- Version
- Download 35
- File Size 302 KB
- File Count 1
- Create Date August 18, 2019
- Last Updated November 18, 2021
SENATE HANSARD 27 AUGUST 2019 28-68
PARLIAMENT OF ZIMBABWE
Tuesday, 27th August, 2019
The Senate met at Half-past Two o’clock p.m.
PRAYERS
(THE HON. PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE in the Chair)
MOTION
BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE
HON. SEN. DR. SEKERAMAYI: Madam President, I move that
Order of the Day Number One on today’s Order Paper be stood over until the rest of the Orders of the Day have been disposed of.
HON. SEN. MUZENDA: I second.
Motion put and agreed to.
Debate to resume: Wednesday, 28th August, 2019.
MOTION
PROTECTION OF THE ENVIRONMENT
Second Order read: Adjourned debate on motion on the protection of the environment and the sustainable use of natural resources.
Question again proposed.
HON. SEN. ENG. MUDZURI: Thank you Madam President. I
move that the debate do now adjourn.
HON. SEN. P. NDLOVU: I second.
Motion put and agreed to.
Debate to resume: Wednesday, 28th August, 2019.
MOTION
ESTABLISHMENT OF AN EMPOWERED ENTITY TO ADDRESS
CHALLENGES AFFECTING PENSIONERS AND POLICY HOLDERS
Third Order read: Adjourned debate on motion on the need for a legislative framework on pensions and insurance benefits.
Question again proposed.
HON. SEN. ENG. MUDZURI: I move that the debate do now
adjourn.
HON. SEN. P. NDLOVU: I second.
Motion put and agreed to.
Debate to resume: Wednesday, 28th August, 2019.
MOTION
CULTURAL VALUES ON ENDING CHILD MARRIAGES
Fourth Order read: Adjourned debate on motion on the need of the enforcement of the law on child marriages.
Question again proposed.
*HON. SEN. SHUMBA: Thank you Madam President. I want to thank Hon. Sen. Tongogara for tabling this very important motion on child marriages.
*THE HON. PRESIDENT OF SENATE: Order, order, may you
raise your voice so that we all hear you?
*HON. SEN. TONGOGARA: I beg your pardon; I thought that the microphone would add more volume to my voice. Thank you Madam
President, I will raise my voice so for everyone’s benefit. I want to thank Hon. Sen. Tongogara for tabling this motion on early child marriages. I believe this is a matter of underage children who are getting married. Maybe these early marriages of convenience are also being fueled by poverty in their families and orphans who do not have anyone to take care of them and they end up engaging in early marriages. This is not permissible by our Government.
Some of the causes of early marriages are that some men are very greedy and that is very true. Some old men are so greedy to the extent that they lust over beautiful young girls. A lot of young girls are pathetic because they are being lured through things that are not at home and they quickly get hooked and the greedy men take advantage. They will start saying that the young girl is very cheap and can be lured with jiggies and ends up getting married at a tender age. Some girls are attracted to cars – you will find that most of these young girls rush to sit in these fancy cars with grey bearded old men and the old men are proud to have young girls seated next to them.
We sometimes even see some of these things in hotels and are very surprised that this young girl and old man getting into a room are they husband and wife? Is this old man going to share the same room with this young girl? You would wonder if he was going to treat his young daughter the same. You will see that there is greed and lust in these old men and they are abusing young girls. This greed is very bad. Even our traditional leaders want to find young girls with these new Isuzu trucks – the traditional leaders also take advantage of young girls using these Isuzu trucks. You are even surprised to see a traditional leader in the company of a young girl and you wonder who is going to arrest these perpetrators. This motion is very good because men do very bad things with these young girls and it is so pathetic.
After these young girls are used they are dumped. I think that this European culture is very bad for us as Zimbabweans because it promotes prostitution by allowing teenagers to engage in early sexual activities. When they are impregnated at 16 years of age, the end result is to get married but sometimes no one is willing to marry them. We need to revisit some laws although we know that old men love young girls. We have to reject some bad laws and not allow teenagers to engage in early sex. At times you see a very young girl with a very old man and you always see this old man in the company of different young girls. Sometimes when you are in an elevator, you can tell that the old man is smitten with the young girl and you wonder whether they are sane or not. Then the following week he brings a different young girl – these young girls are so pathetic. They are attracted to these luxurious cars and taken to hotels.
I believe that we need stiffer penalties on child perpetrators and even should be arrested and incarcerated if they take advantage of young girls because this greed is very bad. This is a very good motion.
Even young boys are so pathetic and those who take advantage of young boys should be put behind bars. We need stiffer penalties in place in order to protect young people. Young girls should marry at the right age. I sometime wonder how my15 year old grandchildren who cannot even perform simple domestic chores would manage if they were to marry young? I was very happy when I read this newspaper that some parents went to the traditional leader and would have shaken their hands had they been near me for reporting that their child who had eloped at 15 years of age was returned with no lobola having been paid because she was very young. As a responsible parent, you cannot accept to be paid lobola for a 15 year old girl. The traditional leader also confirmed the age of the girl who had eloped and called the police. I was grateful to that traditional leader and the girl’s parents were arrested together with the boy. It would
be good if all of us could emulate this – let us help our children.
Even in this august Senate, we had an Hon. Senator who was always boasting about having 36 wives – young girls included. It is not allowed - are you not ashamed to do such a thing? You have grey hairs yet you want to be seen with young girls – it is very bad Madam President. I applaud Hon. Sen. Tongogara for tabling this motion. Government should be very strict on this issue and impose stiffer penalties to child perpetrators. Greedy men should be put behind bars because they are disrupting the lives of these young girls.
Some church elders lie that a young girl has been revealed to them in the spirit realm because no holy spirit would allow such scandalous things to happen. That is not the Holy Spirit but a very evil spirit – a spirit of prostitution that wants you to take a young girl then you lie that she was revealed to you by the Holy Spirit. We need to seriously consider this Bill that allows teenagers to engage in early sex because that is not acceptable. It only tends to fuel prostitution among young children. We should marry off our children at the right age.
In the past, we used to run away from old men but now we are surprised that young girls go for these old men. Long back, if a boy wanted to see you, you would run away but these young girls are not afraid. When I was in a bus coming to Harare I saw a girl and she was talking about pay forward. When we arrived at our destination the fare was paid by a very old truck driver. Long back if I saw a child like that, I would whip that child. As parents, let us all cooperate and discipline children who engage in those activities. I thank you.
*HON. SEN. CHIEF CHUNDU: I want to thank you Mr. President for giving me this opportunity to debate on this motion which was moved by Hon. Sen. Tongogara. What I have seen is that if a child is an orphan, she can be attracted and lured by sweets and she ends up indulging in premarital sex or getting married at a young age. Traditional chiefs do not allow young girls to be married off or do all those things to do with sex.
We always deal with these issues at our traditional courts.
In Mashonaland West Province we undertook an operation called
“Don’t Disturb a School Child”. These awareness campaigns were done together with the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Home Affairs, ZRP
Victim Friendly Unit, Magistrates Courts, Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Women’s Affairs and all the traditional chiefs. We also invited NGOs like NAC and FACT. When we gathered together we realised that young girls were eloping and we came up with a resolution that every child who was married at an underage has to return back to school and the boy is taken to the police. We also investigated and found that older people and parents from both sides are also involved in taking underage girls. We made a resolution that if the village head does not handle the case very well, he has to be taken to the traditional court to be reprimanded. This operation has helped a lot of children to come back to school. This was a very good programme.
I am encouraging this House that we take this initiative into our respective areas because we have a role to play. We are not supposed to blame each other but we are supposed to work together to make sure that no underage marriages take place. I thank you.
ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE HON. DEPUTY PRESIDENT OF
SENATE
SWITCHING OFF OF CELLPHONES
THE HON. DEPUTY PRESIDENT OF SENATE: I would like to
remind Hon. Senators to put your phones on silent or switch them off.
HON. SEN. TONGOGARA: I move that the debate do now
adjourn.
HON. SEN. T. DUBE: I second.
Motion put and agreed to.
Debate to resume: Wednesday, 28th August 2019.
MOTIONS
DEVELOPMENT OF WATER INFRASTRUCTURE IN TOWNS AND
GROWTH POINTS
Fifth Order read: Adjourned debate on motion on the perennial shortages of clean and potable water in most towns and growth points.
Question again proposed.
*HON. SEN. CHIFAMBA: Thank you Mr. President for giving me
this opportunity to briefly contribute on this motion raised by Senator Wunganayi on water. I have realised that water has become a very big problem, especially in most towns. Some towns are going for weeks without water and that has led people to go and fetch water in open wells.
Some of those wells flow raw sewerage and people’s health is endangered because that is where they get diseases like typhoid and cholera that claim the lives of people.
In the past we used to hear that when you visit a certain place in rural areas and you come back with stomach problems, you will be asked if you drank the water there. These days rural water has become far much safer because they use boreholes. I also would like to acknowledge the fact that there are boreholes being installed in urban areas, but those boreholes are not enough because we have realised that some people go to those boreholes very early in the morning around 4 a.m which is not good for school children because there will be no water and sometimes diseases break out. When such a thing happens that there is no water and there is an illness, that is when you realise that water is very essential.
Sometimes a person will be suffering from a running stomach, hence the need for that water. Some of the patients will actually mess themselves whilst they are asleep and when you wake up and you realise that the taps do not have water, you start going to queues. In Marondera there was a time when taps were running with green water and it was so dangerous that people were afraid to use it. The water at times would be smelling even if you try to boil that water, it will not be purified. In fact it would become worse because it would be forming on top. That green form covering the water means that you cannot take that water and drink it.
Water is very important, it must be available all the time. I would like to say that water and electricity are essential services that must be available at all times. Sometimes some of the diseases break out because of lack of water are so frightening. In the high density suburbs Mr. President, you find people queuing the whole day at boreholes for one or two containers only. Our urban councils should have water treatment chemicals so that at least people would access treated water at any given time running from their taps. Sometimes what happens is, you are trying to get water and the water is closed and at times you are taking a bath and the water is turned off. Water is a very essential resource that must be available all the time.
When God created the heaven and the earth, there was plenty of water. Even elders can admonish you that do not play around with water, so water is a very important resource that must always be available. You cannot cook without water and there is nothing you can do without water. You cannot even brew beer without water. Therefore, I am saying the Government should assist local authorities to access chemicals to purify water so that people can access clean water. There was a time when people would open their taps and see raw sewage running from those taps. That is a very dangerous thing because the sewage ends up being consumed by people. Even those wells that are being dug by people, sometimes are very dangerous because that water is not safe. I am very grateful for this motion that has been raised, but this motion was raised a long time ago. I wish it would be addressed so that at least people can access clean water so that we do not lose lives be because of unsafe water.
Thank you Mr. President.
HON. SEN. TONGOGARA: Thank you Mr. President for giving me this opportunity to also add my voice on this motion that was introduced by Hon. Sen. Wunganayi. The issue of water is a very important matter, especially clean water. It is essential for good health to people. The biggest problem that I see Mr. President is that right in our cities, people are now overpopulated. When these towns were designed, there was no plan or anticipation that black people would leave their rural areas to come and live in urban areas.
I remember when we grew up, the father would work in urban areas and go to the rural areas during weekends because that is where their families would stay. This is one of the issues that is causing water problems, leading to pollution and shortages of water. It is because of overpopulation. When these towns were planned, they were designed for a few people and not the overpopulation that we have at the moment. I would like to suggest that if possible in rural areas, growth points should also be developed so that people may live similar lives to those in towns.
The Hon. Senator who just contributed to this debate said, even the rural areas now have better access to clean water. So, I wish that growth points would also be developed to that level. I am very happy that the Government introduced rural electrification programme. People used to run away from the rural areas due to lack of electricity but because of that programme, electricity is now available if ZESA does not switch off. When electricity is available, even in the rural areas it will be there. If only that would happen, it would ensure that people do not migrate from rural areas to urban areas. At the moment, with the huge population that is in the urban areas, the infrastructure would not be able to sustain the population. The situation might even get worse than what it is at the moment.
I also would like to request to Government Mr. President to address the problem of water. Our rivers are also being silted. A motion was raised to that effect. Siltation is also going into our dams, therefore, water also runs dry. My request is, the Government through the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development should allocate money for the carrying out of the programme of de-siltation. If God blesses us with good rainfall, we can then be able to store that water instead of letting if flow to the ocean. If we do that Mr. President, we will be in a better position because we may talk and talk about water problems without solution.
Those rivers and dams that are silted should be prioritised in terms of desiltation so that they may store water instead of remaining behind, wondering how we let out all that water that God blessed us with. We may then have water for irrigation, livestock and human beings will also have access to water. It does not matter where you may be but when water is stored in dams and rivers, people can access that water which is essential for hygiene.
I would also like to say in the rural areas, there are boreholes that are being sunk. If we preserve water in the rivers and dams, those boreholes will be able to access that underground water. The water that we see may be preserved. Sometimes we hear of boreholes being sunk as deep as 100 metres yet people have no access to water. How does that happen? We should preserve water in order for our boreholes to be able to access underground water. We will not be able to access water if we do not preserve it. Even when we learn that the borehole is running dry because it will eventually run dry through evaporation process but at least as human beings, as a country and as Government we would have made efforts to try and preserve water for the future. I thank you.
HON. SEN. MAKONE: Mr. President, I move that the debate
do now adjourn.
HON. SEN. CHINAKE: I second.
Motion put and agreed to.
Debate to resume: Wednesday, 28th August, 2019
ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE HON. DEPUTY PRESIDENT OF
SENATE
NON-ADVERSE REPORT RECEIVED FROM THE PALIAMENTARY
LEGAL COMMITTEE
THE HON. DEPUTY PRESIDENT OF SENATE: I have to
inform the Senate that I have received a Non-Adverse Report from the Parliamentary Legal Committee on the Maintenance of Peace and Order
Bill [H. B. 3C, 2019].
Consideration Stage: With leave, forthwith.
CONSIDERATION STAGE
MAINTENANCE OF PEACE AND ORDER BILL [H. B. 3C, 2019]
Amendment to Clause 7 put and agreed to.
Bill, as amended, adopted.
Third Reading: With leave, forthwith.
THIRD READING
MAINTENANCE OF PEACE AND ORDER BILL [H. B. 3C, 2019] THE MINISTER OF JUSTICE, LEGAL AND
PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS (HON. ZIYAMBI): Mr. President, I now move that the Bill be read the third time.
Motion put and agreed to.
Bill read the third time.
MOTION
REPORT OF THE THEMATIC COMMITTEE ON GENDER AND
DEVELOPMENT ON CANCER TREATMENT AND CONTROL IN
ZIMBABWE
Sixth Order read: Adjourned debate on motion on the Report of the Thematic Committee on Gender and Development on Cancer Treatment and Control in Zimbabwe.
Question again proposed.
*HON. SEN. TONGOGARA: Thank you Mr. President…
HON. SEN. KOMICHI: On a point of order Mr. President, do we have a quorum? I see as if we no longer have a quorum.
THE HON. PRESIDENT OF SENATE: I am sure we have a quorum.
HON. SEN. KOMICHI: May you please check?
THE HON. PRESIDENT OF SENATE: We do have a quorum, I
counted. Can you count? There is no doubt about it.
The Senate Sergeant-at-Arms having presented the attendance
register to Hon. Sen. Komichi.
No you can count.
[Bells rung.]
THE HON. DEPUTY PRESIDENT OF SENATE: There are 27
Hon. Members in the Senate Chamber and the minimum quorum in this Chamber is 26.
*HON. SEN. TONGOGARA: Thank you Mr. President for giving
me this opportunity to add my voice on this motion on the report which was brought by Senator Ncube, a motion which touches on health. We are all aware Mr. President that for a person to be able to do whatever they are doing, they are supposed to healthy. We are all here because we are healthy. Those who are not healthy are in hospitals or sick in their homes. The report speaks about cancer and it is very sad that this disease is prevalent in this country of ours. A lot of people do not know about this disease. It is a disease which one can get sick of and it can spread without one knowing. In rural areas people get sick of cancer and they are not aware of the disease. If you ask them you will be told, it is just the whole body because nothing would have been done for that person to be diagnosed. The biggest problem we have with this disease is lack of knowledge. If you are not aware of this disease, it becomes a very big problem.
I am saying the Ministry of Health and child Care should take steps to give our people knowledge. If we are educated it makes life better. I am saying this because when HIV came, education was given and NAC was decentralised to all provinces. I wish NAC is given this job that they go around teaching people about cancer. Cancer is very expensive to treat. If it were possible, what was done on the HIV issue can also be done with cancer. That way, it will assist our people. People are dying - especially rural areas. Even if people in rural areas are diagnosed for them to travel from Dande to Parirenyatwa, that is the issue of bus fare and doctors’ fees which are very prohibitive.
Everyone in the health sector, including the Ministry of Health should put their heads together to see to it that people are assisted. Many a times nothing helps us if we are always here talking about cancer without giving solutions or what we are supposed to do as legislators to help our people. Since it was done before on HIV, let it also be done on cancer to see to it that our people get assistance which they deserve.
I want to applaud what is being done by the First Lady. She is putting all the effort to see that people are treated, but she cannot do it alone. It needs experts from Ministry of Health to see to it that this disease is put under control. It is very difficult for the affected to get treatment. I am suggesting that let us do what was done with HIV. When HIV came about, people were tested for free and they got ARVs for free. That is why we are having a decrease on HIV. If we do the same with cancer, we can be successful in assisting our people who are suffering from this disease in our rural area. I thank you.
HON. SEN. KOMICHI: I move that the debate do now adjourn.
HON. SEN. A. DUBE: I second.
Motion put and agreed to.
Debate to resume: Wednesday 28th August, 2019.
MOTION
REPORT OF THE SPEAKER OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY’S
BILATERAL VISIT TO THE SHURA ADVISORY COUNCIL IN DOHA
Seventh Order read: Adjourned debate on motion on the Report of the Speaker of the national Assembly, Hon. Adv J. F. Mudenda’s Bilateral Visit to the Shura Advisory Council, Doha, Qatar, and 30th March to 4th
April.
Question again proposed.
HON. SEN. CHIEF MTSHANE: I move that the debate do now
adjourn.
HON. SEN. CHIFAMBA: I second.
Motion put and agreed to.
Debate to resume: Wednesday, 28th August, 2019. On the motion of THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR
MASHONALAND EAST PROVINCE (HON. SEN.
MUNZVERENGWI), the Senate adjourned at Twenty Five Minutes to
Four o’clock p.m.