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NATIONAL ASSEMBLY HANSARD 25 SEPTEMBER 2019 45-87
PARLIAMENT OF ZIMBABWE
Wednesday, 25th 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
ISO 9001:2015 HAND-OVER CEREMONY AND LAUNCH OF
THE INSTITUTIONAL STRATEGIC PLAN (2018-2023)
THE HON. SPEAKER: I wish to inform the House that all Members of the Committee on Standing Rules and Orders (CSRO), the Liaison and Coordination Committee (LCC) and Members of the
Speaker`s Panel are invited to the Standard Association of Zimbabwe (SAZ) ISO 9001-2015 Certification hand-over ceremony and the launch of the Institutional Strategic Plan for 2018 to 2023 on Friday 27th September, 2019 in the Parliament Courtyard from 0930 to 1400 hours.
STATE OF THE NATION AND OFFICIAL OPENING
ADDRESS
THE HON. SPEAKER: I also wish to inform the House that
His Excellency, the President, Hon. E. D. Mnangagwa will on
Tuesday, 1st October, 2019 at 1200 hours, address a joint sitting of Parliament on the State of the Nation marking the Official Opening of the Second Session of the Ninth Parliament.
INVITATION TO A HALF-DAY WORKSHOP
THE HON. SPEAKER: All Members of the Zimbabwe
Women’s Parliamentary Caucus are invited to a half-day workshop tomorrow Thursday, 26th September, 2019, which will be hosted by the Zimbabwe Gender Commission and the Zimbabwe Women
Lawyers Association on the 50/50 Campaign at the Rainbow Towers Hotel starting at 0830 hours. The bus will leave parliament building at 0800 hours.
APOLOGIES RECEIVED FROM MINISTERS THE HON. SPEAKER: I have received the following
apologies: Hon. Prof. Murwira, the Minister of Higher and Tertiary Education Science and Technology Development; Hon. July Moyo, the Minister of Local Government, Public Works and National
Housing; Hon. S. B. Moyo, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and
International Trade, Hon. Prof. M. Ncube, Minister of Finance and
Economic Development, Hon. Chitando, Minister of Mines and Mining Development, Hon. Kambamura, Deputy Minister of Mines and Mining Development and Hon. Dr. Mangwiro, Deputy Minister of Health and Child Care.
HON. T. MLISWA: Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir. This is just for the benefit of all Members of Parliament. Some might not be on social media and the various groups, there is a Parliamentary sports club which trains in the morning for the good of your wellness and your health. It starts at 0600 hours at Girls High School and there is secretariat in place which is run by Hon. Saruwaka and our PR officer is Mr. Nyamuramba. You are invited to attend and to also pay subscriptions. We have received some tracksuits from an unknown company and will be given on first come, first served basis. So, I thought I should make this known to everyone. If you have not paid your subscriptions, you shall not get the tracksuit. Thank you very much.
HON. MUSIKAVANHU: Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir. I rise
on a point of privilege to express my deepest appreciation to the Government for stepping in to take the running of the Morton Jaffray waterworks – [HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear.] – An Hon. Member having stood up.
THE HON. SPEAKER: Order, order! – [HON. ZWIZWAI:
Hanzi ibvapo.] – Hon. Zwizwai, did the Chair say that? Do not put words into my mouth. The Hon. Member who just sat down there, when one Hon. Member has taken the floor, you do not stand up and start pointing at that Member. Yours is simply to listen. Whether you agree or not is neither here nor there. Thank you.
HON. MUSIKAVANHU: Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir. My
point of privilege arises from the total and abject failure by the city fathers of Harare in providing this vital service – [HON. MEMBERS:
Inaudible interjections.] –
THE HON. SPEAKER: Order, order! Do not speak hiding
behind the benches and make noise. That is being dishonorable. I think that is a very important observation and I want to take the opportunity to say when we have shortage of water and when water runs out, please make sure that when you open the tap and the water does not come out, close it firmly. We have had some disasters here which have cost us some money and we do not want a repeat of that.
Please close the taps firmly for the sake of the institution.
HON. S. BANDA Thank you very much Hon. Speaker Sir. On behalf of myself, my party and my president, Advocate Nelson Chamisa – [HON. MEMBER: Inaudible interjections.] – On Saturday, I am inviting Zimbabweans to come and commemorate with us on our 20th anniversary – [HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear.] –
THE HON. SPEAKER: Order, order! This is where the Chair becomes upset unnecessarily. You know in your heart of hearts and mind that that statement is not a point of privilege. Can you sit down please.
HON. MADZIMURE: It is now almost a month since the doctors embarked on an industrial action. We have had several issues where people have passed on because they have failed to get assistance as quickly as possible. I think it is now prudent that the Minister of Health comes to this House and report what he is doing to alleviate the problem that our people are facing. Only yesterday, I was at Westend Clinic, it is overwhelmed and there are too many people who are all going to that one centre for healthcare when our hospitals which have got the facilities and accommodation to accommodate our sick people are idle because there are no doctors. Can the Minister come and issue a Ministerial Statement as to what is the solution and when we are going to get the solution?
THE HON. SPEAKER: I hear you. That question could have come under question time so that we dispose with the issues as soon as possible.
+HON. MATHE: Thank you Mr Speaker Sir, I rise on a point
of privilege. I rise on a matter that I am troubled with, which is to do with the way Members conduct themselves when the President enters the Chamber. I would like to say to those who feel they want to leave when the President of Zimbabwe is addressing the House they should leave forever and never come back.
*HON. NYABANI: Thank you Mr Speaker Sir, I stand on a point of privilege. We were elected by the people in rural areas so that we can come and represent them here at Parliament but what is surprising is that when Parliamentarians come here and get to the door, they forget they did not come to represent themselves but the people in the rural areas. There are so many challenges that people are facing out there but when people come to Parliament and go on foreign trips they end up saying bad things about our country, forgetting who voted for them. Mr. Speaker Sir, we need to come up with legislation to address such behaviour in order to protect the electorate and those in our communities so that they are guaranteed that when we come here, we are here to represent them. I think you have understood what I am trying to say. I thank you. – [HON.
MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections]
THE HON. SPEAKER: Order, order. Hon. Nyabani’s point of
privilege reinforces what Hon. Sacco raised yesterday. So, in future please do not repeat yourselves.
I have closed points of privilege. I shall not take more than six points of privilege. This is tantamount to abuse. Thank you.
ORAL ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE
HON. TONGOFA: My question is directed to the Leader of the House. I want to know if you have measures in place to ensure that local communities benefit from exploitation of resources within their localities which is in line with Section 13(4) of the Constitution.
THE HON. SPEAKER: That is a good question. You
emphasise (for the purpose of the others) Government policy, not the Hon. Minister in his individual capacity. Thank you.
HON. MLISWA shouted chief liar
Did you say chief liar? Get out of here.
HON. MLISWA: I am the one who said chief liar. I always joke with him.
THE HON. SPEAKER: You cannot joke like that in this House. This is not a House for joking, please leave the House. Thank you.
THE MINISTER OF JUSTICE, LEGAL AND
PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS (HON. ZIYAMBI): Thank you
Mr. Speaker Sir, I want to thank the Hon. Member for the question which is indeed correct. Our Constitution provides for that and it is Government policy that in communities where companies are extracting resources, they should also ensure that they give a certain percentage back to the community and this has been our policy. We have the ten percent Community Share Ownership Trust, we have one in Zvimba and the Hon. Member was the Deputy Minister in the Ministry responsible for that for some time. We had some successful community ownership trusts so we encourage and continue to encourage all the mining companies that come to do business to give back to the community some shares and to develop the communities that they are operating in. I thank you.
HON. TONGOFA: I want to thank the Minister for the
explanation but I just wanted to find out whether that policy is still being adhered to by the companies, especially the issue of seed money. The issues and dividends to the communities – are they receiving the dividends that they were promised? Also where we have got livestock is CAMPFIRE still operating – are people benefitting where we have wildlife – are we still upholding those policies? I thank you.
THE HON. SPEAKER: Hon. Member, with all due respect, please sit down. With all due respect, you cannot just mix up issues and also the Hon. Minister cannot start tabulating now – that should have been a written question.
HON. NDUNA: Mr. Speaker Sir, as a supplement any, would it be possible for the Hon. Minister to put maximum timelines for adhering to the values of the community share ownership trusts in terms of dividend allocations?
THE HON. SPEAKER: Thank you Hon. Member that is an
unfair question. You as legislators must come up with a law that will give those timelines. Thank you.
HON. MADZIMURE: The Hon. Minister spoke about – Oh, it has been suspended because he has just left the House.
THE HON. SPEAKER: Order, order, the Hon. Minister has been asked to go quickly to the Senate to explain one provision in the Education Act. So we will suspend that one for the time being.
*HON. NDUNA: Thank you Mr. Speaker, I want to use the vernacular language. My question is directed to the Hon. Minister of ICT, Hon. Kazembe Kazembe. What measures does the Government have in place concerning the duty free importation of cell phones and other electronic gadgets in order to enhance computer literacy in Zimbabwe?
*THE HON. SPEAKER: Since you are struggling to express yourself well in vernacular, please use English.
HON. NDUNA: What is the Government position relating to removal of duty on ICT gadgets i.e. cell phones, computers and such like so that we can have ICT penetration in Zimbabwe that is much more than 50%?
THE MINISTER OF INFORMATION
COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY AND COURIER
SERVICES (HON. KAZEMBE): Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir, I would like to thank the Hon. Member for such a pertinent question. Mr. Speaker Sir, I do agree with the Hon. Member that we really need to up the game to try and ensure that the mobile penetration rate increases so that we minimize the digital gap.
As a Ministry, we are very much in support of such an initiative. I would like to believe that it is an issue that the Minister of Finance and Economic Development will be looking at. I would also like to ask Hon. Members to assist us as we lobby for the reduction or complete removal of duty on ICT equipment. I want to believe that consultations on the budget for next year are on-going and this is one issue that Hon. Members can bring up. I thank the Hon. Member for the question.
HON. NDUNA: Attached to that Hon. Speaker Sir, I want to know relating to the programme of computer distribution for primary education. What is the position relating to that? It aids to the computer literacy and ICT penetration –what level is the Hon. Minister at relating to his programme of computer distribution to primary school education system?
THE HON. SPEAKER: Order, order! With all due respect – that is a separate question altogether.
HON. MAPHOSA: My question is directed to the Minister of
Health and Child Care, in his absence the Leader of Government
Business, seeing that the Leader of the House is not in…
THE HON. SPEAKER: Order, order, just hold on to your question. I will recognise you later as soon as he returns.
HON. MAPHOSA: Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir.
*HON. MANGORA: My question is directed to the Minister of Finance and Economic Development but in his absence I will direct the question to the Leader of the House, Hon. Ziyambi …
HON. TSUNGA: On a point of order Mr. Speaker Sir! Hon. Speaker Sir, why must we allow the House to be rendered redundant because certain officials who are supposed to be in here from the Government side are absent?
Now it is two questions that have been asked and in both cases, the people who are supposed to be responding are not in the House.
Why does that happen? Can there not be a mechanism for the replacement of the Leader of the House in his absence rather than have both the Hon. Minister and Leader of the House absent at the same time? I thank you.
THE HON. SPEAKER: Order, order, you raise a ...- [HON.
MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections.] – Order, order!
THE MINISTER OF LANDS, AGRICULTURE, WATER, CLIMATE AND RURAL RESETTLEMENT (HON. RTD. AIR
CHIEF MARSHAL SHIRI): Mr. Speaker Sir, I am standing in for the Leader of the House. So any questions in that regard can be directed to me…- [HON. MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections.] –
THE HON. SPEAKER: Order, order …- [HON. MEMBERS:
Inaudible interjections.] – Order, order, the Hon. Chief Whip had done the appointment, but surreptitiously, because he did not advise me but indeed the Hon. Minister was appointed duly. So, can I favour Hon. Maphosa.
HON. MAPHOSA: Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir. What is
Government’s policy on individual preferences for medical attention outside the country? Does Government determine such choices for individuals? Thank you.
THE MINISTER OF LANDS, AGRICULTURE, WATER, CLIMATE AND RURAL RESETTLEMENT (HON. SHIRI) on behalf of THE MINISTER OF HEALTH AND CHILD CARE (HON. DR. O. MOYO): Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir. Government actually has no say in terms of where an individual receives medical attention. It is up to the patient to decide whether to be treated in the country or outside the country depending on whether the individual can afford to get the required resources. Thank you.
HON. MAPHOSA: Is it then a policy to request legal counsel or to seek permission even though I have my monies to then go and seek that medical attention? Thank you. – [HON. MEMBERS:
Inaudible interjections] -
THE HON. SPEAKER: Order, order. That supplementary
question does not arise because the Hon. Minister was very clear in the answer. It depends on the patient and also ability to pay. So, legal issues do not arise in that case.
HON. PHULU: Point of clarification on your ruling Mr.
Speaker. I think the follow up question was really to say that, if it depends on payment, is it Government policy to then have further requirements before an individual can go and seek treatment outside the country. Is the Speaker’s ruling also touching on that aspect of her question?
THE HON. SPEAKER: The Hon. Member Maphosa did not
say what you are saying now.
*HON. ZWIZWAI: Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir. I would also like to thank the Hon. Minister for his response. My supplementary question is that, since Government is not responsible for determining where one gets medical attention, my point arises from the issue that
Government is prohibiting Dr. Peter Magombeyi to be treated –
[HON. MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections] -
THE HON. SPEAKER: Order, order Hon. Member at the
back there with a red tie.
*HON. ZWIZWAI: Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir. I was asking
that since the Minister mentioned that Government is not responsible for determining where one gets medical attention, especially looking at Dr. Peter Magombeyi’s case where he has been prohibited from going to South Africa; again, looking at the judgment that was made by Justice Zhou, what is Government going to do to resolve the issue of Dr. Peter Magombeyi and his request to go to be treated in South Africa?
THE HON. SPEAKER: Order, order. Hon. Members, read
your Standing Orders very carefully. This matter has gone to the courts and we cannot as Parliament interfere with the court process and let us wait and hear what the courts will say.
HON. SIKHALA: On a point of order Mr. Speaker.
THE HON. SPEAKER: Are you disputing my ruling?
HON. SIKHALA: No Mr. Speaker Sir. I want to assist the
Chair with clarity. The matter has already been disposed by court, so, it is not subjudice. This is a matter whose judgment is already running. So, it is a running court judgment that has authorised and given an order that the Doctor must go to South Africa to be treated. So, there is no subjudice on the matter. The matter is, the court has given an order for the Doctor to go and get treatment in South Africa.
Why is he being stopped to go and get treatment from South Africa? That is the simple clarity that is needed by the Hon. Member. Thank you. – [HON. MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections] -
THE HON. SPEAKER: Order, order. That issue because
there is still some contestation, I would not be surprised ... – [HON.
MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections] –
HON. SIKHALA: Mr. Speaker, there is no appeal.
THE HON. SPEAKER: Order, order. Can you sit down, can you sit down. Hon. Member – [HON. MEMBERS: Inaudible
interjections.] –
HON. GONESE: It was on clarification Mr. Speaker – [HON.
MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections.]-
THE HON. SPEAKER: Hon. Member, the one looking at me
in a red tie – [HON. SIKHALA: Inaudible interjections.]- Order, order. Hon. Sikhala, if you were listening, I told the Hon. Member there, in red tie on my right - I pointed at him. I do not know what you are talking about on question of unfairness? The Hon. Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, as much as I had suspected that when there is contestation, there is room for appeal and that appeal was noted last night against the refusal of Dr. Peter
Mugombeyi to be treated in South Africa –[HON. MEMBERS:
Inaudible interjections.]-
HON. GONESE: Mr. Speaker, I am just seeking clarification.
This is an important issue and I believe in all fairness, that it should be addressed. In all fairness, I beg your indulgence because I want to seek some clarification on the response in relation to this matter which I believe is very critical and important.
The point of clarification is that when the question was asked, it was relating to the general policy of Government relating to people who will be seeking treatment outside the country. So, at that point, it was imperative – [HON. MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections.]- I think it is important…
THE HON. SPEAKER: Order, Order!
HON. GONESE: The follow up question related to the actions of the police yesterday afternoon. When you are referring to the subjudice principle; I am practicing lawyer and I do understand and appreciate the import of subjudice. Subjudice arises when a matter is still pending before the courts and the principle time we are referring to is before the appeal of the matter; that is what we are referring to Mr. Speaker.
When the question was asked, it related to how the police responded before an appeal had been noted. At that point, there was no matter which was pending, that is the point, which I think we need to get your clarification. Mr. Speaker, I have heard you very loudly and clearly when we refer to contestation which arose subsequently but at the principle point in time, there was no contestation. We had an order issued by consent by Justice Hapias Zhou; there was no appeal at that point in time.
So, what arose subsequently is not what we were dealing with. What we were dealing with was a situation where there was interference with a court order. We want a response from the Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs as to what is the Government policy relating to that situation – that is the point which I wanted us to clarify. I hope you have heard me now.
THE HON. SPEAKER: I have heard Hon. Gonese and I am
saying because there was an element, as I indicated, of contestation – [HON. MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections.] – You want to hear my ruling? Order, order! Hon. Members, I do not want to repeat myself.
HON. SIKHALA: My supplementary to the Hon. Minister is that what measures will the Government take [AN HON. MEMBER:
Musatanyoko] - The Hon. Member from Bindura said Musatanyoko!
[HON. MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections.] –
HON. SIKHALA: My supplementary question is what measures will Government take on any institution or individuals who would want to stop the implementation of that policy?
THE MINISTER OF LANDS, AGRICULATURE, WATER, CLIMATE AND RURAL RESETTLEMENT (HON. SHIRI): So,
it depends on the circumstances. Thank you.
*HON. MANGORA: Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir. My question
is directed to the Leader of the House. My question is on externalisation of funds. How far has the Government gone with redressing and addressing the issue of people who are being accused of money laundering? – [HON. MATANGIRA: Inaudible interjection.] –
THE HON. SPEAKER: Hon. Matangira, can you allow the
Hon. Minister to answer. Stop heckling please!
*THE MINISTER OF JUSTICE, LEGAL AND
PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS (HON. ZIYAMBI): I want to thank
the Hon. Member for a very important question which pertains to externalisation of funds and what the Government is doing to address the issue. I cannot say what is going to be done to people who are being accused of money laundering and externalisation in this House.
*HON. MANGORA: My supplementary question is how far
has Government gone with redressing and addressing the issue, are there any people who have managed to return the monies that they are accused of taking?
HON. ZIYAMBI: Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir. I want to thank the Hon. Member for the question. I explained that Government policy is that externalisation is illegal. There are several steps that are taken when such a crime is perpetrated. However, for me to walk around with figures, I cannot do that. The Hon. Member should put the question in writing so that I go to those who are responsible to furnish me with the figures of the money that was returned, otherwise, off-the-cuff, I cannot respond to the question.
HON. SIKHALA: Hon. Speaker, the Hon. Member asked if there were people who returned the money and the Minister did not answer that question –
THE HON. SPEAKER: Order, order, the Hon. Minister has been very gracious enough – [HON. MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections.] – The Minister has asked the Hon. Member to put the question in writing [ HON. MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections.] - Order! Order, ndichakudzingai manje. The Minister has asked for the question to be put in writing and a comprehensive answer will be given with figures and names then debate shall ensue.
HON. NDIWENI: What is Government policy on formation
and composition of district hospital advisory boards?
THE MINISTER OF JUSTICE, LEGAL AND
PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS (HON. ZIYAMBI): The
Government allows the formation of district hospital advisory boards. As to the specific composition, may I ask the Member to put the question in writing so that I can come up with specific composition?
Thank you.
HON. MATHE: My question goes to the Minister of Education and in his absence Hon. Ziyambi. Looking at the accelerated results of our children at schools, looking at subjects like mathematics and science, particularly in Matebeleland, when are we expecting these children to be taught their mother languages as it is in our Constitution?
THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF PRIMARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION (HON. E. MOYO): It is under the
policy of the Government that these little kids be taught in their mother language as they are still young. At the beginning of the year the Government recruited new teachers especially for different languages so as to benefit these little children.
HON. MATHE: In my supplementary, I have noticed that these children are being taught in languages which they do not understand in different schools. May the Minister clarify?
HON. E. MOYO: In these schools the little children are taught in their mother languages but from infancy they are not taught the examination language. We are still in the process of recruiting more teachers for some other schools which are still lagging behind.
+HON. N. NDLOVU: It is not true that this has already started because we have children who speak Sotho and Venda, they are being taught in some other languages.
HON. E. MOYO: There is a programme for teacher capacity development which is done in collaboration with Great Zimbabwe University and we are still recruiting teachers who can teach those languages, Sotho, Kalanga, Tonga and Venda so as to benefit these
little children.
HON. MUGIDHO: My question is directed to the Minister of
Transport and in his absence to the Leader of the House. How far has the Government gone in rehabilitating the bridges which were affected during the previous Cyclone Idai.
THE MINISTER OF JUSTICE, LEGAL AND
PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS (HON. ZIYAMBI): Mr. Speaker, I
want to – [HON. MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections.] –
THE HON. SPEAKER: Hon. Sacco, why do you not allow the Hon. Minister to answer? Forget about, you know, cross border altercations.
HON. ZIYAMBI: I want to thank the Hon. Member for the question and indicate that repair works to bridges is underway. There are companies that have been given tenders to ensure that they construct the bridges and that work is underway as we speak. I thank you.
HON. MUGIDHO: My supplementary is that we have been experiencing these cyclones and I have not noticed that bridges which were affected by previous cyclones have not been restored or rehabilitated. As we experience different cyclones, I would like clarification from the Minister what Government is going to do to address this challenge?
HON. ZIYAMBI: Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir –
THE HON. SPEAKER: Order, Hon. Tsunga, I thought you come from the most affected area there. Can you listen? – [HON.
TSUNGA: Sorry.] – Thank you.
HON. ZIYAMBI: I want to thank the Hon. Member and indicate that the original question pertained to Cyclone Idai and I indicated that the bridges are being repaired. I also want to add that the response that happened after Cyclone Idai was very good. We got a response from various stakeholders and Government is moving forward to ensure that all the bridges are repaired. I would not want to go back and speak about Cyclone Eline when I know very well that work is in progress to ensure that bridges are repaired that were damaged by Cyclone Idai.
HON. BRIG. GEN. (RTD) GWANETSA: My question is
directed to the Minister of Industry and Commerce but in his absence – [THE HON. SPEAKER: The Deputy is here.] – I think the Leader of the House can do justice to my question.
THE HON. SPEAKER: Order, Order!
HON. GWANETSA: I think the Leader of the House can do
justice to my question.
THE HON. SPEAKER: Order, order. Hon. Gwanetsa, you are a ‘muzukuru’ but when we are in this House we must follow procedure. You do not contest the Deputy Minister’s position in terms of Section 107, Subsection 2 of the Constitution. Anyway, the Hon. Minister is here. Can you put forward your question now.
HON. GWANETSA: Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir. What is the
Government policy in relation to second hand clothes that are imported or dumped in this country? This has got an adverse effect in terms of agriculture and cotton production. This has also an adverse effect in terms of the primary, secondary and tertiary industry and employment creation. Thank you.
THE MINISTER OF INDUSTRY AND COMMERCE
(HON. M. NDLOVU): Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir. I wish to thank the Hon. Member for the question. With regards to second hand clothing, the Government policy is that, these remain banned. There was an order by the Minister of Finance and Economic Development in 2017 – [AN HON. MEMBER: Inaudible interjections.] –
THE HON. SPEAKER: Order, order! The Hon. Member
there, can you be attentive or else I take you out of the House. Please Hon. Minister continue.
HON. M. NDLOVU: I will continue Mr. Speaker Sir. The ban on second hand clothing remains. Mr. Speaker Sir, the Hon. Member mentions a very important topic of our textile industry, which industry is in decline and Government is taking necessary measures to support value addition of our cotton. As it stands, we are only utilising about 20% of our cotton production, 80% is exported raw primarily as cotton lint. The process to empower people in the textile industry in terms of value addition is underway and we hope that this will create more employment to address the specific concerns raised by the Hon.
Member. I thank you Mr. Speaker.
HON. NDUNA: Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir. My
supplementary question arises from the tail end of the Hon. Minister’s answer where he spoke of beneficiation. My question therefore is, are there any plans of apportioning or designating Chegutu as a special economic zone where David Whitehead Textiles up to Gweru is positioned. If there is, what timelines are we going to see on designating the value addition and beneficiation of the cotton lint both short and long term at David Whitehead?
THE HON. SPEAKER: Thank you. Questions of policy must be national. The people from Gokwe who grow a lot of cotton might also say the same but I shall indulge you. Hon. Minister, any designation of special economic zones to improve textile industry?
HON. M. NDLOVU: Thank you Mr. Speaker. I wish to thank
the Hon. Member for the question. There is no plan as yet on that specific issue that he raises to designate Chegutu to Gweru as a special economic zone targeting textile. However, as a Ministry, we have initiated a programme which will see more support going towards the cotton growing areas as you have mentioned Mr. Speaker Sir, primarily in the Gokwe area. David Whitehead is on the rebound. They have identified an investor. While the possibility of a special economic zone could help, I believe David Whitehead has what it takes to rebound and be back into full production in less than a year.
Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir.
HON. MADZIMURE: Thank you Mr. Speaker. With the
number of bales that come into Zimbabwe and the people who are selling them, if the ban still stands, can the Minister also explain why politicians are giving their people money to go and buy bales and distribute the second hand clothing?
THE HON. SPEAKER: Order. That statement needs
evidence. We cannot say some politicians.
HON. TSUNGA: Thank you very much Mr. Speaker Sir. It is common knowledge that the sale of second hand clothes in this country is a source of livelihood for many of our people. Over and above that Mr. Speaker Sir, the nation is benefiting if I may say so from the sale of those second hand clothes because many cannot afford to buy new clothes. Having said that, what is the Ministry doing to consider regularisation rather than prohibition of sale of second hand clothes in the intervening period before we get to optimal production of local textiles?
HON. M. NDLOVU: Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir. I wish to thank the Hon. Member for a very important question. Mr. Speaker Sir, we might be talking of a case of chicken and egg. As the Ministry, we believe that to fully support the textile industry, it is important that we limit, if at all, any importation of second hand clothing because this will give our textile industry a chance and we believe that full support to this sector will actually accelerate the growth of the textile industry.
While I appreciate that there are people who are making a living out of this, I believe it is a symptom of other challenges within the economy that have to be addressed. We also have quite a number of people making a living from other not necessarily legal means. They are making a living out of that but I believe we need to regulate that. So, it is more important that local authorities enforce this particular policy to make sure that we fully support our textile industry. Thank you Mr. Speaker.
HON. TUNGAMIRAI: Thank you Mr. Speaker. My question
is directed to – I am not really sure whether to the Minister of Local
Government, Public Works and National Housing or the Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Water, Climate and Rural Resettlement. What is the Government’s policy …
THE HON. SPEAKER: Order. Did you say or?
HON. TUNGAMIRAI: Yes.
THE HON. SPEAKER: No, be specific.
HON. TUNGAMIRAYI: My question is directed to the
Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Water, Climate and Rural
Resettlement. What is Government policy on people displaced from their land or homes due to national development projects?
THE MINISTER OF LANDS, AGRICULTURE, WATER, CLIMATE AND RURAL RESETTLEMENT (HON. SHIRI): I
will only respond to the question in as far as rural and farming land is concerned. I am not going to cover urban land and where individuals are displaced due to national development or need to use the land for development. The individual is compensated for any piece of land and if the individual is a farmer, alternative land is found for the individual so that he or she can continue with operations.
HON. SIKHALA: Mr. Speaker Sir, my supplementary is to the
effect that if a person who is going to be displaced from the area of settlement had for example 10 hectares, will that person be resettled at a farm with the same acreage or not and will he be paid his compensation first before being moved to the new settlement?
HON. SHIRI: I presume you are not referring to former farmers who were dispossessed of land. Government tries its level best to ensure that the individual is compensated before being relocated. As to the size of land which will be availed to the individual farmer, it will depend on the realities on the ground.
HON. MAPOSA: We have seen people evicted staying along roads in the rainy season. What would have happened? Will they have been given alternative shelter and they deny or what happens? If they deny the alternative accommodation, what is Government doing to make sure that they are brought to book so that we do not continue to see people along the roads after evictions?
HON. SHIRI: I am not aware of the existence of such people. I suggest that the Hon. Member submit a written question giving details of exactly where those people are found so that we can give an appropriate response.
*HON. MUKAPIKO: My question is directed to the Minister of Energy and Power Development. Is there a policy that can be applicable to ZESA, in terms of the load shedding they are conducting so that they alert the business community of the load shedding to ensure that industrialists mitigate serious losses due to load shedding?
THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF ENERGY AND POWER
DEVELOPMENT (HON. MUDYIWA): I want to thank the Hon.
Member for the question. I think before load shedding was commenced by ZESA there were schedules that were circulated both in the electronic and print media. So, most people should be aware of the load shedding timetable based on those schedules. At times you may think that it is load shedding but it can be faults so they should also check with the ZETDC local office to ensure it is within the load shedding schedule or a fault.
*HON. MUKAPIKO: Yes the schedule was publicised but it is not what is being followed. Looking at the current situation, the load shedding has exceeded the hours and also the days on the schedule are not the ones ZESA is sticking to. Some of the areas are 200km away from here and they are experiencing load shedding. People always ask whether it is a fault or load shedding and they are informed it is load shedding and will be told to call Harare. The point however is that most people will have already lost their goods.
HON. MUDYIWA: Yes it can happen that load shedding can be extended because of the supply of electricity. I think we have mentioned the challenge of electricity so sometimes we have low generation of electricity hence the increased load shedding hours. They have no other way of addressing the problem and they channel electricity to critical areas where electricity has to be available. I thank you.
THE HON. SPEAKER: I am persuaded by gender to allow the
Hon. Mahlangu.
+HON. MAHLANGU: Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir. Hon.
Minister, you are agreeing that there is load shedding and that at times they just switch off electricity at any time. You are concurring that you have accelerated the load shedding periods.
+THE HON. SPEAKER: Hon. Mahlangu, may you please
pose your question.
+HON. MAHLANGU: My question is: how are people
expected to pay for electricity when they do not have the commodity almost all the time? People are now resorting to buying firewood and candles and they spend almost the same amount that they use to buy electricity tokens and often times, people get electricity only once.
What is going to happen Hon. Minister?
THE HON. SPEAKER: Hon. Minister, I hope that you
managed to follow the question.
*THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF ENERGY AND POWER
DEVELOPMENT (HON. MUDYIWA): Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir, my apologies. I do not understand the language in which the question was posed. I am requesting for interpretation and cannot respond to the question. – [HON. MEMBERS: Inaudible
interjections.] –
THE HON. SPEAKER: Hon. Member, may you try to put your question in English please? – [HON. MEMBERS: Inaudible
interjections.] –
+HON. MAHLANGU: Mr. Speaker, if the Hon. Minister says
she does not understand IsiNdebele then it also means that I do not understand Shona and English and people are expecting a response.
What should I say to the people?
+THE HON. SPEAKER: Order, order, may you please resume your seat Hon. Member. – [HON. MEMBERS: Inaudible
interjections.] – Order, order!
*THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF ENERGY AND POWER
DEVELOPMENT (HON. MUDYIWA): Thank you Mr. Speaker
Sir, I think that I now understand the question since it has been translated to me.
Yes, people have resorted to buying candles for lighting and firewood for cooking since they are getting electricity for a few hours so they are not paying towards ZESA. It is true because they cannot pay towards ZESA if the electricity that they paid for is still available. They can only do so when the electricity tokens that they have are depleted. It is a challenge that we have now that ZESA is not getting any money because people are not buying electricity tokens. Since electricity is in low supply, ZESA is not getting any revenue but once the situation improves people will then resort to paying towards ZESA.
+HON. MAHLANGU: Hon. Minister you said …
+THE HON. SPEAKER: Order, order, you are not allowed to pose two questions. – [HON. MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections.]-
In the new Parliament, we shall be able to sort out this question of cross language use because there will be simultaneous interpretation - so that we do not have these hitches in future.
HON. NYATHI: My question is directed to the Minister of
Foreign Affairs and International Trade. In his absence, I redirect it
to the Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs. What is Government policy regarding citizens of Zimbabwe or legislators who denigrate their Government and country when they are in foreign lands? – [HON. MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections.] –
THE HON. SPEAKER: Order, order Hon. Member, may you
repeat your question please?
HON. NYATHI: My question is directed to the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade. In his absence, I redirect it to the Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs or the Leader of the House. What is Government policy regarding citizens of Zimbabwe or legislators …
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order, order Hon. Nyathi,
may you please speak aloud?
HON. NYATHI: What is Government policy regarding citizens of Zimbabwe or legislators who denigrate their Government and country when they are on foreign soil?
THE MINISTER OF LANDS, AGRICULTURE, WATER,
CLIMATE AND RURAL RESETTLEMENT (HON. SHIRI) on behalf of THE MINISTER OF JUSTICE, LEGAL AND
PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS (HON. ZIYAMBI): Thank you
Madam Speaker, the laws of the country are made in this august House. It is up to the Hon. Members to come up with appropriate laws to address issues of that nature. I thank you. – [HON.
MEMBERS: Hear, hear.] –
HON. T. ZHOU: My question is directed to the Minister of
Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, in his absence, I redirect the question to the Acting Leader of the House, Hon. Shiri. Why are there still acting persons in the JSC from the Secretary to the rest of the staff in the secretariat, given the fact that the new Constitution came into operation some six years ago?
THE MINISTER OF LANDS, AGRICULTURE, WATER, CLIMATE AND RURAL RESETTLEMENT (HON. SHIRI) on behalf of THE MINISTER OF JUSTICE, LEGAL AND
PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS (HON. ZIYAMBI): Thank you
Madam Speaker, that is a specific question. I recommend that the
Hon. Member puts it in writing. I thank you.
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Hon. T. Zhou, please may
you put your question in writing.
HON. MADZIMURE: My question is directed to the Leader of the House since the Minister of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing is not in. Hon. Minister, what does Government policy say concerning suburbs in urban centres that would have been acquired by the Government and issue out offer letters. What measures are taken for that offer letter to be withdrawn by the Government itself and give the offer letter to someone else, yet it is supposed to benefit the person who got it first? I thank you.
*THE MINISTER OF LANDS, AGRICULTURE, WATER,
CLIMATE AND RURAL RESETTLEMENT (HON. SHIRI):
Thank you Madam Speaker. I think the Hon. Member is talking about peri-urban land, because that is where offer letters are given. For a person to have his offer letter withdrawn or cancelled and given to someone else there will be a reason for it because a person will have violated certain provisions. So, the one with the new offer letter has the permission to make use of the land but if there is a dispute, or there are people who he is aware of that were victimised or there are issues that were not adequately addressed, he can bring them to us and we will address the issues.
*HON. MADZIMURE: Thank you Madam Speaker. I am
talking of measures that are taken that when the same Government that has given the offer letter, if it withdraws the offer letter, what measures are taken to ensure that we as representatives of the people can explain to our constituents what the Government does in withdrawing the offer letters?
*HON. SHIRI: The Hon. Member would want to know that if a person has his offer letter withdrawn, the Government informs the person with the offer letter concerning its intention to take the land and the person is given seven days to present his case and explain to the Government his side of the story. After that, the Government then looks at the issue and if his argument has no basis, the Government will go ahead and withdraw the offer letter. I thank you Madam
Speaker.
*HON. TSUNGA: My supplementary question is on those who were given agricultural land but because they are greedy, they have subdivided the agricultural land into residential land and there are now residential plots because it is peri-urban land. Is that
Government’s policy that if a person is given agricultural land, they can subdivide it and sell plots?
*HON. SHIRI: Thank you Madam Speaker. I want to inform the Hon. Member that there is a Commission that was set up by His Excellency the President – the Land Commission that is addressing these issues. So I think that it is prudent for us to wait for the findings from the land Commission which will be submitted to the
Government and I believe that it will be brought to this august House as well. I thank you. I thank you.
*HON. SARUWAKA: My supplementary question to the
Minister is that, from his response, I think he should clarify to us whether it is legal. We know that the Commission is doing its work, but is it lawful for a person to subdivide his farm and sell plots? Does the law allow such behaviour of making subdivisions?
*HON. SHIRI: Thank you Madam Speaker. The challenge that there are people who have acquired land and subdivided it into plots is a known challenge and the members of the Land Commission consists of lawyers and experts. So let us be patient and wait for their findings. In short, I can respond in short but I think because we have a Commission, we should give them an opportunity to come and explain to this august House the situation on the ground. I thank you.
*HON. CHINANZVAVANA: Thank you Madam Speaker.
My point of privilege is to the Acting Minister of Environment, Tourism and Hospitality Industry that there is a CITES Conference that was held. In Zimbabwe, there are so many elephants that are affecting people’s livelihoods. He went to this Conference and did not see it prudent to get delegates from this Parliamentary. We are requesting for a Ministerial Statement on the CITES Conference resolutions, because we are hearing that as a country, we may not be part of this CITES Conference. I thank you.
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Thank you Hon.
Chinanzvavana, I think the Minister has heard it and will bring a Ministerial Statement.
HON. NSINGO: Thank you Madam Speaker Ma’am. My
question is directed to the Leader of the House. What intervention has been made by the Government to address the water situation in the City of Harare? Thank you.
THE MINISTER OF LANDS, AGRICULTURE, WATER, CLIMATE AND RURAL RESETTLEMTNT (HON. SHIRI):
Madam Speaker, it is quite a plethora of incompetence. Despite the plethora of incompetence, Government has taken action to assist the City Council. So far, Government has availed $37.4 million to assist with capital development aimed at developing water and waste water systems. At the same time, Government has pledged stringent conditions to ensure that the funds are not diverted and to that extent, a team of Government officials has been constituted into a Committee to monitor the implementation of the project.
At the same time, Government is in the process of clearing its own debts to the City Council so as to enable the City Council to go on to clear its own debts, related mostly to the procurement of chemicals. The vehicle which was bringing in the much needed chemicals was delayed on the South African side and Government had to make interventions by negotiating with South African officials so that the clearance process is expedited. That has since been done and we expect the chemicals in the country any time now. The City Council itself has gone on to secure some quantities of calcium hydrochloride enough to cover 36 hours. Pumping at Morton Jaffray started this morning and people should expect to get water in their taps around midnight today. Government has also attached some officials to the City Council to assist the council to prepare its 2020 budget so that it operates lawfully.
Madam Speaker, the Hon. Member may want to know that we
have got 32 urban local authorities and 60 rural local authorities all utilising water. Harare City Council has been conspicuous by wanting to be bailed out by Government every now and then. We would like to encourage the City fathers to do much more in terms of the management of their resources so that they can provide the much needed service to the residents of the City of Harare, otherwise it will always remain a cry baby which is not blessed under the circumstances. Thank you.
Questions Without Notice were interrupted by THE HON.
DEPUTY SPEAKER in terms of Standing Orders Number 64
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Questions 1 to 14 are
deferred because the Ministers are not present
HON. CHIBAYA: On a point of order! On question number 2; this question has been on the Order Paper for the past 7 months and the Minister of Transport and Infrastructural Development, Hon. B.
Matiza; I do not know if he is still alive.
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: It is not true that it has been on the Order Paper for 7 months. It is only 2 months from July.
HON. CHIBAYA: Madam Speaker, I raised this issue with the
Hon Speaker some weeks ago and the Leader of the House, Hon.
Ziyambi promised to convey the message to the Hon. Minister of
Transport and Infrastructural Development but up to now, the
Minister is nowhere to be seen. Maybe he was abducted; I do not know – [Laughter]-
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: I have heard you Hon.
Chibaya but it is not seven months as you said, it is only two months from July. I am going to do a follow up with the Minister.
HON. CHIBAYA: Hon. Speaker, I do not know if you can allow me to kindly ask Hon. Ziyambi to respond because he is the one who promised this august House that he will make sure that the Hon.
Minister will come to this august House.
THE MINISTER OF JUSTICE, LEGAL AND
PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS (HON. ZIYAMBI): Indeed I
promised to convey the message and indeed, I conveyed the message.
I thank you.
HON. C. MOYO: Thank you Madam Speaker. My question is on question 8 and indeed it was submitted on the 21st November, 2018. Up to now; the Leader of Government Business actually brought some answers and tried to answer but he said he did not have my answer and he promised me that he will give me a response. I am actually shocked if he said he conveyed the message after promising that he will be bringing my answer since he brought some answers to other questions. Surely, I need an answer Hon. Speaker. Residents of
Bulawayo in Mpopoma Pelandaba…
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: I have heard you.
THE MINISER OF JUSTICE, LEGAL AND
PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS (HON. ZIYAMBI: Thank you
Madam Speaker, consistent with my earlier response, I convey messages to Ministers and those Ministers that are not there, I usually advise them to bring in the written answers so that I can present them. So, if I do not receive any answers, it does not mean that I did not convey the message [AN HON. MEMBER: Dzokororo inesimba.] –
*HON. HAMAUSWA: I rise on a point of privilege Madam
Speaker. We requested the Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Water, Climate and Rural Resettlement to bring a Ministerial Statement to explain to us on what measures are being taken by the Government to address the issue of erratic water supplies. Yesterday, we were promised a Ministerial Statement. We requested for the Ministerial Statement so that as Hon. Members, we can seek clarity or ask questions. Madam Speaker, we were not given that opportunity. As we stand right now, yesterday, 24th September, City of Harare was unable to provide water but the Minister was not able to give us a statement in this august House. My request is that the Minister should give a Ministerial Statement to this House. In my opinion, we cannot talk about politics without looking at the issue of water. Water is vital and is life. My request is that as promised, the Minister should come and explain to us on measures they are putting in place for water challenges to be addressed.
In conclusion, even though the statement we got yesterday indicated that the local authorities are the ones at fault …
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order, Hon. Member, you
are now debating, please take your seat.
*HON. HAMAUSWA: Madam Speaker, it is important for you to hear our concerns because where we come from, we cannot stand the heat. People want to know what is happening. People should know what is happening.
HON. TSUNGA: On a point of order…
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order, Hon. Tsunga,
please may you take your seat, I want to give a ruling first. Hon. Minister, I think you have heard their concerns that they had requested a Ministerial Statement from the Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Water, Climate and Rural Resettlement and the Speaker promised that the Minister would bring a Ministerial Statement. Our request is that you remind the relevant Minister to bring the Ministerial Statement to this House.
*THE MINISTER OF JUSTICE, LEGAL AND
PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS (HON. ZIYAMBI): Thank you
Madam Speaker Ma’am. Yesterday, that message was not conveyed to me but what I said was that we are going to give a statement to the nation giving the Government position and also our discussions with the City Council of Harare. The municipalities of Zimbabwe are run by the mayors and councillors. Government has nothing to do with this. We issued a statement and when Hon. Minister Shiri was here, he responded to the question. If the Hon. Member had a follow up question pertaining to the Government’s position, he should have raised that question. I want to bring to your attention Madam Speaker that as we speak, we are in September, City of Harare has not produced a budget for 2019 and the Hon. Member wants to stand there and blame central government for the non-production of a budget – [HON. MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections.] – He is being irresponsible.
Government does not collect revenue for City of Harare. For one to say Government is responsible for this mess is wrong and the Minister of Local Government cannot come to this House to issue a Ministerial Statement on City of Harare because he is not the one who is responsible for the mess in Harare. I thank you – [HON.
MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections.] – Hon. Hamauswa having stood up.
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order, I am no longer
taking any more points of order on this issue – [HON. MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections.] – No more points of order, no, Hon. Member, please, take your seat!
HON. TSUNGA: On a point of order Madam Speaker. Mine
is a different one. Madam Speaker, in terms of Parliamentary Decorum, Deportment and Grooming, we are supposed to be dressed in a manner that projects our honourable status as Members of Parliament and indeed also for Hon. Ministers. I noticed that in our midst, we have an Hon. Minister who is without a tie. If it is a new rule, I feel uncomfortable also having this tie on, can I remove it as well if it is permissible.
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Thank you, I think we can
all see that Hon. Deputy Minister Matuke has got an injury – [HON.
MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections.] – Hon. Banda having removed his tie.
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order, Hon. Banda, put on
your tie or else I will send you out – [HON. MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections.] – Order, order, there is a new Prado, silver in colour, could the owner of the Prado vehicle, silver in colour that has no number plate which is blocking other vehicles please go and attend to his vehicle.
IRRIGATION INFRASTRUCTURE AT ZVOVHE DAM
- HON. MABOYI asked the Deputy Minister of Lands,
Agriculture, Water, Climate and Rural Resettlement to state whether there are any plans to put irrigation infrastructure at Zhove Dam in Beitbridge West Constituency to enable surrounding communities to benefit from the water reservoir.
THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF LANDS, AGRICULTURE, WATER, CLIMATE AND RURAL RESETTLEMENT (HON.
HARITATOS): Hon. Member, the Ministry is currently developing 2
500 ha of irrigation in Beitbridge District, Matebeleland South
Province using dam water. The Project is being financed by the Kuwait Fund and Abu Dhabi. Processes to engage a consultant to do detailed designs and environmental impact assessments are at an advanced stage.
CONSTRUCTION OF THE NYATANA DAM IN MARAMBA-
PFUNGWE CONSTITUENCY
- HON. KARUMAZONDO asked the Minister of Lands,
Agriculture, Water, Climate and Rural Resettlement to inform the House when the Ministry will construct the Nyanga Dam in Maramba
Pfungwe Constituency, a development which will benefit Mashonaland East and Mashonaland Central Provinces.
THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF LANDS, AGRICULTURE,
WATER, CLIMATE AND RURAL RESETTLEMENT (HON.
HARITATOS): As you might be aware, the then Ministry of
Environment, Water and Climate held the Water Resources
Infrastructure Investment Conference from the 4th – 5th of June, 2018, at the Harare International Conference Centre (HICC). The Water Resources Infrastructure Investment Conference showcased the major water and water related projects in Zimbabwe, highlighting each project’s funding requirements and the opportunities that accrue to such investments.
As a follow up to that conference, my Ministry re-advertised eighteen (18) investment projects on 1st March, 2019, inviting prospective investors to bid for projects that they can implement under a Build, Own, Operate and Transfer (BOOT) arrangement with the Government of Zimbabwe. the projects included fresh infrastructure projects where feasibilities need to be carried out, those with completed technical feasibility studies and ready for construction. Nyatana Dam was among the prioritised 18 dam projects which were showcased for investment and I am happy to inform this House that two local bids were received for the Nyatana Dam which is currently under evaluation. The feasibility studies for the dam are expected to start as soon as the selection process is completed.
EXPANSION OF THE ZVAVACHARI IRRIGATION SCHEME
- HON. SHIRICHENA asked the Minister of Lands,
Agriculture, Water, Climate and Rural Resettlement to inform the
House when the Ministry will expand the Zvavachari Irrigation Scheme in Mberengwa South.
THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF LANDS, AGRICULTURE,
WATER, CLIMATE AND RURAL RESETTLEMENT (HON.
HARITATOS): The Ministry is implementing the National Accelerated Irrigation Rehabilitation and Development Programme that target 200 hectares per district per year to ensure that all areas and schemes with underutilized water bodies are fully utilised. In that regard, Zvavachari Irrigation Scheme in Mberengwa South is going to be considered for expansion next year if the water source can be further utilised.
REPAIR OF OLD AND DRILLING OF BOREHOLES IN
MBERENGWA EAST CONSTITUENCY
- HON. RAIDZA asked the Minister of Lands, Agriculture,
Water, Climate and Rural Resettlement to inform the House when the
Ministry will repair old and drill more boreholes in Mberengwa East Constituency as people are currently fetching unsafe drinking water from the Save River, where they are prone to water borne diseases and attacks by crocodiles.
THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF LANDS, AGRICULTURE,
WATER, CLIMATE AND RURAL RESETTLEMENT (HON.
HARITATOS): Hon. Member, my Ministry recognises the widespread water challenges being faced in the country and prioritises the enhancement of water security through borehole drilling and rehabilitation in all rural and drought prone areas. The total number of boreholes and deep wells serving the rural communities in the country is around 42 482 and about half of them, 20 116 boreholes and deep wells are non-functional and require urgent rehabilitation to the tune of RTGs 235 million. Furthermore, new boreholes need to be drilled and equipped to enhance water supply for rural communities during this drought period.
An initial target of 200 boreholes has been prioritised in drought prone areas including Mberengwa. The cost for drilling and equipping the 200 boreholes is estimated at RTGS 10,2 million. The Ministry has since made submissions to Treasury for the allocation of these resources to deal with the water insecurities as a result of the drought. May you also take note that these requirements were also submitted for incorporation in the Cyclone Idai and Drought Response Appeal by the Government of Zimbabwe?
HON. NYONI: The Minister indicated that about 42 000
boreholes are there in the country but only half of them are functioning. Have there been any requests for funds to rehabilitate the
20 000 something that are not functioning?
THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF LANDS, AGRICULTURE, WATER, CLIMATE AND RURAL RESETTLEMENT (HON.
HARITATOS): Thank you Madam Speaker and thank you Hon.
Member. As per my statement Madam Speaker, I spoke of a figure of RTGS235 million which was submitted for the rehabilitation of those dysfunctional boreholes. Thank you Madam Speaker.
DRILLING OF BOREHOLES FOR CLINICS IN MBERENGWA
EAST CONSTITUENCY
- HON. RAIDZA: To ask the Minister of Lands,
Agriculture, Water, Climate and Rural Resettlement to inform the House when boreholes will be drilled at the following health institutions in Mberengwa East Constituency in view of the fact that expecting mothers and other patients seeking medical services are currently being requested to bring their own water –
- Negove Clinic;
- Ingezi Clinic;
- Murongwe Clinic;
- Svita Clinic;
- Vutsanana Clinic;
- Mponjani Clinic and
- Mataruse Clinic
THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF LANDS, AGRICULTURE,
WATER, CLIMATE AND RURAL RESETTLEMENT (HON.
HARITATOS): Thank you Madam Speaker. While this request also falls within the same bracket as highlighted in the earlier question, the water supply for clinics is very critical. The Ministry will prioritise this urgent request from the funds available through the water fund administered by my Ministry. Thank you Madam Speaker.
VIEWING SCREEN AND INFORMATION CENTRE AT
MATAGA BUSINESS CENTRE
- HON. A. MPOFU asked the Minister of Information,
Publicity and Broadcasting Services to state when the Ministry would install a Viewing Screen and establish an Information Centre at Mataga Business Centre in Mberengwa, considering its remoteness and poor television signal.
THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF INFORMATION,
PUBLICITY AND BROADCASTING SERVICES (HON.
MUTODI): Thank you Madam Speaker and thank you Hon. Member. I would like to thank the Hon. Member for asking the question. The issue of the information centres can best be answered by the Hon. Minister of Information Communication Technology and Courier Services. Mataga Business Centre is not currently earmarked for the erection of viewing screens but we have plans to do so in the future.
As for poor television signal at Mataga, the area is supposed to be serviced by Rutenga television, a transmitter site. However, the Rutenga site has never been installed with television transmission equipment in the past, hence the challenge of no or poor television reception in the area. Under the digitalisation programme Madam
Speaker, a new television transmitter site is earmarked for construction at the Buchwa peak site to service the Mberengwa area including Mataga.
Tour foundation construction and the construction of a new tour at Buchwa peak was planned for early 2019 and equipment installation for 2020 subject to the disbursement of funds in the 2019 budget. In the meantime, consideration is also being made to take advantage of the signal from satellite signal distribution to transmitter sites to deliver television service directly to home (DTH) to areas experiencing difficulty in receiving television services. I thank you Madam Speaker.
HON. NDUNA: Madam Speaker, would the Hon. Minister
advice us on the establishment of the transmitters in terms of how far we are and how many are due to be commissioned in terms of their working ability.
HON. MUTODI: Thank you Madam Speaker. Like I have said
in my statement, the delivery of the transmitters is dependent on the availability of funds from Treasury. At the moment, the funds have been budgeted for the 2020 budget. So, we are awaiting the delivery of the funds by Treasury in 2020 budget for us to be able to acquire the transmitters to service the concerned areas that have been mentioned. Thank you.
EXEMPTION OF VIEWERS AND LISTENERS WHO DO NOT
WATCH ZTV FROM SUBSCRIBING LICENCES
- HON. S. BANDA asked the Minister of Information,
Publicity and Broadcasting Services to inform the House whether the Ministry has any plans to exempt viewers and listeners who do not watch ZTV or listen to local radio stations from subscribing licences for local broadcasting services.
THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF INFORMATION,
PUBLICITY AND BROADCASTING SERVICES (HON.
MUTODI): Thank you Madam Speaker. The law requires that every holder or anyone who possesses a television set or a radio must pay a licence for the radio station irrespective of whether they are currently receiving transmission or not. Thank you Madam Speaker.
HON. S. BANDA: Thank you very much Madam Speaker and
thank you Hon. Minister for that honest response. However, I think it becomes a challenge when even though you have electricity, you do not want to watch the content that is on ZBC because mainly it will be biased. There are times when you do not want to watch it. You want to watch other channels where there is freedom of expression, not necessarily focusing on propaganda. People really have to be given a choice. If I want to pay Multichoice, I will pay and I am even prepared to pay in US dollars because I feel like the content that is there is acceptable. That would be my supplementary question.
Thank you.
HON. MUTODI: Thank you Madam Speaker. Citizens need
to know that information is not a commodity that one needs transport to carry. Information can be passed from one citizen to the other irrespective of the fact that the other citizen had the gadget to receive the information directly from the transmitter site. We need to understand that if we want to be a country that is progressive in terms of information dissemination, we have to stick to the laws. That makes it a policy or an obligation for everyone who possesses a radio or a television set to be able to pay the licences required because of the fluid nature of our information. Thank you.
HON. NYONI: Thank you Madam Speaker. It is quite clear that the law was made for the gadgets and not for what you receive. If a bad law is made, that is why this House is here. Bad laws must be looked into and made properly. In my view, I think this is a bad law which needs to be looked into objectively so that the people out there are served properly. Thank you Madam Speaker.
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: I think that is a comment.
REDUCTION OF MASTER’S FEES ON DECEASED ESTATES
HON. S. BANDA asked the Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs to state when the Ministry will consider reducing the master’s fees on deceased estates in view of the fact that the current charge of 4 percent of the gross asset value is too exorbitant a situation which leads to loss of benefits that has to be realised by orphans and widows.
Questions With Notice were interrupted by THE HON.
DEPUTY SPEAKER in terms of Standing Order No. 64.
WRITTEN SUBMISSIONS TO QUESTIONS WITH NOTICE DEPLOYMENT OF TEACHERS CONVERSANT WITH THE
LOCAL LANGUAGE TO SCHOOLS IN TONGA SPEAKING
AREAS
- HON. HOUGHTON asked the Minister of Primary and
Secondary Education to explain measures being taken by the Ministry to ensure teachers who are conversant with the local language are deployed to schools such as Tonga speaking areas, particularly in primary schools.
THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF PRIMARY AND
SECONDARY EDUCATION (HON. E. MOYO): It is the
Ministry’s policy that the language of instruction, particularly at Infant Level should be the mother tongue. As such, deployment of teachers at Infant level takes into consideration the language spoken by the learners themselves. The recent deployment of teachers which was done by both the Ministry and the Public Service Commission considered the local languages spoken in each locality. Prior to the deployment of teachers, the Ministry issued a public advertisement to teachers who wished to be considered for employment to indicate their languages of proficiency. So, the issue of languages (not only Tonga) is an issue of priority to the Ministry.
CORRUPTION AT GMB DEPOT IN MHANGURA
CONSTITUENCY
- HON. MASANGO asked the Minister of Lands,
Agriculture, Water, Climate and Rural Resettlement to apprise the House on measures being taken to curb the alleged corruption involved in the selling of maize at Grain Marketing Board depot in Mhangura Constituency.
THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF LANDS, AGRICULTURE, WATER, CLIMATE AND RURAL RESETTLEMENT (HON.
HARITATOS): I would like to thank the Hon. Member for the question. My Ministry is not aware of any formal complaint or reported malpractices at the mentioned GMB depot or any GMB depot in Zimbabwe. however, two social media clips were circulating in the public domain insinuating that GMB subsidised maize could be collected by its Depot Managers as millers and resold to another depot. The social media gave an example of Lions’ Den and Nembudziya.
The following information was gathered on Mhangura Depot:
- No grain sales were done at the depot during the last season to date. Furthermore, sales are not done at the depot but at Head Office. Only rural depots are allowed to sell one bag per household per month and Mhangura is not one of them.
- The depot was transferring maize from Mhangura to Bulawayo on a depot to depot transfer arrangement. This is meant to cover grain requirements for food deficient areas of the southern region. The transfers are monitored physically and in the system and receipts were confirmed by the receiving depots.
To fight corruption the GMB is continuously monitoring
activities at all its depots through Internal and External Audits as well as Enterprise Risk inspections. GMB partnered Deloitte and members of the public are always encouraged to report any suspected acts of corruption through the Tip-Offs Anonymous.
DRILLING OF BOREHOLES IN MHANGURA CONSTITUENCY
- HON. MASANGO asked the Minister of Lands,
Agriculture, Water, Climate and Rural Resettlement to state when the Ministry will drill boreholes in Mhangura Constituency, considering the acute shortage of safe drinking water in the area.
THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF LANDS, AGRICULTURE, WATER, CLIMATE AND RURAL RESETTLEMENT (HON.
HARITATOS): Hon. Member, the Ministry is aware of the water challenges faced by the country as a result of this season’s drought and an assessment of the water supply situation in the country has just been concluded. Immediate to short term interventions amounting to US$7 519 904 have to be instituted to solve the water challenges faced by the country.
Mhangura is one of the centres assessed and the Ministry has a broader plan in place to solve the water issues facing approximately
13 000 people. The Ministry is planning to shift the raw water abstraction point for the centre as well as de-silting the Alpha Dam.
There is also the need to resuscitate the raw water pumping stem from Manyame River directly to the treatment plant as well as drilling 5 boreholes. This requires about US$137 500 which is part of the mentioned figure above which is set to be presented to Cabinet for resource mobilisation.
CRITERIA ON DETERMINING FARM RENTAL CHARGES
- HON. MAYIHLOME asked the Minister of Lands,
Agriculture, Water, Climate and Rural Resettlement to –
- explain to the House the criteria used to determine farm rental charges;
- clarify whether factors such as the type of ecological regions are taken into account when determining farm rental charges and;
- further explain how a situation whereby a farm with mining claims obtains is handled.
THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF LANDS, AGRICULTURE, WATER, CLIMATE AND RURAL RESETTLEMENT (HON.
HARITATOS): I would like to thank the Hon. Member for the question and respond to say that:
- It was a proposal given to Cabinet for its approval based on what is reasonable at the moment that new farmers can afford per house.
- Currently, all regions are charged the same $3 per hectare rental fee and $2 levy by the local authorities. The matter is being discussed as those in region five (5) are requesting that the rentals be lowered for them per hectare since they need to invest more to yield as much as their counterparts in say, regions 1, 2 and 3.
- Mining claims are governed by the Mines and Minerals Act. If the farm is over 100 hectares the miner is required to notify the farm owner of his or her claim on the farm and the farm owner is obliged to allow the miner to extract the mineral as long as they keep the distances from the farmer’s residence and other buildings/fields, as stipulated in the Mines and Minerals Act. If the farm is less than 100 hectares the miner needs the farmer’s consent to mine on any part of the farm. There are changes proposed to the current Mines Act, but the above is what is currently obtaining.
LICENSING OF COMMUNITY RADIO STATIONS IN
ZIMBABWE
- HON. B. DUBE asked the Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services to explain Government policy regarding the licencing of community radio stations in Zimbabwe and why it has taken too long for the Ministry to license a community radio in every district of the country.
THE MINISTER OF INFORMATION, PUBLICITY AND
BROADCASTING SERVICES (HON. MUTODI): The
Broadcasting Services Act was promulgated in 2001 to end the monopoly of ZBC on the provision of broadcasting services in the country. However, the Act was a knee-jerk reaction to a sector that had not yet been adequately prepared for the true opening up of the airwaves. This could be drawn from the sentiments of various stakeholders who commented on the restrictiveness of this broadcasting law and the failure by applicants to meet the qualification criteria prescribed by this Act when initial calls for applicants were made. This led to the review of the law in 2003 and 2007 to try and address the challenges that those persons that were interested in providing broadcasting services were facing.
In the case of community stations, the Act presented several grey areas which included the absence of the definition on what constitutes a community. For example, can any group of people come forward and claim to be a community and demand a community broadcasting licence. Lack of clarity on who is eligible to be issued with a licence, (for example, can a person from any part of the country apply for a licence to establish a community radio station in any other part of the country, even without the consent of the affected community and represent any interest of his choice), and the limitation of frequencies also presented the risk of other interests failing to find expression on such a community station.
The amendments made to the Broadcasting Services Act in 2003 and 2007 did not address these issues hence the licencing of community stations lagged behind that of commercial stations.
The current review of media laws, which includes amendment of the Broadcasting Services Act, is addressing these issues and Government is committed to see the operation of community stations by the end of 2019. From a policy perspective, the Government would want to see communities own and operate these community stations and actively participating in their programming for the development of these communities. Furthermore, in light of technical limitations, all key interests within a given community served by a community station must find expression on that community station.
Currently, the Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe is reviewing the frequency plans for the provision of Community Broadcasting Services. In this review, the authority will have to take into account the provisions of our country’s Constitution and the need to provide for universal access to broadcasting services. To this extent, in this planning and licensing of community stations, priority should be given to the equitable treatment of all officially recognised languages, the communities of which are well defined in terms of location and spread, in order to promote and advance the use and development of these languages as provided by our Constitution. This approach will also close the gap created by the limited use of these languages by commercial stations.
Priority should also be given to those communities in underserviced or unserviced areas, the majority of which are in rural and border areas of our country. These communities also have the constitutional right to receive information. Furthermore, in order to give practical and appropriate media skills to the youths in tertiary and higher learning institutions, consideration should be given to the establishment of campus radio stations in this planning and the licensing process. Other community station requirements should be accommodated subject to the availability of frequencies.
With this measures, which are already underway, Government would like to believe that the challenges that have affected the introduction of community stations are being addressed and we should witness the operation of community stations not in the too distant future and in any case by the end of this year.
ROLE OF COMMUNITY BASED DEVELOPMENT
COORDINATORS
- HON. MASANGO asked the Minister of Women Affairs,
Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development to explain the role of Community Based Development Coordinators and to state whether there are mechanisms in place to monitor their activities.
THE MINISTER OF WOMEN AFFAIRS, COMMUNITY,
SMALL AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISES DEVELOPMENT
(HON. DR. S. NYONI): Madam Speaker, I would like to thank Hon.
Masango for asking me to explain the role of Community Based Development Coordinators and also clarify the mechanisms in place to monitor their activities.
Madam Speaker, my Ministry is one of the most highly decentralised Ministries down to ward level. In the ward, we have a cadre, a Community Development Coordinator, a foot soldier of the Ministry who coordinates all proposed development programmes either by NGOs or other Government departments by way of mobilising communities in fulfillment of our mandate on community development. The cadre plays a secretarial and resource person role during all ward development meetings.
It has to be acknowledged Madam Speaker that while there exist other various structures at ward level, there is no coordinating office that ensures that the programmes and plans are consolidated and their implementation is coordinated. The officer plays a pivotal role in development in the ward by bringing all the actors together for the good of the community.
In line with our Vision 2030 and the Devolution policy, the cadre actively engages communities defining their environment, their local needs, resources and vision for the community. This enables communities to take collective action and generate solutions to their common problems. Our constitution emphasises inclusive participation of all people in decisions that affect their lives.
Madam Speaker, my Ministry administers Women Development Fund (WDF) and the Community Development Fund (CDF). As such, beneficiaries to these funds are coordinated by the officer who carries out feasibility studies of proposed income generating projects and forwards them through our structures. The mobilization of communities for cooperative formations and registration of SMEs are roles on the cadre’s shoulders. The cadre is the ear and eye of the Ministry at grass roots level as all gender issues and gender based violence cases take place at grass root level.
Madam Speaker, the Ministry structure provides supervision of
Community Development Coordinators (CDC) by Community
Development Officers (CDOs), who are at district level and further to this, the District Development Officer (DDO) also supervises the CDO providing an effective monitoring system for the activities implemented by the Ministry. Through the Inter-Ministerial platform, the District Administrator monitors and coordinates the work of Government departments at district level. The CDO falls under this arrangement.
Allow me to urge Hon. Members to also play an active role in monitoring the activities of all Government staff in their respective constituencies. They should then channel their concerns through the respective Government structures in existence at district and provincial levels, even national ones.
ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE DEPUTY SPEAKER
BILL RECEIVED FROM THE SENATE
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: I have to inform the House
that the Education Amendment Bill (H.B. 1C. 2019), has been returned from the Senate with amendments. Hon. Members are kindly advised to collect copies of Clause 14(k) which was amended by the Senate from their pigeon holes.
MOTION
BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE
THE MINISTER OF JUSTICE, LEGAL AND
PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS (HON. ZIYAMBI): I move that
Order Numbers 1 to 38 be stood over until Order Number 39 has been dealt with.
Motion put and agreed to.
MOTION
PRESIDENTIAL SPEECH: DEBATE ON ADDRESS
Thirty-ninth Order read: Adjourned debate on motion in reply to the Presidential Speech.
Question again proposed.
THE MINISTER OF JUSTICE, LEGAL AND
PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS (HON. ZIYAMBI): I wish to
thank Hon. Members of this august House for the very enlightening lively debate on the Presidential Speech delivered by His Excellency Hon. E.D Mnangagwa, the President of the Republic of Zimbabwe during his State of the Nation Address (SONA) and the Legislative Agenda on 18th September 2018. Indeed, the said lively debate during the course of the current session of the 9th Parliament raised quite pertinent issues on various subject matters. I want to congratulate all the Members that debated and those that did not debate for agreeing with what the President said in his speech.
As the leader of Government business in Parliament and Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs (MoJLPA), I am extremely delighted and grateful to the Hon. Members for raising those issues during the debate. Allow me therefore Hon. Speaker and Members to respond to some of the issues that arose during the debate.
Although the issues raised are structurally diverse, most of them revolve around analogous subject matters. Consequently, I shall not individually or specifically respond to the aforementioned but will concentrate on the subject matter arising from the various contributions made by the Hon. Members. Accordingly, may I applaud the Hon. Members for posing very pertinent questions relating to the following issues:
- The Motlanthe Commission
- Government’s measures to effectively and efficiently deal with corruption
- The Land Commission
- Enhancing the ease of doing business
- Access to clean portable water and
- Improvements in public health delivery system
Mr. Speaker Sir, the need for Government to comply with the recommendations of the Motlanthe Commission featured prominently on the contributions made by Hon. Kwaramba and Hon. Mliswa among many others. This is interrelated with the consistent reference to the 2018 Harmonised elections which characterised most of the contributions made to the President’s SONA. As you may be aware, the elections conducted on 30th July 2018, were peaceful except for the unfortunate skirmishes which occurred on 1st August 2018, when many demonstrators took to the streets of Harare demanding the immediate release of the election results. These events, particularly those that occurred within the Harare CBD resulted in the unfortunate loss of life, injury and massive damage to properties.
Subsequently, His Excellency, the President appointed a
Commission of Inquiry (CoI) or the Motlanthe Commission through Statutory Instrument 181 of 2018, which produced a final report with findings and recommendations that were published in December 2018. Some of the recommendations were anchored on the need to institute Electoral Reforms thus:-
- Promotion of political tolerance as well as responsible and accountable leadership and citizenry including during the electoral period.
- Electoral reforms leveraged by the development of effective Information Communication Technology (ICT), to enhance the transparent and expeditious announcement of election results.
- The enforcement of law and order to prevent recurrence of the events of 1st August, 2018.
- Nation building and reconciliation including an initiative for multi-party dialogue and co-operation.
Quite similarly, in response to the various contributions by the Hon. Members, His Excellency the President established an eight (8) member Inter-Ministerial Taskforce on Political, Electoral and Legislative Reforms which I chair. The taskforce was in line with the recommendations of the Motlanthe Commission and its terms of reference include:
- Accelerating implementation of political, electoral and legislative reforms aimed at deepening the country’s democratic processes and
- Addressing issues arising from the reports by the 2018 election observer missions as well as the findings of the Motlanthe Commission.
The taskforce which was established in March 2019 presented its report to the Appointing Authority which is His Excellency and Cabinet on the requisite reforms which must be made. Therefore, going forward, Parliament will be instituting all the necessary reforms which must be made. Therefore going forward, Parliament will be instituting all the necessary reforms.
Mr. Speaker Sir, the measures being taken by Government in dealing with corruption is a topical issue in the contributions made by various Hon. Members. For instance, Hon. Mliswa said that, “I look forward to the day the President will arrest Ministers while they are in office.” The recent arrest of a sitting Minister is illustrative to the fact that fighting corruption is one of the key pillars of the Second republic and President Mnangagwa has stated that his administration’s objective is to build a new Zimbabwe anchored on transparency, accountability and hard work. Therefore Government has already taken the initiative and established institutions to deal with corruption. This has seen the establishment of Special AntiCorruption Courts, a new Special Anti-Corruption Unit within the
Office of the President and the incorporation of the Public Entities Corporate Governance Act. In addition, the Zimbabwe Republic Police has since formed the Police Anti-Corruption Unit under the Criminal Investigations Department to deal with these cases.
The Government is also capacitating the Zimbabwe Judicial
Commission, National Prosecution Authority, Zimbabwe Republic Police (principles for the Police Amendment Bill were approved on the 12th of February, 2019 and a draft Bill was prepared by the
Attorney General’s office) and the Anti-Corruption Commission (which has recently been reconstituted), with the requisite capacity and skills to effectively investigate and prosecute crimes related to corruption. Similarly, Government is expediting the establishment of a Commercial Crimes Court to fast-track the prosecution of such offenders.
Madam Speaker, the issue of land barons has featured prominently in the contributions made by the Hon. Members.
Government’s overarching objective of establishing the Commission of Inquiry is to make a full, faithful and impartial inquiry into the status of State land in and around urban centres in Zimbabwe. This broad objective will underpin other specific objectives which are as follows:-
- To identify all State land that was acquired and handed over for urban development since 2000;
- To ascertain the status of such land in terms of ownership, occupation and development;
- To investigate methods of acquisition and/or allocation by current occupants and owners of such land;
- To investigate and ascertain the actors involved in such land allocations, occupation and use;
- To proffer solutions to the challenges identified from the investigation; and
- To document and report to the President in writing, the result of the inquiry.
Madam Speaker, the Government will soon receive the
Commission
of Inquiry’s report whose expected outputs derive from the above objectives. They are as follows:-
- All State land acquired and handed over for urban development since 2000 identified;
- The status of State land in and around urban centres ascertained;
- Methods of acquisition and/or allocation by current occupants and owners of such land ascertained;
- Actors involved in such land allocations, occupation and use identified;
- Solutions to the challenges identified proposed; and
- Documentation and reporting the result of the inquiry to the
President executed.
Therefore, the major expected outcome of the Commission of
Inquiry is the improved management and utility of State land in and around urban centres in Zimbabwe. Government will fully comply with the recommendations of this Commission.
Madam Speaker, the need to enhance the ease of doing business
Featured prominently during the debate to the President’s Speech and I am honoured to notify this august House that the Companies and
Other Entities Bill [H. B. 8, 2018] was approved and is now awaiting Presidential assent. This Bill will replace and update the law relating to companies and private business corporations. The present
Companies Act was passed in 1951 and needs updating. Hon. Members will agree with me that the provisions contained in this Bill will enhance the ease of doing business in Zimbabwe. Likewise, the President in his forthcoming speech will set out various Bills that are designed to ease the doing of business.
Madam Speaker, access to clean potable water was a topical issue
that arose during the debate on the President’s Speech. Section 77 (a) of the Constitution of Zimbabwe (Amendment No. 20) guarantees the right to safe, clean and potable water. This provision reflects
Government’s obligations to provide water to people in Zimbabwe as required in the various Human Rights instruments that the country has accepted that include; the African Charter on the Rights of the Child
Protocol and the African Charter on the Rights of Women in Africa. The United Nations also passed a resolution in 2010 recognising that water and sanitation is a Human Right. As such, the principles for the Water Amendment Bill were approved in May 2019 and amendments to the Zimbabwe National Water Authority Act are dependent to the amendments of the Water Act and the coming into existence of the anticipated Waste Water Authority Act. This means that the Government of Zimbabwe is seized with providing an effective and efficient legal framework to provide water to everyone – boys, girls, women and men.
Madam Speaker, the need for improvements in the public health delivery system featured prominently during the debate of the
President’s Speech. The Public Health Act was passed by Parliament on 31st August, 2018. Recently, the principles for the Health Services Amendment Bill were submitted and considered by Cabinet on 3rd
September. In addition, the principles for the amendments to the
Medical Services Act were approved by Cabinet in mid-March, 2018.
A draft Bill was prepared by the Attorney-General’s Office and is currently undergoing internal review at the Ministry of Health and Child Care.
The policy of Government is to comply with the constitutional provisions enshrined in Section 76 (4) which stipulates that, “The State must take reasonable legislative and other measures, within the limits of the resources available to it, to achieve the progressive realisation of the rights set out in this section.” The Constitution
shows some of the promises that have been made by Government in Human Rights instruments that guarantee the right to health such as the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights; Convention on the Elimination of All forms of Discrimination Against Women and the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.
Madam Speaker, I am humbled by the motion by Hon.
Kwaramba that, a respectful address be presented by this House to the
President of Zimbabwe as follows:- “We the members of the Parliament of Zimbabwe, desire to express our loyalty to Zimbabwe and beg leave to offer our respectful thanks for the speech, which you have been pleased to address to Parliament.” Accordingly, I have no doubt that this 9th Parliamentary Session will complete the legislative agenda outlined by His Excellency President Mnangagwa and align our legislation to the Constitution of Zimbabwe. Despite our political differences, alignment of legislation to the Constitution should provide a common ground and possible point of dialogue to build a prosperous Zimbabwe. I thank you. – [HON. MEMBERS: Hear,
hear.] -
THE MINISTER OF INDUSTRY AND COMMERCE
(HON. M. NDLOVU): Madam Speaker, I want to thank you for this opportunity afforded to me to respond to His Excellency the
President’s State of the Nation Address (SONA).
Firstly, let me congratulate His Excellency the President of the Republic of Zimbabwe, Hon. Emmerson D. Mnangagwa, for romping to victory in our last general elections. His zeal and drive to change the landscape of our economic and social environment has been well received by the generality of our people as well as regional, continental, global friends and development partners. His mantra,
“Zimbabwe is open for business”, has generated a lot of interest from global investors.
Madam Speaker, let me also at this juncture, thank the people of Bulilima East Constituency for the support and opportunity they gave me to represent them in this august House. As one of the young members of this august House, the opportunity to represent the people at such a prestigious platform and also the portfolio given to me by
His Excellency the President as minister responsible for Industry and Commerce, give me the zeal and determination to work harder for the good of our motherland.
I would also want to thank the Hon. Members who introduced this motion, Hon. Kwaramba and seconded by Hon. Musabayana following His Excellency the President’s address to the nation.
In his address, His Excellency the President of the Republic of Zimbabwe, Cde. E. D. Mnangagwa gave a comprehensive address that covered economic, social, political and security sectors. He also highlighted a number of Bills including the Consumer Protection Bill and the Zimbabwe Investment Development Agency (ZIDA) that were to be tabled, debated and enacted during this First Session of the Ninth Parliament. My ministry worked tirelessly to have the Consumer Protection Bill come before this august House and I am happy Madam Speaker that the parliamentary process was well supported by the Hon. Members. There was great enthusiasm from Members here and in the Upper House as this Bill touched on all of us as consumers. There is great need to protect consumers from unfair trade practices and abuse by some suppliers and sub-standard goods. Improvements made to the Bill from this House will go a long way in ensuring that the primary intended purpose is realised. The Bill is currently being finalised to be presented to His Excellency the President for Presidential assent. I want to thank Hon. Members for your support on this very important Bill.
Alongside the proposed legal intervention, my Ministry is continuously educating consumers on their rights and responsibilities and has so far held awareness campaigns in all provinces. To reach out to more consumers, my Ministry is utilising various media sources to do the outreach programmes.
The Zimbabwe Investment Development Agency (ZIDA) Bill is still going through the processes of this august House and I urge Hon.
Members to support this piece of legislation.
His Excellency the President also highlighted the need to continue scaling up the value addition and beneficiation drive to ensure Zimbabwe enters the regional, continental and global value chains. He emphasised that in line with our industrialisation agenda, Government will encourage the development of vibrant agro-based industries along the various agro-value chains such as serials, cotton, vegetables, horticulture and fruits among other products. I also wish to thank Hon. Members of this august House who made contributions on this very important topic. Hon. Mayihlombe asked for the Minister responsible for industry to craft the Industrialisation policy to provide it on the direction industry is taking.
Madam Speaker Ma’am, I am pleased to inform the House that my Ministry has put in place policies and strategies to promote and create a conducive environment for the growth of the local manufacturing sector, including the Zimbabwe National Industrial Development Policy. It is important that the Hon. Members familiarise themselves with this important policy document and to facilitate this, I have brought copies of this policy to this House and I am sure that they will be in our pigeon-holes tomorrow. We also launched the local content which we, in collaboration with the private sector formulated and is a key part of the Government’s broad industrialisation initiatives aimed at promoting local value addition through strengthening linkages and utilisation of domestic resources.
Hon. Musikavanhu spoke about the importance of the sugar industry in our economy, considering the jobs created there as well as the export potential. He also showed concern on the lack of adequate support of this sector and that the monopoly enjoyed by Tongaat Hullet gives them unfettered powers to deny the 2 000 out growers a fair return for their investment. Government is indeed keen to see this sector realise its full potential and my Ministry has begun the process of developing the Zimbabwe Sugar Industry Development Strategy which seeks to address the challenges being faced by various stakeholders in this sector.
We will be holding a sugar industry international conference - a first of its kind in this continent during the month of October in
Masvingo among various consultation programmes we are engaging in. This process will culminate in the amendment of the Sugar Production Act of 1964 to reflect the numerous changes that have taken place since the last amendment of the Act, which include the land Reform Programme.
Madam Speaker Ma’am, I want to thank Members of this august House for the support they are giving, especially the ratification of the
Agreements that Government has negotiated with other nations. The
African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) that His Excellency the President signed in Kigali provides a wider market for our goods and services and we are looking forward to having more intra-Africa trade. Our business people have been engaged and are happy with the opening up of markets. I am happy that some Hon. Members had an opportunity to attend an awareness workshop on this Agreement that we held on 11 February 2019 and this assists all of us in the implementation of this important Agreement. I want to assure the House that we will work hard to implement this important Agreement and fully exploit opportunities that are inherently abundant.
Mr. Speaker Sir, His Excellency the president urged us Hon. Members as the representatives of the people in our various constituencies, to develop infrastructure that include schools, roads, clinics to alleviate our people from travelling long distances for these essential services. Madam Speaker Ma’am, I come from a constituency that has borne the full brunt of the debilitating sanctions, particularly as it relates to access to these basic services by ordinary Zimbabweans. Together with communities, I am working tirelessly to implement projects that will benefit the people of my constituency and these include building schools and clinics. I wish to add that the communities in Bulilima East Constituency have embraced community development regardless of the numerous challenges that they face.
We also work closely with the diaspora who invested heavily in social infrastructure. I am pleased to inform the House that we set ourselves an ambitious target of having at least a secondary school and a health centre in each of the 11 rural wards in my constituency.
We are on course Madam Speaker Ma’am, to achieve this in less than three years, all because of the unity of purpose exhibited by the people in my constituency. Madam Speaker Ma’am, my constituency is in Region 5 – a dry area by any standards and the issue of water is very key for the communities. I have made this a key priority and currently we are looking at rehabilitating broken boreholes and sinking new ones to augment the added demand because of climate change induced droughts.
While I appreciate the resilience shown by the people of
Bulilima
East Constituency and Zimbabweans at large during these trying times, I wish to draw Members to the contributions made by Hon. Masenda. He categorically stated that the effect of illegal sanctions on our economy, particularly as it relates to the access to lines of credit and free global trade have inhibited growth in Zimbabwe. He made a passionate plea to all Zimbabweans to unite in condemning these sanctions and the House is aware that SADC has taken a clear position and set 25 October as the day we will all make a clarion call to the powers that be to remove these retrogressive economic sanctions. They harm our economy and they affect industry directly. As an example Madam Speaker, Zisco Steel is still under sanctions and this led to its demise and because of that, our annual import Bill of steel and steel products is around US$400 million, not to mention the jobs lost, livelihoods affected and the downstream industries that have suffered. Addressing the United Nations General Assembly recently, the US President, Donald Trump said, ‘If you want freedom, take pride in your country; if you want peace, love your nation. I agree with him and I wonder if it is asking too much to love your country and denounce any form of aggression – economic or otherwise.
Let me conclude by congratulating all Hon. Members who were elected to represent their people and urge them to spare no effort in responding to their needs. It is my hope that this Ninth Parliament will continue to deliberate and guide the nation in the development of our country. Let us combine our efforts in delivering the election promises to our people.
Someone once said, “We are all witnesses to the futility of turning around our economy in an environment of pointless conflict. It does not benefit anybody; not the government, not business, not opposition parties, not labour, not the ordinary person – why then?” Zimbabwe will not be developed by outsiders but by us working together for our MOTHERLAND ZIMBABWE. I thank you.
Ndaboka Tjose.
HON KWARAMBA: I would like to congratulate and thank all Members who contributed to this debate on the State of the Nation Address by His Excellency, E.D Mnangagwa. I move that the motion be adopted that: a respectful address be presented to the President of
Zimbabwe as follows-
May it please you, your Excellency the President:
We, the Members of Parliament, desire to express our loyalty to Zimbabwe and beg leave to offer our respectful thanks for the speech, which you have been pleased to address to Parliament.
Motion adopted.
On the motion of THE HON. MINISTER OF JUSTICE,
LEGAL AND PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS, (HON.
ZIYAMBI), the House adjourned at Twenty Six Minutes past Five o’clock p.m.