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NATIONAL ASSEMBLY HANSARD 26 October 2016 43-09

PARLIAMENT OF ZIMBABWE

Wednesday, 26^th October, 2016

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

PRAYERS

(THE HON DEPUTY SPEAKER in the Chair)

ANNOUNCEMENTS BY THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER

INVITATION TO THE COMMEMORATION OF THE

INTERNATIONAL DAY OF THE GIRL CHILD  

          THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: I have to inform the House

that Hon. Members are invited to attend the commemoration of the

International Day of the Girl Child and national launch of the He For She campaign to be held at the National Sports Centre tomorrow starting at 0830 hours.

DRILLING OF BOREHOLES UNDER AN EMERGENCY

DROUGHT RELIEF FUND

THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: I also have to remind the

House that Hon. Members are requested to provide a list of borehole sites; one borehole site per ward to be drilled under an emergency drought relief fund availed by Government by 27^th October, 2016.  The roll out of the programme is scheduled to take place on Friday, 28^th October, 2016 starting at 1000 hours at the National Parks Headquarters along Borrowdale road.

2016 PRE-BUDGET SEMINAR

          THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER:  I have to inform the House

that the annual pre-budget seminar will be held at the Zimbabwe

International Trade Fair (ZITF) Grounds from 2^nd -6^th November 2016.

Departure from Harare will be on 2^nd November, returning on 6^th November 2016.  The flight from Harare on 2^nd November, 2016 will depart at 1830 hours arriving in Bulawayo at 1915 hours.  On 6^th November, 2016, the flight will leave Bulawayo at 0815 hours arriving in Harare at 0900 hours.

Hon. Members are reminded that only members from the following provinces will travel by air; Harare, Mashonaland East, Mashonaland West, Mashonaland Central and Manicaland.

HON. HOLDER: On a point of order Madam Speaker. My point

of order is on Standing Rules and Orders Section 76 which says that

“every member must appear in attire befitting the dignity of the House”.  May you please examine how one of the Hon. Members is dressed in this House.

THE HON DEPUTY SPEAKER:  Which Hon. Member are you

referring to?

HON. HOLDER:  Hon. Machingauta.

THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER:  Who is Machingauta?

*HON. HOLDER:  Akapfeka marishe uyo.

THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER:  Hon. Machingauta, can you please stand up –[HON. MEMBERS:  Inaudible interjections]-  Order, order Hon. Members! Order! Hon. Members, you expect the Chair to give a ruling but you are making a lot of noise.  What do you want me to do?  Anyway, Hon. Machingauta, can you please go out and dress properly –[HON. MEMBERS:  Haaaaaaaaa!]-   

HON. MACHINGAUTA:  On a point of order –[HON.

MEMBERS:  Inaudible interjections]-

          THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER:  Hon. Machingauta, would

you please go out.

HON. MACHINGAUTA:  On a point of order –[AN HON.

MEMBER:  What is the problem?]-

HON. MACHINGAUTA: Thank you Madam Speaker. My point

of order is in line with the supreme law of the land, which is the

Constitution of Zimbabwe, Amendment Number 20 of 2013 Act. Section 139 (3) which I have quoted, the reason why I am quoting it is because last week in Parliament there appeared a Member in a safari suit of several colours – [HON. MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections]…

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

order. I was in the Chair. I am the same person who was talking about that person. A safari suit is quite different from what you are putting on – [HON. MACHINGAUTA: Handisati ndapedza. Ngavandipe mukana ndipedzise.] - Hon. Machingauta, would you please leave the House, go and put on something. You cannot present wearing that – [HON. MACHINGAUTA: But why? Mabasis acho ndeapi kuti moti ini ndibude   but vanouya vakawanda vakapfeka macolour akawanda and it happened in this House mukavabvumidza kuti vagare. Iyemi pachenyu makapfeka red and black zvandakangopfekawo ini but moti ini ndibude. Why? Which basis are you using to remove me out of this House? Which basis are you using? And there is no Zimbabwean bird, it is just a jacket. Akaramba ndiani? Which Constitution? MuStanding Rules and Orders hamuna izvozvo. Constitution haina nyaya dzakadaro. Saka zviri kubva kupi nyaya dzakaita saidzodzo? Hamuna izvozvo saka vanofunga kuti tinenge tisingazvizive. Iwe taura kuti unoda kundibuditsa nenyaya yakati. Saka usingataure nyaya yacho ndeyei.] – [AN. HON. MEMBER:  Holder enda  unogara uko tonosangana kuZvishavane ndiri kuuyako] – [HON. MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections] – Order, Hon. Machingauta please – [HON. MEMBERS: No!] –

THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER having asked the Sergeant-atArms to escort Hon. Machingauta out of the House, Hon. Machingauta refused to leave the Chamber upon which the Sergeant-at-Arms sought assistance to escort Hon. Machingauta from the Zimbabwe Republic Police; all MDC-T Members rose in their places barricading the police.

After a struggle with the MDC-T Members, the ZRP bundled Hon.

Machingauta out of the Chamber.

THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER:  Order!  Can we have order

please?  Order in the House.  Order!  If you do not want to have order, you can as well go out – [HON. MEMBERS:  Inaudible interjections.] –

Order, order! Can we have order please? Order, order!   Hon. Members, can we have order in the House.  Hon. Chamisa, I am talking to Hon.

Members to have order in the House.  Can you please take your seat?

According to Standing Order Number 110…

HON. MARIDADI:  Tirikumboda kutaurawo mhani. Standing

Order yekuita sei? - [HON. MEMBERS:  Inaudible interjections.] –

THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER:  Order!  Can we have order please?  According to Standing Order Number 110 any member who disregards the authority of the Chair or persistently and willfully disrupts the business of the House commits an offence for which he or she may be suspended from the service of the House - [HON. MEMBERS:

Inaudible interjections.] –

HON. CHAMISA:  On a point of order Madam Speaker.  I wish to state and place on record, Hon. Madam Speaker, that we are very clear in terms of the rules and statutes that govern this Parliament and I am very cognisant and alive to the order or Standing Rule that you have  quoted and cited which is Standing Order No. 110 in terms of temporary suspension from the House. What is very clear is that the rules of Parliament, as perfectly understood, do not give any authority to the invasion of a police force or details into the Chamber –[HON.

MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections]- You are aware that I was part of those who drafted the Standing Rules and Orders and you are aware that we have had extensive discussions on the laws that govern this

Parliament.

If you have regard to the Constitution, Madam Speaker, it is very clear. We have the separation of powers – the Executive, the Legislature and the Judiciary. Now, within the precincts of Parliament we have authorities and authority within this Parliament and within the precincts of Parliament, police officers cannot come in to interfere with Members of Parliament.

I challenged you Madam Speaker, to say show us in terms of the rules where police officers can be summoned into the Chamber. There is no law to support that. I asked legal gurus and pundits to say where is this in terms of the law. It is not part of the law. Our biggest problem is that some of the police officers who came in here, in full view of the public actually harassed some female Members of Parliament – [AN HON. MEMBER: Ndabatwa mazamu]-  Sexual harassment by our own officers –[HON. ZWIZWAI: Zvaiita Trump zviya zviya]- Sexual harassment is a very serious offence in terms of the laws of the country.

I know it is very easy when you are not a victim of certain misapplication of laws. You will not appreciate it.

We want to understand and underscore that what we have seen in terms of Section 148, we are supposed to have Members of Parliament being respected for what they do, what they say, who they are and part of the dress code is a speech which cannot be cured by issues of bringing in the police. Madam Speaker, until we have had an explanation from your Chair or Government why police officers have been brought into this Chamber, we are unlikely to cooperate with your Chair for now – [HON. MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections.]- because we have laws and rules that govern this Parliament. We need an explanation on why police officers have been brought in here violently to abuse and use police brutality mechanisms against Members of Parliament when we know that we have criminals who are out there including Ministers who are supposed to be arrested. We want to understand –[HON. MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections.]-May you furnish us with an explanation why it has happened? –[HON. MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections.]-

THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Hon. Chamisa, how do you

expect the Chair to explain?

HON. CHAMISA: Madam Speaker, we do not want the tyranny

of the office. We do not want the abuse of your office. We do not want you to be abused by certain partisan and foreign interests. We want you to understand that there are rules. Dress code in terms of our own national colours of the flag is not unlawful, is not illegal and we will not accept a situation whereby you come here to make a ruling that oust the Constitution, that oust the rule of law, that oust our legality. We cannot have that.  May you address us on why police officers entered and in terms of which rule of our laws?

THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: I asked Hon. Chamisa to

control the Hon. Members so that I am able to explain what happened and you were here. I cannot explain now because once I start explaining the whole bench starts shouting. So, how are you going to understand what I am saying?

I told Hon. Machingauta to go out and dress properly but all

Members of Parliament on my left were against that and encouraged him not to obey the Chair. This is why I asked the Serjeant-at-Arms to help

Hon. Machingauta go out. This is how it came about that the Serjeant-atArms could not move Hon. Machingauta out of the House. This is how he sought help from the police to come in –[HON. MEMBERS:

Inaudible interjections]-

HON. MUKWANGWARIWA: Thank you Madam Speaker. I am

quoting Section 108 on disorderly conduct in the Chamber. Hon. P. D.

Sibanda and Hon. Gabbuza had to beat a police officer in the Chamber –

[HON. MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections.]-

THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER:  Order Hon. Members.

Before she comes in, there is a point of order from Hon.

Mukwangwariwa.  Hon. Mukwangwariwa, there was TV here and we are going to study what was coming out when you said Hon. Prince Sibanda and Hon. Gabbuza were … -[HON. MEMBERS:  Inaudible interjections.]-  We are going to study what was coming out.  There is no problem.

*HON. MATSUNGA:  Thank you Madam Speaker for affording

me the opportunity to speak.  I was felled to the ground and my breasts were fondled.  My phone was destroyed and I am saying the truth.

[Hon. Matsunga wept]

THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER:  Order, order.  Can we have

order please?  I want to give a ruling on what she has said. [HON. MEMBERS:  Inaudible interjections.]- How can you talk?  I want to give a ruling on what she has said.

Order, Hon. Matsunga alleges that her breasts were fondled by the police.  [HON. MEMBERS:  Inaudible interjections.]-  Hon. Members on my right, please you have to listen for the sake of the Hansard because once you make noise, you will not hear anything about my ruling.  The same applies to the previous Hon. Member who spoke.  The police office officers came in here and the television cameraperson was here and we are going to study all those allegations that you are making.

There is no problem.

*HON. MAHOKA: I stand to support the point of order raised by

Hon. Mukwangwariwa that the police officers were being fondled by Hon. Members.  They also assaulted the police officers.  They fondled the female police officers’ breasts.  I have recorded it and I have it here on this phone.   We have recorded all that.

The Zimbabwe Republic Police officers have been assaulted by the MDC Members of Parliament.  The lawmakers were assaulting police officers and fondling women police officers’ breasts – that is unheard of and it is dishonourable.

*THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER:  Hon. Mahoka, that one is a

private camera.  We are going to use official cameras from the television that are allowed into this Chamber.  Will you please take your seat?

Hon. Chamisa, you were saying, how come the police came into

Parliament.  Yes, according to Privileges, Immunities and Powers of

Parliament Section 25 – arrests without warrant.   ‘Any person who creates or joins in any disturbances in or within the vicinity of

Parliament, whilst Parliament is actually sitting may be arrested without warrant on the verbal order of the Speaker and kept in the [HON.

MEMBERS:  Inaudible interjections.]-

Order, order.  Hon. Chamisa, I want to complete.  I have been listening when you were talking.  With the order of the Speaker and kept in the custody of an officer of Parliament or a police officer until a warrant is issued for his detention in prison.’

I did not call in the policemen to arrest but to help the Sergeant-at-

Arms to remove the person only - just that. [HON. MEMBERS:  

Inaudible interjections.]-

HON. CHAMISA:  Madam Speaker, I wish to just say, all the laws that you are reading, there is a difference between any other person and a Member of Parliament.  Any other person is a person who may come in here but not a Member of Parliament – [AN HON. MEMBER:

In terms of what law?] – Yes, in terms of that law, it is not even a

Member of Parliament, you can read it.  Madam Speaker – [HON. MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections.] – Hon. Speaker, we want to utilise this opportunity to ask questions from our Ministers so that they respond to legitimate concerns affecting Zimbabwe.  However, we also have to address some fundamental issues.  The fundamental issue is that our

Constitution is the supreme law of the land.  I may wish to read for you

– [HON. MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections.] –

THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: You cannot continue reading

that Constitution, all these Members of Parliament have that Constitution.

HON. CHAMISA: I am making a recommendation; I will not

refer to the Constitution.  I would have referred to the sections that are very clear because there is a wrong interpretation being given by Mr. Chokuda, he is giving wrong advice.  It is a wrong interpretation and we need to correct you Madam Speaker because it is misleading your Chair.  There is a supreme law of the land, it is not going to be ousted by that subsidiary Act, which is not even referring to Members of Parliament, but that is not an argument.

Why can we not have an inquiry into how the police entered this

Chamber because it is not allowed at law to have police officers come into Parliament in terms of Section 148, you cannot have an arresting of a Member of Parliament. We must have people being charged, those who did it, even if it means that we are going to have the Sergeant-AtArms explaining why we ended up having police officers in the Chamber.  That will be fair, otherwise it will be difficult for us to understand why we should continue having – the next time it is going to be the army, and then the United Nations.  Why should we have the army, the United Nations or even Border Gezi?  Why should we have riot in Parliament - that is my question?

THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Hon. Member, while we are

looking into that, can we have another point of order coming.

HON. P. SIBANDA: I have decided to ask for clarification from the Chair.  This is coming from a point of order raised, the complaint that I assaulted a police officer.  Two Members of Parliament have been identified from this side of the Chair.  It is Hon. Gabbuza and I.  I was seated there, I will ask Hon. Dr. Mashakada to stand where I was standing and where Hon. Gabbuza was standing – [summoning Hon.

Gabbuza to stand up] –

THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order Hon. Member. You

cannot make another Hon. Member to stand up, just explain yourself.

HON. P. SIBANDA: Madam Speaker, I was trying to show the distance between where I was standing and where Hon. Gabbuza was standing and the number of other Hon. Members who are on this side and the coincidence that Hon. Gabbuza comes from Binga, he is of the Tonga tribe, so am I.  We are the only two Members of the Tonga tribe on this side of the bench.  The coincidence that amongst all other Members of Parliament, the Hon. Member of Parliament of the Zezuru tribe was only able to spot two Members of the Tonga tribe, in my view is tribalism and discrimination on tribal and ethnic grounds.  I want your clarification Madam Speaker on whether Parliament is treating people on ethnic basis.

Secondly Madam Speaker, when you ruled about the dress code, I want to be educated, in my wardrobe I also have clothes of different colours.  May I get the basis upon which certain clothes like the jacket that Hon. Machingauta was putting on, is not allowed in Parliament?  Finally Hon. Speaker, I want your clarification on whether, at a time when we are busy campaigning for the position of Secretary General of the United Nations World Tourism Organisation, this kind of violence in the august House will do well to the campaign that the nation is doing.

THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Hon. Sibanda, there is no need for you to worry about what was said by Hon. Mukwangwariwa because I ruled on that.  We are going to check the video from the

Television crew – [HON. MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections] –

HON. P. SIBANDA: Madam Speaker, you might not understand my basis.  As a Tonga, I believe that we have been marginalised for a long time and now if I can walk into this House as an equal Member of Parliament, I am again suffering marginalisation from a fellow Member of Parliament.  I want a ruling Madam Speaker.

THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: I cannot give you a ruling on marginalisation.  The question says, he saw Hon. Prince Sibanda– [HON. MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections.] – without even saying where he comes from because members are treated the same despite where they come from but he saw Hon. Prince Mkwangwariwa and not Prince Sibanda.

          HON. P.D. SIBANDA spoke in Tonga

*THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER:  That is why I said we are

going to wait and see what is going to be screened on the national television.  You are not supposed to do that Hon. Member; we have others who are up.

HON. MUKUPE:  My point of order, first I will refer you to

Standing Order Number 110 subsection (1)  which states that “any member who disregards the authority of the Chair or persistently and willfully disrupts the business of the House commits an offence for which he or she may be suspended from the service of the House”.

I will also refer you to Standing Order Number 112 which states that “any member who willfully disobeys any lawful order of the House and any member who willfully or vexatiously interrupts the orderly conduct of  business in the House shall be guilty of contempt”.  It is pretty clear that the members on your left and in particular, in reference

to…

THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER:  Thank you Hon. Member, I hear you…

HON. MUKUPE:  The point I am just bringing out is that clearly, the members on your left are being vexatious and they are willfully interrupting the orderly conduct of the House and the rules are pretty clear.  If Hon. Sibanda is going to continue disrupting the orderly conduct of the House, you have to kick him out of the House and we continue with the business of the House and not waste tax payers’

monies.

THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER:  Can we please continue with today’s business-[HON. MEMBERS:  Inaudible interjections]-

*HON. ZWIZWAI:  On a point of order Madam Speaker.  We do not encourage Hon. Members to use their privileges in this House to abuse other members.  You have placed it on record that there are Hon.

Members who should be investigated on the basis of a word by a single member on your right.

We have lawyers like the Hon.Vice President in this House.  We also have Hon. Chamisa and many others. The incident that unfolded in Parliament did not happen to or on a minor. It has happened to a person  who is above the age of majority and also a police officer.  There must be a complainant in every case.  You cannot make a ruling that there will be an investigation when there is no report from the police that there is a  complaint. If there is a complaint, he is going to be called as a witness and then the cameras will then show that this is the evidence.  You cannot give a ruling for the purposes of the record that some police officers were assaulted just for argument sake. If we fail to find a police officer who says he was assaulted, what are you going to do about it?

On the other hand, we want to put it on record that each and every Parliament – when the Hon Vice President Mnangagwa was Speaker,

CCTV cameras were installed here.  We should use institutionalised

CCTVs and not hire television cameras from BBC, CNN, Studio 7 for Mahoka, ZBC or Aljazera to meddle in Parliament’s business.  We do not trust such cameras; they are not owned by Parliament.  We cannot use those.  We do not own such property and there is no basis for us to use foreign property.

Therefore Madam Speaker, I would want you to leave this issue for a while and deal with it when you get the complaint from the police officer.  Furthermore, we would like you to inform us which cameras you are going to be using because we cannot use foreign cameras from CNN to deal with our issues here.

*THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER:  The Chair did not say that

we are going to investigate.  I said we are going to review and ascertain to see if there was a police officer –[HON. MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections.]-  Hon. Members, I think we have heard enough on this issue –[HON. MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections.]-

+HON. L. SIBANDA:  Madam Speaker, the police officer who came through this other side, when he was approaching Hon.

Machingauta inserted his hand in my skirt and touched my private parts.

As I am speaking, the young police officer pulled my bimba and my leg.  Is that the right of an officer to do that - that a police officer should touch my private parts?  I have evidence and if you want, I will come to you  Madam Speaker and show you my torn pants, torn by a police officer.  Madam Speaker, my pants are torn.  What do you say to that?

*THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER:  If there is any police officer who put his hand in your pants, you should go ahead and make a report against the officer.

Hon. L. Sibanda approached the Chair and showed her the torn pant –[HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear.]-

HON. MANDIPAKA:  Madam Speaker, I want to thank you very much.  I want to speak on behalf of the voiceless majority of our people who are out there.  What we are doing is not sincere with the tax payers’ money.  MDC is deliberately disrupting Parliament business and this has to be recorded that they do not stand in for the people but to cause chaos and this is not good for the country.

*HON. MPARIWA:  Thank you Madam Speaker for giving me

this opportunity. First and foremost, we are all ladies. The evidence being produced by women, we are now apprehensive. Are we still safe as women? That is food for thought. I rise Madam Speaker – [HON.

MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections] - …

THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order, please let us hear her

out.

*HON. MPARIWA: I am surprised that women are now performing. I would want to bring it on record that Hon. Machingauta represents Budiriro as a Member of Parliament. What led to the current issue is that we do not know where exactly he is. We are aware that he has been taken to Harare Central Police Station. On our side, we are disturbed – [HON. MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections] - …

THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Can we have order please?

Order!

HON. MPARIWA: Thank you Madam Speaker – [HON.

MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections] - …

THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order, Hon. Mpariwa is

talking.

*HON. MPARIWA: Thank you once again Madam Speaker. I am saying that because he is a Member of Parliament who represents a constituency in this House; as members of the Opposition and the leaders of that Opposition, we are going to find out his whereabouts and what the truth of the matter is. I thank you.

All MDC-T Members left the Chamber singing ZANU yaora Baba.

ORAL ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE

HON. MANGAMI: My question is directed to the Minister of Home Affairs. Minister, what is Government policy regarding the acquisition of a death certificate when one is deceased without an identity document? What is the policy regarding the acquisition of such a document?

THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF HOME AFFAIRS (HON.

MGUNI): Thank you Madam Chair. The death certificate, when it is issued, must have an identity document (I.D) number. Therefore, a deceased person cannot be buried without an I.D number according to our policy. We encourage the relatives when a person has passed away without an I.D to come forward and we will help them. We have got that facility that will quicken the issuance of an I.D so that they can go and bury that deceased person which enables us to put an I.D number on the death certificate. I thank you.

+HON. NDUNA: Thank you Minister but there are some who do not have birth certificates and I.Ds, particularly in my constituency. Some are referred to as aliens and others do not even have I.Ds because they do not have birth certificates. What steps or measures are you taking so that these people can obtain national identity documents before they die?

+HON. MGUNI: I thank Hon. Nduna for the question. We have a programme that we call mobile registration where we are recruiting people from within the communities or districts to help our teams so that they have enough numbers to go to secondary schools to issue birth certificates. However, we would like proper evidence so that we can only give these birth certificates to Zimbabweans. I thank you.

HON. M. KHUMALO: I want to find out because the

Constitution says it is constitutional for people to have citizenship in the form of passports and identity cards (I.Ds). What is the policy of the Ministry in terms of making sure that people all over the country get passports and I.Ds closer to them? I say so because in one of the provinces in Matebeleland North, people still have to go to Bulawayo to acquire passports. The people in Binga and Hwange face difficulties in getting passports. What is your Ministry’s policy on decentralising the passport offices from Bulawayo, particularly to Matebeleland North as a province? Thank you.

THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Anyway, your question was

not originating from the first one but Hon. Minister; you can give him an answer.

THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF HOME AFFAIRS (HON.

MGUNI): Thank you Madam Speaker. You are right in saying the question does not originate from the first question. However, Home Affairs has built provincial offices in Lupane in Matebeleland North. We have furnished them and have been connecting water. It is now connected. We are waiting for an official day to invite our guest to go and cut the ribbon for their province to have a best set-up. It is the modern type of set-up that Home Affairs can have. They will give passports from that office. I am aware that in maGumbo’s Constituency again, in Matebeleland North we are going to open a sub-office where we can issue birth certificates and I.Ds. I think it will cover your concern Hon. Khumalo.

THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Hon. Minister, can it not start working without cutting the ribbon – [Laughter] –

HON. MGUNI: No, that is a decorative way of encouraging him.

*HON. MUPFUMI: Madam Speaker, my question was going to be directed to the Minister of Environment, Water and Climate. May I ask the Leader of the House, Hon. Vice President Mnangagwa. What is the Government policy as regards the issue of water?  

*HON. MAHIYA:  Thank you Madam Speaker.  My question is

directed to the Deputy Minister of Health and Child Care.  Is it Government policy that if a worker who was in charge of family planning, once they pass on, are transferred, have resigned, have a change in title or they have moved to another place, there should be no replacement for that specific worker.  I thank you.

*THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF HEALTH AND CHILD

CARE (HON. DR. MUSIIWA):  Thank you Madam Speaker.   I do not

know if I will be able to answer the question.  Can she be specific about the identification of the worker?

*HON. MAHIYA:  The Government workers, the Community

Based Distributors (CBDs) who are responsible for family planning, is it Government policy that once they are deceased, transferred or resigned, there should not be a replacement?

*HON. DR. MUSIIWA:  Thank you.  I have understood the question.  It is not Government policy that if a worker has left a position vacant he or she should not be replaced.  The Community Based Distributor (CBD) is not a worker of Government.  They are a worker that is paid by donors that are found in such an area.  If funding is there, we will replace that person.  If we no longer have the funding, there is nothing we can do about it.  I thank you.

+HON. MURIRO:  Thank you Madam Speaker.  My question is directed to the Vice President, Hon. Mnangagwa.  What is Government policy on protecting the rights of people like police officers?  We have seen that where there are demonstrations we find police officers being beaten up by people.  Today, we actually witnessed a situation here in

Parliament where some Members of Parliament assaulted police officers.  What is Government policy on protecting the rights of the police?  I thank you.

THE VICE PRESIDENT AND MINISTER OF JUSTICE,

LEGAL AND PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS (HON.

MNANGAGWA):  Madam Speaker, I am not so sure I understood the

question, but if it is whether the public is allowed to abuse or to assault a police officer in uniform, that is not allowed.  It does not matter what status a citizen has, you cannot abuse or assault a policeman in uniform.

That is an offence.

You have mentioned the issue of assault or abuse that has happened here.  I think the Speaker has made a ruling that they will look at the official record of what was happening and those who will be found wanting, I believe in terms of the rules of Parliament, we will then have a Select Committee to deal with such issues and then recommend to the House as to the course of action that may be taken.  The rules are there and the procedures to follow are very articulate and they are also well known.  So, in terms of procedure and law, we have no drought in that area.  Thank you.

HON. BEREMAURO:  My question is directed to the Minister of

Primary and Secondary Education.  Hon. Minister, can you update this

House on how far your Ministry has gone in ensuring that the

Constitution of Zimbabwe is taught in schools as enshrined in the

Constitution, Chapter 1 Section 7(b).  Thank you 

THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF PRIMARY AND

SECONDARY EDUCATION (HON. PROF. MAVIMA):  Thank you

Hon. Speaker, the House would recall that the Minister of Primary and Secondary Education has undertaken a curriculum review.  We completed that process.  We have now completed the development of syllabi and are launching this new curriculum, come January 2017 starting with the ECD grades, Grade 1, Grade 3, Form 1, Form 3 and Form 5.

Embedded in all the learning areas of primary, secondary and high school is what we call Heritage Studies and within that, we are going to teach elements of the Constitution starting right from ECD level, but with different levels of articulation of the Constitution, scaling up until we get to high school where there is going to be more detailed learning of the Constitution.  So, that is being done and we are launching in 2017.

Thank you Hon. Speaker.

HON. NDUNA:  Thank you Hon. Minister for that articulate response.  My follow up is that, during or in that tutorage, are you also involving the issue of tutoring children - school level up to tertiary in terms of upholding the national anthem?

You would find when the national anthem is played; adults and school children, some of them are standing chewing bubble gum; some of them out of all sorts, as though they do not know the words of the national anthem.  Some of them are either holding on to their chests, some  standing at akimbo, others standing like a tea cup and such like.  Does this include tutoring in terms of the national anthem, the upholding of it, standing at attention and the words that are engrained and embedded in the national anthem?

HON. PROF. MAVIMA:  Thank you Hon. Speaker.  Yes, we have a programme to teach our learners not only about our national anthem.  You will also recall that the Ministry has even gone beyond just teaching about the national anthem to crafting a National Schools Pledge which gets our learners to commit and to salute the national flag and to state their commitment to other values, which that pledge is part of the national heritage studies.

In addition to that, we are going to teach our learners about different national symbols including the Constitution, the national anthem, the right way to sing the national anthem and I would like   the House to know that for most State functions, it is the learners who lead the public in singing the national anthem. So, we have actually also been teaching the public on how to sing the national anthem. I take note of what you are saying so that we teach learners the best way to do it and in the process also teach the public on the best way to sing our national anthem. It is part of our heritage studies.

*HON. GAVA: My question is directed to the Deputy Minister of Mines and Mining Development. What does the law say about special grants because we see that there are certain farmers who will have paid for special grants for the entire farm but the Minister of Lands and Rural Resettlement also comes and say they want payment for that farm when it has already been paid for to the Ministry of Mines and Mining

Development.

          *THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF MINES AND MINING

DEVELOPMENT (HON. F. MOYO): Special grants and special

exploration orders are given large companies that would want to do mineral exploration but they do the exploration using aircrafts and helicopters. Such type of explorations require that they have large tracts of land so that the airplanes can manoeuver properly. Special grants are also given in terms of energy minerals where the President has to grant the authority. So, if an EPO and a special grant covers a large tract of the farm, the farm owner is not barred from farming but should get permission if he wants to go into mining hence there is need for them to pay for special fees which are different from an ordinary mining fee. A farmer can do their farming in an area where there is either a special grant or a special order. I thank you.

HON. HOLDER: My supplementary question is that the Hon. Minister did not answer exactly what I heard from Hon. Gava. He was actually saying double taxation where you pay for the same piece of land to the Ministry of Lands and Rural Resettlement, Ministry of Mines and Mining Development and pay for the same piece of land to the Rural

District Council – one person is paying three times. What is

Government’s policy regarding that?

          HON. F. MOYO: I think that question is now dealing with interministerial harmonisation and I am not best positioned to answer that.

          HON. MUKWANGWARIWA: I move that Questions Without

Notice be extended by 30 minutes to compensate for the time that was lost due to disruptions.

HON. KWARAMBA: I second.

*HON. MASHONGANYIKA: My question is directed to the

Leader of the House in the absence of the relevant Minister. My question is - what is Government’s policy as regards the issue of laying tombstones for liberation heroes? The Department of Museums and Monuments is not erecting these tombstones and some of these tombstones are being taken away at some Heroes Acres. Heroes Acres are generally being neglected. Who should assist in the upkeep of these structures and why are they these delays?

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

MNANGAGWA): Our heroines and heroes whether at district, provincial or national level are respected and this is what the law says. The Government Department under the Ministry of Home Affairs discharges that function. Maybe due to the unavailability of funding to that specific department, they may fail to properly look after these tombstones but it is Government’s intention to ensure through its policy that the tombstones of our heroes and heroines are properly looked after. The delay is occasioned by lack of funding to discharge their duty but eventually they will discharge that duty because it is befitting to our heroes and heroines who are now deceased.

*HON. A. MNANGAGWA: My question is directed to the

Deputy Minister of Primary and Secondary Education. We do not have descent schools in the communal lands. They are using sub standard structures.  What is Government’s policy as regards the construction of schools because the parents are now moulding bricks and being burdened by the construction of these classrooms? I do not know how Government can assist in that regard. I thank you.

THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF PRIMARY AND

SECONDARY EDUCATION (HON. PROF. MAVIMA): I thank the

Hon. Member for her question. As regards Government’s policy on rural schools, we have 1400 schools that are in the resettlement areas and most of these are satellite schools. The majority of the schools are in a dilapidated state and they leave a lot to be desired. I am grateful that the parents are doing a lot of things to ensure that these schools are constructed.  In the majority of cases, a lot of the schools are being built with the help of the parents and we urge them to remain steadfast and build these schools.  We are taking other measures to assist such schools.  The PSIP budget component helps with outstanding projects because of the inadequacy of funding.  We are completing these projects first.  So, you may discover that in a single province there may be six or ten building projects for schools and the PSIP has very little money to help in the construction of such schools.

We are thinking of coming up with joint venture partnerships and we started this programme in 2013 but the programme is taking a lot of time.  We even placed some advertisements in the newspapers and we got a lot of schools that are keen to partner us in the construction of these schools.  We are mainly looking at such schools that do not have adequate classrooms as well as schools that are yet to be constructed.  We have 2 000 schools which we need to construct under this programme but currently, the documentation of the paperwork is still being done so that we can have private partnership to help us to ensure that we carry out the project.

Be that as it may, we urge Members of Parliament to come up with ways and means that are possible to get assistance from Plan

International and other Non-Governmental Organisations who can help by constructing at least a single or so blocks at such schools.  There are a lot of satellite schools that have been assisted in that manner.  This usually happens when some NGOs chip in or when other Zimbabwean individuals come in, then the parents will help when they draw water

and gather stones so that the budget can sustain the completion of the construction of the school and it can be upgraded after the construction of these classrooms.  We are doing what is within our power to ensure that the funding can be enough in building these schools so that they get registered but we have 1400 satellite schools in the country and we need all the help we can get in order to address that situation.  I thank you.

*HON. MAPIKI:  Thank you Madam Speaker.  My question is

directed to the Minister of Sport and Recreation, Hon. Hlongwane.

What is Government’s policy as regards the assistance of a renowned boxer like Manyuchi who beat the boxer from Columbia as well as the funding for the Zimbabwean teams that are at the African Cup of Nations (AFCON)?  How best can boxing be taken to the rural areas?  I thank you.

*THE MINISTER OF SPORT AND RECREATION (HON.

HLONGWANE):  Thank you.  Our world class boxer and champion Manyuchi did us proud two weeks ago.  Our two Vice Presidents attended that bout and we would want to congratulate him on his win.

That tournament had boxers coming from Malawi, Zambia and Columbia.  We had referees and umpires from all over the world and from South Africa.  They were 100% supported by the Government and that shows that Government is interested in ensuring that boxing becomes very popular in Zimbabwe.  This was the first tournament 21 years down the line – from the time when the likes of Langton Schoolboy Tinago, Kilimanjalo and others used to fight.  Boxing will come to the communal lands.  We have a programme which is in the pipeline with a view to forming boxing clubs and sporting clubs at Ward

level.

There are about 21 sporting disciplines but I am going to restrict myself to boxing.  In each Ward in Zimbabwe, at the end of the programme, we envisage to have two clubs per Ward.  I am talking of properly set up clubs that are registered and which have a constitution, an elected executive so that the clubs are registered with their associations. If it is boxing, they are registered with the Federation of

Amateur Boxing so that at the end of the programme, we will have 4 000 clubs in our communal lands.  We have done this to create jobs as well as to support the revival of boxing and other sporting disciplines.  We will start with competitions at Ward level up until we reach national level.

We still have a week set aside for Ward Youth Games to look at the 21 disciplines all over Zimbabwe, then we will move to the district level, to the province and up until we get to the National Youth Games.  The objective is to identify talent in the communal lands which did not have the exposure and we want to expose them to all these sports disciplines.  Government is supporting such programmes and we want this done at grassroots level and I want to appeal to hon. Members of Parliament as the Minister of Sport and Recreation to support this programme once it reaches your area.

It is going to create employment for our children for instance, if it is a football club, Dynamos and Highlanders are no longer going to get a child from either Binga or Mutorashanga without buying the player from a specific club which would be registered with a national association.

We should have registered a club, so we will have the economy of grassroots sports.  So, we urge you to support that programme when it reaches our communal lands.  I thank you.

*HON. MUSANHI: Hon. Minister of Sports and Recreation, what recognition are you giving to this champion Manyuchi?  In other countries, he is well respected and he is treated just like a Minister or even better.  As a Ministry, what honour are you going to bestow on Manyuchi who has raised our flag high?  He has made our Zimbabwe proud and what are you going to do?

*HON. HLONGWANE: Thank you Hon. Member.  Our

Government values our sporting champions for example; we have Kirsty Coventry a renowned swimmer.  She was recognised by Government and she is now a diplomat and she travels on a diplomatic passport.  She is no longer just like an ordinary Zimbabwean.  When she travels, she is treated with dignity.  I would want to thank the Government and the Vice Presidents that are here that on Manyuchi, we found it proper to do the same.  Manyuchi is a diplomat and the Government recognises his achievement in boxing and he was awarded a diplomatic passport in recognition of the good work that he has done.

Not only that, recently, after he had won the silver belt in Italy in Europe, our President gave him a present of $50 000 as a way of recognising the good work that he is doing.  I want the Hon. Member to understand that Government may not have a lot of money to reward our sportspersons because of the current economic condition, but we do recognise our sportspersons.  The President said we should recognise him as a diplomat and we afforded him the highest honour of this land as a Zimbabwean sportsperson.  I thank you.

*HON. MAHOKA: Thank you Madam Speaker, my question is

directed to Hon. Minister Mushowe.  What is Government policy regarding licences which people are paying, especially in Kariba and Hurungwe where they are unable to view Zimbabwean channels?  I thank you.

* THE MINISTER OF INFORMATION, MEDIA AND

BROADCASTING SERVICES (HON. DR. MUSHOWE): Thank

you Madam Speaker.  I would like to thank the Hon. Member for asking such an important question.  It is a question which if it was not asked I would have also asked the same. I believe the licences are for the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC).  You might have noted that these ZBC licence officers sometimes team up with police officers on road blocks inspecting vehicles with radio antennas but without radio licences.  Sometimes they search for television licences asking those with televisions to pay their licence fees.

People who reside in the area which Hon. Mahoka cited, because this area does not receive Zimbabwean radio and television signals, are not obliged to pay these licence fees.  Radio and television licencing fees are supposed to be paid for by someone who has a radio receiver and a television and is receiving the signals.  If the radio is in the car and I visit your area, if the signals are not reachable in that area, it does not mean that it should not be licenced since it is not stationed in that area, it will be driven elsewhere where radio signals are reachable.  Therefore, the licence is not paid because one has driven to a particular area; the licence is in place because of the radio signal receiver in the vehicle.

However, if someone comes to collect licence fees from your home where there is no radio signal receiver, you should not pay.  Ask that person to show you where the radio or television is located in order for you to be obliged to pay.  Sometimes they think everyone is watching television.  Let me take this opportunity Madam Speaker to explain that, Government has noted all this; those with television receivers are watching, we are moving around.  We are doing all we can as Government to migrate from analogue to digital television and radio equipment, what we are calling the digitalisation programme.  This is being spread all over the country, including Binga.  I promised the Hon. Member that we will visit their area and move around with them because we want the whole country to be covered.  If the money was available we could have finished this programme, so that everyone will be able to watch television and receive radio signals from Zimbabwe like those in

Harare and Bulawayo.

In Binga and in Mwenezi, they do not know whether Zimbabwe broadcasts through television or radio, they listen to radio signals and watch television from Zambia, Mozambique whilst others listen and watch through signals from Botswana...

THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Hon. Minister, please, may you

stick to the question.  If you wish to give a statement to the House, you can do that later.

HON. DR. MUSHOWE: Thank you Madam Speaker, I saw you

nodding...

THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: I am looking at Hon. Mahoka,

you are not addressing the Chair.

*HON. DR. MUSHOWE: Thank you Madam .Speaker.

*HON. MAHOKA: Thank you Madam Speaker.  What is

Government policy concerning radios and televisions in homes in Hurungwe and Kariba where signals are not available?  They are unable to hear and watch a lot of things happening in their country.  Hon. Vice Presidents and Hon. Ministers were speaking and they are unable to hear and watch it yet they are being made to pay licences by the Government.  So, I am asking what the Government is doing.  They bought radios and televisions in order to watch issues happening in Zimbabwe but they are unable to hear or watch.  Thank you Madam Speaker.

*HON. DR. MUSHOWE: Thank you Madam Speaker.  I thought I

answered the question earlier on.  Firstly, I am surprised that people who know that their area does not have radio or television signals since 1980, buy televisions for their homes – [HON. MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections] – let me finish or can you come and give an answer.

HON. MLILO: On a point of order Madam Speaker.  The Hon.

Minister should answer the question and not divert from the question.

THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Hon. Minister, you are being told what is happening and they are asking what Government is doing about it.

HON. DR. MUSHOWE: The Government does not demand radio

and television licence fees from people who are not receiving radio and television signals.  The Government does not demand licence fees from people who have radios and televisions in their houses yet there are no signals.  However, there is need to confirm that these signals are not available.  Thank you Madam Speaker.

HON. SITHOLE: In urban areas like in Bulawayo and Harare, you will find out that people are now watching Zimbabwe Television (ZTV) through DSTV.  Do we still have to pay for the ZTV licences whilst at the same time subscribing to DSTV for us to be able to get a more stable, reliable and consistent link for ZTV?  I thank you.

THE MINISTER OF INFORMATION, MEDIA AND BROADCASTING SERVICES (HON. DR. MUSHOWE): Thank

you for that important question.  Watching ZTV through DSTV is a choice that an individual makes.  However, the fact remains that ZTV is available for you and if you have a television, ZBC charges licence fees on that but you can choose to watch ZTV through DSTV, it is your choice.

HON. CHITINDI: Thank you Madam Speaker, my question is directed to the Leader of the House.  What does the law say about Members of Parliament who ask for donations from NGOs; because we do not know the manner in which these NGOs are set up?

          *THE VICE PRESIDENT AND MINISTER OF JUSTICE,

LEGAL AND PARLIAMENT AFFARS (HON. MNANGAGWA): 

Thank you Madam Speaker.  The Member of Parliament was elected in a constituency to bring the constituents’ problems to Parliament and not for them to ask for donations.  Whatever problems that you have, you should take them to Parliament. The idea of a request from Chipinge to another ambassador of a certain country, we say no to that.  I believe that is a good enough response.

*HON. MAVHENYENGWA:  Thank you Madam Speaker, my

question is directed to the Deputy Minister of Transport and

Infrastructural Development.  What plans do you have to ensure that the District Development Fund (DDF) is able to have graders so that they will be able to upgrade our roads network because a single grader is allocated to one province?  There are seven districts in Masvingo where I come from, the grader is unable to service the roads in the entire province.  What have you put in place to ensure that we revert back to the old days when we had sufficient graders to cover our provinces?

 *THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF TRANSPORT AND INFRASTRUCTURAL DEVELOPMENT (HON. MADANHA):  I

thank the Hon. Member for the pertinent question because for us to be able to transport our goods and services, we should have good road network which is well maintained.  I would like to inform the House that ZINARA collects toll gate fees and the proceeds are used for the construction of new roads.  We have four entities that construct new roads, we have the Department of Roads which is under the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development, we have DDF which looks after the district road networks, we have rural district councils and we have urban councils that deal with urban roads.

These four players have equipment purchased for them by

ZINARA. The money was raised from the toll gates.  We purchased that equipment; we once bought 80 graders that were distributed to all the city councils and DDF.  This is an ongoing exercise.  ZINARA is negotiating with companies to buy other equipment to be used for road maintenance so as to ensure that our roads are in better state.  We will purchase pothole patching machines.  We are also coming up with other several forms of machinery.  We are aware that graders were purchased and that they are not working well.

Madam Speaker, the types of graders that are ideal for rural roads is a towed grader that is used by the tractor.  The ones that we have put in are responsible for the construction.  When we come to maintenance, we should use towed graders.  I reiterate ones more that ZINARA is going to buy adequate machinery to enable districts to maintain their roads so that our goods and services can be transported well.  I thank you.

THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER:  Order, I am not taking

another supplementary question.

*HON. KATSIRU:  My question is directed to the Minister of

Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development.  What is

Government policy as regards to the Cold Storage Company in

Zimbabwe?  We have observed that equipment in the Cold Storage Commission is now being vandalised.  Some of the equipment is being sold and some of the equipment is being attached because of bad debts.  Are you going to resuscitating the Cold Storage Commission or you are no longer concerned about it?

*THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE

(CROPPING) (HON. MARAPIRA): Thank you Madam Speaker.

Since this is a pertinent question, it should be put in writing so that the substantive Minister responsible for livestock will answer.

HON. J. TSHUMA: My question is directed to the Leader of the House.  When are we going to have the Bill pertaining to the CDF seeing that we are already doing budgets, we would have loved the CDF Bill to come so that at least it can be included in the Budget so that our work in the constituencies can be a bit easy.    

     THE VICE PRESIDENT AND MINISTER OF JUSTICE,

LEGAL AND PARLIAMENT AFFARS (HON. MNANGAGWA):  I

want to thank Hon. Tshuma for the question.  The draft Bill is through, it is now waiting to go through the Cabinet Committee on legislation.  Fortunately, the current Budget has an allocation of US10 million towards CDF. Once the Bill has been passed by the Cabinet Committee on legislation, it will be gazetted and then it will come to the august

House  – [HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear.]-

*HON. CHINOTIMBA:  On a point of order Madam Speaker.  Thank you Madam Speaker, may it be placed on record that this House is now very peaceful.  This has shown that the noise caused in Zimbabwe is caused by the MDC.  If you view this picture, this is an august House.  It is peaceful, orderly and you are not having to constantly call members to order.  People are discussing developmental issues.  I want it placed on record so that the world over should appreciate that Zimbabwe is a piece loving country as long as there is no MDC involved. You have seen what has happened in this august House.

This is what a country or a Legislature for a country should be like. Madam Speaker, they should know that ZANU PF as a ruling party is not violent. Those that assault the police and those that rape are other people not from ZANU PF but MDC. I thank you.

*THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order. Your point is noted

Hon. Chinotimba. What you must understand is that the Opposition is there to oppose and to make noise. However when there are differences, that is when you make a lot of noise. Can you proceed?

+HON. K. SIBANDA: Thank you. My question is directed to the Deputy Minister of Industry and Commerce. Part of the question not recorded due to technical fault.

          +THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF INDUSTRY AND

COMMERCE (HON. MABUWA): I thank you Hon. Member for such

an important question. I will answer part of the question and leave the other part to others. Residential rates they have nothing to do with industry. So I will only answer pertaining to issues related to industry.

We have a Rent Board which looks into such matters.  As to how much we charge per square metre in the CBD or industry, there are regulations for that. If the question is written down, I will give a detailed answer on these rents and how these rents are managed.

We research all the time in line with our economy on issues of expenses. The rent board looks at such matters and what is important is you should put the question in writing so that we can give you the rentals. I thank you.

*HON. CHIPATO: Thank you Madam Speaker. My question is

directed to the Minister of Home Affairs. What is Government policy as regards the motor vehicles and Combis where people ride on those cars and they pass through road blocks where people will be hanging precariously on car roofs as well as Combis.  These are dangerous ways of riding on motor vehicles and this will give us unnecessary work. This is rife along Mbuya Nehanda in Harare and in Mbare. I thank you.

THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER:  The Minister is no longer in the House.  –[AN HON. MEMBER:  He is asleep, MDC haipo nhasi]-     THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF HOME AFFAIRS (HON.

MGUNI): Madam Speaker. Can she repeat again the question?

HON. CHIPATO: Thank you Madam Speaker. My question is

directed to the Minister of Home Affairs. I am talking about the motor vehicles such as commuter omnibuses and those referred to as mushikashika pirate taxis. They ride on these cars on the carriers and doors are opened and people will not be seated properly especially in Mbare and along Mbuya Nehanda. What is the Government policy because such people run the risk of being killed or seriously maimed when they are involved in an accident? The police will be getting unnecessary work. I thank you.

HON. MGUNI: Thank you Hon. Member.  That is not allowed.

That is why the police are always running after those people and stopping those vehicles and confiscating them. The Act says ‘the police can only detain those vehicles for 24 hours. After that they have to release those vehicles back.  So it is up to the House to see whether that

Act is punishing those people enough or not. We can extent the hours of detaining those cars because we are allowed only to stay with them for 24 hours.

Another thing, sorry I did not hear your question before but I was reading a message about the spikes because the police are even having difficulty of stopping those cars. You know when they see the police, they already know that they have done something wrong and they do not stop. They do not care, they can even knock down a police officer and two police officers have been knocked down so far and we have it on record.

However, we need a policy that is deterrent enough than what we are doing. I thank you Hon. Member.

Questions Without Notice were interrupted by THE HON.

DEPUTY SPEAKER in terms of Standing Order No. 64.

ORAL ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS WITH NOTICE

RESUSCITATION OF ZISCO STEEL

1. HON. NCUBE asked the Minister of Industry and Commerce to state when the ministry intends to resuscitate ZISCO Steel.

THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF INDUSTRY AND COMMERCE

(HON. MABUWA): Thank you Madam Speaker. I would to thank Hon. Ncube for asking the question. As Hon. Members of Parliament might be aware, Government, through my Ministry, is in the process of identifying an investor to resuscitate ZISCO. Invitation of expressions of interest were sent to twenty nine potential investors and six responses were received by the closing date of 4 October 2016. These potential investors include both local and foreign investors from countries such as South Africa, India and China. My Ministry is now working on carrying out the due diligence exercises for these potential investors that have expressed their interest. The Ministry is expecting to finalise the identification of an investor to resuscitate ZISCO by the end of 2016 according to the ZISCO 100 Day Plan.

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PROVISION OF E-LEARNING TO SCHOOLS IN SILOBELA

6. HON. M. M. MPOFU asked the Minister of Primary and Secondary Education to state when the Ministry will provide E-learning in Silobela, particularly at Zibomvu Secondary and Silobela High Schools.

THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF PRIMARY AND

SECONDARY EDUCATION (HON. PROF. MAVIMA):  Thank you

Mr. Speaker Sir.  Let me thank Hon. Mpofu for the question.  Following the approval of the Primary and Secondary Education Curriculum Blueprint (2015 - 2020), the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education will be rolling out the new curriculum in all schools starting in 2017.  This is a national programme which will benefit all schools in the country.  ICT plays a pivotal role in the new curriculum and is both a learning area and a cross-cutting discipline.  The Ministry is therefore, mobilising funds to have all schools in the country connected (to a Ministry Wide Area network and Internet) and equipped with the requisite hardware and software as well as have all teachers in the country trained in the integration of ICT in pedagogy to ensure the successful implementation of new curriculum by 2022.  The SDCs and other stakeholders have the opportunity to use their own resources to provide E-learning programmes to their schools.

CONSTRUCTION OF CHIGWAGWA SECONDARY SCHOOL

7. HON. MAVENYENGWA asked the Minister of Primary and Secondary Education when the Ministry is going to give authority to construct Chigwagwa Secondary School in Zaka since the community and local Member of Parliament have already mobilised material for the first block.

THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF PRIMARY AND

SECONDARY EDUCATION (HON. PROF. MAVIMA):  Thank you

Mr. Speaker Sir.  Let me thank Hon. Mavenyengwa for the question.  Chigwagwa Secondary School has challenges of viability.  There is only one feeder primary school which is Chigwagwa Primary.  Other secondary schools within seven kilometre radius are Muchimwi and Pamutevhure.  The first proposed site for the school met challenges of displacing some of the villagers who had been legally settled.  The Department of Physical Planning is working together with the local authority to identify a suitable site for the school before authority to establish and construct the school can be granted.

The last discussion on the issue was in 2014.  The Rural District Council has remained quiet indicating that they have failed to identify a suitable site.  Other secondary schools in the vicinity have low enrolment figures.  Pamutevhure has 300 learners while Mutimwi has less than 400 learners also.

*HON. MAVENYENGWA:  Does the Minister’s response mean

that the designated site for the construction is not suitable because when the powers that be came, they indicated that we should mobilise material for the construction of the school.  Parents have moulded bricks and as a Member of Parliament, I have provided some material which is lying idle.  We did this on the understanding that we could go ahead with the construction of the school.

*HON. PROF. MAVIMA:  Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir.  The response shows that in the communal area they have not come up with a correct site for the construction of the school.  We are urging the Rural District Council to identify the site of the school so that as a Ministry, we become aware of the site.  When the site has been identified, we will see if it can be a stand-alone institution because in the same place, there are schools that have less student population.

We have schools that were constructed in other areas in the country and they have only 80 pupils ranging from Form 1 to Form 4.  The school is allocated two or three teachers and for the school to work effectively with only three teachers for a secondary school, it becomes difficult because three teachers may not cover all the subjects that are required for one to sit for ‘O’ level examinations.  The Ministry considers these issues before the granting of the authority of the construction of the school.  This is the explanation I can give as regards this school.   I thank you.

ELECTRIFICATION OF SCHOOLS AND CLINIC IN ZAKA

8. 8. MAVENYENGWA asked the Minister of Energy and Power Development to state when the Ministry is going to connect electricity in the following areas in Zaka District:
9. Mukwirimba Primary School;
10. Mandlore Primary School;
11. Chivata Primary School;
12. Chivata Secondary School; and
13. Mandlore Clinic

THE MINISTER OF ENERGY AND POWER

DEVELOPMENT (HON. DR. UNDENGE):  Mr. Speaker Sir, I would

like to inform the House that all the above-mentioned public institutions were electrified under the rural electrification programme.  Mukwirimba Primary School, Mandlore Primary School and Mandlore Clinic were energised on 17^th March 2016.  Chivata Primary and Secondary Schools were energised on 8^th June 2016.  What remains now is for the public institutions to do internal wiring of their premises and apply to ZETDC for connection.  The ZETDC will first inspect the internal wiring and if it passes, they can be connected after paying the connection fee. Perhaps the Hon. Member can assist the institutions in that process.  I thank you.

WRITTEN SUBMISSIONS TO QUESTIONS WITH NOTICE

GOVERNMENT POLICY ON DUAL PRICING SYSTEM

2. HON. GWANONGODZA asked the Minister of Industry and Commerce to explain Government policy on traders who apply dual pricing system on cash and plastic money transactions.

THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF INDUSTRY AND COMMERCE

(HON. MABUWA): Hon. Members are aware that the RBZ has been promoting the use of plastic money as one of the measures to enhance financial stability in the country. The banking public has now embraced the use of plastic money and increased its usage over the last few months. This development has also benefited business, including traders whose activities could have been negatively affected by the liquidity crunch that the country is currently experiencing. Having highlighted the above, may I advise that it is against Government policy for traders to apply a dual pricing system on cash and plastic money transactions. May I take this opportunity to call on traders to desist from such practices and also to request members of the public who may have been subjected to this behaviour to report of such cases to the Ministry. I thank you.

PRE-PAID ELECTRICITY METERS 9.      HON. CROSS asked the Minister of Energy and Power Development to inform the House:

(a) How many pre-paid electricity meters have been installed in homes  and business premises throughout Zimbabwe ever since the programme began?

(b)To detail how many prepaid meters have malfunctioned since installation and what ZESA is doing to repair or replace such meters and when the programme would commence.

(c)To detail the guarantee that was issued by the manufacturer or supplier and to state whether those obligations are being met, and if not, to explain why. That is the case.

THE MINISTER OF ENERGY AND POWER

DEVELOPMENT (HON. DR. UNDENGE): 

(a)To date 575 667, have been deployed since inception.

(b)Failure rate has been within acceptable industrial standards except meters supplied by ZTE that exhibited high failure rate.  ZTE contract was cancelled as a result of high failure rate.  Total number of metres that failed to date is around 6 000 which translates to 1% of the installed base.  Because of meters shortages, it has taken long to replace some of the meters failing at site but there is a plan to replace all faulty metres as soon as the next delivery of meters is received.

(c)Manufacturers through their local agents have an obligation  to replace meters failing within the warranty period.  Warranty period was extended to 36 months from the standard 12 months at ZETDC’s request.  Manufacturers have also offered meters at no additional cost to replace those failing at site after expiry of warranty. Most of the failures are to do with exposure to harsh environmental conditions, especially rain.  ZETDC has improved the technical specification to ensure meters are higher Ingress Protection rating and hence more resistant to harsh environmental conditions.

ELECTRIFICATION OF CLINICS IN SILOBELA CONSTITUENCY

10. HON MPOFU M. M. asked the Minister of Energy and Power Development to state when the Ministry will electrify the following clinics in the Silobela Constituency:

• Dendera clinic
• Donsa Clinic
• B B ORAP Clinic
• Msilahobe Clinic
• Sigezibubi Clinic

THE MINISTER OF ENERGY AND POWER

DEVELOPMENT (HON. DR. UNDENGE): donsa Clinic and

Msilahobe Clinics have already been electrified with solar. Dendera

Clinic proposed date of electrification is November 2016 whereas B. B.

Orap St. Joseph and Sigezibubi Clinic will be electrified by year end

2017.

Name of Institution	Distance From the Grid (km)	Proposed Date of Implementation
Dendera Clinic	8.7	Nov-16
Donsa clinic	Electrified with solar
B. B. Orap St. Joseph	1.5	2017
Clinic
Sigezibubi	12	2017
Msilahobe Clinic	Electrified Solar

 

PRE-PAID ELECTRICITY METERS

11. HON. MPOFU M.M. asked the Minister of Energy and Power

Development to inform the House, and to state specific dates when the

Ministry will electrify the following schools in the Silobela Constituency:

• Zibomvu Primary and Secondary Schools
• St Dominic’s
• Ruya Primary School
• St Peter’s Primary School
• Gobo Primary School
• Mutimutema Primary School
• Rusununguko Primary School
• Donsa Primary School
• Kizito Primary School
• Dendera Primary School
• Kanda Primary School
• Seyzi Primary School
• Skumba Tshokotshe Primary
• Ntobe Primary and Secondary School

THE MINISTER OF ENERGY AND POWER

DEVELOPMENT (HON. DR. UNDENGE): The Rural Electrification

Fund has proposed electrification by Solar for St. Peters Primary School in 2017/2018. Rusununguko Primary School and Skumba Tshokotshe Primary School have been connected to the grid.

SILOBELA CONSTITUENCY INSTITUTIONS

Name of Institution	Distance from the  Grid(km)	Proposed Date of Implementation
Dendera Primary School	8.7	Nov-16
Sibobvu Primary & Secondary Schools	0.5	2017/2018
St. Dominic’s Primary School	0.8	2017/2018
Ruya Primary School	0.5	2017/2018
Donsa Primary School	18.5	2017
Kizito Primary School	16	2018
St. Peters Primary School	22.5	Proposed for solar in 2017/2018
Gobo Primary School	1.7	2017
Mutimutema Primary School	10.7	2019
Rusununguko Primary School	Electrified with Grid
Siyezi Primary School	5.5	2018
Skumba Tshokotshe Primary School	Electrified with Grid
Ntobe Primary & Secondary Schools	4.5	Nov-16
Kanda Primary School	3	2017

 

ELECTRIFICATION OF SCHOOLS AND CLINICS IN SILOBELA

12. HON. MACKENZIE asked the Minister of Energy and Power Development to explain why Siakobvu Growth Point has gone for 9 months without electricity; and to further indicate when the following areas will be electrified:
13. Negande Primary and Secondary Schools;
14. Magovhe and Marembera Primary Schools;
15. Charara Clinic and Primary School; and
16. Kalundu and Mola Primary School

THE MINISTER OF ENERGY AND POWER DEVELOPMENT (HON. DR. UNDENGE): Mr. Speaker Sir, I

would like to inform you that the electricity line to Siakobvu Growth Point is one of the longest 33KV distribution lines on the ZETDC network, with a total length of approximately 300 kms from the primary sub-station.  There are a number of factors that contribute towards the malfunctioning of this line and the most severe ones are;

a) Destruction of transmission poles by termites

The area between Msampakaruma and Siakobvu is highly infested  with termites which destroy transmission poles.

b)  Destruction of poles by lightning strikes

The Msampakaruma and Siakobvu areas witness very high  incidences of lightning strikes in Zimbabwe.  Every year a number of poles on the Siakobvu line are damaged by lightning strikes.  Efforts have been made and will continue to be made to protect the line from the lightning strikes.

c) Vandalism of the line by poachers

The line is prone to vandalism by poachers who remove stay wire  supporting the poles for the purpose of snaring wild animals.  This is a very serious setback as the stay wire is meant to hold the poles in position against strong winds and other forces.  Once the stay wire is removed the section of the line eventually falls down.

d) Poor road network

The road network from Msampakaruma to Siakobvu is very bad,  making it inaccessible, especially during the rainy season, thus delaying  timely repairs. The line to Siakobvu has been down since February, 2016 due to multiple faults on the line caused by the factors mentioned above.  The line could not be attended to immediately due to inaccessibility of the roads during the rainy season.  It was only after the rainy season that ZETDC Managed to assess the extent of the damage before going to tender for the repair of the line.  Having mobilised the resources needed for the repair of the line, two contractors were engaged in July, 2016 to work on the line.  Repairs on the line are in progress and the line is scheduled for electrification in November, 2016.

Due to technical constraints on the ZETDC grid network, the

above mentioned public institution in Negande and Mola areas, that is, Negande, Magovhe, Marembera, Charara, Kalundu, Mola Primary Schools and Charara Clinic cannot be supplied with power from the electricity grid network.  Extension of the grid network will only be possible after reinforcement of the back-borne infrastructure which involves construction of a 132/33 KV sub-transmission substation in Gokwe.  However, in the short term, these public institutions will be equipped with solar mini grids between now and 2020.

ELECTRIFICATION OF GACHEGACHE COMMUNAL LAND

IN KARIBA

13. HON. MACKENZIE asked the Minister of Energy and Power

Development to state when Gachegache Communal Land in Kariba will be electrified, considering that it has gone for two years without electricity due to the fallen poles and lack of transformer.

THE MINISTER OF ENERGY AND POWER

DEVELOPMENT (HON. DR. UNDENGE): The line to Gachegache

is fairly long, with an estimated line length of 100km from the primary 33KV substation at Magunje.  The portion of the line which fell down is approximately 30kms.  The Gachegache line was affected by shortage of transformers and resources to maintain the line in the past two years and inaccessibility of roads in the area.  ZETDC is planning to start maintenance work in November, 2016.  Work is expected to be complete in April, 2017.

Questions with Notice were interrupted by THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER in terms of Standing Order No. 64.

On the motion of HON. MUKWANGWARIWA seconded by

HON. KWARAMBA, the House adjourned at Thirteen Minutes to Five

O’clock p.m.