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SENATE HANSARD 15 December 2015 25-20
PARLIAMENT OF ZIMBABWE
Tuesday, 15th December, 2015
The Senate met at Half-past Two o’clock p.m.
PRAYERS
(THE HON. PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE in the Chair)
ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE HON. PRESIDENT OF THE
SENATE
INVITATION TO A CATHOLIC SERVICE
THE HON. PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE: I wish to inform
the Senate that there will be a Catholic Service tomorrow 16th December, 2015 at 1200 hours in the Senate Chamber. All members who are Catholics and non-Catholics are invited to this prayer meeting.
MOTION
LEAVE TO MOVE SUSPENSION OF STANDING ORDERS NO. 50,
61(2), 62 (5) AND 129
THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF MEDIA, INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING SERVICES (HON. SEN. MATHUTHU): I
seek leave of the Senate to move that the provisions of the following Standing Orders be suspended with effect from today and for the next series of sittings in respect of the Finance (No. 2) Bill, [H.B 15:2015];
Appropriation (Supplementary) Bill, [H.B 16:2015]. Appropriation
(2016) Bill [H.B. 17: 2015] and Banking Amendment Bill [H.B. 6:
2015].
- Standing Order Number 50, regarding the automatic adjournment
of the House at Five Minutes to Seven o’clock p.m. on sitting days other than a Friday and at twenty-five minutes past one o’clock p.m. on a
Friday; ii. Standing Order Number 61(2), relating to Private Members’ motions taking precedence on Thursdays; iii. Standing Order Number 62 (5), relating to question time taking precedence on Thursdays and
- Standing Order Number 129, relating to stages of Bills.
Motion put and agreed to.
MOTION
SUSPENSION OF STANDING ORDERS NO. 50, 61(2), 62 (5) AND
129
THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF MEDIA, INFORMATION
AND BROADCASTING SERVICES (HON. SEN. MATHUTHU): I
move that the provisions of the following Standing Orders be suspended with effect from today and for the next series of sittings in respect of the Finance (No. 2) Bill, [H.B 15, 2015]; Appropriation (Supplementary)
Bill, [H.B 16, 2015]. Appropriation (2016) Bill [H.B. 17, 2015] and Banking Amendment Bill [H.B. 6, 2015].
- Standing Order Number 50, regarding the automatic adjournment
of the House at Five Minutes to Seven o’clock p.m. on sitting days other than a Friday and at twenty-five minutes past one o’clock p.m. on a
Friday;
- Standing Order Number 61(2), relating to Private Members’ motions taking precedence on Thursdays; iii. Standing Order Number 62 (5), relating to question time taking precedence on Thursdays and Standing Order Number 129, relating to stages of Bills.
Motion put and agreed to.
MOTION
DECLINING SOCIO-ECONOMIC CONDITIONS IN THE
COUNTRY
First Order read: adjourned debate on motion on the socio- economic conditions in the country.
Question again proposed.
HON. SEN. B. SIBANDA: Thank you Madam President. I move
that the debate do now adjourn.
HON. SEN. A. SIBANDA: I second.
Motion put and agreed to.
Debate to resume: Wednesday, 16th December, 2015.
MOTION
REPORT OF THE PARLIAMENT OF ZIMBABWE DELEGATION
TO THE 7TH WORLD WATER CONFERENCE
Second Order read: Adjourned debate on motion on the Report of the Parliament of Zimbabwe Delegation to the 7th World Water Conference.
Question again proposed.
THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF MEDIA, INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING SERVICES (HON. SEN. MATHUTHU):
Madam President, I move that the debate do now adjourn.
Motion put and agreed to.
Debate to resume: Wednesday, 16th December, 2015.
MOTION
ACHIEVEMENTS IN THE EDUCATION SECTOR
Third Order read: Adjourned debate on motion on great strides made by Government in raising literacy rates in the country, through the provision of affordable educational programmes.
Question again proposed.
Hon. Sen. Masuku having stood up to debate.
THE HON. PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE: Order. I have
been advised that something has happened to our translating equipment.
Therefore, we should debate in English only today.
HON. SEN. MASUKU: Thank you Madam President. It is
unfortunate that our translation mechanism has gone to rest. Madam President, I would like to thank you for giving me this opportunity to debate this very special motion that was moved by Hon. Sen. Goto and her seconder.
Madam President, as has been mentioned by another senator that education is power, Zimbabwe has made great strides in improving our education system. If we could start from the time we attained independence in 1980, you will find out how many schools were built for primary, secondary and tertiary education. It is then that you will realise how serious our Government has been in improving education.
Madam President, our education system has academically promoted literacy. However, there has been a missing link in our education system where people who are perceived to be well educated are found on the streets because they are not well prepared to join the economic system. Degreed people roam about looking for employment and yet it is a common assumption that if one is degreed, they should not find it difficult to get employed.
Madam President, I am happy that from the information availed to us by the Minister of Primary and Secondary Education, our education system is going to prepare our children from Early Childhood Development (ECD), not only to be academically educated but also prepare them on their livelihood.
Mr. President, looking back at our universities, I am happy to say that any individual who thought that our independence was futile to the majority of Zimbabweans must rethink. When we attained independence, we only had the University of Zimbabwe which accommodated elites from the ruling class and a privileged few who could afford enrolling into that university. However, after independence, our Government made it possible for each province to have a State university adding on to a few private universities which have been established.
Mr. President, I am happy to say that only three provinces are still outstanding in terms of State universities being set up, that is,
Matebeleland South, Mashonaland East and Manicaland. However, plans are underway to establish universities in these provinces. That shows the seriousness of our Government on our education system.
There is also serious commitment shown by our President, especially towards disadvantaged people whom he continues to help through the Presidential Scholarship Programme. To date, a lot of our young people have managed to go to universities through the help of that scholarship programme.
Mr. President, I am grateful to note that some of the people who are beneficiaries of the Presidential Scholarship have managed to uplift their livelihoods. I have seen some of them and not all. On the same note, I would like to thank His Excellency, the President for the computerisation programme that was introduced in the country. The President has been assisting schools, not only in rural areas but in urban areas as well by donating computers. We are living in a global village where our young people need to have access to information, where they needed to communicate with other young people throughout the world and this has promoted our young people to be computer literate.
Mr. President, let me say in Ndebele we say ‘ukufunda kakupheli’ I realise that a lot of old people have realised that because of actually getting involved in the liberation struggle where people could not further their education, they have gone back to school – some of them through correspondence and some of them sitting in classrooms. Most of them have now gone through up to university, old people and not young people. Thus, I believe that education has been taken seriously not only by young but old people as well. Even through our Parliament I would like to thank you – [HON. SENATORS: Hear, hear.] – Hon. President and our Hon. Speaker, for encouraging Members of Parliament – [HON. SENATORS: Hear, hear.] – to enroll in different universities so that they can further their education.
Mr. President, this motion is about exposing what Government has done to improve the literacy rate in Zimbabwe. There is nothing more than actually thanking our Government and thanking our President and thanking the people of Zimbabwe. Having said that Mr. President, there is a missing point that from the time our Government embarked on the Land Reform Programme-in the resettlement areas schools are still lagging behind. I want to say it is not only the duty of our Government to see that schools are set up.
It is the duty of the communities as well to join hands with Government – [HON. SENATORS: Hear, hear.]- so that communities assist in doing manual work so that there are schools built in the resettlement areas because the children in resettlement areas go long distances to get to schools like in the communal areas. I am happy Mr. President, that is being corrected. That was a missing point because a lot of our young people had been deprived of education and those who went to the resettlement areas. Mr. President Sir, with those few words I would to thank the mover of the motion and say Zimbabwe has done well in our education system. I thank you Mr. President. [HON.
SENATORS: Hear, hear.]-
ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE HON. PRESIDENT
INTERPRETATION SYSTEM
THE HON. PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE: Thank you Hon.
Sen. Masuku. May I also announce that the interpretation system is now working – [Laughter] - so we can now use our usual languages. Thank you.
HON. SENATOR GOTO: Mr. President, I move that the debate do now adjourn.
Motion put and agreed to.
Debate to resume: Wednesday, 16th December, 2015.
MOTION
PROMOTION OF SPORTS DEVELOPMENT
Fourth Order read: Adjourned debate on motion on the need to promote sports development in Zimbabwe.
Question again proposed.
HON. SENATOR CHIMBUDZI: Thank you Mr. President Sir. I move that the debate do now adjourn.
Motion put and agreed to.
Debate to resume: Wednesday, 16th December, 2015.
MOTION
PRESIDENTIAL SPEECH: DEBATE ON ADDRESS
Fifth Order read: Adjourned debate on motion in reply to the Presidential Speech.
Question again proposed.
HON. SENATOR GOTO: Thank you Mr. President. I want to thank the mover Hon. Senator Tawengwa for the motion on the
Presidential Speech which was seconded by Hon. Senator Mathuthu. Mr. President, I want to thank the President for lifting women to high positions in Government. I also want to commend the Speech of His Excellency which is full of wisdom.
The following areas are key to note. Mr. President the Land Commission the President alluded to is going to assist in perfecting land issues. It is important because the execution of its mandate will ensure fairness and transparency. I would like to urge this august House to speedily pass this Bill. Mr. President, SMEs have become a pillar to this economy and it is heartening to note that His Excellency Cde. R.G. Mugabe directs Government to grow and improve the sector if necessary. If the legal framework is introduced to the sector, it will be strength. For example, the Ministry of SMEs is now producing a lot of items from local materials.
Mawuyu are being used to produce yoghurt, perfumes, soap making and I have a lot of things to mention – [HON. SENATORS:
Hear, hear.] –
HON. SENATOR TAWENGWA: Mr. President I move that the
debate do now adjourn.
HON. SENATOR MAKORE: I second.
Motion put and agreed to.
Debate to resume: Wednesday, 16th December, 2015.
On the motion of THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF MEDIA, INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING SERVICES (HON.
MATHUTHU), the Senate adjourned at One Minute Past Three
O’clock p.m.