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SENATE HANSARD 22 MAY 2019 28-44
PARLIAMENT OF ZIMBABWE
Wednesday, 22nd May, 2019
The Senate met at Half-past Two o’clock p.m.
(THE HON. PRESIDENT OF SENATE in the chair)
ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE HON. PRESIDENT OF SENATE)
BILLS RECEIVED FROM THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
THE HON. PRESIDENT OF SENATE: I wish to inform the
Senate that I have receivedthe following Bills from the National Assembly: Companies and Other Business Entities Bill [H. B. 8, 2018] and the Tripartite Negotiating Forum Bill [H. B. 5, 2018]. Hon. Senators are advised to check for the copies of the Bills in their pigeon holes end of day today or tomorrow morning.
MOTION
PRESIDENTIAL SPEECH: DEBATE ON ADDRESS
First Order read: Adjourned debate on motion in reply to the Presidential Speech.
Question again proposed.
HON. SEN. MUZENDA: Madam President, I move that the
debate do now adjourn.
HON. SEN. MKWEBU: I second.
Motion put and agreed to.
Debate to resume: Thursday, 23rd May, 2019.
MOTION
REPORT OF THE 44TH PLENARY ASSEMBLY OF THE SADC
PARLIAMENTARY FORUM
Second Order read: Adjourned debate on motion on the Report of the Delegation to the 44th Plenary Assembly of the SADC Parliamentary Forum.
Question again proposed.
*HON. SEN. CHIFAMBA: Thank you Madam President. I thank
you for giving me this opportunity for me to say a few words on the motion which was moved by Hon. Sen. Mohadi and was brought from the SADC Parliamentary Forum. The issue that touched me the most is that of marriage of the girl child. It is an issue which is debated a lot and it is important that people are conscientised on it because it is sensitive and girls are being married off at a tender age.
We went to Kenya on a study tour of the same problem where we were told that Kenyan men are fond of perpetuating the practice of marrying young girls. According to the Kenyan men, as soon as a young girl reaches puberty, she should be married by a man who sires five children with her. After the five children, the man divorces the young mother who has to look after the children single handedly whilst the man marries another young girl. The facilitator also mentioned that her mother was married young as well and they were both young but they would all go out and play as children and they sired seven children.
Unfortunately, she was left by that man and she had to fend for the children single handedly.
Women are facing a lot of challenges by being married whilst young and you will find that it becomes a generational thing because the children will be married young as well because their mother failed to look after them because she is also a child herself. The mother will not be able to educate them because she is not capable. So, I continue to plead with men to wait for these girls to be mature. If there is a fruit tree, you look for a ripe fruit, be it mango, peaches and so forth. You look for a ready fruit. You should take note that these girls are not ready and I think we should be pained by these children because they are still young. If they get pregnant at 13, it is like a child carrying a child and the labour process will be very difficult because the pelvis is not ready to bring out a child. I am really pained and will continue talking about this issue until our counterparts understand. It is not that all men are doing it but there are many who think that if they see a girl they would think they
have met a mature woman. This is affecting 12 to 13 year old girls; they are the ones who are being impregnated and facing the challenges.
Madam President, as a mother I will have to look after the child and her pregnancy, which means it is adding on to the challenges which I already have. I think people should understand this. It is a waste of time sleeping with a girl because there are a lot of things that she does not know. I remember a singer who sang on these child marriages. At first, I did not understand him because he was aware that there were men sleeping with girl children. As mothers, you should bear with us. I think in the next elections, women should be given their 50% quota so that we have more women in Parliament. Yes, we are different the way we are built but when it comes to thinking capacity, we are the same.
As women, I think let us support one another not to support men. We should not look down upon other women. We are being given a chance to be leaders, so our leaders deserve to be thanked for giving us the opportunity to lead. When we see a woman standing there as a leader, let us respect her. Women should be conscientised on the notion that women are good leaders as well. So, we need to uplift each other and not look down upon ourselves.
We want to thank the powers that be for the opportunity that we have been given and so, let us use it wisely. We should also be exemplary to our young girls. If we do not show them the correct path, they will get married early. With these few words, I thank you Madam President.
HON. SEN. MUZENDA: I move that the debate do now adjourn.
HON. SEN. KHUPE: I second.
Motion put and agreed to.
Debate to resume: Thursday, 22nd May, 2019.
MOTION
FIRST REPORT OF THE THEMATIC COMMITTEE ON HUMAN
RIGHTS ON THE ZIMBABWE HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION
ANNUAL REPORT
Third Order read: Adjourned debate on motion on the First Report of the Thematic Committee on Human Rights on the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission Annual Report.
Question again proposed.
HON. SEN. MUZENDA: I move that the debate do now adjourn.
HON. SEN. KHUPE: I second.
Motion put and agreed to.
Debate to resume: Thursday, 22nd May, 2019.
On the motion of HON. SEN. MUZENDA, seconded by HON. SEN. TSOMONDO, the Senate adjourned at Eleven Minutes to Four o’clock p.m.