point has an estimated discharge of five cubic metres per hour which allows for community irrigation development.  The Ministry of Environment,

Water and Climate through the Zimbabwe National Water Authority (ZINWA) has engaged the local communities along the pipeline route with a view to setting up community gardens and irrigation schemes.  Consultative meetings have already been held during the week from 12^th  to 16^th  October 2015 with the following communities and groups;

• Headman Sakupwanya and his community;
• Headman Sanyamandwe and his community;
• Chitova/Matsaire Irrigation project;
• Nyakatsapa Mission; and
• Shamu shopping centre and the surrounding community.

The Ministry is working closely with City of Mutare and ZINWA on the final strategies on resource mobilisation to establish these gardens, irrigation and water supply schemes to ensure that communities benefit from the Pungwe water as promised by

Government at the beginning.  Soon after enough resources have been mobilized, setting up of the gardens, irrigation and water supply schemes will commence.  It is my hope that come January 2016, actual implementation of this project will commence. I thank you.

         Questions with Notice were interrupted by THE HON.

SPEAKER in terms of Standing Order Number 64.

MOTION

REPORT OF THE PARLIAMENT OF ZIMBABWE

DELEGATION TO THE 9^TH STOP CERVICAL, BREAST AND PROSTATE CANCER IN AFRICA CONFERENCE

HON. DR. LABODE: Hon. Speaker, I move the motion standing in my name that this House takes note of the report of the Parliament of

Zimbabwe delegation to the 9^th Stop Cervical, Breast and Prostate

Cancer in Africa Conference, held from 19^th to 21^st July, 2015, in Nairobi, Kenya.

HON. DR. CHIMEDZA:  I second.

         HON. DR. LABODE:

         1.0     INTRODUCTION

1.1 The 9^th Stop Cervical, Breast and Prostate Cancer in Africa

Conference (SCCA) was convened at Kenyatta Convention Centre, Nairobi in Kenya from the 19^th to the 21^st of July 2015. The conference endeavoured to achieve advocacy among high profile individuals and general populace whilst creating a platform to share lessons learned among the participants and mobilising both corporate and political will and resources towards the campaign against cancer. The 9^th SCCA focused on strengthening the role of Public-Private-Partnerships to alleviate the burden and high mortality rate from Breast, Cervical and Prostate cancers, notably the biggest killers in Africa today.

Accordingly, the conference was held under the theme “Investing to

Save Lives: The Role of Public and Private Sector Partnerships”. The conference was convened by Her Excellency Mrs. Margaret Kenyatta, First Lady of the Republic of Kenya, the Ministry of Health and the Princess Nikky from the Breast Cancer Foundation. The guest of honour at the conference was His Excellency Hon. Uhuru Kenyatta, the President and Commander in Chief of the Defence Forces of the Republic of Kenya.

         2.0   PARLIAMENT OF ZIMBABWE DELEGATION

2.1   The Parliament of Zimbabwe delegation comprised:

• Advocate Jacob Francis Mudenda -Speaker of the National

Assembly and Head of the Delegation

• Dr. Ruth Labode – Chairperson of the Portfolio

Committee on Health and Child Care

• Dr. Paul Chimedza – Member of the Portfolio Committee on Health and Child Care.
• Edna Mafuruse – Secretary to the delegation

2.2 OTHER DELEGATES

The conference was graced by 12 African First Ladies and Princess

Nikky Onyeri, the Co-Founder and Director General of the Forum of

African First Ladies/Spouses against Cervical, Breast and Prostate

Cancer and Co-Founder of the World Forum of First Ladies and Women

Leaders. Four thousand (4000) delegates converged at the conference and these included: the Speakers of Parliaments, Parliamentarians, Ministers of Health, Health Professionals, Scientists, Advocates against cancer, corporate entities and other relevant stakeholders. Zimbabwe was also represented by delegates from the Ministry of Health and from the Civil Society led by Hon. Thokozani Khupe, the leader of the

Opposition in Parliament and a cancer survivor herself.

         3.0    OVERVIEW OF THE CANCER BURDEN IN AFRICA

3.1   Dr. Khama Rogo, the Leading Health Sector Specialist at World

Bank Group’s Health in African Initiative gave an overview of the cancer burden in Africa. Referencing to GLOBOCAN 2012, Dr. Rogo stated that globally, there are 14 million new cancer cases accounting for

8.2 million deaths, constituting close to 13% of the total deaths worldwide. Seventy per cent of cancer deaths occur in low and middle income countries, majority of which are in Africa. However, the incidence and mortality patterns vary remarkably across regions most likely because of substantial regional differences in the prevalence and distribution of social, cultural, and other environmental factors, including many of the major known risk factors for cancers, contrasting levels of economic development, and differences in access to health care and infrastructure.

Dr. Rogo said that it was saddening to note that despite the growing cancer burden, cancer continues to receive a relatively low public health priority in Africa, largely because of limited resources and other pressing public health problems, including communicable diseases such as acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS)/Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection, malaria, and tuberculosis. He added that it may also be in part, because of a general lack of awareness among policy makers, the general public, and international private or public health agencies concerning the magnitude of the current and future cancer burden and its economic impact. He went further to say that in Africa, the image of cancer is characterised by fear, curse, hopelessness and death. Dr. Rogo hastened to allay all fear buy underscoring that there is hope for cancer prevention and treatment in Africa if it is put on political agenda and supported by Public-Private partnerships.

         4.3    CAUSES OF CANCER

• Tobacco use;
• Alcohol consumption;
• Poor diet
• Overweight and Obesity;
• Physical inactivity;
• Infections: Human Papillomavirus (cervical carcinoma), Hepatitis B and C viruses (hepatocellular carcinoma) and HIV

(Kaposi sarcoma, non-Hogkin lymphoma and cervical cancer).

• Ionizing Radiation;
• environmental pollutants; and
• Vaginal insertion of traditional herbs.

           4.4 CERVICAL CANCER

Cervical cancer is the second most frequently diagnosed cancer and the leading cause of cancer death in African women. Rates vary substantially across regions, with the incidence and death rates in East Africa and West Africa as high as the rates in North Africa. Notably, some countries in East Africa, including Zambia, Malawi, Mozambique, and Tanzania have among the highest cervical cancer rates (50 cases per 100,000) worldwide. This is likely the result of lack of screening services for the prevention and early detection of the disease. It is noteworthy that before the introduction and wide dissemination of Papanicolaou (Pap) testing in the 1960s in the United States, the rates of cervical cancer incidence (per 100,000 females) in 10 select metropolitan areas in 1947-1948 (40.1 in whites and 73.1 in nonwhites) were the same order of magnitude as the highest rates found in Eastern

Africa today.

         4.5    BREAST CANCER

Breast cancer was the most commonly diagnosed cancer and the second leading cause of cancer death among women in 2008 in Africa (92,600 cases, 50,000 deaths). Southern African women have the highest breast cancer incidence rates of all African regions, in part because of a higher prevalence of reproductive risk factors for breast cancer, including early menarche and late childbearing among the more affluent predominantly white population. For example, the female breast cancer incidence rate in Harare (Zimbabwe) in 1990-1992 was higher in whites (129.0) than in blacks (20.0). Notably, breast cancer has now become the most commonly diagnosed cancer in women) in several Sub-Saharan African countries, a shift from previous decades in which cervical cancer was the most commonly diagnosed cancer in many of these countries. In the Ugandan (Kampala) and Algerian (Setif) cancer registries, breast cancer incidence rates have nearly doubled over the past 20 years, although the rates still remain much lower than those in black women in the United States and several Western countries.

         4.6    PROSTATE CANCER

Prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among men in Southern Africa and Western Africa, including South Africa, Nigeria, and Cameroon. However, the incidence rate in Southern Africa is twice as high as the second highest regional rate in Western Africa and nearly higher than the lowest regional rate in Northern Africa. The high incidence rate in Southern Africa may reflect increased diagnosis, rather than disease occurrence. However, high prostate cancer rates have been reported among Western and Southern African descendants in Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago, where prostate-specific antigen testing is not commonly conducted, suggesting a role for genetic susceptibility.

4.7    CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR

CANCER PREVENTION AND CONTROL

• Lack of data on cancer;
• Lack of knowledge and of awareness of cancer prevention and screening recommendations;
• Myths and misconceptions ;
• Late diagnosis/Late presentation by patients;
• Inadequate infrastructure/Lack of surgical equipment, and radiation facilities;
• Inadequate access to, and unavailability of health care services;
• Competing survival priorities;
• Lack of skilled manpower;
• Stigma; and
• Prohibitive costs for cancer treatment.

4.7.2 PREVENTION

Prevention of exposure to cancer-causing agents or risk factors, including infections, tobacco use, and obesity, is by far the most feasible and cost-effective approach to cancer control in Africa. Increased access to vaccination was also mentioned as key to the prevention of cancers in

Africa.

         4.7.3 EARLY DETECTION

Earlier diagnosis is essential to providing effective cancer control. It was further stated that there is an urgent need to determine the most cost-effective approach to screening, because this remains the only viable option for reducing the high cervical cancer burden in SubSaharan Africa in the next 20 to 30 years, as the current HPV vaccines are being given to adolescent girls only. He also mentioned that the use of mobile clinics was critical in providing facilities for early detection and health services in general.

         4.7.4 CURATIVE TREATMENT

It was stated that every effort must be made to expand the capacity of health care delivery systems to provide timely and effective treatment to patients diagnosed with early stage disease for increased awareness initiatives to result in improved patient outcomes. Surgery and/or radiation are the most important methods of treating early stage (local) cancers, including cancers of the breast, colorectum, cervix, head and neck, esophagus, stomach, and prostate.

         4.7.5 PALLIATIVE CARE

Lack of access to basic pain relief continues to make living and dying with cancer in Africa a very different experience from that in developed countries. It has been estimated that 50% of HIV deaths and 80% of cancer deaths require pain treatment lasting an average of 3 months; the amount of morphine needed for these deaths alone is approximately 6413 kg. However, in 2008, the actual procurement of morphine and equivalent opioids (pethidine, oxycodone, and hydromorphone) reported by SubSaharan African governments to the International Narcotics Control Board was just 639 kg, about 10% of the quantity needed just for the terminal months of cancer and HIV patients, and not considering the need for pain treatment among those living with cancer, HIV, traumatic injury, or chronic pain. These data clearly indicate that for the vast majority of those in severe pain in SubSaharan Africa, treatment is simply not available.

Although it is the responsibility of each African government to take the lead in making pain relief accessible to its citizens who need it, the activities of palliative care organizations and other civil society groups are critical to supporting government efforts. In several countries, these groups have been instrumental in getting pain relief on the agenda of governments, articulating technical solutions, and leading efforts to work across disease areas, particularly cancer and HIV, to address this issue jointly.

         5.0    SPEECH BY THE FIRST LADY OF THE REPUBLIC OF KENYA

5.1 In her speech, Mrs. Margaret Kenyatta, The First Lady of the Republic of Kenya, thanked her fellow African First Ladies for the honour they bestowed upon her to host the 9^th SCCA and chair the

Forum of African First Ladies/Spouses Against Cervical, Breast and Prostate Cancer for the year 2015-2016. Mrs. Kenyatta informed the delegates that the conference was an opportunity to reflect on the achievements made so far in the fight against cancer in Africa. She stated that the success so far has been on raising awareness on cervical, breast and prostate cancer among the African population.

5.2 She called upon all African First Ladies, governments, private sectors and all concerned stakeholders, to build on the success stories to increase efforts in expanding access to early screening, prevention, treatment and palliative care services for the affected across the African continent.

5.3 Of interest to note here, is the initiative by Mrs. Kenyatta in championing access to health through the provision of thirty-one (31)

“Beyond Zero Mobile Health Clinics” in 31 of 47 counties in Kenya.

This was achievable through the collaboration of Kenya’s First Lady Office with sponsors and strategic partners.

5.4 With this support, the initiative has also been able to equip the mobile and community clinics with equipment rivalling level 4 hospitals in Kenya. This enables the clinics to offer a wide variety of medical services ranging from laboratory services to light surgeries. The mobile clinics have become a lifeline for rural mothers who previously, could not access health services. The mobile clinics also provide children’s immunisation and serve as health awareness platforms including testing of various cancers

6.0    OFFICIAL OPENING BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE

REPUBLIC OF KENYA

6.1 In his address to the delegates on the 20^thof July 2015, His

Excellence, Hon. Uhuru Kenyatta, the President and Commander in Chief of the Defence Forces of the Republic of Kenya, reiterated that cancer has become a public health issue that could no longer be ignored. He called for greater commitment to cancer prevention strategies, saying few countries could meet the strategy costs of cancer research and treatment. He further stated that key to saving people’s lives is prevention and early diagnosis to stop them from dying needlessly.

6.2 President Kenyatta stated that if people gave up smoking, ate healthy food, drank less alcohol and exercised regularly, Africa could prevent 40% of cancers. In addition, he also stressed the need for people to be vaccinated against Hepatitis and Human Papillomavirus, which cause infection that contribute disproportionately to the number of cancer incidences in Africa.

6.3    President Kenyatta underscored the role of media to dispel myths and misconception about cancer as well as to raise public awareness of the importance of screening and early detection, to increase the prospects of successful treatment. Having said these remarks, the President declared the conference officially opened.

6.4 Immediately after his address, the President of the Republic of Kenya was decorated as the 2015-2016 African Goodwill Ambassador for Women and Children’s Health by the Forum of the African First Ladies/Spouses against Cervical, Breast and Prostate Cancers.

7.2      THE ROLE OF SPEAKERS OF PARLIAMENTS,

PARLIAMENTARIANS AND MINISTERS IN CANCER

PREVENTION

7.2.1 This session was moderated by Princess Nikky Onyeri who has been introduced at the beginning of this report and Dr. Matshaidiso

Moeti the Afro Regional Director at World Health Organisation. The

Panellists composed of the following Parliaments Speakers among others: Hon. Advocate Jacob Francis Mudenda—Speaker of the

National Assembly of Zimbabwe, Hon. Justin Muturi—Speaker of the

National Assembly of Kenya, Senator Ekwee Ethuro—Speaker of the  Senate of Kenya and Rt. Hon. Rebecca Kadaga—Speaker of Parliament of the Republic of Uganda.

7.2.2 Hon. Advocate Jacob Francis Mudenda outlined the Zimbabwe situation and stated that in Zimbabwe, cervical cancer was most common among black women at 33, 5% and contributes to  13% as cause of death. Breast cancer is ranked number two among cancer affecting women in Zimbabwe and is also on the increase among men.

7.2.3 Hon. Advocate Mudenda briefed the conference on the strategies Zimbabwe is using to control the cancer calamity being guided by the National Cancer Strategy, the Reproductive Health Policy and the Non-Communicable Disease Policy. He added that the country has piloted the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine in two districts namely, Marondera and Beitbridge and awaits the results of the valuation.

7.2.4 On the role of Parliaments in cancer control, Hon. Advocate Mudenda stated that Parliamentarians have a responsibility of creating awareness of the burden of cancer and the benefits of early diagnosis in their constituencies, they actively lobby for funding for the control of cancer and help put cancer on political agenda through parliamentary portfolio committees that exercises oversight function over the executive.

7.2.5 In concluding his presentation, Hon. Advocate Mudenda stressed the need for research on indigenous knowledge in order to tap into indigenous medicines that can cure cancer.

8.0    INVESTING TO SAVE LIVES: PROGRESS 

AND CHALLENGES—PERSPECTIVES OF THE FIRST

LADIES/SPOUSES

8.1 The panel discussion was followed by presentations from the African First Ladies represented at the conference whereby they shared their country experiences on cancer in terms of progress and challenges.

Most First Ladies who addressed the conference identified limited resources, misconception and lack of infrastructure as hindrance to the fight against cancer.

9.0    ANNOUNCEMENT OF HOST COUNTRY OF 2016

10^TH  SCCA CONFERENCE

9.1 Princess Nikky Onyeri announced Her Excellence, Mrs. Roman Tesfaye the First lady of the Republic of Ethiopia, as the next host of SCCA conference. To this end, the 10^th SCCA conference will be held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia in July 2016.

9.2 In her acceptance speech, the First Lady promised to build on to what her predecessor has already achieved and promised to work harder to achieve more on the fight against cancer in Africa.

10.0 CLOSING REMARKS BY THE FIRST LADY OF THE

REPUBLIC OF KENYA

10.1 Her Excellency, Mrs. Margaret Kenyatta thanked all the delegates for showing their commitment to the fight against all forms of cancer in Africa by converging at the conference. The First Lady stressed the need to build stronger private-partnerships among African and global institutions to improve access and the quality of preventive, treatment and palliative care services.

10.3 In conclusion, the First lady reminded the delegates that only in unity of purpose can Africa gather the collective strength of mind and will that the continent needs to wage a formidable fight against this scourge. Thereafter, the First Lady of the Republic of Kenya together with her fellow African First Ladies signed the Nairobi Declaration of

African First ladies/Spouses on Cervical, Breast and Prostate Cancers.

      11.0  DECLARATION

The African First Ladies/Spouse on Cervical, Breast and Prostate

Cancers committed themselves to:

1. REAFFIRM individually and collectively, their previous commitments aimed at halting and reducing the burden of cervical, breast and prostate cancers;
2. PROMOTE the development, strengthening and implementation of evidence based health policies and programmes through an integrated health systems approach that is focused on assuring adequate human, technical and financial resources to achieve universal health coverage to prevent and control cervical, breast and prostate cancers, reduce suffering and premature death;
3. ADVOCATE for innovative public private partnerships in ensuring accelerated access to quality health services for the promotion of healthy lifestyles, prevention, early detection, treatment, care and palliative care for cervical, breast and prostate cancers in Africa;
4. ADVOCATE for initiatives on price reduction to support affordability and availability of essential medicines, vaccines and technologies while maintaining a high quality for prevention and management of cervical, breast and prostate cancer;
5. PROMOTE cancer prevention and control awareness in partnerships with community, religious and academic institutions, patients support groups, civil society organizations and the media;
6. MOBILIZE political and community support to strengthen linkages between cancer and HIV programs to achieve zero AIDS deaths, zero transmission of HIV from mother to child and zero new HIV infections among adolescents and young women;
7. SUPPORT the efforts of our Governments to enhance the participation of African research institutes, universities, civil society, private sector, bilateral and multilateral partners to support cancer prevention and management programmes in Africa;
8. PROVIDE STEWARDSHIP as First Ladies/Spouses,   Parliamentarians and Ministers to intensify awareness and efforts towards halting and reducing the burden of cancer by 2030.

          12.0 RECOMMENDATIONS

12.1 The delegation implores the Government of Zimbabwe,  through the Office of the First Lady of the Republic of Zimbabwe, to spearhead the fight against cancer as this demonstrates high level commitment as is the case with other African First Ladies at the conference. 

12.2  The Ministry of Health and Child Care to increase access to early cancer screening to the people through:

• Provision of mobile clinics.
• Ensuring that District Hospital Clinical staffs are trained in basic methods of screening and treatment of cancer cases.
• Health Education, especially for rural communities on the benefits of early cancer diagnosis, treatment and demystifying traditional beliefs about cancer treatment.
  • The Ministry of Health and Child Care to decentralise all oncology therapy methods from Pararenyatwa Hospitals to other central and provincial hospitals. This should include cancer treatment equipment which should be accompanied by qualified personnel to use the equipment e.g. Histo-Pathologists and Oncologists.
  • Government to galvanize Public Private Partnerships venture, so as to improve access for preventive and treatment for cancer.
  • Parliament to lobby bilateral and international partners like the Global Fund Model to include cancer control and treatment in the next funding model which commences in 2016.
  • Government to accelerate the training of more Oncologists, Histo-Pathologists and other support Health Care personnel.
  • Research Institutions to prioritize funding for research into indigenous medicine plants that have anti-cancer medicinal properties.
  • The Ministry of Health and Child Care must, by the end of September 2015, distribute the 3 mobile clinics, purchased through a

100million loan from China, to the provinces.

• Parliamentarians take special interest in lobbying the Government and international partners to give more focus on cancer control and treatment by forming a Parliamentary lobby group.
• That a fact-finding Parliamentary mission be sent to Zambia to learn how their mobile cancer clinics work with the view to replicate the

same in Zimbabwe.                                 

*HON. MPARIWA: Thank you Mr. Speaker. I want to start by

thanking Hon. Dr Labode for the report.  I know people are tired and want to go but let me assure you that I am a woman of very few words.  I was deeply touched by the fact that cancer is a disease that has affected a lot of people.  If this House was full and you were to ask each and every member here, everyone would give evidence that they have lost relatives through cancer.

I stood up because the issue Hon. Dr Labode has raised is very important.  We have vast experience as a nation, of people dying of cancer.  As Parliament and as a Women’s Caucus, we underwent cervical cancer screening.  This is very important because once you realise you have cancer you can get treatment.  If it is money that is needed, it gives you an opportunity to raise the money.  The challenge that we have in this country is that people think HIV is more important than cancer.  People need to know that it is the same as taking temperature when one is ill.  I am saying this because I have a number of people in my family who have died due to cancer and some are still suffering.  So, for us to brush it aside and think that we can deal with it tomorrow really pains me.  I have a relative who was discharged from hospital yesterday.  So, I think this is an issue that we need to join hands, work together and do something about.  We need to encourage our relatives and friends to go and get screened.

In this House, we have areas where people can go and get screened.  We also have radiotherapy which destroys the cancer cells.

So, we were thinking that if only Government could source funding to get more of these radio therapy machines, especially for those in rural areas where people are dying of cancer after giving birth to so many children by losing a lot of blood.  We raised a motion in this House where we were told that people use different things as sanitary-wear, which is not right and causes cancer.  We therefore, need to have a Government fund that ensures women go and get checked as well as men to be checked on prostate cancer.  We are all parents and we need to push for this.  What we want is information to be disseminated so that people can get assistance once detected with cancer.

I think that the recommendations that were given are good but there is nothing as yet.  We need information on what a person should eat in order not to get cancer.  Some say that red meat is not good as well as meat with too much fat and also that it is not good to sit in the sun for long.  People need that information.  If a person goes to the rural areas, it is exercise that they will have embarked on.  Those are some of the things that have caused prostate cancer.  Long back we knew that prostate cancer and breast cancer, when Parirenyatwa was still Andrew Flemming, cancer was common to the white people, but now it has become a disease that affects everyone irrespective of race.

My request is that, all of us should get the recommendations so that we can take them to our constituencies.  We want the information that has been received by the delegation to be cascaded down to us and we in turn cascade it to our Constituencies.  I want to thank you Mr.

Speaker Sir.

THE MINISTER OF ENVIRONMENT, WATER AND

CLIMATE (HON. MUCHINGURI):  I move that the debate do now

adjourn.

Motion put and agreed to.

Debate to resume:  Thursday, 22^nd October, 2015.

On the Motion of THE MINISTER OF ENVIRONMENT, WATER AND CLIMATE (HON. MUCHINGURI), the House

adjourned at Fourteen Minutes past Five o’clock p.m.