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NATIONAL ASSEMBLY HANSARD 24 SEPTEMBER 2019 45-86

PARLIAMENT OF ZIMBABWE

Tuesday, 24^th September, 2019

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

PRAYERS

(THE HON. SPEAKER in the Chair)

ANNOUNCEMENTS BY THE HON. SPEAKER

SWEARING IN OF NEW MEMBERS

THE HON. SPEAKER:  On the 10^th September, 2019,

Parliament received communication from the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission on the election of the following Members as Members of the National Assembly with effect from the 7^th September, 2019:- Hon. Hlalani Mguni representing Mangwe Constituency and Hon.

Vincent Tsvangirayi representing Glen View South Constituency. 

Section 128 (1) of the Constitution of Zimbabwe provides that before a Member of Parliament takes his or her seat in Parliament, the Member must take the oath of a Member of Parliament in the form set out in the Third Schedule.  Section 128 (2) of the Constitution states that the oath must be taken before the Clerk of Parliament.  I, therefore, call upon the Clerk of Parliament to administer the oath of a Member of Parliament to Hon. Hlalani Mguni and Hon. Vincent Tsvangirayi – [HON. MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections.] – Can we respect the swearing in ceremony in silence?

NEW MEMBERS SWORN

HON. HLALANI MGUNI AND HON. VINCENT

TSVANGIRAYI subscribed to the Oath of Loyalty as required by the law and took their seats – [HON. MEMBERS:  Hear, hear.] –  

        THE HON. SPEAKER:  Order, order!  Can you be gracious enough?  I am going to send out one or two people now.  You have to respect the ceremony.  Please Clerk proceed.

  HON. KWARAMBA:  Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir. I rise on a

point of privilege.  I would like to congratulate the First Lady, Amai Auxilia Mnangagwa for being appointed Honorary Ambassador of Harvard University Global Health Catalyst in recognition of the work she is conducting in Zimbabwe’s health sector through her Angel of Hope Foundation.  Congratulations.  Amhlope.  Makorokoto! – [HON.

MEMBERS:  Hear, hear.] –

        THE HON. SPEAKER:  Order, order.  I want the point of privilege to be as short as demonstrated by Hon. Kwaramba.  No rumbling; straight to the point.

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

of privilege is on the so called abductions – [HON. MEMBERS:

Inaudible interjections.] –

          THE HON. SPEAKER:  Order, order!  The matter being raised

is still under investigation.

   *HON. HAMAUSWA:   I rise on a point of privilege which I

earlier on raised and I now raise again today, this is on the issue of water.  We requested that the Hon. Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Water, Climate and Rural Resettlement should come and give a Ministerial Statement in terms of what measures were put in place to alleviate the debacle of water.

        THE HON. SPEAKER: Order, do not say aiwa.  Your time will come for you to be in the Chair.  Hon. Member, you remember we discussed this.  The Minister agreed but because we went on recess, that is why there was no time to give that Ministerial

Statement.  So the Hon. Minister is ready to give the statement today.

   HON. MADZIMURE:  Mr. Speaker, considering that land is a

national strategic resource that must be allocated and preserved for the benefit of all Zimbabweans equally and also for future generations, when the allocation is made, it is normally through the government or local authorities.  The government issues offer letters especially to government land and where it acquires land it then also issues offer letters.  However, more frequently than not, we have seen offer letters being withdrawn without proper procedures being followed to notify even those people who will have been given the offer letters and they are just withdrawn.  It has become a serious problem where people will have made developments.  So, my plea is that if the Minister of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing and the Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Water, Climate and Rural Resettlement could issue a joint statement as to what should be the procedure to follow when cancelling offer letters because we have seen a lot of families getting stranded after offer letters have unilaterally been withdrawn while they would be under the impression that they now have the land and can develop it.

        THE HON. SPEAKER:  Thank you Hon. Member.  Hon.

Member, you do not stand before I have made a ruling.  That is the procedure.  While the question of land is a very important issue, I suggest that you ask the question tomorrow during question time.

        HON. SACCO:  Mine is a point of privilege around the use of diplomatic or red passports.  I have noticed with concern that the use of red passports by people who are denigrating Zimbabwe and bringing the name of Zimbabwe into disrepute and also bringing the name of His Excellency into disrepute.  We have people who are using diplomatic passports to denigrate Zimbabwe and bring the name of His Excellency into disrepute.  Those people are treasonous and I propose that those passports should be withdrawn.

               THE HON. SPEAKER:  The holding of a diplomatic passport

carries with it some heavy responsibilities, it is an honoured privilege and therefore cannot be abused especially during international relations. I shall have to converse with the Minister of Foreign Affairs and deal with the matter accordingly.

        *HON. CHIPATO:  On a point of privilege – I would like to thank ZANU-PF party for winning resoundingly the ZAKA East elections, won by Clemence Chiduwa.  ZANU-PF cadres, you know the politics of Zimbabwe, that is how Cde Chiduwa was elected to represent ZANU-PF in ZAKA East.  I thank you – [HON.

MEMBERS: Inaudible interjection.] –

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

Members let us not make the point of privilege a circus.  –[HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear.] –   That is a congratulatory message so we wait for the Hon. Member to be sworn-in, then you can congratulate that Member.

APPOINTMENT OF ZANU-PF DEPUTY CHIEF WHIP

        I have the following further announcements:  I wish to inform the House that ZANU-PF has appointed Hon. Phuti as the party’s deputy chief whip – [HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear.] –

         Hon. Members having stood up.

Order, order! Please may you take your seats?

NON-ADVERSE REPORT RECEIVED FROM THE

PARLIAMENTARY LEGAL COMMITTEE

        THE HON. SPEAKER: I also have to inform the House that I have received a Non-Adverse Report from the Parliamentary Legal Committee on all the Statutory Instruments gazetted during the month of August 2019.

REVIEW OF CONSTITUENCY DEVELOPMENT FUND (CDF)

ALLOWANCES

        THE HON. SPEAKER: Furthermore, I have to inform the

House that following the presentation of the 2019 Mid-Year Budget

Review and Supplementary Budget by the Minister of Finance and Economic Development on Thursday, 1^st August 2019.  Hon. Members are advised that the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) allocation for 2019 has been reviewed upwards from ZWL$80 000.00 – [AN HON. MEMBER: Not $50 000.00?] -   Keep quiet please - I am going to have you removed from the House.  It has been reviewed upwards to ZWL $175 238.00 per constituency.  Members are therefore advised to submit projects for funding amounting to ZWL $175 238.00.

CATHOLIC CHURCH SERVICE

        THE HON. SPEAKER:  I have to inform the House that there will be a Roman Catholic Church service tomorrow, Wednesday 25^th September, 2019 at 1230 hours in the Senate Chamber.  All Catholics and none Catholic members are invited.

MOTION

BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE

         THE MINISTER OF JUSTICE, LEGAL AND

PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS (HON. ZIYAMBI):  Mr. Speaker,

I move that Orders of the Day Numbers 1 to 16 be stood over until Order of the Day Number 17 has been disposed of.

Motion put and agreed to.

MOTION

REPORT OF THE 139^TH ASSEMBLY OF THE INTER-

PARLIAMENTARY UNION (IPU)

HON. MUTOMBA:  Mr. Speaker, I move the motion standing

in  my name that this House, takes note of the Report of the 139^th

Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), Geneva, Switzerland from the 14^th to 18^th October, 2018.

         HON. CHIBAYA:  I second.

 HON. MUTOMBA:  Introduction

The 139^th Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) was held in Geneva, Switzerland, from 14 to 18 October 2018 under the overarching theme “Parliamentary Leadership in Promoting Peace and Development in the Age of Innovation and Technological

Change”.

Hon. Advocate Jacob F. Mudenda, Speaker of the National

Assembly, led a Parliamentary delegation comprising the following Members and Officers of Parliament to the 139^th Assembly of the IPU and Related Meetings:-

Hon. Chief Mtshane Khumalo;

Hon. William Mutomba;

Hon. Tsitsi Muzenda;

Hon. Robson Mavenyengwa;

Hon. Amos Chibaya;

Hon. Tinoda Machakarika;

Mr. Kennedy Chokuda, (Clerk of Parliament);

Mr. Ndamuka Marimo, (Director in the Clerk’s Office);

Ms. Martha Mushandinga, (Principal Executive Assistant to the

Hon. Speaker);

Ms. Rumbidzai P. Chisango, (Principal External Relations

Officer); and

Mr. Robert Sibanda, (Aide to the Hon. Speaker.)

Hon. Advocate Mudenda was elected President of the Africa Geopolitical Group while Hon. Tsitsi Muzenda was elected President of the Standing Committee on Sustainable Development, Finance and Trade, taking over from Hon. Jenifer Mhlanga who was appointed into the Executive. We extend our warm congratulations to them and wish them success in their new roles.

Emergency Item

The proposal put forward by the delegations of Seychelles, Fiji, Tonga, Samao and the Federated States of Micronesia regarding climate change entitled “Climate Change-let us not cross the line” was adopted and added to the Assembly’s Agenda.

General Debate

The General Debate on the theme “Parliamentary Leadership in Promoting Peace and Development in the age of Innovation and

Technological Change” provided an opportunity for Member Parliaments to exchange views on both the negative and positive impact of technological change and recommendations for parliamentary action to promote peace and development through science and innovative technology.

Hon. Advocate Mudenda, Speaker of the National Assembly, joined the distinguished delegates in contributing to the general debate on the theme. The Hon Speaker underscored the critical role played by Parliaments in ensuring the protection of fundamental human rights and freedoms as well as the rule of law in constitutional democracies as a way of ensuring socio-economic development through the application of science and technology. In this regard, he called on Parliaments to jealously and religiously promote, protect and advance the respect for fundamental human rights and freedoms which must anchor the socio-economic development agenda.

With regards to technological advancement, the Hon. Speaker urged Parliaments to encompass a robust legislative agenda which is cognizant of the ever emerging innovative technology in our societies. Accordingly, Parliaments must lead to the application of modern information and communication technologies that enhance parliamentary e-governance. Furthermore, Parliaments must craft laws that respond to demands of a digital technological world economy.

The Forum of Women Parliamentarians 

The Forum of Women Parliamentarians contributed to the draft resolution before the Standing Committee on Democracy and Human Rights entitled “Strengthening inter-parliamentary cooperation on migration and migration governance in view of the adoption of the

Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration”

In addition, the Forum of Women Parliamentarians held a panel discussion on “Gender Equality in Science and Technology”. In acknowledging that innovations transform societies by providing possibilities to improve individual empowerment and well-being, Parliamentarians noted the under-representation of women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). The need for women to have access to digital tools and to funding for training and undertaking as well as engaging in scientific careers in these fields was emphasised.

The Forum of Young Parliamentarians of the IPU

 The Forum of Young Parliamentarians took stock of national efforts to enhance youth participation in human endeavors including lowering the age of requirement to run for Presidential office through constitutional reform. Participants emphasised the importance of political parties and their youth wings as stepping stones for youth participation in formal politics. The young Parliamentarians proposed initiatives such as capacitation sessions, limitations on political financing, parliamentary awareness raising activities and support for youth wings of political parties in order to increase youth participation.

The work of other Standing Committees of the IPU

The Standing Committee on Peace and International

Security held panel discussions on the following topics:

1. Comprehensive Disarmament and non-proliferation: The Committee noted that the International Community is currently addressing the use of conventional weapons through conventions such as the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT). Parliamentarians were called upon to hold governments to account in their efforts to implement the Treaty.
2. Combating Sexual Violence in UN peacekeeping operations and beyond: The Committee noted that sexual violence is now considered an international crime hence the

United Nations has put in place mechanisms where victims’

rights and dignity are prioritised. Accordingly,  delegates called for a zero tolerance approach and Parliamentary action that may include regular briefings on peace operations and regular assessments of existing national legislation to determine its applicability to sex crimes committed by its citizens while in the service of UN peace keeping Missions; and

3. Non-admissibility of using mercenaries which undermine peace and violate human rights: The Committee underscored the need for better legislation in order to prohibit the use of mercenaries and foreign fighters as well as to regulate the work of private companies. Legislation should address mercenaries’ impunity and promote respect and ethics among mercenary soldiers.

 The Standing Committee on Sustainable Development,

Finance and Trade deliberated on the following topics:-

1. Parliamentary Meeting on the Occasion of the United Nations Climate Change Conference: The Committee deliberated on the draft outcome document to be presented at the Parliamentary Meeting on the occasion of the UN Climate Change Conference scheduled for 9 December

2018 in Poland;

2. The Role of Fair and Free Trade and Investment in achieving SDGs, especially regarding Economic Equality, Sustainable Infrastructure, Industrialisation and Innovation: The Committee noted the nexus between trade and investment and that both are crucial to the achievement of SDGs. Trade is often neither free nor equitable and export-import relations are sometimes imbalanced. Parliamentarians were, therefore, called upon to prevent the spreading of systems that exacerbate inequalities and to promote a process that can help develop fair and free trade;
3. Taking forward the IPU resolution entitled

“Engaging the Private Sector in Implementing the

SDGs Especially Renewable Energy”: The Committee

noted the benefits renewable energy could produce at environmental, social and economic levels. In this regard, regulations, enabling frameworks and comprehensive policies are crucial in order to effectively achieve a sustainable energy transition.

The Standing Committee on the United Nations Affairs deliberated on the following topics:

1. Would a UN Intergovernmental tax body help resolve outstanding issues of corporate tax evasion?: Noting problems with the current international tax regime such as the proliferation of tax havens, most delegates expressed support for the creation of an intergovernmental body at the UN that would work to establish a global tax standard on corporate taxation;
2. What scope for cooperation between Parliaments and

WHO as the leading United Nations Agency for Global Health: The Committee noted the essential role of the WHO in helping countries implement SDG 3 on health. Parliaments play a critical role in legislation and budget oversight to expand the provision of health services to all people, particularly among the most vulnerable and those in the hinterland.

 

        Resolutions Adopted at the 139^th IPU Assembly 

The Resolution on the Emergency Item on “Climate Change –

Let us not cross the line” was unanimously adopted.

        The resolution primarily notes major concerns raised in the Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) on the impacts of global warming of 1.5 % above pre-industrial levels and related greenhouse gas emission pathways.

The resolution calls on Parliamentary action to:-

1. Recognise and decisively act on the IPCC Special Report on

Global Warming of 1.5%;

2. Support and lead the development of the Rule Book and Guidelines for implementing the Paris Agreement, including resource mobilisation and simplifying procedures for accessing climate change funding in order to build on the

Talanoa Dialogue at the upcoming COP24;

3. Take a leadership role in combatting climate change and strengthening partnerships with all countries so as to meet targets set out in nationally determined contributions;
4. Encourage governments to achieve 100% renewable energy targets; and
5. Strengthen oversight of national and international commitments, including government implementation of national legislation in order to enhance transparency, accountability and periodic reporting on climate change.    The outcome document on the theme of the General Debate

“Parliamentary Leadership in Promoting Peace and Development in the age of innovation and technological change” was endorsed by the IPU Assembly.

The outcome document recognizes the positive elements of technological developments that include improvements in connectivity and communication, creative innovative solutions to global challenges such as early warning signs to prevent disasters. It also recognizes the ethical and societal challenges associated with technological advancements such as cyber-crime, and the abuse of artificial intelligence. The outcome document accented the critical role Parliaments should play in fostering an environment where science, technology and innovation make a positive contribution to peace, development and human well-being while at the same time limiting the associated risks as well as protecting the environment. It, therefore, calls on Parliaments to:-

1. Strengthen legal frameworks favourable to technological and scientific innovation for peace and development through, among others, strengthening education in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), promoting universal digital literacy and guaranteeing respect for international human rights framework as a beacon that guides decisions on how to address difficult ethical issues.
2. Make Parliaments drivers of technological innovation in favour of transparency and inclusion through use of modern information and communication technologies such as video live streaming of Parliamentary sessions and improved online information access and appropriately funding Parliamentary research services;
3. Establish strong connections with the scientific community through supporting mechanisms and budgetary measures that guarantee science based policy making to ensure the sustainable well-being of future generations.
4. Supporting international scientific cooperation in favour of peace and development as scientific methods can be used to build bridges and to bring countries in conflict resolution together. Parliaments can include scientific knowledge in Parliamentary oversight of the 2030 Agenda and implementation process.

The resolution submitted by the Standing Committee on

Democracy and Human Rights on “Strengthening InterParliamentary Cooperation on Migration and Migration Governance in View of the Adoption of the Global Compact for

Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration” was adopted by consensus.

The resolution recognises that migration has been a feature of human civilisation from time immemorial and that governed humanely and fairly, migration contributes to inclusive and sustainable economic growth and development in both origin and destination countries as it strengthens the bonds of human solidarity. The resolution notes that people on the move, irrespective of their legal status, are entitled to the full enjoyment of human rights set out in the relevant international treaties and conventions. Accordingly, the Resolution welcomes the imminent adoption of the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration. The resolution calls on

Parliaments to:-

1. Ratify relevant international human rights laws, key ILO conventions and other relevant international and regional instruments protecting the rights of migrants, women, children and persons in vulnerable situations;
2. Expand legal pathways for migration to facilitate labour mobility and skills training, family reunification and migration for reasons such as armed conflict, gender based violence, natural disasters and climate change.
3. Require government to report periodically on progress on the implementation of national migration policies and to ensure parliamentary tools such as questions to Ministers, public hearings and Committee enquiries to hold government to account for the results achieved..
4. Actively participate in and support regional integration

processes and transnational efforts to coordinate migration policy and to domesticate relevant regional instruments in National legislation.

5. Actively engage in the achievement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development as a means to optimise migration, particularly extreme poverty, climate change and natural disasters, and urges Parliaments to promote measures aimed at raising awareness of and maximising the development benefits of safe, orderly and regular migration.
6. Participate in the Parliamentary Meeting on the occasion of the Inter-governmental Conference to adopt a Global

Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration in December 2018 in Marrakesh, Morocco.

7. Actively follow up on the implementation of the Global compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration.

Endorsement by the Assembly of the Declaration on the 70^th

Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. 

The year 2018 marks the 70^th Anniversary of the Universal

Declaration of Human Rights, a historic instrument drafted in the aftermath of the horrors of the Second World War. The fundamental rights in the declaration uphold the inherent dignity of all human beings and their attendant fundamental human rights which contribute to peace, security and prosperity of all Nations.

Against the backdrop of growing authoritarianism, internal conflict, war, poverty and large scale migration, Parliamentarians reaffirmed their commitment to the Declaration and its underlying principles in the following way:

1. Guaranteeing that domestic legal framework complies with international and national human rights obligations and creates an enabling environment for inclusive participatory politics, a vibrant civil society and the rule of law.
2. Ensuring Parliamentary discourse, proceedings and outreach are rooted in and promote equality, liberty and justice.
3. Raise greater awareness of the Declaration among the people and help them access their rights thereunder.
4. Acting in solidarity with Parliamentarians worldwide whose fundamental rights are being violated by raising their cases at appropriate fora and supporting the work of the IPU’s

Committee on the Human Rights of Parliamentarians.

Endorsement by the Assembly of the Presidential Statement on recent developments on the Korean Peninsular

The Presidential Statement welcomed the recent positive political developments on the Korean Peninsula, notably the InterKorean Summit in April 2018 leading to the Panmunjom Declaration for Peace, Prosperity and Unification of the Korean Peninsula, the

U.S – DPRK Summit in Singapore in June 2018 and President Moon

Jae-in’s visit to Pyongyang in September

OBSERVATIONS

The General Debate, Committee Reports and Resolutions covered topical issues that require Parliamentary action through exercising its representative, legislative and oversight roles.

It is, therefore, imperative for Parliament, through respective Committees to introspect on the resolutions and where possible, come up with action plans to ensure that resolutions agreed upon at international fora are implemented.  There is need for follow up

action to make our participation at international fora more meaningful.

         Recommendations

	ITEM	ACTION		RESPONSIBILITY	TIMELINE
1.	Climate Change	- Enact appropriate Legislation on Climate Change. ( The delegation has taken note that Parliamentarians have attended the Annual Climate Change Conferences as part of the National delegation)		- Thematic Committee on SDGs, Portfolio Committee on Environment -Expanded SDGs Committee of all Chairpersons	-Workplan to be determined by the Portfolio Committees by February 2019.
2	Increasing youth representation in Parliament	-        Parliament must lobby political parties for youth quotas.  -        Parliament must continue to include youth representation to delegations to International Meetings		- Chief Whips      -Presiding Officers	-Ongoing      -Ongoing
3	Migration and Refugees	-     Parliament through its oversight function to ensure that Government adheres to International Agreements regarding the rights of migrants and refugees.		-Committee on Foreign Affairs, Industry and Commerce	-The relevant Portfolio Committees to come up with a workplan by February 2019
		-	Parliament must ensure sufficient budget allocation towards migrants and refugees that is consistent with international commitments.	-Portfolio Committee on Defence, Home Affairs and Security Services	In the 2019 Budget

I thank you.

                  HON. CHIBAYA:  Thank you Hon. Speaker.  Hon. Mutomba

almost touched everything.  Mr. Speaker, let me start by explaining the meaning of IPU so that Members understand what kind of an animal I am talking about.  IPU is Inter-Parliamentary Union.  InterParliamentary Union is made up of legislators drawn from the whole world where we share experiences from other Parliaments.  Hon. Speaker, I will only touch on the recommendations by InterParliamentary Union.  Before I touch on those recommendations, I would like to encourage this august House to implement these recommendations so that these bodies become relevant.

         Hon. Speaker, we need to walk the talk, we need to have a mechanism as this august House of implementing these recommendations.  In attacking the recommendations, I will go item by item and also I will highlight the action that is supposed to be taken by this Parliament and also indicate whose responsibility it is to implement these issues and also the time frame.

         CLIMATE CHANGE

          Action 

         This Parliament must enact an appropriate legislation on climate change.  Parliamentarians must have attended the Annual Climate Change Conference as part of the national delegation.  It is the responsibility of the Thematic Committee on SDGs, Portfolio Committee on Environment and the expanded SDGs Committee of all Chairpersons.

          Timeframe

         There must be a workplan to be determined by this Portfolio Committee by December 2019.

        INCREASING YOUTH REPRESENTATION IN

PARLIAMENT

I am sure you have heard Hon. Mutomba talking about political parties to ensure that we encourage youth participation, especially here in Parliament.  If I can ask Hon. Speaker, how many young

Parliamentarians are in this august House, if I can ask MPs across the political divide to just show by raising of hands for us to see if we are really serious, both parties, be it ZANU or MDC.  Can you show by raising your hands - [HON. MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections] – I am sure you have actually seen it yourself; there are very few youths in this august House.  We encourage that when we go to next elections, all political parties must make sure that there is adequate representation for young Parliamentarians in this august House.  Parliament must lobby political parties for a youth quota.    Parliament must continue to include youth representation to delegations to international meetings.  It must be mandatory for young

Parliamentarians to be part of the delegations, be it IPU, SADC PF,

PAN-African Parliament – [HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear] – On this one, the responsibility lies with the Presiding Officers and in this case, it is yourself – [HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear.] – On timeline, this should be ongoing.

MIGRATION AND REFUGEES

          Action

         Parliament through its oversight function, I am sure you are all aware that oversight is one of our responsibilities as Members of Parliament, apart from the legislative and representation roles.  Parliament should ensure that Government adheres to international agreements regarding the rights of migrants and refugees.  Right now we are approaching the 2020 Budget; Parliament must ensure that there is sufficient budget allocation towards migrants and refugees, a budget that is consistent with international commitments.  I am sure as we go for the Pre-Budget Seminar we will discuss on these issues.  As

Parliamentarians, we need to lobby the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development so that we get an allocation for this.

           This is the responsibility of the Portfolio Committees on Foreign

Affairs, Industry and Commerce and also Defence, Home Affairs and Security Services.

          Time Frame

The relevant Portfolio Committees should come up with a work plan by December, 2020.

         DELEGATIONS

         Hon. Speaker, I want to ask your Office, even tomorrow if possible to actually go through the list of those MPs who attend meetings of these bodies just for us to know whether young parliamentarians are being represented. I thank you.

THE HON. SPEAKER: Check on your Hansards, the Chair cannot debate. Check your records.

HON. MAVENYENGWA: Thank you Mr. Speaker for giving

me this opportunity to debate the motion by Hon. Mutomba since I was also part of the delegation to the IPU in Qatar which took place in

September. Hon. Speaker, I would start by congratulating you and

Hon. Muzenda for your appointments as the SADC head and

Women’s Parliamentary Forum head. Congratulations Sir.

I would want to start by debating on the issue of universal health coverage by 2030 which was debated at the IPU. I think Hon. Dr. Labode will be very happy with this subject. Every Zimbabwean should be afforded cheap and affordable healthcare by the year 2030 which has already been supported by our own President yesterday who is attending a UN Assembly in New York. He said that

Zimbabwe will build at least 6 000 clinics in the next five years. Already, it has shown the commitment by our country to make sure that we achieve this target because we want to see every Zimbabwean fit and getting treatment at the least possible cost.

You can also witness it as Zimbabwe - through the First Lady of this country who was also at the UN Assembly, named as the Ambassador of Harvard University Global Health Catalyst by the work she is doing back home –[Hear, hear.]. Hon. Speaker, this shows that Zimbabwe is serious in making sure that we achieve the target which was set by the United Nations of Universal Healthcare by 2030.

I will also touch on the issue of funding of terrorists. In Zimbabwe we have got laws which discourage the funding of international terrorists. Terrorists destroy everything indiscriminately. You find that in Zimbabwe, some people might be terrorists without even using firearms – [HON. MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections.] – they go out to fight their own country, asking for sanctions so that people will suffer because they want them to die through hunger and these hardship we are now facing. As a result of these sanctions, the country is unable to get any assistance from anywhere and it is another way of terrorism which is being practiced by some of our fellow Zimbabweans.

I also support the issue of having more youth and women in parliaments, especially here in Zimbabwe. I would want to think Zimbabwe is already in the right direction as we now have about 60 women on proportional representation in addition to those women who have constituencies – [AN HON. MEMBER: How many?] – so as Zimbabwe, we are already in it but on youth, I think there is a need for our Parliament to improve so that we also have more youth in Parliament.

THE HON. SPEAKER: Order, there is vehicle registration number AES 4312, which is white in colour and is blocking other vehicles. If that vehicle is not collected it will be clamped now.

HON. MADZIMURE: Thank you Mr. Speaker. I want to add

my voice to the IPU report. I will touch on a few issues raised in the report because there are specific issues that I want to address. Mr. Speaker, in the report the issue of the rights of Hon. Members who are represented by a Committee at IPU came out clearly and I thought as Zimbabwe we still have something that we must do about that issue and correct some areas which are quite grey.

Mr. Speaker, the confidence of a Member of Parliament is derived from the respect that the member is accorded. On a number of occasions, we have seen situation where our Members of Parliament are dragged before the courts. In most cases, those members are later on found guilty and this is a serious indictment on the system, especially the Executive that must uphold the Constitution and make sure that whatever is done to a people’s representative, the action that is taken is only taken after all necessary processes have been undertaken to make sure that it is not only done to embarrass or intimidate the Member of Parliament.  It becomes difficult for that

Member to represent his or her constituency.

 Mr. Speaker, we have had several arrests of Members of Parliament, especially from year 2000.  On all the occasions, not a single Member of Parliament ended up being successfully prosecuted.  Now the question is, why do we embarrass our Members of

Parliament?  Why do we drag Members of Parliament to the courts on flimsy grounds?  Mr. Speaker, the issue at IPU is topical. If you look at the lists of Members of Parliament who are persecuted in a number of countries, you even find sometimes Zimbabwe missing because the Members of Parliament of Zimbabwe think that it can be corrected at home.  However, I think Zimbabwe cannot be found missing on that particular list because we have got a lot of Members of Parliament who have been dragged to the courts without having committed a single crime.  Members of Parliament have been dragged to courts because of simply mobilising the people around them.  It is a right of the people to demonstrate whenever they think that something is wrong.  In our case, it is actually unusual and not normal for us not to see demonstrations happening.

Madam Speaker, we have been increasing the cost of fuel on a weekly basis but the supply has not improved.  When a Member of

Parliament is asked by his people …

THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER:  Hon. Madzimure, please

may you stick to the report.

HON. MADZIMURE:  Thank you Madam Speaker for the

guidance.  I thought anything that you debate in this House must have a context and that is what I am trying to do to say what will then make a Member of Parliament utter a certain statement. If your people do not have water and you know that the local authority or the Ministry of Water is responsible, it is within a Member of Parliament’s right to respond by telling people that they can also demonstrate because their right will have been violated.  However, if a Member of Parliament is then arrested because he has said so, it is wrong Madam Speaker.  This is what I am saying and this is exactly the situation in Zimbabwe.  Members of Parliament are arrested for advising people to take the proper action that is only taken by a normal society; a society that knows its rights.

Madam Speaker, going on the issue of health, the last speaker talked about the President promising 6000 clinics in five years.  That is exactly why the Executive would not want Members of Parliament to be part of their delegation to the UN because they go there to misrepresent facts.  Zimbabwe cannot build even 20 clinics in a year – [HON. MEMBERS:  Hear, hear.] -  You cannot.  6000 divided by five, you are saying you can do more than a 1000 clinics a year in Zimbabwe.  Where is the budget?  There is no budget to back up the claim that we can do 6000 clinics in five years.  Zimbabwe must be realistic Madam Speaker so that if we want assistance, we then get it

– [HON. MEMBERS:  Inaudible interjections.] –

Madam Speaker, in addition to that, the 6000 clinics that we are talking about must have medical staff to man the clinics.  Right now, our doctors are on strike and they have been on strike for the past two weeks.  Nothing is happening.  There are no talks going on between the Government and the doctors.  To add salt to the wound Madam Speaker, the doctor who was elected by his fellow doctors to head them was actually abducted and tortured – [HON. MEMBERS:

Inaudible interjections.] –

THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER:  Hon. Madzimure, please

stick to the report.

HON. MADZIMURE:  Thank you Madam Speaker.  I thought I am talking about the provision of health in Zimbabwe, which is provided for by the medical professionals and doctors provide that service.  Madam Speaker, until and unless we respect those professionals, we will not achieve what we claim we want to achieve.

Some people have talked about the issue of sanctions Madam Speaker.  I respond to that because these are some of the misinformation that goes around that we cannot provide health services because of sanctions.  Madam Speaker, if you look at the corruption in Government, it is shocking.  The amount of money that is siphoned and is used to build mansions, if it was redirected to the improvement of our health facilities, we would not have a single problem.

Madam Speaker, we have Ministers who are now in the dock on the issue of corruption.  If the amounts were to be shared amongst

Members of Parliament to go and give to their constituency clinics,

we would have enough medical supplies for the next two years, simply from one case of corruption.  Let us not cry and use corruption as an excuse to continuously loot the Government coffers.  We must make sure that we are accountable and we do not steal national resources.  Madam Speaker, we abuse national resources.  We have paid for drugs that have never been delivered.  We have paid for hospitals that have never been built.  We have paid for fuel and the money has been diverted to the black market.  Only last week, when some accounts were frozen, the black market rate just crumbled and we ended up – [HON. SACCO:  Inaudible interjections.] – THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER:  Order Hon. Sacco.

HON. MADZIMURE:  Hon. Sacco is one who is not even qualified to say whatever he is saying – [HON. SIKHALA:  He is the most corrupt gold panner.] – Madam Speaker, there is evidence that he struggles in even addressing his own constituents.  They do not want to see him there.  Madam Speaker, I am of the opinion that we can make Zimbabwe a better country if we manage our resources well.  Thank you Madam Speaker.

HON. MAVETERA:  Thank you very much Madam Speaker

for giving me this opportunity to also add my voice to this very important motion.  I would like to thank Hon. Mutomba and Hon.

Chibaya for bringing to this House such a very important motion.  Madam Speaker, this is quite a very important motion especially in terms of what we are facing as a nation.  There is one issue that was raised which is about young people and I thought it is quite cognizant for me to be able to stand in this august House to be able to talk about this motion in detail.

If you look at the population census that we had here in Zimbabwe, we realised that 77% constituted the young people and indeed that is worth noting for us to say that young people are actually very important to ensure that Zimbabwe goes forward.

        I would like to second Hon. Chibaya where he said there is need for us to look at the youth quota but this does not only go to the youth quota.  What we need to do as Zimbabwe is that we have realised that until now, we have got a National Youth Policy but we do not have a National Youth Act.  We are calling upon the Ministry of Youth for them to be able to enact a National Youth Act that will enable youth issues to be taken seriously.  If we look at the current situation that we have, we have a situation where here in Zimbabwe we only have a policy which is highly unenforceable and there is need for us to have an Act.  The moment we have an Act, it means it will become enforceable.  As much as we can lobby for us to have a youth quota, this does not suffice if there is no Act in place.  Therefore we are calling upon and saying for the young people to be taken seriously, we are calling upon the Ministry of Youth to enact a Youth Act.

        The other issue is that of the Zimbabwe Youth Council Board.  Here in Zimbabwe, we do not have a youth board until today.  Why are we not having a Zimbabwe Youth Council Board for the last three years?  There is need for us to be having our own youth council board that will represent the interests of the young people in Zimbabwe.  This is what we are calling upon in line with what Hon. Members went and discussed at the IPU. If you look at all the other countries, you realise that they have got youth councils instituted but here in

Zimbabwe, we do not have that for the past three years.  Therefore we are calling for that to be enacted so that youths issues can really be taken seriously.  I thank you.

       HON. NDUNA:  Thank you Madam Speaker for giving me this

opportunity to completely ventilate on issues that are pertinent especially on this report that is pregnant with a lot of issues not tissues.  One issue that can be an impediment on the development of this august report presented here is the issue of sanctions.  There are a lot of rights, health issues, e-governance issues, computerisation which brings us from the born before computer era which is moribund, rudimentary, antiquated and flout legacy oriented  issues to the day of computerisation which leaves out collusion, corruption and nepotism and brings about collaboration, coordination and networking.  So, the only impeding factor could be an issue of sanctions.  I am quite alive to the fact that the august body of the SADC organ has finally come alive and has called on the unconditional removal of sanctions as an albatross around our neck as Zimbabwe.  This is quite applaudable.  I stand here head above my shoulders and chin up and I applaud that move and call upon the Inter-Parliamentary Union to join forces and hands and make a

clarion call for the unconditional removal of sanctions on Zimbabwe.  Why do I say this – because as presented by Hon. Mutomba and seconded by Hon. Chibaya so eloquently, this is an issue of rights.  There are reasons quite well defined in Section 3 (2) of our

Constitution which provides a reason for prosecuting anyone that calls for sanctions on Zimbabwe.  This section provides that we need to protect the people of Zimbabwe.  We cannot protect them by calling for sanctions on them.  We cannot protect them by travelling miles out of Zimbabwe, to New York on diplomatic passports and call for sanctions on the very country that you hope to uphold the

Constitution.  It might have been a mistake on the part of those that called for sanctions on Zimbabwe but I want to share this with you because whoever did it does not have a knife, does not possess a gun but brazenly conduct lyrical genocide because they have a weapon in the form of their forked tongue and this should be stopped forthwith.  The Americans have a Logan law and it is now time for us to craft a law that criminalises laws that call for sanctions on Zimbabwe.

HON. MADZIMURE:  On a point of order – the Hon Member has deliberately drifted away from the motion and you are allowing him to now debate sanctions.  If he wants to bring the sanctions motion, he must bring the motion here and we debate it.  Kwete kuuraya vanhu moti takapiwa masanctions nekutocha vanhu moti takapiwa masanctions.  Doctor uya haachabereki nekuda kwekuti makamutocha.

THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER:  Order Hon. Madzimure.

Continue Hon. Nduna but you must stick to the motion.

HON. NDUNA:  Thank you for your protection Madam Speaker.  We have lost doctors, engineers and miners who have migrated to other countries because their parents and their livelihoods have been destroyed because of these debilitating sanctions.  It is with a heavy heart that I stand here before you and add my voice and ask the IPU to add their voice as well so that there can be implementation of the recommendations and everything that is encompassed in the report of the IPU without any impediment, fear or favour.  This is our only platform or theatre of hope.  This pedestal, we need to use as a platform to call an institution that is second to none because Madam

Speaker Ma’am, we would have removed the albatross on the neck of Zimbabwe.  This lack of injustice needs to be removed not tomorrow or the day after tomorrow but immediately - yesterday and we need to speak with one voice.  We do not need to speak with a forked tongue and call on sanctions no, I say no, no to sanctions.

        Madam Speaker Ma’am, on the issue of climate change and COP 24, as a nation, we are supposed to be enjoying the same fruits that other nations around us enjoy.  I will touch on the issue of the transport sector.  We have over flights in Zimbabwe that we cannot determine because we have no navigation equipment to detect the over flights.  What do the over flights do?  They spend so many gallons of fuel, emit greenhouse gases and deplete the ozone layer in our airspace.  We are supposed to be getting a lot of remuneration from these over flights in order to mitigate the issues of climate change.  Alas we are not because we are behind in terms of development of the aviation industry.

 My recommendation, therefore, Madam Speaker Ma’am is a complete separation of the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural

Development and make sure that we have a Ministry of Aviation that is a stand alone in order to deal diligently and eloquently with the issue of climate change.

       THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER:  Hon. Nduna, may you

please stick to the debate?

        HON. NDUNA:  I will touch on the issue of rights that has been spoken about here.  We owe it to posterity Madam Speaker Ma’am, that is to the future.  The Bible in Psalms 90:10 talks about the age that we can live on this earth and it is threescore square years and ten. A score is 20; a 10 is 10; threescore is 60 and an additional 10 equals 70 – it says that when somebody gets to be alive any more than 70 years old – they will grow up to 80 years old.  I am trying to say that there needs to be a very elaborate way of empowering our youths because they are the leaders of tomorrow.  As their elders – I am 49 years old and am alive to that – so I am an elder to the youths.

        I have institutional memory on some of these issues and there is no reason to remove me from my position of authority but there is need for the youths to learn from my institutional memory bias that I have.  It is not for the youths to quickly and expeditiously want to assume positions of authority – the left foot should step in line with the right foot.  We cannot have a country without a history.  A country without a history does not know its present and does not know what informs its future.  Inasmuch as we want to promote our youths, we want them to take a cue from our elders – who are myself and others who are older than me.

        Madam Speaker Ma’am, as I wind up – the people of Chegutu West Constituency have given me this opportunity because they have reposed their trust in me to come and eloquently and effectively ventilate on these very key and pertinent issues.  I want to thank them for giving me this opportunity – there is Mr. Nyandoro, Mai Nyasha, Mai Chikukwa, Mai Ruzha, Lobo and Patricia.  All of these, I thank them for standing with me in all the debates that I come and give here in Parliament.  I thank you.

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

would like to thank Hon. Mutomba and Hon. Chibaya - the mover and seconder of the motion for tabling this report.  The report came as an eye opener to us the young generation and us who represent the youths in this country.

        Hon. Mavetera has touched on most of the issues that youths require.  I will, however, zero in on recommendation Number Two that speaks to the involvement and participation of youths in this country.  Madam Speaker Ma’am, gone are the days when we were informed by Hon. Nduna that youths are the leaders of tomorrow.

The youths are the leaders of today and that is my belief – [HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear.] – The youths can only be parents of tomorrow.

        Madam Speaker Ma’am, creating a strong foundation for good leadership in this country is by involving the youths in decision making processes and having them in positions of authority as well as involving them also in foreign trips that our fellow Hon. Members undertook to Geneva.  Before resuming my seat, I would like to say that there must be nothing for the youths without the involvement of the youths, without the voice of the youths and without the youths themselves.  I thank you. – [HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear.] –

          HON. MPARIWA:  Thank you Madam Speaker.  Let me begin

by thanking the mover and seconder of the report who have highlighted a number of things that Zimbabwe can emulate from the IPU in terms of operations and the way we can turn around our country.

        Madam Speaker, I know that delegations of the IPU and several others that we send as a country comprise of women, but before I delve into the nitty gritties of what I want to say about the report - you as a woman also need to vet the delegations – on whether or not the 50-50 representation has been attained.  – [HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear.] – When you talk about the youths you also begin to realise that they come from the mothers.  Therefore mothers also need to embrace their children or youths in terms of mentoring and comfort that the youths may also need when they go out there.

        My first issue is on migration, the majority of the migrants in the world are women.  This is because when there is no peace at home and there is no employment because it directly affects the family.  A household is comprised of the mother and the children – if there are any issues that are not properly handled in the country; if there is no good health and no good education for the children, the women are found to be searching elsewhere.  Moreso when you say there is sexual violence in terms of them actually reaching out to the borders, the receiving countries may not be able to actually cater for these migrants, especially for being women and children.

If you watch Al Jazeera or most of our stations in the world, you will see that when women actually go to the other side of the world, they are treated like animals. I am glad that the report speaks to migration, but, I think we need also to check on the nexus between migration and development.  If there is no good health, youths and women are not comfortable in staying.  You will see that before we even go to Egypt and Syria where most of the people have actually migrated to, you check on South Africa and on the Limpopo how our own people are actually crossing the Limpopo.

I speak to this issue with passion on the realisation that

Zimbabwe is a host to more than 10 000 migrants at the Tongogara

Refugee Centre where the Government actually caters for them but waiting for them to be dispatched or to deliberate and negotiate with their countries so that they go back.  I think that my emphasis is actually on what the treatment is when these people then are to go back and integrate into the communities, when they have stayed here like families and our own also when they have stayed there to come back and be integrated in the family.

Therefore, there is need to enhance the employment creation, to actually have good health facilities and also to have peace and reconciliation.  We need people who can talk to the people that will have come back from neighbouring countries – both our own country, we host but our own people are also leaving us to go and stay as migrants. Before I take my seat, I would want to agree with Hon. Mavetera and Hon. Chibaya that there is need for Zimbabwe to learn some lessons that our own health, our own education, our own peace and our own security has to be enhanced for people to be comfortable to live in our country because it is not rosy out there, but home is best.

I thank you Madam Speaker.

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

        

HON. NDUNA: I second.

Motion put and agreed to.

Debate to resume: Wednesday, 25^th September, 2019.

MOTION

BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE

HON. TOGAREPI:  Madam Speaker, I move that Orders of the Day Numbers 1 to 35 be stood over until Order Number 36 has been disposed of.

Motion put and agreed to.

MOTION

CONDOLENCES ON THE EDEATH OF HON. VIMBAI

TSVANGIRAI-JAVA

Thirty-Sixth Order read: Adjourned debate on motion on the condolence message for the late Hon. Vimbai Tsvangirai-Java.

Question again proposed.

HON. MUSHORIWA: Thank you Madam Speaker.  I rise to firstly thank the Speaker of the National Assembly, Adv. Mudenda, thank you the Deputy Speaker and to also thank Members of

Parliament that allowed and also debated on this motion.  Members of Parliament from both sides of the House took time to convey their sympathies.  We know Madam Speaker that quite a number of Members of Parliament attended the funeral on the loss that we endured as a House.

Madam Speaker, it is important that when one of us passes on, Parliament, we need to convey that message to the family so that in future, they will have that as a remembrance and it is to that extent that I want this House to adopt this motion that:

This House expresses its profound sorrow on the sudden and untimely death on Monday, 10^th June, 2019 of Hon. Member of

Parliament for Glen View South, Mrs. Vimbai Tsvangirai-Java.

That we place on record our appreciation of the services which the late Member of Parliament rendered to Parliament and the nation; and

That we resolve that our deepest sympathy be conveyed to Mr. Java, the Java family, the Tsvangirai family and the Glen View South Constituency.

To that end, I saw move for the adoption.

Motion put and agreed to.

On the motion of HON. TOGAREPI seconded by HON. N.

NDLOVU, the House adjourned at a Quarter-past Four o’clock p.m.