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SENATE HANSARD 19 November 2015 25-16

PARLIAMENT OF ZIMBABWE

Thursday, 19th November, 2015

The Senate met at Half-past Two o’clock p.m.

PRAYERS

(THE HON. DEPUTY PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE in the Chair)

ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE HON. DEPUTY PRESIDENT

OF THE SENATE

LECTURES ON COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

THE HON. DEPUTY PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE: I wish

to inform Hon. Members who registered for a course in Community

Development with the Women’s University in Africa that lectures will commence today at 1730 hours in the Clerk’s Board Room, Second Floor, Parliament Building.

MOTION

BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE

HON. SEN. CHIEF CHARUMBIRA: I rise to move that Questions Without Notice be deferred until other items on the Order Paper are disposed of.

HON. SEN. MAKORE: I second.

        Motion put and agreed to.

ORAL ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS WITH NOTICE

SUCCESSES AND ACHIEVEMENTS IN SCHOOLS

  1. HON. SEN. CHIMHINI asked the Minister of State for

Liaising on Psychomotor Activities in Education to state the Ministry’s practical and measurable successes and achievements in schools ever since the Ministry was established.

         THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR LIAISING ON

PSYCHOMOTOR ACTIVITIES IN EDUCATION (HON.

HUNGWE): Thank you Mr. President. Firstly, I would like to thank

Hon. Chimhini for this question.  The Hon. Member wanted to know the Ministry’s practical and measurable successes and achievements in schools ever since the Ministry was established.

May I state precisely the mandate and the functions of my

Ministry.  The idea of my Ministry’s mandate is to move the education system of this country from the academic path to the practical path.  It is where skills training become the main business of schools and also the business of my Ministry and Ministry officials.  It is where learners find and create jobs for themselves and other people.  The skills to be trained are specifically mentioned that they should be appropriate skills to be given to our learners and they should be life skills. The learners will depend on themselves because of the type and quality of education that would have been given to them through skills training.

It should be noted then therefore, that at school level, the effect of work accomplished by the office of the Minister of Psychomotor Activities will be felt in the medium and long term through increased psychomotor skills training.  The desired impact therefore, being increased employment and self sustenance projects through acquisition of appropriate psychomotor skills.

However, to date, the office has made significant progress towards creating an enabling environment, it was important that we create such an environment for increasing psychomotor skills training.  Work accomplished includes the following:-

  1. i) Assessment of psychomotor activities at all selected education institutions,  inclusive of schools, was undertaken in various provinces country-wide to take stock of the prevailing situation, identify psychomotor skills gaps and opportunities; ii) Engagement of key institutions/stakeholders for the development of a policy framework to guide the mainstreaming of the psychomotor philosophy principles at all levels of learning from zero grade, primary, secondary and tertiary.

We would like the skills training to change the quality because the idea is to develop and produce a wholesome product that can stand on its own education to sustain a living.  This is all we are supposed to do in this Ministry.

iii) Possible ‘Quick Wins’/psychomotor model or demonstration

projects designed to yield positive results within the shortest possible period are being explored; iv) The development of a communication and stakeholder engagement strategy to demystify the psychomotor concept and influence change of mindset.  Mr. President, the mindset that we are talking about here is the one that ourselves as adults, parents are used to a type of education that was started in 1893.  At best, this type of education produced a cadre which was an administrator but never a manager.  However, we are on a paradigm shift to move from academic education to practical education where the individuals will have to find jobs for themselves.  To find a job or create a job is in the hands of God.

Mr. President, the citizens’ perceptions is that they are used to academic education where their children go.  During our time, we used to go to concerts, spend the whole day there, talking in English and clapping our hands.  But I want to add that there was a debate about education in 1718 century, about how educated is an educated man and what is the measure of education?  Someone said an educated man is the one who has degrees, that is popular in places like Boston in America.  Boston has the number of universities in this world.  If you have no letters after your name, they cannot understand how you can be called educated.

However, in Greece again, another country in Europe, they said can he make bread, what can he do? They believe a person who is educated is able to do something, which is the kind of education I think this country is moving towards.  In England, the same question was asked and the answer from the floor was what does he know, knowledge is important as well.

Finally, I must say the combination of the academic and practical education would produce what I consider to be a wholesome cadre, capable of looking after him or herself because he can do something like manufacturing a chair, bread, build a house et cetera.  I want to thank Hon. Sen. Chimhini for asking this question.  I will continue doing the same if the people here can ask me to come and have a discussion interaction with them wherever they are so that we can discuss. You have your own ideas about how education should be and from the

Ministry’s point of view, I can also put across to you what we think should be considered as good education for our new nation.  I thank you.

MOTION

REPORT OF THE PARLIAMENT OF ZIMBABWE DELEGATION

TO THE 7TH WORLD WATER CONFERENCE

HON. SEN. MLOTSHWA: I move the motion standing in my name that:

This House takes note of the Report of the Parliament of

Zimbabwe Delegation to the 7th World Water Conference held in

Gyeongju, Republic of Korea from the 13th to the 16th April, 2015.

HON. SEN. CHIMHINI: I second.

HON. SEN. MLOTSHWA: Thank you Mr. President.  I move to

table the report of the delegation that was led by the President of Senate Hon. Madzongwe, to the 7th World Water Forum in Gyeongju, Republic of Korea, at the invitation of the World Water Council.  The venue of the forum was the Hwabaek International Convention Centre in Gyeongju.

The delegation comprised of the following members:-

  • M. Chinomona, Deputy Speaker of the National

Assembly;

  • Senator S. Mlotshwa and
  • W. Mashange, Member of the National Assembly

Mr. President, the World Water Council is an international organisation whose aim is to promote awareness, build political commitment and trigger action on critical water issues.  The Council’s strategy is to bring people together through hydro-politics while they serve as the linkage between decision makers, including Members of Parliament and various stakeholders.

Participation

The World Water Forum is the largest water related event in the world and it included different sessions running concurrently in

Gyeongju and the city of Daegu. Parliamentarians, Ministers of National Governments and their officials, International Organisations, entrepreneurs, Non-Governmental Organisations, youths and invited citizens participated in this forum.

Seventy Parliamentarians from 30 countries participated in the

Parliamentarians’ Conference under the broad theme of the Political Process.

The World Water Council aimed to increase awareness of legislators on water issues, as through discussion they sought to put water issues high on each country’s national development agenda.

Parliamentarians, acknowledge that Members of Parliament play an important role in the adoption, development, legislation and oversight of water related laws as well as pass national budgets for water, sanitation and hygiene activities.

3.0 The Parliamentarians Helpdesk was presented to the meeting.

The Help Desk’s main focus would be on helping Parliamentarians find information related to the development and implementation of waterrelated legislation and national budgeting for water.

3.1 The Objectives of the helpdesk are to-:

  • Provide specialised technical services related to adoption, development and implementation of water legislation and budget allocation.
  • Enable knowledge sharing between local Members of Parliament (MPs), MPs and water legislation experts in different countries.
  • Develop and present examples of best practices around water legislation.

3.2    The meeting approved implementation of the Help Desk and applauded it as a well thought out technical tool.

  • In Plenary Session
  • Parliamentarians present acknowledged their role in legislating water policies that help authorities secure sound water resources for the development and management of efficient and sustainable national water access.
  • Parliamentarians noted their responsibility in creating water laws and passing budget allocations that ensure citizens’ rights to safe and clean water.
  • Parliamentarians agreed on the importance of enshrining the right to water and sanitation in the appropriate legislation of each of their countries and its subsequent implementation in both rural and urban constituencies.
  • In Section 77 of the Zimbabwe Constitution, the Constitution enshrines the right to safe, clean and portable water to every person. In this vein, the submission of the Zimbabwe Delegation, presented to the forum by Hon. S. Mlotshwa reported the efforts made in Zimbabwe through drilling numerous boreholes in each of the provinces, in an effort to meet this call.  She further submitted that, more still needed to be done to close the distance-gap to the boreholes in the various communities.
  • Parliamentarians in the different national delegations in turn, noted the various gains made by their countries as well as the pressing challenges faced by their Governments in:
  • Creating universal access to water and sanitation services for households in both rural and urban sectors;
  • Overcoming challenges of water security in so far as harnessing rainwater, managing ground water, river basins, watersheds, wetlands et cetera.
  • Building resilience to address economic, climatic and health challenges.
  • Creating a political consensus to address water issues.

4.6    Delegates called for stronger international cooperation on both a global and regional scale to support national efforts to solve challenges of water supply and water sanitation issues, particularly in rural areas.  Ensuing discussions highlighted challenges faced, particularly by developing countries, in water source development and the attendant problem of developing strategies to ensure progress in sustainable water sanitation.

  • Conclusion
  • The deliberations of the conference of Parliamentarians culminated in the formulation of signing of a Parliamentarians’ Statement (APENDIX 1).
  • Recommendations
  • It is recommended that we as MPs support the proposals contained in this report to ensure that water security is given the utmost priority in the allocation of financial resources and we continue to provide oversight on the implementation of related policies.

APPENDIX 1

Parliamentarians’ Statement

We, the representatives of Parliamentarians participating in the

Seventh World Water Forum, meeting within the framework of the Conference of Parliamentarians for Water held in Daegu Gyeongbuk on 15 April 2015.

  • Reiterating that billions of people still lack access to safe drinking water and sanitation services in spite of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and the official recognition in 2010 of the human right to water and sanitation; the challenge after having recognised the human right to water and sanitation.
  • Recalling the good legal frameworks are crucial in order to

Ensure water security for all, for present and future generations.

  • Stressing that the global water situation continues to deteriorate due to climate change, poor water governance and other crises, exacerbated by environmental damages that are artefacts of unsustainable models;
  • Recognising the existence of conflicts over shared water resources, despite regional and national efforts to establish relevant water governance;
  • Acknowledging the need to share and diffuse comprehensive water management solutions, that encompass food, energy, both urban and ecological and cultural solutions, not only confined to water;
  • Affirming that Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) based on hydrographic basins concertation between stakeholders and creations of synergies between different policies, are a key to adaptation and attenuation for climate change;

Accordingly, we, the representatives of Parliamentarians participating in the Seventh World Water Forum, commit to support the following solutions and requests to advance human right to water and sanitation and to improve management:

  1. Ask that water security be given utmost priority in allocation of financial resources in countries that lack access to water and sanitation; and that other countries get involved in decentralised cooperation. Allow prompt amendment of laws and minimise budget execution process to enhance global right to water and sanitation, improving budget execution efficiency in the water sector compared to the past, and allocate additional and separate financial resources for urgent water sanitation challenges.
  2. Support continuously, education and training, in order to optimize investment in water and sanitation as a human right.
  3. Establish institutional mechanisms to allow participation of all stakeholders, both directly and indirectly, in water management.
  4. Call for all countries to promote sustainable economic Development in due consideration of the environment and for developed countries, to participate actively in providing financial support underpinning  these efforts; make environment-related funds available for prompt financial support for countries in need; pursue effective environment restoration efforts both at national and international levels; thus aim to achieve green growth.
  5. Minimise water-related conflicts; strengthen collaborative research at national and international levels to establish governance that involves all stakeholders for protection of human rights and efficient water management; in particular, reaffirm the important roles of central, regional and local government officials, water expert organisations and other stakeholders.
  6. Create a global model for sustainable development and for synthesis of water with various sectors in the society, based on Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) research.  The model should encompass eco-friendly and sustainable agricultural, industrial and urban development strategies.  Establish legal instruments to support IWRM, as water, in synthesis with all sectors of society, have contributed to development in the past and will continue to do so in the future; mobilise and secure financial resources.
  7. Work towards providing legal basis and procurement of financial Resources for establishment of organisations that support operation of governance over shared water resources (transnational and trans-regional), executing water-related solutions for governance at the national level; efforts for the operation of various governance with regard to shared waters, establishment of legal base for this supportive organisation and preparation of working funds. In addition, secure execution ability for solutions of water issues to be implemented in each country through governance.
  8. Share and evaluate past statements of Parliamentarian process and results of today through the ‘Water Legislation Helpdesk’ and allow regular access to information on changes in water management circumstances of each country and its Parliamentary response.

Conclusion

         We, the representatives of Parliamentarians participating in the Seventh World Water Forum, within the framework of the Conference of Parliamentarians for Water at the Seventh World Water Forum held in Daegu Gyeongbuk:

  • Hereby present solutions for the past, present and future water issues and pledge to implement them;
  • Declare the necessity for continuous efforts to secure safe drinking Water and sanitation and for changes in water management to effectively respond to climate change and future water crises.
  1. Ask our representatives to support the above proposals and commitments at the UN General Assembly to be held in September, 2015.
  2. Ask our representatives to incorporate water as a central component of adaptation during negotiations at the Climate Change

Conference to be held in Paris in 2015 (COP 21).  As a consequence, water has to be treated as fundamental to the allocation of climate findings.

Madam President, since everyone acknowledges that water is life, we need to take advantages of the debates in the Committees that we will sit in, for the post budget debates.  It is incumbent upon us to make sure that water supply to our citizens is not compromised as is stated in our own Constitution, Section 77, that every person has the right to safe, clean and portable water.  There is no replacement for water.  In Ndebele we say, “amanzi yimbilo kumbe ngumuthi”.  That is, when you are dirty you cleanse yourself using water and by so doing you avoid diseases.  When fatigued, after a bath you feel refreshed.   When you are about to die of hunger, just a sip of water can avert death.  For days, you can live on water only.  Last but not least, when one thirsts for water - no matter the availability of other fluids, the body still yearns for water.

In conclusion Mr. President, experts say that if you want to know how much water your body needs in a day, you use this formula:  your weight divided by seven, multiplied by 0.3.  The answer is what you have to take yourself.  I did that Mr. President and I am even scared to share with my colleagues how much I must drink.

Also you can do a urine test to check how dehydrated your body is.  It is said by the experts that the darker your urine is, it is an indication that you are not taking enough water.  If you take enough water, your urine should be light, unless you have other medical issues to deal with.

Mr. President, we can substitute ZESA energy by firewood and other things; we can substitute diet but we cannot do that with water.

That is how important it is.  I thank you for the opportunity.

HON. SEN. CHIMHINI:  Thank you Mr. President.  I rise to support the motion moved by Hon. Sen. Mlotshwa and I make a few comments.  The first comment I make is that the world has become one big village.  It is very clear from the conference that people discussed how information can be shared and I think it is important that we share information, knowledge and skills as one global village.  The subject that has been raised of water is a critical issue which we must all embrace.

She has already quoted Section 77 of the Zimbabwe Constitution and I still want to repeat that every person has the right to safe, clean, portable water and sufficient food.  In most cases, we are told that it is expensive to provide water but I stand to argue that if it is a basic human right, all efforts must be made to ensure that people access clean, safe and affordable water.  It is also important Mr. President that in the provision of clean and safe drinking water, we also look at vulnerable groups of our communities.

There is talk in Zimbabwe where we are going to introduce prepaid meters for water.  With this subject which is before us, I question whether it is the right approach to providing safe and clean drinking water.  In Harare just to make an example, we have areas like Mabvuku and Tafara that have never known running tap water.  We also have areas like Mt Pleasant and Greystone Park where people survive on borehole water.  However, what is surprising is that people are asked to pay levies for the boreholes and yet people are trying to provide some form of water for the communities.  I want to argue that it is time that we looked at possible ways of ensuring that people access water.

If we look at what happened in 2007 and 2008, there was a serious catastrophe in Harare in terms of diseases such as cholera and typhoid.  Maybe it was a question that we did not look at providing clean water and we should have learnt lessons from that experience.  I also want to say we need to pass legislation that will ensure that we look at water provision without really looking at the budget per se, where we are going to say we do not have the money but we have to save lives. It is critical that money must be found so that we provide sufficient clean drinking water.

We have been talking about the Zambezi Water Project and my question is what have we done about it?  We have areas that are always dry and the Zambezi Water Project has remained a pipe dream.  I think we should be serious as Government that we provide water as a basic human right and we cannot continue saying we have no resources.  Let us create resources for it.  We also have wetlands where we have discovered that people have been parceling out land.  We have areas like Belvedere where a business enterprise was built.  What happened?  Is this not a benefit to just a few individuals or an individual rather than protecting our wetlands?  It is important that as we look at the provision of water and legislation, we are looking at the global problem rather than looking at individuals who actually just benefit.

Last but not least Mr. President, as parliamentarians we need a lot of research and I think it is important that our Clerks here are also trained so that they do help us in coming up with policies, priorities and experiences which we can use in terms of providing clean drinking water.  We are now told there is going to be El Nino; one of the worst in the past 18 years.  What are we doing as a nation in terms of preparation?  At Kariba, we are told that there is only 1% of water that can be used in terms of electricity generation.  This is all about water and my worry is that we may not be planning sufficiently.  This is why I talked about a lot of research and preparedness so that once we are talking about provision and accessing of water, we do that, bearing in mind that we have a section in the Constitution that calls upon us to ensure that we have water for irrigation, domestic consumption and water that can sustain people’s lives.  I thank you.

HON. SEN. MLOTSHWA:  Mr. President, I move that the debate do now adjourn.

HON. SEN. HLALO:  I second.

Motion put and agreed to.

Debate to resume:  Tuesday, 24th November, 2015.

MOTION

ACHIEVEMENTS IN THE EDUCATION SECTOR

Second Order read: Adjourned debate on motion on great strides made by Government in raising literacy rates in the country.

Question again proposed.

HON. SEN. GOTO:  I move that the debate do now adjourn.

HON. SEN. CHIMHINI:  I second.

Motion put and agreed to.

Debate to resume: Tuesday, 24th November, 2015.

MOTION

PROMOTION OF SPORTS DEVELOPMENT

         Third Order read:  Adjourned debate on motion on the need to promote sports development in Zimbabwe.

Question again proposed.

SENATOR CHIMBUDZI:  I move that the debate do now

adjourn.

HON. SEN. CHIMHINI:  I second.

Motion put and agreed to.

Debate to resume: Tuesday, 24th November, 2015.

MOTION

PRESIDENTIAL SPEECH: DEBATE ON ADDRESS

Fourth Order read:  Adjourned debate on motion in reply to the Presidential Speech.

Question again proposed.

HON. SEN. CHIEF CHARUMBIRA:  I move that the debate do

now adjourn.

HON. SEN. MASUKU:  I second.

Motion put and agreed to.

Debate to resume: Tuesday, 24th November, 2015. 

ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE HON. DEPUTY PRESIDENT

OF THE SENATE

LECTURES ON COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

THE HON. DEPUTY PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE: I have

to re-read the information I gave you earlier on that those who registered for a course on Community Development with the Women’s University in Africa, that the venue has now been moved to the Senate Chamber.

HON. SEN. MUMVURI:  On a point of order Mr. President.  Are we not going back to Questions Without Notice.

THE HON. DEPUTY PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE: We

have already passed that one; that will be for next week.

On the motion of THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR LIAISING

ON PSYCHOMOTOR ACTIVITIES IN EDUCATION (HON. SEN.

HUNGWE),  the Senate adjourned at Fourteen Minutes past Three o’clock p.m until Tuesday, 24th November, 2015.

 

 

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