• Version
• Download 41
• File Size 509 KB
• File Count 1
• Create Date August 23, 2016
• Last Updated November 13, 2021

NATIONAL ASSEMBLY HANSARD 23 August 2016 42-85

PARLIAMENT OF ZIMBABWE

Tuesday, 23^rd August, 2016

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

PRAYERS

(THE HON. SPEAKER in the Chair)

MOTION

LEAVE TO MOVE ADJOURNMENT OF THE HOUSE ON A

DEFINITE MATTER OF URGENT PUBLIC IMPORTANCE:

POLICE BRUTALITY ON CITIZENS ENGAGING IN PEACEFUL

AND CONSTITUTIONAL DEMONSTRATIONS

HON. CHAMISA: Mr. Speaker Sir, just to appreciate other Members of Parliament.   My motion today has to do with a motion on a matter of urgent public importance, which motion, you are aware I moved last week.  I am also reliably informed that fellow Members of Parliament are now ready to debate this motion so that we utilise the resources of the taxpayer.  It is on that account Mr. Speaker Sir, that I

wish to move the following motion.  The motion has already been tabled before - just to restate for purposes of procedure and making sure that we are in line with dictates of the rules and orders.  The motion reads....

THE HON. SPEAKER:  There is no need to repeat it.

HON. CHAMISA:  Thank you Mr. Speaker.  I really appreciate.  So the motion is accordingly placed on the Table for the House to debate on adjournment.

THE HON. SPEAKER:  Order, order.  The motion contemplated by Hon. Chamisa is in terms of Order Number 59.  This motion has suffered still-birth twice and the Hon. Member, I do not know how he consulted.  However, I want to take him on his word that there are still people who would like to debate that motion - I will give it a last chance.  If it fails again, it shall not be entertained in future because we do not want to do that which we know may not succeed.  I have advised Hon.

Chamisa to try other aspects or strategies that may achieve the same.

In terms of Standing Order Number 59, how many are still for that motion?

All MDC-T Members rose in their places.

THE HON. SPEAKER:  The number of Hon. Members

supporting the motion being more than 25, the motion will stand in terms of Standing Order Number 59, although I was expecting a large number of people as was indicated by Hon. Chamisa.

MOTION

BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE

HON. MATUKE:  Thank you Hon. Speaker.  I move that Orders

of the Day Numbers 1 and 2 be stood over until the rest of the Orders of the Day have been disposed of.

HON. MUKWANGWARIWA:  I second.

Motion put and agreed to.

MOTION

REPORT OF THE 39^TH PLENARY ASSEMBLY OF THE SADC

PARLIAMENTARY FORUM

HON. DR. MUKANDURI:  I move the motion standing in my name;

That this House takes note of the Report of the 39^th Plenary

Assembly of the SADC Parliamentary Forum, held at Ezulwini,

Swaziland, from 29^th May to 7^th June, 2016.

HON. GONESE:  I second.

HON. DR. MUKANDURI:  Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir.     

1.0   INTRODUCTION

1.1     The 39^th Plenary Assembly of the SADC Parliamentary Forum (SADC PF) was convened at the Royal Swazi Convention Centre in Ezulwini, Kingdom of Swaziland from 30 May to 6 June 2016.  The Session brought together Presiding Officers and Members of Parliament from the 14 SADC Members States under the theme, “Strengthening Parliamentary Role in the Protection and Realisation of Human

Rights in Southern Africa”. The following countries were represented at the Plenary Assembly: Angola, Botswana, Democratic Republic of

Congo, Lesotho, Mauritius, Mozambique, Malawi, Namibia, Seychelles, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Hon.

Advocate Jacob Francis Mudenda, Speaker of the National Assembly of

Zimbabwe, led a Parliamentary delegation comprising the following

Members and Officers of Parliament to the Plenary Assembly:-

Hon. Monica Mutsvangwa, Member of Parliament and

Chairperson of the Zimbabwe Women Parliamentarians Caucus

(ZWPC);

Hon. Dr. Samson Mukanduri, Member of Parliament;

Hon. Tambudzani Mohadi, Member of Parliament;

Hon. Innocent Gonese, Member of Parliament;

Hon. Jasmine Toffa, Member of Parliament;

Ms. Rudo N. E. Doka, Acting Principal Director – External

Relations; and Mr. Robert Sibanda, Security – Aide to the Speaker.

                2.0     THE OFFICIAL OPENING CEREMONY

2.1    The Official Opening Ceremony of the 39^th Plenary

Assembly of the SADC Parliamentary Forum took place at the Royal Swazi Convention Centre in Ezulwini on the 2^nd of June 2016.  

2.2     In his introductory statement, Dr. E. Chiviya, SecretaryGeneral of the SADC Parliamentary Forum, welcomed all the delegates and alluded to the Kingdom’s support for and commitment to the objectives of the Forum.   He introduced the theme of the 39^th Plenary,

“Strengthening Parliamentary Role in the Protection and Realization of Human Rights”, and underscored the need for Parliaments to examine their own understanding of the centrality of human rights in law making and in the ratification and implementation of human rights instruments.

2.3    Hon. Themba Msibi, Speaker of the National Assembly of

Swaziland, welcomed his Majesty’s guests, all the delegates and observers to the Plenary.  He noted the instrumental role played by the SADC PF in promoting dialogue and the commitment by SADC

Parliaments to complementing the SADC Development Strategy and Roadmap 2016 to 2063 through effectively playing the oversight role in its implementation.

2.4     The outgoing Chairperson of the Regional Women’s Parliamentary Caucus (RWPC), Hon. Francisca Tomas, conveyed a message of support from the RWPC and recognised the role played by

Swazi women in resistance to colonial domination.  She referred to the

African Union’s decision to declare 2016 as the Year of Women’s Rights, which resonates the theme of the 39^th Plenary Assembly and implored governments to actively involve women in all decision making processes.  While referring to all the regional and international conventions to which the SADC Region has committed, Hon. Tomas bemoaned the failure by Member States to achieve the 50/50 gender parity goal by 2015.

2.5      The Vice-President of the SADC Parliamentary Forum, Hon.

Joseph Njobvuyalema, re-iterated the need for the SADC Parliamentary

Forum to transform into a Regional Parliament, highlighting that the

SADC is now the only region without a formal Regional Parliament.

2.6    In a Keynote Address delivered on behalf of His Royal

Highness, King Mswati 111 by Deputy Prime Minister Senator Paul

Dhlamini, he acknowledged the issue of human rights as key in Africa’s endeavour to realize sustainable development objectives and goals by

2030 and 2063.  He reiterated that the actualisation of Africa’s development and prosperity largely depended on the protection and promotion of human rights, and more specifically on the rights of women.

2.7    The Hon. Advocate Jacob Francis Mudenda, Speaker of the

National Assembly, extended a vote of thanks and deep gratitude to His

Royal Highness, King Mswati 111 for allowing the Kingdom of

Swaziland to host the 39^th Plenary Assembly and granting an audience to Presiding Officers, Leaders of delegations and other delegates participating at the 39^th Plenary Assembly Session of the SADC PF.  

3.0        SYMPOSIUM ON THE THEME, “STRENGTHENING

PARLIAMENTARY ROLE IN THE PROTECTION AND

REALIsATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS IN SOUTHERN AFRICA”

3.1     In his presentation, Mr. Deprose Muchena, the Executive Director of Amnesty International Southern Africa, gave an overview of the political, economic and social context of Southern Africa, demonstrating that the region is a product of struggles for human rights, good governance and democracy.  He noted that human rights are therefore, indigenous and should not be viewed as a foreign imposition or a western ideology.  He explained the characteristics of most postindependence states of the region as “dual and enclave” economies, meaning, a developed and diversified formal economy sitting alongside an underdeveloped peasant-based subsistence rural economy. This, he noted, results in the problem of acute inequalities manifested through unequal access to social services especially health, education, water, sanitation and food.

3.3     The ensuing debate called for Amnesty International to work with individual Parliaments on human rights issues. Mr. Muchena informed Members that Amnesty International does not have programmes with individual Parliaments but wants to collaborate with the SADC Parliamentary Forum Secretariat.  Parliaments, however, can:-

• Move motions to indicate to the Executive, the list of Protocols which have not been ratified or brought to Parliament for approval;
• Ensure the provision of adequate funding of independent

Commissions;

• Propose that the school curricula includes education on human rights; and
• Call for the beneficiation of resources.

3.4     With regards to the issues discussed, the Plenary Assembly adopted the resolutions on page 7 of this report under bullet 5.3.3.

                4.0     MEETING OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

The Executive Committee met on 31 May 2016 to consider various issues and resolved as follows:-

4.1     The Transformation of the SADC Parliamentary Forum into a Regional Parliament

4.1.1 Following the SADC Summit of Heads of State and Government held in August 2015 in Gaborone, Botswana, where a request to transform the SADC –Parliamentary Forum into a Regional Parliament had been submitted and rejected for the fourth time, the Executive Committee constituted an Ad-hoc Committee to work with the Secretary-General and scrutinise the reasons for the unfavourable response.  

4.1.2 The Ad-hoc Committee, chaired by the Hon. Adv. Jacob

Francis Mudenda, Speaker of the National Assembly, comprised the Hon. Speaker Prof. Peter Katjavivi of Namibia and the Hon. Speaker Justice Dr. Patrick Matibini of Zambia.

4.1.3 Deliberations of the Ad-hoc Committee concluded that the three strategies outlined below be pursued concurrently and immediately, given that the next Summit was scheduled for August

2016:-

• Speakers and Members of SADC Parliaments should engage their respective Heads of State and Government and ensure that Cabinet deliberate and agree to the transformation of the SADC

– PF into a SADC Regional Parliament;

• Identify and request a willing SADC Member State to move a motion on the Agenda of the upcoming Summit scheduled for August 2016 in the Kingdom of Swaziland, for the establishment of a SADC Regional Parliament; and
• Make a formal representation to SADC Senior Officials who are responsible for drafting the Summit Agenda.

4.1.4 The Executive Committee, therefore, endorsed the recommendations by the Ad-hoc Committee, to resubmit the matter to the Summit for reconsideration.  The said recommendations would form the basis of the appeal to the SADC Summit.

                4.2    The SADC PF Flag

4.2.1 The reprinted SADC – PF flag was officially handed over to the Hon. Speakers and Heads of Delegations during the 39^th Plenary

Assembly Session.

4.3    Model Law on Eradicating Child Marriage and

Protecting Children Already in Marriage

4.3.1 The Executive Committee adopted the Model Law, which was subsequently debated extensively in plenary and endorsed with amendments.  Respective National Parliaments have the onerous responsibility to popularise the document among relevant Government Ministries and departments of Member States and other stakeholders.

4.3.2 Post adoption programmes will be spearheaded by the SADC

– PF Standing Committee on Human and Social Development and Special Programmes, who will carry out the initiative to its logical conclusion.

4.3.3 Regional and International Institutions, including the African

Union, Southern African Development Community, the Pan-African

Parliament, the East African Legislative Assembly, Association of

European Parliaments for Africa, Plan International, Sweden and Senior Chieftainess Kachindamoto of Malawi,  delivered solidarity messages to the 39^th Plenary Assembly Session upon the adoption of the Model Law.

They applauded the Forum for making a clear political statement and for its uniqueness in being the first Assembly to develop and adopt a Model Law on Child Marriages in Africa and in the world.  Special training for traditional leaders and law enforcement agencies on the dangers of child marriage and the importance of enforcing relevant child protection laws was recommended.  Addressing the financial motivation of impoverished families and their economic needs could also alleviate the problem.

                4.4    Parliamentary Studies Institute (PSI)

4.4.1 Following the endorsement of a decision to establish a

Parliamentary Studies Institute (PSI) in principle, in November 2015, the

Secretary-General informed the Executive Committee about the offer by

Zimbabwe to host the PSI, through a letter dated 25 May 2016 from the

Hon. Emmerson D. Mnangagwa, Vice-President of the Republic of Zimbabwe.  The letter confirmed that H.E. the President, Cde. Robert G.

Mugabe, had accepted to host the PSI in Zimbabwe.

4.4.2 In charting the way forward, the Executive Committee recommended to the Plenary a team comprising Hon. Speaker Prof.

Peter Katjavivi of Namibia; Hon. Speaker Justice Dr. Patrick Matibini of Zambia; and Dr. Esau Chiviya, Secretary-General of the SADC – PF, to visit a similar institution in Nairobi, Kenya.  The study tour will inform the SADC – PF on the structure, staffing levels and administrative costs, as the Forum embarks on the project of establishing the PSI.  Arrangements to visit Zimbabwe to view the two proposed buildings offered as possible headquarters of the Institute would be placed in motion by the Secretary-General and submit recommendations to the Executive Committee accordingly.

4.4.3 During the course of its deliberations, the Plenary Assembly endorsed the above recommendations and requested the Executive

Committee to keep them abreast on the developments.

                4.5    Costs for Election Observation

4.5.1 The 39^th Plenary Assembly Session deferred approval on the proposal for an additional contribution of US$16,342.93 per Member Parliament towards the 2016/2017 financial year budget to cover logistics costs for SADC – PF Election Observation Missions.  Costs to be covered include field transport, conference venues, interpretation and accommodation for support staff.

4.5.2 It was in the spirit of promoting oversight and that election observation was one of the flagship activities of the SADC – PF, that the Executive Committee appealed to the Plenary Assembly to rescind its decision and approve the inclusion of logistics costs for Election

Observation Missions.

4.5.3 The Plenary Assembly acknowledged the need to observe elections but disagreed with the inclusion of this cost in the 2016/2017 budget year.  However, the recommendation to support Election Observation Missions, based on the actual election calendar each year, was endorsed subject to the provision of a detailed computation of the costs involved.  Contributions towards election observation will, therefore, remain voluntary based on the cost for a particular election.

                4.6     Increasing SADC – PF Membership

4.6.1 During the 38^th Plenary Assembly, a proposal was submitted to increase the SADC – PF Membership from the current six (6) to a maximum of seven (7) Members per country and the proposal was declined.  It is against this background that the Executive Committee earnestly appealed to the Plenary Assembly to rescind its decision and allow Member Parliaments that can afford to nominate seven (7) members to the Forum.  Those that cannot afford are not compelled to nominate an additional member.

4.6.2 Following intense debate on the proposal, the Plenary Assembly resolved to maintain the status quo.  Members argued that an imbalance in the membership would defeat the guiding principles of democracy and equality, upon which the organisation was founded.

4.7     Development of a Regional Model Law on the Electoral

Process

4.7.1 The Assembly considered the possibility of coming up with a Model Law on Elections to assist Member States to domesticate the principles and guidelines for democratic elections, taking into account that the electoral obligations on Member States are spread in various electoral instruments including the Norms and Standards for Elections in the SADC Region, Benchmarks for Assessing Democratic Elections in Southern Africa and the Revised SADC Principles and Guidelines Governing Democratic Elections.  Such a Model Law will be informed by the election cycle so that it comprehensively covers all matters related to the electoral process rather than events such as polling.  SADC

PF, in this regard, will partner with such organisations as the Electoral

Commissions Forum of SADC, SADC Electoral Advisory Council

(SEAC) and others in the development of the proposed Model Law.

4.7.2 The development of a Model Law on Elections in the SADC

Region was sanctioned by the Plenary Assembly.

                4.8     Forensic Audit of The Forum’s Finances

4.8.1 The Executive Committee resolved that the Finance SubCommittee should visit the SADC PF Headquarters in Namibia and review the several issues related to the Forum’s finances, including budget lines, Membership Contributions, fund raising and possible institution of austerity measures.  The decision is in line with the

Executive Committee’s earlier decision of November 2015 in Swakopmund, Namibia, where it had resolved that a Forensic Audit of the Forum’s Finances be carried out.  However, the Forensic Audit could not take place due to lack of resources to fund the mission.

4.8.2 The Treasurer will develop the Terms of Reference and modalities for the Forensic Audit in consultation with the Members of the Finance Sub-Committee.  The Finance Sub-Committee will report to the Executive Committee, which will ultimately report to the 40^th

Plenary Assembly.

4.8.3 The Plenary Assembly agreed with the proposal.

                4.9    Treasurer’s Report

4.9.1 The Treasurer’s Report highlighted the impact of the depreciation of the Rand (ZAR) against the United States Dollar (USD) and indicated how it had affected expenditure on salaries, goods and services.  It was against this background that the Executive Committee suggested the following:-

• That the staff emoluments be paid in USD to avoid exchange loss suffered by the employees;
• A supplementary budget for the 2016/17 financial year with an increase of 10% of the annual mandatory contribution was proposed; and
• Cost cutting measures to prioritise Forum expenditures and budget reallocation so that expenditure remains within the approved current contribution levels.

4.9.2 The Plenary Assembly interrogated the options and resolved as follows:-

• That annual mandatory contributions be computed and paid in

ZAR;

• That the Forum Secretariat provides a breakdown of the supplementary budget for consideration; and
• That option 2 of the cost cutting measures be adopted without part (e) which proposed a 10% Cost of Living Allowance for

staff.

4.10 Annual Member Contributions

4.10.1As of 25 May 2016, Zimbabwe was in arrears to the tune of

ZAR2, 705,212.00.  The Plenary Assembly urged all Member Parliaments with outstanding contributions to settle by November 2016 to avoid possible suspension.

4.11 Secretary-General’s Residence

4.11.1A Sub-Committee was appointed to handle the issue of purchasing a residence for the Secretary-General and report to the 40^th Plenary Assembly in November 2016.

4.11.2All Member Parliaments in arrears in terms of contributions towards the purchase of the Secretary-General’s residence were requested to clear by November 2016.

                5.0     PLENARY ASSEMBLY

5.1     The Plenary Assembly of the SADC Parliamentary Forum met from the 1^st to the 5^th of June 2016 to consider, take note and adopt motions as follows:-

5.2    Motion for the Adoption of the Model Law on

Eradicating Child Marriage and Protecting Children Already in

Marriage in Southern Africa

5.2.1 The motion was moved by Hon. Innocent Gonese of

Zimbabwe and seconded by Hon. Dr. Jessie Kabwila of Malawi.  National Parliaments are expected to distribute the documents to relevant Government Ministries and Departments of Members States and other relevant stakeholders. The Model Law was adopted with amendments.

5.3    A motion for the Adoption of the Report of the Standing Committee on Democratisation, Governance and Human Rights was moved by Hon. Maneesh Gobin of Mauritius, seconded by Hon. Dr.

Mukanduri of Zimbabwe. 

5.3.1 The Committee presented its report which was centered on the presentation made to the Committee by Mr. Deprose Muchena, Executive Director of Amnesty International Southern Africa, on the theme, “Strengthening Parliament’s Role in the Protection and Realisation of Human Rights in Southern Africa”.  The presentation identified democracy and human rights as the cornerstone of development.

5.3.3 The Standing Committee made the following resolutions which were submitted to the Plenary for approval and action:-

• Call upon SADC PF, through its collaboration with Amnesty International, to train Parliamentarians at regional and national levels on human rights issues in order to build their knowledge and skills as well as research capacity on the role of Parliaments in the protection, realisation and promotion of human rights;
• Call upon Member States to enact and implement laws and policies that promote socio-economic justice and equality as well as inclusive and sustainable growth and development in order to ensure access to employment and social services especially health, education, water, sanitation and food, in line with the Constitution and international human rights standards;
• Implore National Parliaments to play a central role in the

ratification and domestication as well as in monitoring the implementation of regional and international human rights agreements at national level;

• Call on Governments in the region to provide leadership and political commitment towards the implementation of regional and international human rights obligations to which their States are party;
• Call on National Parliaments to ensure robust and effective financial oversight in order to curb corruption and illicit financial flows from Member States, particularly in the extractive sector, in order to ensure that governments have adequate resources to deliver public services;
• Urge Member States to put legal and other necessary measures in place to ensure that all Official Development Assistance contracts include a provision for parliamentary oversight in order to ensure transparency in the management of such funds towards implementing public policy and delivering public service;
• Implore National Parliaments to establish and strengthen committee systems to ensure robust human rights oversight and to ensure collaboration between parliamentary committees with other relevant actors at national level, including Human Rights

Commissions and civil society in tracking human rights issues;

• Call upon SADC PF to sustain its election observation work and ensure that a human rights culture is entrenched in the conduct of elections by SADC Member States;
• Urge SADC Member States to adopt human rights supportive Foreign Policy in order to establish their credentials as conscientious members of the international community, and in the same vein, implore SADC PF to promote greater protection of human rights through diplomacy, by among other actions, deploying goodwill missions to Member States experiencing situations that could trigger human rights violations; and
• Call upon SADC PF to develop regional principles and guidelines on the role of Parliaments in the protection, realisation and promotion of human rights in Southern Africa in order to facilitate national parliaments in their work on human rights.

5.3.4 The report was adopted by the Plenary.

5.4    Motion for the Adoption of the Report of the Standing

Committee on Gender Equality, Women Advancement and Youth

Development (GEWAYD)

5.4.1 The motion was moved by Hon. Patricia Kainga of Malawi and seconded by Hon. Sikhumbuzo Ndlovu of Swaziland.

5.4.2 Given the current status of gender in the GEWAYD Standing Committee, with one male, the meeting resolved to appeal to the Plenary to persuade national parliaments to allocate male members to this committee and address the gender imbalance.

5.4.3 Having considered the third draft of the Youth Development Policy Framework, which gives guidance to mainstreaming youth development issues in policies and practices of the SADC Parliamentary Forum in general and national parliaments in particular, the meeting resolved to adopt the policy and appealed to the Plenary Assembly to:-

• Consider the policy positively;
• Encourage national Parliaments, specifically political parties, to allocate a quota for young people in their electoral candidates lists; and
• Reserve a quota for youths to be seconded to the SADC

Parliamentary Forum by each National Parliament.

5.4.4 The Plenary Assembly considered the proposals and adopted them.

5.5    Motion for the Adoption of the Report of the Standing Committee on Human and Social Development and Special

Programmes.  

5.5.1 Hon. Ahmed Munzoor Shaik-Emam of South Africa moved the motion, seconded by Hon. Manthabiseng of Lesotho. Hon Ahmed noted that the Committee met to interrogate the efficacy and impact of the use of criminal law to regulate transmission of HIV and Hepatitis C, consensual adolescent sexual activity, termination of pregnancy, same sex relationships and injecting drug use, explored linkages between mining and the incidence of HIV/AIDS, TB and Silicosis in the SADC region, among other cross cutting issues in the realm of Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights.

5.5.4 The Committee appointed a Health Communications Advisory Committee to support it and recommended to the Plenary as follows:-

• The SADC PF should facilitate the development of a specific action plan on SRHR HIV awareness, sensitisation and advocacy and ensure implementation of the plan in the constituencies through its member Parliaments. In particular, there is need for SADC PF to facilitate the dissemination of information about the regional and international agreements to which the respective Member States are party.  As part of these activities, the media could then run special editions, documentaries and feature articles on HIV/AIDS and SRHR, incorporating those activities from the constituencies;
• SADC PF should organise some joint workshops for parliamentarians and Members of the media aimed at building trust and understanding between the two. Part of the content of these workshops should also be training for parliamentarians on how to effectively handle the media in the course of their work;
• SADC PF should undertake more capacity building programmes for the media to enhance their knowledge on and skills in reporting on SRHR and HIV/AIDS issues;
• SADC PF should facilitate regular interface between Parliamentarians and the media so that the media can be well informed about what the Parliamentarians are doing at all times. The media should also liaise with the SADC PF Public Relations Officer for any updates on SRHR, HIV/AIDS.  There could also be a Google set up alert to notify the Forum and journalists involved in the programme each time a

Parliamentarian is quoted in the media about SRHR, HIV and

AIDS; and

• SADC PF should come up with deliberate measures to enhance media coverage of SRHR activities undertaken by Parliamentarians, especially in rural areas.

5.5.5 The motion was put and agreed to.

5.6    Motion to Adopt the Report of the Standing Committee on Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources

5.6.1 Hon. Tambudzani Mohadi moved the motion, seconded by Hon. Phumelele Dlamini of Swaziland. The Committee had met to consider the challenges being faced in the SADC Region regarding TB,

HIV and Silicosis in the Mining Industry, with miners in South Africa’s gold mines having the highest rates of TB infection in the world. The

Committee agreed to submit the following recommendations to the 39^th

Plenary Assembly for approval and action:-

• That Members of Parliament be urged to monitor and support the domestication of the following:-
  1. The 2012 SADC Declaration on Tuberculosis (TB) in the

Mining Sector;

1. The 2015 SADC Code of Conduct on Tuberculosis (TB) in the Mining Sector; and
2. The implementation of SADC Portability of Social Security Benefits and Services at national level.

• That those countries that have reportedly not yet signed the

SADC Declaration on TB in the Mining Sector, namely South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Zimbabwe, and Madagascar be encouraged to do so as a matter of urgency;

• That the SADC Parliamentary Forum must develop a SADC Model Law on TB in the Mining Industry, facilitate increased and meaningful parliamentary advocacy, promote good governance of this sector and ensure that vulnerable groups and individuals are adequately catered for; and
• That the SADC Parliamentary Forum must continue to collaborate with various partners to enhance the capacity of as many Members of Parliament of the SADC region as possible, to understand, interrogate and address issues concerning TB, HIV and Silicosis in the Mining Industry, among others.
  • The Plenary Assembly adopted the recommendations.
  • Senator Tambudzani Mohadi was unanimously elected as Chairperson of the Committee.

5.7    Motion for the adoption of the Report of the Standing

Committee on Trade, Industry, Finance and Investment

5.7.1 The motion was moved by Hon. Mfanawemakhosi Dlamini of Swaziland, seconded by Hon. Siphosizwe Masango of South Africa.

5.7.2 The report, which focused on the theme, “Enhancing Access to Medicine through the adoption of Human Rights’ Approach and

Harnessing the TRIPTS flexibilities”, noted the central role of

Parliament in the successful implementation of the Sustainable

Development Goals (SDGs) Agenda.

5.7.3 It was in that regard that the TFI Committee implored the

SADC Parliamentary Forum and National Parliaments to:-

• Call on SADC governments to fast-track the process of harnessing TRIPTS flexibilities at the national level through the use of tools such as the SADC Pharmaceutical Business Plan and the African Commission for Human and Peoples’ Rights’ Resolution 141 which advocates for “Access to Health and

Needed Medicines in Africa”;

• Urges greater collaboration and mutual support at regional level to fast track the process of harnessing the TRIPTS flexibilities;
• Advocate for greater parliamentary role in advocating for the adoption of a human rights approach to access to medicine and the use of TRIPYS flexibilities by SADC governments;
• Emphasize the role and importance of Parliament in the domestication, ratification and oversight of the relevant instruments aimed at harnessing the TRIPYS flexibilities in promotion of access to medicine;
• Encourage SADC governments and Parliaments to enhance collaboration with SARPAM and other civil society organisations in advancing the objectives of universal access to affordable healthcare and to increase oversight of this sector; and
• Implore SADC governments, including their respective

Parliaments, to prioritise people’s access to healthcare through adequately budgeting for this sector.

5.7.4 The Plenary Assembly adopted the motion.

5.8    Motion on the Adoption of the Report of the Joint Session of Committees of the SADC Parliamentary Forum for Capacity

Strengthening on the theme, “Criminalisation and Stigmatisation:  Disincentives to the Realisation of Fundamental Human Rights and Public Health”.

5.8.1 Hon. Monica Mutsvangwa moved the motion, seconded by

Hon. Masafele Monitoa of South Africa.

5.8.2 The Joint Session recommended to the 39^th Plenary

Assembly Session as follows:-

• Facilitate capacity building and support to national parliaments to stimulate further dialogue leading to possible law reform around the issue of criminalisation of HIV transmission;
• Capacitate Parliamentarians to advocate for the inclusion of sexual orientation and gender identity as prohibited grounds for discrimination by health providers;
• That the 39^th Plenary Assembly calls upon SADC to urgently spearhead the combating of Tuberculosis and Silicosis, mobilisation of financial resources and explore ways of accelerating disbursement of compensation and benefits to exminers and their families; and
• Advocacy activities on occupational health and harmonisation of laws and policies to place TB and Silicosis liability on the mining business.

5.8.3 The Plenary Assembly adopted the report.

5.9    Motion on the Need for Integrated Energy Infrastructure and Security as a Means for Regional Development with Specific

Attention to Inga Dam Project

5.9.1 The motion was moved by Hon. Stevens Mokgalapa of South

Africa seconded by Hon. Boniface Nkolo Balamage of DRC.

5.9.2 The need for energy as an essential requirement in all aspects of our daily lives, to drive economies and to integrate the region was highlighted.  The energy situation, he said, requires serious commitments about energy security and efficiency in the SADC region.

5.9.3 The Grand Inga Dam Project was referred to as a source of clean hydro-power energy with the immense potential of generating enough energy to supply the SADC region and the whole African continent.

5.9.4     In concerted efforts to address energy challenges in

SADC, the motion called upon Member States to:-

• Develop and harness existing renewable energy resources and embrace energy efficiency as a matter of priority;
• Ensure that the needs of our regions are understood by all SADC citizens, policy makers and regulators, local and global investors, developers and project promoters; and
• Embrace integrated energy security as a means for regional development with specific reference to the Inga Dam Project.

5.9.5 The motion was adopted by the Plenary and because of the critical nature of the issues involved, the matter was referred to the Standing Committee on Trade, Industry, Finance and Investment for further research.

5.10 Motion on the Negative Impact of Poor Service Delivery on Women as People Responsible for the Care Work at the

Household

5.10.1The distinctive features of the challenges faced by women in the SADC region were highlighted as follows:-

• Disparities in terms of enrolment in tertiary institutions;
• Gender Based Violence;
• Care giving;
• Marginalisation;
• Very low income; and
• Access to resourced health facilities with dependable ante-natal and pediatric services.

5.10.2In view of the above, the motion called for all Member States to continuously evaluate progress achieved towards gender equality in accordance with Article 3 of the SADC Protocol on Gender and Development and to compile sufficient gender disaggregated data to ensure that the impact of government services can be measured in a gender sensitive manner.

5.10.3Member States preparing for general and local elections are urged to adhere to Article 12 and 13 of the same protocol, relating to women’s representation and participation in political and decisionmaking positions.

5.10.4The motion was adopted by the Plenary with a plea to legislators to translate words of support into action.

5.11 Motion on the Youth Development Policy Framework

5.11.1The 35^th Plenary Assembly Session resolved on the development of a Youth Development Policy Framework with the strategic objective of integrating youth development programmes in the core business of the SADC PF and National Parliaments.

5.11.2Given that the region has a young population with 76% under the age of thirty-five (35), the challenges of unemployment, limited access to education, lack of entrepreneurship skills, HIV and AIDS, pose a threat to national and regional development, peace and security.

5.11.3The debate on this presentation highlighted that youths are subject to infiltration by external forces due to despair.  It is in this regard that political parties were urged to create legal space in their constitutions and include youths in the political agenda.  At the national level, an implementation matrix, based on a clear legal framework, was proposed.

5.11.4National Parliaments are advised to consider the following areas of strategic intervention for youth development:-

• Education and skills development;
• Creation of sustainable employment opportunities;
• Promotion of entrepreneurship;
• Health and safety lifestyles;
• Sports and promotion of social values;
• Community engagement;
• Participation in politics and governance; and
• Youth engagement, social justice and inclusion.

5. 5The legislative and oversight role of Parliament becomes pertinent in terms of ensuring that government initiates relevant policies and programmes for youth development, backed up by appropriate legislation. Standing Committees responsible for youth development should monitor and evaluate government youth development programmes.

5.12 Motion to adopt Report of the Regional Women

Parliamentarians Caucus (RWPC)

5.12.1The motion was moved by Hon. Dr. J. Kabwila of Malawi seconded by Hon. M. Mutsvangwa.

6.0     REPORT OF THE REGIONAL WOMEN

PARLIAMENTARIANS CAUCUS (RWPC)

6.1    A meeting of the Regional Women’s Parliamentary Caucus (RWPC) was convened at the Royal Swazi Spa in Swaziland on the 2^nd of June 2016.  Hon. Francisca Tomas, Member of Parliament for

Mozambique and outgoing Chairperson of the RWPC chaired the meeting.  Zimbabwe was represented at this meeting by Hon. Monica Mutsvangwa, Hon. Tambudzani Mohadi and Hon. Jasmine Toffa.  Cooperating partners in attendance were Ms. Anne Guthika – Shongwe and Ms. Caroline Nyamawemombe from UN Women.

6.2  The meeting adopted the following resolutions for endorsement by the Plenary:-

• That the RWPC would serve as a champion for the implementation of the conclusions and of the Commitments of the Conference on the Status of Women (CSW60) in Resolution

60/2;

• That the RWPC would demand accountability by the Executive on translating the agreed conclusions into actionable results at regional and country levels and reporting in 2018; and
• That the RWPC would ensure that resources are directed to the constituency for the implementation of the commitments.

6.3    The meeting focused on a Global Solidarity Movement, called HeforShe, which challenges men and women to be champions of gender equality.  The following commitments were made to the RWPC:-

• SADC – PF’s Vice President, Hon. Joseph Njobvuyalema, undertook to be a champion of gender equality across the organisation, while the Secretary – General, Dr. Esau Chiviya undertook to serve as a champion at the Secretariat level; and  The Speakers of Swaziland, Hon. Themba Msibi and Zimbabwe, Hon. Advocate Jacob Francis Mudenda, signed as champions representing their own institutions.
  • The four mentioned above were applauded for offering themselves to be champions of gender equality and look forward to knowing more about each of their specific areas of focus and accompanying strategies. The RWPC wishes to encourage the Speakers of other National Parliaments to follow suit and sign up as champions.
  • Furthermore, the meeting resolved that the HeforShe

Solidarity Campaign should be decentralised to each National Parliament, where it should be championed by Speakers.  The Speakers will then report on progress made regarding their commitments as a champion, through the Women’s Caucus, at each SADC – PF Plenary Assembly Session.

• The meeting proceeded on to elect Hon. Dr. Jessie Kabwila,

Chairperson of the Malawi Women’s Caucus, as the new RWPC

Chairperson and Hon. Monica Mutsvangwa, Chairperson for the

Zimbabwe Women Parliamentarians Caucus, as the Vice Chairperson of the RWPC

                7.0     RECOMMENDATIONS

The Zimbabwe delegation to the SADC PF recommends the following for adoption by Parliament:

	RESOLUTION	ACTION	TIME LINE
1.	Model Law on Eradicating Child Marriage and	Avail copies of the Model Law to relevant Government Ministries,	As soon as we receive copies of the

 

	Protecting Children Already in Marriage	departments and other stakeholders.	amended version form the SADC PF Secretariat
2.	Election Observation Missions	The leadership of Parliament to engage Treasury over the funding of all election observation activities in terms of participation of Members and Staff as well as logistical support for the SADC PF Secretariat.	Whenever we receive notification of election observation in the SADC region
3.	Transformation of the SADC Parliamentary Forum into a regional Parliament	The Hon. Speaker to engage the Executive with regards to the appeal for transformation	The Hon. Speaker to advise on the date
4.	Youth	Delegation to scrutinise Youth oriented	By

 

	Development Policy Framework	policies and legislation, create implementable and time bound resolutions and report to the next Plenary of November 2016	September 2016
5.	Member Parliaments to ensure that subscriptions are up to date by November 2016	The Administration of Parliament to engage the Ministry of Finance over the outstanding amount.	By November 2016
6.	HeforShe Solidarity Campaign to be decentralised to National Parliaments	The Hon. Speaker to champion gender equality at the Parliament of Zimbabwe.	Ongoing
7.	National Parliaments to play a central role in the	The leadership of Parliament to engage the Executive over commitments towards implementation of Regional and	Ongoing

 

	Ratification and Domestication as well as monitoring the implementation of Regional and International Human Rights Agreements at National level	International Human Rights obligations.
8.	National Parliaments to ensure effective financial oversight to curb corruption and illicit financial flows from Member States  to ensure that governments have	Parliament to continue strengthening the relevant Committees in Capacity Building on effective oversight.	Ongoing

 

	adequate resources to deliver public services
9.	National Parliaments to address the gender imbalance in the GEWAYD	Hon. Gonese offered to move to the GEWAYD Committee whilst Hon. Mutsvangwa replaces Hon. Gonese in the Trade Industry, Finance and Investment Committee.	By November 2016
10.	National Parliaments to second youths to the SADC Parliamentary Forum	The Whips to consider inclusion of young Parliamentarians in future SADC Parliamentary Forum activities and delegations.	Ongoing
11.	SADC Declaration on TB in the Mining Sector	The Administration of Parliament to engage the relevant Ministry over the issue of signing the declaration.	By 31 July 2016
12.	National Parliaments to	Members to ensure adequate funding is allocated to the health sector and make	By 31 December
	ensure people’s access to health care	use of the Pre-budget seminars to advocate for sufficient funding towards health.	2016

 

                8.0    Conclusion

8.1    The delegation to the 39^th Plenary Assembly of the SADC Parliamentary Forum wishes to express its gratitude for the opportunity to represent our Parliament at the Plenary Assembly. As parliamentarians, we have the grand opportunity to transform the region during these times of extraordinary global challenges, through our legal authority to hold the executive to account.   I thank you.

THE HON. SPEAKER: In your report, please refer to the King as His Royal Highness. So, if you could correct that in your report. I have noticed two members who are continuously chewing something. We are not allowed to be eating anything within the House.

ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE HON. SPEAKER

ZANU PF CAUCUS MEETING

THE HON. SPEAKER: There will be a Caucus Meeting for ZANU PF Members of Parliament on Wednesday, 24^th August, 2016 at ZANU PF Headquarters at 0900 hours.

HON. GONESE: I just want to …

HON. SPEAKER: Order, Hon. Members. Do not force the Chair to name you because you do not seem to be appreciating the continuous reminder to lower your voices. After you are named you will be asked to move out of the House.

HON. GONESE: I would just like to add my voice to the report. The presenter has given a very comprehensive report. What I am simply going to do is to highlight some very important issues which arose during the 39^th Plenary Assembly of the SADC Parliamentary Forum.

I would like to begin Mr. Speaker Sir, by making reference to the symposium on the theme on the “Strengthening Parliaments role in the protection and realisation of human rights in Southern Africa”. I think Mr. Speaker that one of the challenges that we have been having is that in terms of human rights, we have been focusing more on the civil and political rights. The presenter at the Plenary Assembly was very clear that social, economic and cultural rights are equally important. We no longer have that hierarchy of rights where we refer to First, Second and Third Generation Rights. All human rights are equal and interdependent upon each other. It is important for us as representatives of the people to ensure that we champion the realisation of all those rights.

One other important aspect which emerged from the Plenary Assembly was that there is a tendency for Members of the Executive to look at all those who champion the issues on human rights as agents of the West. It is important Mr. Speaker, to appreciate for all of us in this august House and also for Members of the Executive in particular that issues of human rights are very important. This is the reason why when we engaged in the Constitution-making process, the issue of human rights was at the forefront. As we speak today, we have got a very comprehensive Bill of Rights which deals with all those important rights, in particular rights to health, education, water and so on which are basic human rights.

It is also important Madam Speaker for all of us to champion the realisation of all those rights and this is something which emerged. In the process, one of the issues which arose was that often times, Members of the Executive attend important conferences where they ratify certain protocols but they are not adopted subsequently in the National Parliaments. It is important for Members of Parliament and in particular, for portfolio committees to follow and keep track of all those protocols which Heads of State and Ministers of Foreign Affairs and other Members of the Executive would have signed to ensure that they are subsequently ratified and incorporated to become part of our laws. Members were urged to move motions in Parliaments to ensure that all those protocols are brought before Parliaments for ratification.

The other important issue Madam Speaker which I would like to highlight from the 39^th Plenary Assembly relates to the transformation of the SADC PF into a regional parliament. It is unfortunate Madam Speaker that Southern Africa is the only region which does not have a regional parliament. If you go to West Africa, to ECOWAS, they have got a regional parliament. If you go to East Africa, they have got East African Legislative Assembly (EALA), which is a fully fledged regional parliament. In North Africa they have got the Maghreb and for the whole continent we now have got the Pan African Parliament which has been given advisory powers and to a limited extent, almost have legislative powers.  It is a challenge which has been with us for a long time at every Plenary Assembly.

Members of the SADC Parliamentary Forum have tried their level best to have the regional parliamentary forum transformed into a regional Parliament. Unfortunately, it appears that we have hit a brick wall because there are some members of the Executive who are not in favour of the idea. We do not know whether it is because they do not want to have anyone peeping over their shoulders and so on. What is important is to have representatives of the people performing their oversight role. That can only happen when you have a fully fledged

Parliament.

As it is the Parliamentary Forum is emasculated. It does not have that authority of a regional Parliament. We have said that it does not need to have legislative powers to begin with because one of the challenges that we have been facing is the fear from some regional Governments that perhaps issues of their sovereignty would be challenged. We want to emphasise that sovereignty and the independence of SADC individual countries will not be challenged. What we need to have is to ensure that we have got the Executive arm which is represented at the SADC levels by the Heads of State and we should also have a legislative arm, the regional Parliament – which will then deal more effectively with the issues of the protocols which I have already alluded to if we had a regional Parliament –[HON. ZWIZWAI:

Murikunhuwa mbanje muno umu]-

          THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER (HON. DZIVA): Can you

please with draw your statement?

HON. ZWIZWAI: I withdraw.

THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER: I am not going to tolerate such

behaviour in this House.

HON. GONESE: It is our fervent hope that at the forthcoming SADC Summit in Swaziland, the regional leaders are going to accede to the request of the Parliamentary Forum to be transformed into a regional

Parliament.

I would also want to add that His Royal Highness, the King of Swaziland gave his support through his representative who addressed members of the forum and it is our hope that the lobbying efforts of the Speakers  from the National Parliaments in the region are going to bear fruit and hopefully at the forthcoming summit in September they are going to adopt a motion to transform the Parliamentary Forum into a regional Parliament.

Another important issue which I would like to highlight is the motion which I moved in relation to the adoption of a model law on eradicating child marriages and protecting children already in marriage. It is important to adopt such a model law for the simple reason that in terms of the provisions in that model law, we are going to have penal consequences so that those who marry children – that is to say anyone below the age of 18 irrespective of whether that is a girl or boy, would be committing a criminal offence. The model law is very clear with clear recommendations on the penalties that have got to be imposed.

In due course I will proceed to bring a motion for the formal adoption of that model law so that it can become part of our law because we have been harping and talking about this issue for quite a long time but we would just remain a talk shop if we do not have something concrete.

The Parliamentary Forum was applauded because it was the first time not just in the region and on the continent but in the whole world for a grouping such as the SADC Parliamentary Forum to adopt such a model law. We have pioneers in that regard and what would be undesirable is if we have been pioneers of adopting model law, other regions can then come after us and then go ahead of us by taking concrete action. It is my recommendation that all of us as Members of Parliament should acquaint ourselves with those issues, and in particular one of the recommendations that came out of the forum is that we must have lobbying and advocacy missions at both the urban and rural level to ensure that the communities are cognisant of issues of child marriages and understand that it is something which is not desirable and that it is something which we must all endeavour to put an end to.

Apart from the issue of the model law, the other important issue which came out relates to the issues of young people. In the region and throughout the world we have had affirmative action relating to women. It came out from the report of the Standing Committee on Gender

Equality, Women Advancement and Youth Development that issues of the youth are being relegated and not attended to. It was resolved that we must have the same attention to detail that we have put on issues relating to those who are marginalised. Those who are marginalised in particular are the women.

In most Parliaments in the region we now have the women’s quota.

In Zimbabwe we now have the proportional representation to ensure that we have got adequate representation of women. Other countries like Namibia have now followed suit and they have adopted the zebra system. What has been suggested is that we must also have a similar provision to deal with youth that is those who are below the age of 35. At the moment we do not have anything concrete and political parties are therefore urged to ensure that when we go for elections, they ensure that there is sufficient representation of young people.

Those are the issues that I wanted to highlight. The report is very comprehensive and I believe that Hon. Members at their leisure can go through the whole report. I would like to urge Hon. Members to go through the report and that as Members we must then proceed to implement some of the recommendations that are in that report. With these words, I thank you.

HON. NDUNA: Thank you for allowing me to add my voice. I want to thank the mover of the motion and presenter of this report Hon.

Dr. Mukanduri and the seconder Hon. Gonese.

I want to touch on a few salient points on this report, and in particular that it recognises our situation and also that Members of the SADC Parliamentary Forum articulate issues very well. They import our agendas – ZIM ASSET and our programmes into the SADC PF which is very key. It also speaks to regional integration. There are very few issues that Hon. Gonese touched on – to do with human rights that border on the availability of water. He also touched on the issues of women representation which in Zimbabwe I think they would have communicated and SADC PF would have learnt from Zimbabwe that we as a country are above the SADC barometer of 2013 which is 18%. We are now on 35% representation taking cognisance of the fact that we now have 60 women representatives from various constituencies arising from our constitutional provision which is up to 2023.  It is my fervent hope that in 2023, the amendment of the Constitution should have it open ended so that women representation in Parliament can use the present capacity of 35% as a spring board so that it can, in perpetuity or perennially, have representative women here in Parliament because what men can do women can do better.

Madam Speaker, I also now want to touch on child marriages.  Hon. Nyamupinga ventilated this point eloquently and well when she touched on child marriages in Mashonaland Central just recently.  I am quite aware and I am quite happy that this point was also touched on at

SADC level.  This again speaks to integration of the regional integration.  I say this aware also that all regional, all national blue prints and all continental blue prints including universal blue prints can only be achieved if we import into these groupings our national agendas.

I am also aware that in South Africa they have got a National Development Programme of 2016, going up for five years.  I am also aware of our own national blue print that speaks to ZIM ASSET.  Speaking of blue prints, I am also aware of the Chinese developmental blue print that was established in 2014 to 2018.  All these blue prints and these national agendas, if they are taken on board and they are imported into global groupings, we can all speak with one voice towards the achievement of the SADC Sustainable Development Goals that were

alluded to in this report.

Madam Speaker, I think earlier I touched on human rights bordering on water rights.  How do I want to join it in this debate, Madam Speaker?  There was an issue that was raised at SADC PF that speaks to the media and Parliamentarians having a joint training being established for them so that they find each other because it was also mentioned in this report that they are two sides of the same coin and they should coexist.  Why do I say this?  Because as we speak, the journalists in my constituency in particular, where I come from in Mashonaland West Province, they have taken on board the issues to do with water rights and the issues to do with deficiency of water in my constituency, in particular Chegutu West and in Mashonaland West in general, to the point that if we do not have sufficient water like is obtaining in Chegutu, we will always be in the reverse mode and we will always go back to 2008 and 2009 where thousands of innocent souls perished and passed on in Chegutu West due to cholera because of the deficiency or the inadequate water supplies that currently obtain in

Chegutu West.

Chegutu West has got a capacity of utilising 22 mega litres but presently, it treats only 10 mega litres.  As long as we do not address this deficiency, we will always have the recurrence of cholera, typhoid and all other water borne diseases.  I speak like that because I am aware and cognisant of the fact that the journalists have taken it on board to highlight the issues of water deficiency in Chegutu West in particular and  Mashonaland West in general because as long as there is no cohesion between Hon. Members in constituencies, and the journalist fraternity or the media fraternity, there will not be a story that is told with a voice because the media is telling a story with live motion and it also speaks to giving voice to the issues that the MPs are trying to articulate in their constituencies.  So, I applaud SADC PF for taking on board the initiative of a joint training between media and MPs.

Madam Speaker, in that report, the issue of HIV/AIDS is also highlighted.  One Hon. Member from another nation spoke to the issue that was against criminalising willful transmission of HIV/AIDS to someone who is unsuspecting.  He said it would then make sure that those that are infected do not come out clean or clear because they would fear antagonism, reprisals, interrogation and incarceration.

Madam Speaker, I want to vary with that.  I want to say, there should be voluntary testing and counseling and as long as someone knows their status, they should not willfully transmit the virus to the unsuspecting.   That way, we can make sure that we eradicate

HIV/AIDS in its totality.  I say this aware that there are initiatives by the Ministry of Health and Child Care to have a generation that is HIV free in the future because antiretroviral drugs are being given to mothers or expecting mothers that are going to give birth to strong and HIV free children and generations.

Madam Speaker, as I conclude, I need to touch on the infrastructure development and integration that was spoken about by Dr. Mukanduri.  As long as we do not have energy infrastructure and road infrastructure, air transportation and any other form of transformation, in particular I am reminded here of the rail transportation which carries heavy goods.  As long as we do not have these infrastructures and this transport network in place, we can forget about the development, economically, of nations including SADC.

I also say this, Madam Speaker, because standing before you is your Committee Chairperson on Transport and Infrastructure and it is  this Transport and Infrastructure Committee that I heard that is so vociferously speaking to and about the development of infrastructure in Zimbabwe so that we can establish our Special Economic Zones second to none, so that we can have our conduits for economic transformation second to none, so that we can transport our heavy chrome, coal and bulk goods transportation using a rail network second to none.  So, I am aware that there is energy infrastructure integration and optimum capitalisation of the same that came out of the SADC PF.  I also want to say, above their resolutions, there should be optimum rehabilitation, rejuvenation and establishment of a transport system, infrastructure and road network that is second to none.  I say this aware that there is a road network that has been designed at Kazungula Border Post to circumvent or bypass Zimbabwe, that is between Zambia and Botswana.

Madam Speaker Ma’am, as long as our road network has not been spruced up, we will continue to lose business to foreign countries because our road network and infrastructure needs rehabilitation.  How are we going to grow the cake in terms of rehabilitation of our road network?  Already, your Committee has made enough noise to the effect that there has been computerisation in issuance of insurance.  The Traffic Safety Council has had a windfall of US$1.5 million or more in just one month where they only made US$ 264 000 from 2009 to 2015.  This is applaudable and it is how we can grow the cake through computerisation of systems.  Through computerisation, we can also remove in totality, the issue of corruption at the Vehicle Inspectorate Department (VID).  I am saying so because we can make sure that those driving schools are known, computerised and registered.  Coming from the driving schools Madam Speaker Ma’am, we can also know that the vehicle – [HON. MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections.] –

THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER: Hon. Nduna, please stick to the

debate and you are left with four minutes.

HON. NDUNA: Thank you Madam Speaker Ma’am.  As I talk of

infrastructure development, I think I am passionate about how we can make sure that infrastructure development is not impeded, it is flawless and is given the respect that it deserves from the learners’ licence, VID to Computerised Vehicle Registration (CVR) in an integrated manner.  As long as we computerise – One Member of Parliament from the

SADC PF raised the issue of making sure that we are e-compliant in our

Parliaments and we also embrace social media.  This is what was said at SADC PF.

I want to say, as long as we computerise towards the development of our transport infrastructural development, we will not further tax our unsuspecting public but we can enhance collection through computerisation.  Madam Speaker Ma’am, I want to thank you and say, by being embedded in these portfolios and forums, we will, as a nation, grow to be much strong in terms of technology and capacity building of

Members of Parliament and the media.  I want to thank you.

HON. MATUKE: Madam Speaker, I move that the debate do now adjourn.

HON. RUNGANI: I second.

Motion put and agreed to.

Debate to resume: Wednesday, 24^th August, 2016.

MOTION

BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE

          HON. MATUKE: I move that Orders of the Day, Numbers 4 to 38 be stood over until Order of the Day, Number 39 has been disposed

of.

HON. RUNGANI: I second.

Motion put and agreed to.

MOTION

REPORT OF THE AFRICAN UNION OBSERVATON

MISSION TO CONGO-BRAZZAVILLE

Thirty Ninth Order read: Adjourned debate on motion on the Report of the African Union Observation Mission to Congo-Brazzaville Presidential Elections.

HON. A. MNANGAGWA: Thank you Madam Speaker.  I rise to

wind up debate on my motion on the Report of the African Union Observation Mission to Congo-Brazzaville Presidential Elections held on the 20^th of March, 2016.  As alluded to in my contribution, the overarching goal of the mission was to provide an objective, independent and impartial assessment of the conduct of elections, in line with regional and international best practices and standards.  Such observation missions help Hon. Members to learn from other countries in the region on how to conduct elections.

I would like to thank Hon. Mapiki, Hon. Maridadi – [HON.

MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections.] –

THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER: Order Hon. Members, can you

please lower your voices.

HON. A. MNANGAGWA: I would like to thank Hon. Mapiki, Hon. Maridadi, Hon. Mpariwa, Hon. Dr. Mashakada and Hon. Chamisa for supporting this motion.  I therefore move that this motion be withdrawn from the Order Paper.

That this House takes note of the Report of the African Union

Observation Mission to Congo-Brazzaville Presidential Elections.

Motion: With leave, withdrawn.

MOTION

BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE

          HON. GONESE: I move that Order of the Day, Number 4 be

stood over until the rest of the Orders of the Day have been disposed of.

HON. D. SIBANDA: I second.

Motion put and agreed to.

MOTION

BASIC ORIENTATION COURSE ON THE HISTORY OF

ZIMBABWE

HON. MANDIPAKA: I move the motion standing in my name

that this House:-

COGNISANT of the role played by Parliament in the making of laws for the promotion of good governance;

AWARE that Zimbabwe got its independence as a result of a protracted war of liberation;

DISTURBED that some Hon. Members of Parliament lack basic orientation on the history of Zimbabwe;

CONCERNED with the neo-colonial machinations that seek to

distort our history:

NOW, THEREFORE, resolve that –

1. The Administration of Parliament should include a basic orientation course on the history of Zimbabwe during induction of Members of Parliament;
2. The political history of the country should be taught in our schools and Government institutions.

HON. MUKUPE: I second.

HON MANDIPAKA:  Thank you Madam Speaker.  I present a motion this afternoon – [HON. MUTSEYAMI: Inaudible interjections.] –

THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER: Hon. Mutseyami, can you

please leave the House now.

HON. MANDIPAKA:  I present a motion this afternoon which seeks or makes a passionate plea to all Hon. Members in this august House to articulate the history of Zimbabwe.  Madam Speaker, there are various reasons why I urge and make a passionate plea to Hon. Members to articulate the history of the country.  It is only when we are able to articulate the history of the country that as we sit here we make laws for the good governance of our own people, because we will know where we are coming from.

I know Madam Speaker, that we have a constitutional right to belong to political parties of our own persuasions, but when it comes to the history of the country – that one history which binds us together remains.  History is one and the same and there is no dispute or debate about any country’s history because if it is history for a specific country, it remains that history for everyone else, despite our political affiliations.  As members of Parliament, we need to appreciate and understand our national history.

THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER: Order, I would like to remind

members in this House that the use of cell phones in the House is now allowed.  From this moment I am going to name members that are using their phones and they will leave this House.  It is also now allowed to eat sweets or chew gum in the House.  May you pleas observe the rules of this House.  This is the last time I am reminding you.

HON. CHAMISA:  On a point of clarification Madam Speaker.

THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER:  What is your point of order?

HON. CHAMISA:  My point of clarification is just on that point, perhaps we may need to clarify in the Standing Orders what the use of cell phones entail.  The use of cell phones envisages a point of literally making a voice call.  Now that we have our gargets that are being used for searching, the internet and surfing the net for purposes of adequate research, because we do not have researchers; it is not something that is prohibited.  So, the use of cell phones for purposes of surfing the net is not what is envisaged in the rules and I hope that the clarification is going to be made so that we are able to use the modern technology appropriately.  The world over, we are supposed to refer to our ipads, we are supposed to refer to our cell phones if we are trying to access the world wide web.  So, I just hope that clarification will be made so that we are clear in terms of what we are doing.  I thank you very much.

THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER:  I think I have acknowledge

the point of clarification raised by Hon. Chamisa that we will look into it as it also entails the use of advancing and developing our e-Parliament.  So, we will look into those issues so that we consider the use of cell phones in the House.  However eating sweets and chewing gum in the House is now allowed, members that are eating sweets must stop.

HON. MANDIPAKA: Madam Speaker, I thank you very much.  I

will continue from where I left.  I was saying as Members of Parliament, I think it becomes quite paramount, very important to understand our national history in the national interest.  The nature of our debates in this august House should be national in outlook and character.  Our schools and Government institutions, it is high time that the history of this country is taught to our pupils at an early age so that when they grow up they will be able to appreciate their own motherland, their traditions, culture and heritage.

I am making a passionate plea Madam Speaker to the powers that be through this august House that the history of the country should not only be taught in schools and institutions of high learning, but it should also be taught to Parliamentarians.   I would want to enumerate the importance of our national history.  Allow me to articulate the importance of our national history.  The importance of our national history lies in the power to create national identity and national cohesion, that is the importance of us as Members of Parliament to learn our own history.  We need to be conscious of our past, it is a fact of history that Zimbabwe is endowed with rich natural resources, vast precious minerals.  It is for that cause that around 1890, there were some invaders who invaded this country to exploit our precious minerals, to exploit our natural resources and these are facts of history which must be understood.

Because of the country’s potential, we realise during the Berlin Conference that a lot of the British found themselves in this country which they called Rhodesia before it was independent and it was at that material time that they did much damage to our resources by exploiting those resources and enriching themselves.  This is again a fact of history that Members of Parliament should acknowledge and appreciate; there is no debate about it.

Madam Speaker, another fact of history is that as a result of the exploitation, as a result of the slavery and breeches in human rights by the colonizers, men and women who were brave and courageous waged a protracted struggle up and until we attained independence in 1980.  It is again a fact of history.  One of the most fundamental roles of

Parliament is to enact laws for the good governance of a nation.  We

lack knowledge of our national history, it might be a challenge then if we lack that knowledge to be able to enact laws that are good for our people.

What I am praying is to see Hon. Members as we come here for the first time that in our orientation course that is provided for by Parliament, we are again given a course or an insight into our national history, it widens our scope, it widens our horizons and it makes us capable of being able to tackle the issues that concern this nation.  Allow me to read what is contained in the preamble to our Constitution.  It says “We the people of Zimbabwe, United in our diversity by our common desire for freedom, justice and equality and our heroic resistance to colonialism, racism and all forms of domination and oppression,..”  What this basically means is that our Constitution appreciates that we exist in diversity from different persuasions, different cultures, different political affiliation but what unites us together is the spirit that we were able as a country to liberate ourselves from the colonial bondage.

There is no doubt and obviously no debate that our history binds us together.  It is our history together, it unites us, it defines who we are, it tells us where we are and it informs us where we are going.  So, it becomes quite paramount that we must learn our national history.  History is vital for mankind and must be understood with accuracy and precision.  The moment we fail to articulate and understand our history, is also the moment we fail to entrench values of patriotism in our own selves.

Madam Speaker, allow me to define briefly what history is all about.  History is an enquiry or knowledge acquired by investigation.  It is the study of the past, particularly how it relates to human beings.  It is an umbrella body or term that relates to past events.  One major advantage of knowing, understanding and learning about our history is that it will assist us to be able to provide perspectives on current challenges that our nation faces.

Madam Speaker, allow me to just give highlights of this country’s

history.  It is a fact of history that architects of British colonialism were three men.  The first one was Cecil John Rhodes, the second one was Dr Leander Starr Jameson and Alfred Beit, a wealthy German national who was also a banker.  That is the fact of history.  Madam Speaker, to invade the land, Cecil John Rhodes had to come up with what he termed a Pioneer Column in which he needed men of different professional attributes.  In that Pioneer Column, 500 police officers were recruited to be able to police the country at that time.  The land was parceled from the black minority to the majority of the whites that had colonised this country.  Blacks were driven to arid and semi-arid areas where the soil was not productive.  It is a fact of history Madam Speaker.

There was cheap labour that the whites during that time could get from the farms because the majority of the blacks that existed during that time had not gone to school.  There was segregation, lack of sovereignty and a lot of taxation being imposed on the black majority.

As a result of that, a struggle was waged against the white settler regime.

Madam Speaker, Parliament of Rhodesia at that material time, enacted a number of laws.  I will cite some of laws that were enacted.

The first law that was enacted was the Native Reserves Act, there was also the Masters and Servants Act, the African Labour Regulations Act, the Land Apportionment Act, Industrial Conciliation Act, the Land

Husbandry Act, Tribal Trust Land Act and the Land Tenure Act.  These Acts were promulgated in this august House with the intention to promote colonial hegemony.  African nationalism then sprouted, people began revolt and fight against the white minority settler regime.

Madam Speaker, the fight was for freedom, independence and the fight was against a system of injustice, the brutal system that used to existed.  These are all facts of history.  It is very paramount, despite our different political affiliation that we understand our history.  Having appreciated the initial orientation that we received here at Parliament through our first appearance in this august House, I pray that …..

HON. MAONDERA:  On a point of order Madam Speaker.  I find it disconcerting that some people who once served in Pfumo Revanhu are now purporting – [HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear.] – to be champions of history yet genuine comrades who suffered died in vain

but imposters and hoodlums are pretending to be the champions of history – [HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear.]-

THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER:  Hon. Members, I think you

should not abuse the privilege that you have in this House.  That point is out of order.

HON. MANDIPAKA:  Madam Speaker, for the record, this is not the first time that I am hearing this statement from the MDC.  Hon. Misihairabwi-Mushonga once mentioned that.  I never and I should repeat, I never was in the Pfumo Revanhu that he is talking about.  Madam Speaker, if the Hon. Member is serious about it, I will take up the matter, because this is not the first time that I have heard that from the Hon. Member.  Be that as it may, my motion…

HON. D. SIBANDA:  On a point of order Madam Speaker.  Can the Hon. Member stick to his motion?

THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER:  There is not point of order.

HON. MANDIPAKA:  Thank you Madam Speaker, there is no

point of order, you are very correct.  I want it recorded that the accusation by Hon. Member Maondera is misplaced, false and malicious.  I never served in the Pfumo Revanhu and that must be on record.  At one time Hon. Misihairabwi-Mushonga said that but later came here and apologised, it is on record.  Madam Speaker, that will not deter me from stating the facts that are true history.

Madam Speaker, my motion seeks to encourage this august House when we get orientation that we be given correct, accurate national history of this country so that at the end of the day, we do not wine and dine with the devil, but continue to protect the interests of Zimbabweans.

I thank you – [HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear.]-

HON. MUDEREDZWA:  Thank you very much for giving me

this opportunity to contribute to this debate.  First and foremost, I would like to thank – [HON. MEMBERS:  Inaudible interjections.]-

THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER:  Order, Hon. Members, please

lower your voice, I want to hear Hon. Muderedzwa debating.

HON. MUDEREDZWA:  Thank you Hon. Speaker, for giving me the opportunity to make a contribution to this motion.  Madam Speaker, this is a very important motion – [HON. ZWIZWAVI:  But the messenger is wrong.]-

THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER:  Hon Zwizwai, can you please

leave the House, now.

HON. MUDEREDZWA:  Madam Speaker, history gives you

information about your identity, your nationality, who you are as a nation.  In Zimbabwe, in particular, we are a nation that has got a very rich history.  We were colonised in the past.  We went to war to liberate ourselves.  We are now a liberated country, a liberated nation.  What we are doing now is trying to improve our way of life so that members or our citizenry live a better life.  It is out of that that we value history.  It is sometimes disturbing that someone can become a Member of Parliament without understanding the history of his or her own country –[HON. MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections.]-  The history of Zimbabwe talks of respecting - I am seeking your protection Madam Speaker, from this other side because most of them do not understand the history of this country.  Most of them were part of the colonial system and I am

seeking your indulgence Madam Speaker Ma’am so that I can debate this motion.

It is very important because I have noted that some of our Hon. Members cannot even sing the national anthem and they do not even understand it.  Some of them do not respect the national flag.  One day in this Hon. House, I saw Hon. Members of Parliament putting on the national flag as an undergarment and it is an embarrassment Madam Speaker -[HON. MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections.]-  It shows that some of the Hon. Members do not understand what the national flag is all about and what it is that the national anthem is all about.  This is why our nation sometimes is moving in retrogression.

HON. S. CHIDHAKWA:  On a point of order Madam Speaker.  The Hon. Member is using unpaliamentary language.  Can we inspect the Hon. Members to see if they are putting undergarments which are made of the national flag to prove his point?  Maybe, it is him who is putting on an undergarment which is made of the national flag.

THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER:  There is no point of order, the

Hon. Member was referring to the abuse of use of the national flag -

[HON. MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections.]-

HON. MUDEREDZWA: Thank you Madam Speaker Ma’am.  I

want to appeal to Hon. Members not to ignore knowing their history because when they go out there, they are representatives of this country despite the fact that they are coming from whatever side of the House.  When they are out there, they should be in a position to posture the history of Zimbabwe in the right perspective.  We have noted when we went out there with other members, Hon. Members for that matter, that they are unable to articulate the history of Zimbabwe.  But, there are people out there even in countries as far as Sierra Leone who understand our history.  They know that there is Robert Mugabe, the liberator [HON. MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections.] – That is history and we need to appreciate that.  Hon. Speaker Ma’am, history enhances loyalty of the Zimbabwean nation.

THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER:  Order, order Hon. Members, I

will give you time to debate this motion if you are interested.  Can everyone sit down?  I have given Hon. Muderedzwa the opportunity to debate this motion and I will also give you the same opportunity.  Do not shout.  Hon. Muderedzwa, you may continue.

HON. MUDEREDZWA:  The importance of history is that it is

for shaping our future and for safeguarding our national resources and ensuring that we move together as a nation.  I agree with the Hon. Member Mandipaka, the mover of this motion that he is suggesting that in schools, we should educate our children on the history of Zimbabwe.  It is important that our children carry on this history to the next generation just like the indoctrination we were getting from the Smith regime that we were learning about the colonisation of Africa.  We were learning on how they came to Africa to try and oppress and develop Africa but we are saying that our children should know how we decolonised Africa.  Out of that, we will move as a region and as a continent towards the liberation of black people in the world.

Madam Speaker Ma’am, I know that to continue debating, some

Hon. Members are disturbed because this is a very important history.  We are benefitting ourselves at our Caucus because I have realised that even members who did not participate in the liberation struggle are now in a position to understand how we came to be  what we are today –

[HON. MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections.]-

 THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER:  Order Hon. Members, give

him the chance to debate.

HON. MUDEREDZWA: I strongly support this motion and I

strongly support the prayers of this motion.  I thank you.

HON. CHIMANIKIRE:  Thank you Madam Speaker.  Firstly, I would like to thank the mover of the motion Hon. Mandipaka for bringing forward such an important issue.  However, I feel that the mover of the motion did not do justice to it – [HON. MEMBERS:

Inaudible interjections.]- Am I protected Madam Speaker?

THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER: Hon. Chimanikire, you are

supposed to be speaking to the Chair.

HON. CHIMANIKIRE:  I just did that and they are trying to intimidate me.

THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER: You know the rules of

Parliament, so do not respond to them.

HON. CHIMANIKIRE:  But this one (Hon. Nduna) should go and sit on the ZANU PF side.  He is shouting at me.

THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER:  Hon. Chimanikire, do you

want to debate or you want to rule this House?

HON. CHIMANIKIRE:  Madam Speaker, he is shouting at me.  Madam Speaker, the idea of history is a very noble one but there is a difference between history and propaganda.  For example, when one of the speakers referred to the leaders of the liberation struggle, from history and what is on record, the first President of ZANU was

Ndabaningi Sithole and not His Excellency Cde. Robert Mugabe.

History records that the first political poetry to be active within the region was under Rhodes, Jameson and the other one was actually the

ANC which was formed in South Africa to which the late hero, Joshua Nkomo was a member.  Also, to which Maurice Nyagumbo and the late Hon. Vice President Muzenda were members.  The ANC came first before the formation of a party in the then Rhodesia which was led by Africans.  We started off with the ANC and that is why in 1980, our National Anthem was as good as the national anthem that is currently being sung in South Africa, ‘Nkosi Sikelela iAfrica’.  It was because the

foundations of African nationalism started in South Africa.

It did not start in 1966 in Chinhoyi where those who were involved in the Chinhoyi battle were people who came from Chipinge, Malawi and some Zimbabweans.  However, some of the history books that are being written seem to indicate that there were only Shonas who fought in Chinhoyi, yet there were Ndaus and Malawians who were involved in that particular war.  When we look at history, we must have correct history because there were various splits within ZANU and ZANLA forces starting with Lusaka and also in the camps in Mozambique.  So when we talk about history, we should also be truthful enough to say who killed some of our nationalists.  When Masipula Sithole wrote the book, A struggle within the struggle, he pointed out the Nhari Rebellion in Lusaka and we remember that Josiah Tongogara was arrested in Lusaka soon after the death of Chitepo.  Why was that?  Kenneth Kaunda was in charge of law and order in Lusaka and we must also remember that when we talk about history …

THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER:  Hon. Chimanikire, please

speak to the Chair.

HON. CHIMANIKIRE:  When we talk about history, some of the leading commanders of ZANLA forces were defectors from ZIPRA.

These were Rex Nhongo and Josiah Tongogara.  They moved from ZIPRA camps to ZANLA camps to spearhead the struggle –[HON.

MEMBERS:  Inaudible interjections.]-  I know that is history.

THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER:  Order Hon. Members.  Order Hon. Members. Order Hon. Members on my right and my left side!  Can you please allow him to debate? If you do not agree with his facts, you will have an opportunity to debate as well.

HON. CHIMANIKIRE:  The formation of the Patriotic Front in

1979 was because of pressure that was coming from the Organisation of African Unity.  It is not like we started being united as we are today talking of ZANU PF.  The PF was the Patriotic Front that was formed and spearheaded by the late Mwalimu Julius Nyerere.  That is history. Under the organisation of African Unity, what happened was that ZIPRA and ZANLA were told that, unless if you go with a united front under a political wing, which is called the Patriotic Front, we will not be able to support you in your negotiations with the British for independence.

When we talk about history, we should also remember that we have transitional periods that we had prior to independence where some were Pfumo revanhu and Bishop Abel Muzorewa also drove to the State House in a scotch cart and after that there was Rhodesia.  To also remind others who did not know, by the way, ZANU had an internal wing which was called People’s Movement led by Dr. Tsvarayi who was based in Mbare of which I was a member at some stage.  When we talk of

history, it is not history after you came from assembly points and then you got elected into… –[HON. MEMBERS:  Hear, hear.]-  That is

distorted history.

When we are talking about history – I am just wondering what the mover of the motion meant when he said the history of this country should be taught in schools.  It is already being taught.  I am just wondering how old his children could be.  I am fortunate enough that all my daughters are graduates. So I do not know what you can teach them because they are mostly scientists and accountants.  To go back and start reading history is not possible.

When I was in school, they would divide subjects in class to Arts and Sciences. I am just wondering whether all should be studying History for the sake of history when we in this House, passed a Bill that says we should encourage children to study sciences.  Now, we are going back to reading history; distorted history for that matter –

[Laughter.]-  If we are going to accept our history as being correct, some of the advocates of studying history actually do not know where they are coming from because this is not a Police Charter.  Therefore, to start telling other Members of Parliament that you …–[HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear.]- to start suggesting that to qualify to be a Member of

Parliament, you should also be a historian is not feasible.

We have the Chigwederes of this world.  Chigwedere can tell you the history of the Nehoreka Clan in no uncertain terms and we appreciate that.  It is only last week during debate that I noticed that

Hon. Mandipaka was not aware that this country was once colonised by Bushmen – the Khoisan.  I remember telling him during debate that he should know his history.  Although he had moved a motion, he does not know that when you see Bushmen paintings, it does emphasise that prior to us who are here today coming here, there were the Khoisan.  That is why they would sit in the caves and draw big animals that are bigger than those that are left after poaching –[HON. MEMBERS:  Hear, hear.]-

So when we talk about history, we must first of all define what exactly you want to know.  We are not talking about colonial history, we are talking about the history of this country.  The history of this country is so clear that  Mbuya Nehanda who was executed was a medium of Mbuya Nehanda but the way our children are being taught is as if that woman who was hanged was Mbuya Nehanda – no, she was just the medium of the actual Mbuya Nehanda – the spirit of early centuries.

That is what history is all about –[HON. MEMBERS:  Hear, hear.]-

It is true that when we talk about our history, we should go back centuries to the old stone age and iron age which brought about mining of minerals – the minerals that we are talking about today.

Let it not be a vendetta to say, why is there the MDC because before the formation of ZANU which became ZANU PF later, there was ZAPU.  Before the formation of ZAPU, there was NDP.  The advent of MDC–T is just one cog in a wheel of history from where we are coming from because some of us came from ZANU PF and now we are MDC-T.

From MDC-T, we now have three vice presidents and you still have two

–[Laughter.]-

Madam Speaker, we are shaping history.  History is not only current or some of the grievances that we still have from gammatox and weevils. The issue is about….

THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER:  Order Hon. Member.  I think

the motion that was raised by Hon. Mandipaka is specifically speaking on the history of the country and not where you are now encroaching to.

–[HON. MEMBERS:  Inaudible interjections.]-  I advise you... –[HON. MEMBERS:  Inaudible interjections.]- Order Hon. Members, order!  I advise you to stick to the motion on debate and stop referring to things that do not exist in the history of Zimbabwe.  Remain focused on the history of our country and not current affairs.

HON. CHIMANIKIRE:  I thank you Madam Speaker.  The

history of our country has got to be history of its people and its natural resources.  It cannot be history without its people.  That is why I started from the original residents who were here before us.  We migrated from

Guruuswa which was in Tanzania, following the coast down to

Mozambique and some went as far down as the Cape.  That is history.

We then started migrating coming eastwards from the border. That is how we got here.  Like kwana Muderedzwa vakabva kuMozambique kunana Manica uku.  Most of the residents of Zimbabwe today actually came through Portuguese East Africa.  We have Soshangane and Mzilikazi coming from South Africa.  The others remained in Malawi and the others went as far as Bulawayo.

We cannot pretend that our history does not have people.  It is the movement of people within a certain precinct and then we went for the Movement of Democratic Change with people also bringing about change.  I thank you Madam Speaker.

*HON. MAPIKI:  Thank you Madam Speaker, for giving me an opportunity to contribute on this motion raised by Hon. Mandipaka stressing on the importance that the people of Zimbabwe should know their history and where they are coming from.

When I was growing up, I was told that I belonged to the

Museyamwa totem and originated from Buhera.  We then migrated from

Buhera to Harare and I asked why we migrated.  I was told that people wanted to have inter-marriages and hence they had to move to different areas like some of the Seke people who are around.  We were asking why there seemed to be the same people but we are now using different totems, and we were taught that besides looking for inter marriages, we also wanted to hold our own kingdoms, but we are just one and the same people of the Shava clan. When we come to our own houses and when a woman is married into a family she has to be told the culture and the rules and regulations of the family she is married into.   She has to know what is taboo and what is sacred, and that is called the culture of the country. As a result, when she encounters any problems with that, she will be able to refer to what she has been told, and hence the motion raised by Hon. Mandipaka is very essential.

When we look outside Zimbabwe and study the history of those countries we need to know how those countries originated, and how they operated. We then look at issues when Kwame Nkrumah said he wanted to have a united Africa; what was his aim? What did he want to do about that? We also want to examine as to why he was assassinated? What was the reason for the assassination? It will enlighten our path, and we may be able to look into the future, and when we have some people coming into our country, we will be able to tell what they want. When we go outside Africa with our history we look at the history of Israel, and we say why was Israel put in the Middle East? We realised that the Western countries wanted to utilise the oil heritage which is in the Middle East, hence they had to create the people from Israel who were in the Diaspora and put them into those countries. We also talk about Syria and the Golan Heights so that when we see the West coming in, we should be able to look back at history and say what the Western countries have done in Syria, Iraq and other areas and the wars which are going on now.

We also talk about the Golan Heights, the West were looking for oil riches in those countries and they had to look for ways and means for destabilising those countries. Hon. Mandipaka has talked about a very essential issue, and I know we may not agree on a thing or two, but we know that each and every one of us has a history – even political parties. What is a fact about the history is that you can never change history. I may take the example of somebody who was once an MP.  Nobody can eradicate that fact that one was once an MP.

Hon. Speaker Sir, let me make a correction on what was said by some previous speakers. Reference was made to the fact that  when people were in prison following the imprisonment of Joshua Nkomo and Robert Mugabe,  there was mention of the death of Herbert Chitepo. The release of Robert Mugabe and Joshua Nkomo was caused by the war which was fought by Tongogara and Chitepo, and the Western colonizers were so pressed by what had happened and they said let us release these people.  In order for them to lead to a fight, they created a story that the Tongogaras had killed Chitepo, hence they had to be detained.  This was a way of destabilising the liberation struggle.

Mr. Speaker Sir, may you please protect me, I am stating history as it should be stated. I know there is some false history which are propagated by some people because the main reason why Herbert Chitepo had to killed is that there were some leaders who were also supposed to be killed at that time. The reason was to create a division between the members of political leaders who were detained and those who were waging the war. We now look at Lancaster House, this was caused by the fact that Mozambique was in a problem because there were a lot of fights which were going on. Tanzania also had its problems, so Joshua Nkomo and Robert Mugabe had gone to settle their issues –[AN. HON. MEMBER: Une proof here?]- They were informed that they take into consideration the fact that Mozambique and Tanzania had problems and these leaders were advised that the war should come to an end because they were feeling the pressure. The truth is that Mozambique was being hit by armies from Rhodesia and South Africa and hence they were calling for peace. I need to correct this fact because it is usually misunderstood.

Most of us who are here learnt our history on how we migrated from wherever we come form, especially the Chief Dombo and the Mutotas of the past.  At times, the problem we have is the conception and perception of our history. When we look at our current history, in the year 2000 there was a party which was sworn which was called MDC, and the MDC took part in the 2008 elections, and won some seats in that election.  After the elections, we formed a Government of natural unity. What we are saying about history is that our children should be taught about this which has happened. After the GNU, there were elections which were held and again MDC was defeated, and they will tell their children that their party which is MDC T later appointed three

MDCs. There were some splits such as the Biti, Mangoma, and the

Madhukus because this is part of the history of Zimbabwe.

Madam Speaker, Hon. Mandipaka has raised a pertinent issue and I do not think that it is an issue whereby we should come and hail   insults at each other. We had a Muzorewa regime which had Zimbabwe- Rhodesia. When my children asked about Zimbabwe-Rhodesia on what was happening, I was able to explain to them that the Europeans were very clever.  What they did – if you are Joseph Mapiki, one name will not change, and the surname will always be the same but children may change their names and have so many names. So, what happened in this country is that it was called Rhodesia and so the country had to have two names Zimbabwe-Rhodesia. Zimbabwe was taken just as if it were an appendix which was there hence the name Zimbabwe-Rhodesia.

Now, when we are talking of the history of Zimbabwe, it shows that when we know about your ancestors and how you sing praises for your ancestors, you can never give allegiance to another ancestral spirit which is not yours.   Hon. Mandipaka has introduced this motion so that the people may know this history of the country and they will know where we are coming from and where we are going, and we will be able to protect our heritage because we know the history.  With those few words, I think it is time for us to learn more about the history of Zimbabwe.  When we know our history, we will be able to defend our rights and our heritage.  You can never be incorporated into another clan which is not yours.  This happens even at child birth.  If you are black and you find your wife giving birth to a white child, you know there is an anomally in that instance.

*HON. MAHOKA:  Thank you Madam Speaker.  I will start by

thanking the mover of this motion.  It is an excellent idea that each one of us should know where we are coming from so as to enable us to protect our country.  It shows that everyone should know our personal history.  Where we came from will help us to know our future.  We know that some people were born with a silver platter in their hands and yet they never participated in the war of liberation.  If you get someone who rejects the advice to learn the history of his country or for the history to be taught at schools, then there is something wrong with that person, because everyone should know their history and their ancestors.

THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER:  Order Hon. Khumalo.  Can

you please rise and withdraw whatever you were saying.  – [HON.

MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections.] -  Are you protesting Hon. Khumalo.  Hon Ndebele, I am sorry for that.  Hon. Ndebele, but you knew I was referring to you.

HON. NDEBELE:  Madam Speaker, I am a bit puzzled, how do I withdraw a good laugh.  I merely laughed.

THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER:  No, Hon Ndebele, I heard you.

HON. NDEBELE:  I withdraw the laugh Madam Speaker.

THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER:  Hon. Ndebele, I heard you.

You said ko zvamunoita zvekutuka VP.  Ndozvamataura.  Withdraw that statement.

HON. NDEBELE:  I stand guided Madam Speaker, if that is wrong at all I humbly withdraw.

*HON. MAHOKA:  I will continue with my contribution.  There

are a lot of people who died during the liberation struggle and our children should be told the history of this country.  So many people died because we had sellouts and we still have some people going out and selling out this country.  That was the reason why we engaged in the war of liberation.  There are some people who are Members of Parliament who say there was no war of liberation and there were no sellouts.  This is especially in the MDC party.  Most of them know that we went to war to fight sellouts because selling out destroys the country.

Most of the whites who were in this country contributed to the death of the people of Zimbabwe.  Currently, we are suffering, especially from the economic doldrums but we have some people in this House who deny that Zimbabwe is under sanctions.

HON. CHIDHAKWA:  On a point of order Madam Speaker.  We

need to remind the Hon. Member that this is no longer a debate but now an allegation.  We are not sitting here to listen to her allegations.  If she wants to make allegations she can go to ZANU PF headquarters and make allegations there.

*THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER:  From what you have said,

you have made your contribution in the same manner the Hon. Member is making her contribution.  Every Member has a chance to debate on a motion which is raised in this House.

*HON. MAHOKA:  We have some people who are pained when

we talk about the history of the country which was won through the liberation struggle.  These people forget that a lot of people lost their lives and some were maimed during the war of liberation and we should know that as the people of Zimbabwe.

I want to thank Hon. Mandipaka for introducing this motion in Parliament because people are going to get a chance to explain the history of Zimbabwe.  I think the Executive should see to it that lessons on the history of Zimbabwe are introduced because the previous speaker said “it is important that each individual should know his ancestral origins and know where his tribe originated from” because if you are somebody who does not know his ancestral roots, that person is bound to be a sellout because there is nothing that binds him to the soil of Zimbabwe.

The whites whom we are talking about – we had the war of liberation because we have some war mongers in this country but these people are cowards.  Whenever a war starts, they are the first people to migrate to other countries.

*HON. TARUSENGA:  On a point of order Madam Speaker,   I am surprised by the contributions being made by Hon. Mahoka about the whites.  If you look at her appearance and dressing, she is putting on some makeup which makes her look white.  So, she is emulating them.

- [HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear.] –

*THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER:  Order, Hon. Members, may I

plead with you not to abuse the privilege and immunity afforded to you by Parliament.  When we raise a point of order we have to explain what we mean.

*HON. TARUSENGA: My point of order is; why is Hon Mahoka

insulting whites and yet she is trying to look like them.  - [HON.

MEMBERS: Hear, hear.] –

*THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER:  Order Hon. Members.  As far

as I can see, the point of order raised by the Hon. Tarusenga, he is showing that he is a male chauvinist. May I please point out that this Parliament defends the rights of women and does not allow chauvinistic sentiments to be made in the House.

HON. NDEBELE: What has been obtaining here has nothing to do with the gender card. Please, let us not go there.

*THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER: I have already made a ruling on that Hon. Member. We do not want anti-gender or chauvinistic sentiments.

*HON. MAHOKA: I thank you for protecting me. What you should know is that in ZANU PF, we have glamour girls who know how to dress, make up and be presentable. MDC has appreciated that by saying that we are trying to emulate the whites because we are a smart and clean party –

*THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER: Order Hon. Ndebele.

*HON. MAHOKA: I will continue with my debate regarding the whites. God created earth and all the people in it. He created America for whites and Zimbabwe for the black people of Africa. That is why we went to fight for the liberation of Zimbabwe because it had been colonised by the whites who were plundering our natural heritage and riches. A lot of our fellow countrymen lost their lives. We know that we have some Hon. Members who are just benefiting yet they do not know the history of the country that they are enjoying all these benefits because of the liberation struggle. Hence, the history of Zimbabwe should be taught in our countries in schools or wherever a forum can be found. The history should be disseminated. When you know your history, you will know your future.

I have heard some people making some contributions or talking on topics which surprised me on whether they are really patriotic. We have had some youngsters who will tell you that if you think you liberated the country, please go and slave it where it was enslaved or colonise it and we will free it. This shows that they look down on the efforts made by the freedom fighters. We have some people we left in Nyadzonia and Chimoio, and yet we have people who are not benefitting. We have some people who are surviving because of the sympathy of the people of Zimbabwe. Some of them during the liberation of Zimbabwe could have been killed because they are sellouts.

So, I want to thank Hon. Mandipaka for the contribution he has made. Let us continue with this discussion. I am afraid we have now lost our quorum and would like to make my contribution when the House is full so that people hear my point.

HON. MANDIPAKA: I rise on a point of order which arises from the fact that we do not make up a quorum and so we cannot continue.

THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER: Hon. Mandipaka has raised a

point of order on the issue of quorum and we will follow the Parliament procedures.

[Bells rung].

 Notice having been taken that there being present fewer than 70 Members, the bells were rung for Seven Minutes and a Quorum still not being present, THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER adjourned the House

without question put at Eight Minutes past Five O’clock p.m. pursuant to provisions of Standing Order Number 56.

NOTE: The following Members were present when the House adjourned: Chamisa N.; Chidhakwa S.; Chimanikire G.; Chinanzvavana C.; Chirisa F .; Chisorochengwe T.; Chitembwe V J.; Chiwetu J Z.;Cross E G.; Gangarahwa G.; Gonese I.T.; Guzha N.K.; Holder J.; Labode M

R.;  Majaya B.; Mandipaka O.; Maondera W.; Mashakada T.; Matambanadzo M.; Matienga M.; Matuke L.; Mawere M D V.; Mpofu M M.; Muchenje S. M.;  Muderedzwa R.; Mudyiwa M.; Mugidho M.; Muzondiwa E S.; Ndebele A.;  Ndlovu D M; Ndlovu N.;  Ndoro L F.; Nhema C F.D.; Nkomo M.; Rungani A.; Sansole T W.; Sibanda D. S.; Sibanda D. P.; Sibanda M.; Sipani-Hungwe O.; Tarusenga U  D.; Watson N J.; Zindi I.; Zvidzai S.; Zwizwai M .;