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SENATE HANSARD 29 MAY 2018 27-44
PARLIAMENT OF ZIMBABWE
Tuesday, 29th May, 2018
The Senate met at Halfpast Two o’ clock p.m.
PRAYERS
(THE ACTING PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE in the Chair)
ANNOUNCEMENTS BY THE ACTING PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE
APPOINTMENT TO THE COMMITTEE ON STANDING RULES
AND ORDERS
THE ACTING PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE (SEN.
TAWENGWA): I wish to inform the House that at its meeting held on the 25th of May, 2018, the Committee on Standing Rules and Orders endorsed the appointment of Hon. Paurina Mpariwa to the same
Committee following the expulsion of Hon. Dr. Thokozani Khupe from
Parliament in April 2018.
LEADER OF THE OPPOSITION
THE ACTING PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE: I also wish to
inform the House that on 21st May, 2018, the Movement for Democratic
Change (MDC–T) notified Parliament of the appointment of Hon.
Advocate Nelson Chamisa as the Leader of the Opposition in
Parliament.
MOTION
BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE
HON. SEN. MOHADI: I move that Order of the Day, Number 1 be stood over until all the Orders of the Day have been disposed of.
HON. SEN. MUMVURI: I second.
Motion put and agreed to.
MOTION
DEVOLUTION AND CULTURAL DEVELOPMENT
Second Order read: Adjourned debate on motion on cultural development as being key to economic development.
Question again proposed.
HON. SEN. CHIPANGA: Thank you Mr. President. I rise to make a few remarks on this very important topic. If we look at the motion moved by Hon. Sen. D.T. Khumalo, from the onset, it is clear that the motion has to do with devolution and not culture. Anything that we say or add, we will just be adding things that do not tally with the heading of our motion.
What is unfortunate is that in the year 2018, we still talk about minority groups in this country. Year 2018, we still talk about our region. 2018 we still talk about people from other regions being employed in our region. What that means is that we are being called upon to divide this little country of ours into provinces and regions.
What is also unfortunate is that the Constitution that we are harping on, particularly Section 268 which talks about regions in my view, was picked as is from the South African Constitution which those from the academic world would call plagiarism. If we look and I am not saying the Constitution is wrong but as it is, it was just cut and paste. Everything that we find in this Constitution, particularly under this heading was copied from South Africa.
If we look at the size of our country and population compared to South Africa, you will find that we do not seem to want to look at ourselves as a people but as groups. It was well in South Africa when it was crafted because in South Africa then, the Boers wanted their own territories. They wanted their own small enclaves when they were running away from the British.
Having said that, I want to say that the South Africans themselves are now worried about what they had put together when they thought it was thriving to do. For example, in South Africa, you have the
Parliament in Cape Town, the City of Government which is Cabinet in
Pretoria then you have the Judiciary in Bloemfontein. This was to try and appease the various groups.
My view is that we are a small country and I do not believe in this country that there is what one would call a majority group. We are all minority groups that came together to find Zimbabwe. The Zezurus are a minority group just as the Manyikas are a minority group; just as the Tongas is a minority group and everyone else is a minority group. Put together, we form the majority which is what we call Zimbabwe.
The point I am trying to make is that it is now time we start talking about ourselves and not themselves or them against us. If I am qualified and I find a job in Binga, what would stop me from going to work in Binga? If my sekuru there found a job in Nyanga, why would he not go there and work in Nyanga because he is a Zimbabwean just as I am. We still talk about minority; we still talk about people from that region coming to work in our region, which is our region. Zimbabwe is Zimbabwe. If we find someone who is qualified to teach in Gwanda, surely when they get there, language might be a problem to start with but eventually they will pick up just as much as we have people in Manicaland who came there speaking Ndebele and they have now adapted. They can now speak good Shona, good Manyika. So to come here Mr. President and say, we need our own people to work in our own region, we need our own people to teach in our own schools only shows how little minded we are being. In my view Mr. President, as Senate, we are supposed to be the role models. We are supposed to teach all the youngsters that Zimbabwe is one.
It has been always my argument Mr. President, that instead of breaking down the languages into 16 as we have done in this
Constitution which I have said was a cut and paste copied from South Africa, we should be saying to ourselves, we are only 14 million and they are 60 million in South Africa. As a small country, we need to learn all the languages. This is why I can speak Ndebele because I believe I am a Zimbabwean. I will not get an interpreter if I went to
Matabeleland because I am a Zimbabwean. To ensure that happens, Mr. President; to assist those that are not gifted, it has always been my view that instead of breaking into pieces, we should come to a point where we say, every little child from Form 1 should be taught Ndebele and Shona, to start with. Let them learn their Ndebele. Let them learn their Zezuru or Manyika at lower level but at some point, they should be made to learn compulsorily these two languages. Thereafter, we can push in another language so that we speak one language but I see mature people like we have in this august House wanting us to break this country into small pieces.
Mr. President, my heart bleeds when I hear people talking about uMthwakazi. Once that happens, the Tongas will also say they want whatever they want to call it. What you call Manicaland is not a land for all Manyika. There are small tribes there, they will say we want our own publics and what will remain of Zimbabwe if all do that? I am saying this Mr. President because there is no culture in this motion. What is here is devolution and what do you devolve in a little country like Zimbabwe? We have seen this in Nigeria where everybody wants their own State. Consequently, they have never agreed on how many people are in Nigeria. Each time they have a census, each State will say no we have majority, you cheated us and it will come to an end. I am not sure that is what we want. What we want is a united, homogeneous
Zimbabwe.
I am not sure whether our forefathers, I am thinking about uJoshua Nkomo, uBurombo and others who would listen, they would be amused if they heard us talking about these issues. We should be speaking about doing away with tribalism and doing away with regionalism but once we start talking about devolution, we are encouraging these things. Mr. President, it is my hope and my wish that this is the last time we talk about devolution here and start encouraging our own youngsters to think as Zimbabweans. I know there are those who say because they want jobs, they believe that if there was a Parliament in Binga, they would be a secretary or chairman in Binga. That is not the issue. We do not have that luxury, we do not have the money to do such things. I told you
South Africa is now worried about the relocation of Parliament from Cape Town to Pretoria because there is a lot of money involved and yet we are talking about that. I thank you.
HON. SEN. KHUMALO: I move that the debate do now adjourn.
HON. SEN. CHIMHINI: I second.
Motion put and agreed to.
Debate to resume: Wednesday, 30th May, 2018.
ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE ACTING PRESIDENT OF
THE SENATE
BILL RECEIVED FROM THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
THE ACTING PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE: I have to
inform the House that I have received the Civil Aviation Amendment
Bill [H. B. 4A, 2017] from the National Assembly.
MOTION
REPORT OF THE 41ST PLENARY ASSEMBLY OF THE SADC
PARLIAMENTARY FORUM
Third Order read: Adjourned debate on motion on the Report on the 41st Plenary Assembly of the SADC Parliamentary Forum held in Mahe, Seychelles from 4th to 15th July, 2017.
Question again proposed.
HON. SEN. MOHADI: Thank you Mr. President. Allow me Mr. President to thank all the Hon. Senators who contributed in this report. I know that this report was a little bit difficult as Members did not get the report in their pigeon holes. So, it was a bit difficult to debate on it because they could not liaise properly with it. Even though it is like that, I would like to thank those few who managed to make contributions.
With these few words
Mr. President, I therefore move That this House takes note of the
Report of the 41st Assembly Plenary Assembly of the SADC Parliamentary Forum held in Mahe, Seychelles, from 4th to 15th July,
2017 be withdrawn from the Order Paper.
Motion; With leave, withdrawn.
MOTION
ICT LITERACY PROGRAMME
Fourth Order read: Adjourned debate on motion on need to address the ICT divide between rural, urban, young and old in the country.
Question again proposed.
HON. SEN. MAVHUNGA: I move that the debate do now adjourn.
HON. SEN. MUMVURI: I second.
Motion put and agreed to.
Debate to resume: Wednesday, 30th May, 2018.
MOTION
CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS OF THE ELDERLY
Fifth Order read: Adjourned debate on motion on the rights of the elderly as prescribed by Section 82 of the Constitution.
Question again proposed.
HON. SEN. B. SIBANDA: Thank you Mr. President for the opportunity. I would like the motion to pass and in doing so, I have got two or three comments. I thank everybody who contributed quite sincerely and their contribution was valuable. Secondly, I would like to say this is a serious motion which needs the consideration of the Minister who is in the seat currently. It talks about our elderly and I repeat that they only constitute around 5% of the population.
I would like all Senators to be aware that what the motion was calling for was for a review and an update of the relevant legislation in order to enhance the upkeep of the elderly and secondly, to reorient society towards positive views about the elderly or towards the elderly and thirdly, to compensate the elderly who had their retirement annuities and pensions ravaged by rapid inflation.
In saying that, this is in sync with the report of the Commission that the former President appointed and therefore, my last comment is to urge Government to be sensitive to the negative impact of inflation in the years 2006 to 2009 and ensure that those who were disadvantaged, if they were not covered by compensation or by the insurance houses, the Government has to chip in. The Government was responsible for letting the situation get out of hand. They cannot pretend that they are not part of the equation.
With those comments, I therefore move That this House –
COGNISANT of the constitutional rights of the elderly as prescribed in Section 82 of the Constitution of Zimbabwe; AWARE of the provisions of the Older Persons Act [Chapter 17:
1]; and
DETERMINED to see older persons receive and enjoy better care and attention than they are currently getting in all spheres of life;
NOW, THEREFORE, this House calls upon Government to:
- Review and update legislation relating to the welfare and upkeep of the elderly;
- Embark on training and re orientation of society on our traditional and ubuntu values in relation to the rights and privileges of the elderly; and
- Compensate those elderly who had their retirement annuities and pensions ravaged by rapid inflation.
And urges traditional systems and all none state actors to jealously guard against any abuse and or inconsiderate treatment of the elderly to be withdrawn from the Order Paper.
Motion; With leave, withdrawn.
MOTION
PROVISION OF ALTERNATIVE RESETTLEMENT AREAS
FOR ZWEHAMBA, MAHATSHE AND MATANKENI
COMMUNITIES
Sixth Order read: Adjourned debate on motion on the call on the Executive to provide alternative resettlement areas for communities from Zvehamba, Mahatshe and Matankeni.
Question again proposed.
HON. SEN. MATHUTHU: Thank you Mr. President. I move that the debate do now adjourn.
HON. SEN. BHEBE: I second.
Motion put and agreed to.
Debate to resume: Wednesday, 2018.
MOTION
PROTECTION OF CONSUMERS FROM UNSCRUPULOUS
BUSINESS PEOPLE
Seventh Order read: Adjourned debate on motion on protection of consumers from corruption.
Question again proposed.
*HON. SEN. MAWIRE: Thank you Mr. President. Allow me to withdraw this motion from the Order Paper. I would like to thank all those who contributed to this motion and even those who did not contribute I believe that in future they will debate. It is my belief that three quarters of the National Senate debated this motion.
I therefore move that this House
MINDFUL of the need to protect consumers from unscrupulous business people bent on maximising profits at the expense of the majority of the people;
DESIROUS to have consumers that fully appreciate the role of the Consumer Council of Zimbabwe, the law enforcement agency and other agencies of the State that protect them from exploitation of their hard earned cash;
CONCERNED at the ineptitude and flippant attitude by banking institutions who cover up for their inefficiencies under the guise of network system that are always alleged to be down;
DISTURBED by unwarranted price hikes for goods on hire purchase that have seen consumers falling victim to malpractices by individuals who have even gone to the extent of siphoning some civil servants’ salaries without their knowledge through the Salary Service Bureau.
NOW, THEREFORE, calls for concerted efforts by the State to stamp out such corrupt practices by formulating effective Consumer friendly laws to protect Zimbabwean citizens and thereby instill a sense of confidence in the economy among our people be withdrawn from the Order Paper.
Motion; With leave, withdrawn.
MOTON
REPORT OF THE DELEGATION TO THE WORLD
PARLIAMENTARY FORUM ON SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
Eighth Order read: Adjourned debate on motion on the Report of the delegation to the world Parliamentary Forum on Sustainable
Development.
Question again proposed.
HON. SEN. CHIEF MTSHANE: I move that the debate do now adjourn.
HON. SEN. MATHUTHU: I second.
Motion put and agreed to.
Debate to resume: Wednesday 30th May, 2018.
MOTION
FIRST REPORT OF THE THEMATIC COMMITTEE ON
INDIGENISATION AND EMPOWERMENT ON THE
CIRCUMSTANCES SURROUNDING THE NONESTABLISHMENT
OF THE COMMUNITY SHARE OWNERSHIP TRUSTS
Ninth Order read: Adjourned debate on motion on the First Report of the Thematic Committee on Indigenisation and Empowerment on the Circumstances Surrounding the NonEstablishment of Community Share Ownership Trusts in Mudzi and Mutoko Districts.
Question again proposed.
HON. SEN. MATHUTHU: Mr. President, I move that the debate do now adjourn.
HON. SEN. CHIEF MTSHANE: I second.
Motion put and agreed to.
Debate to resume: Wednesday 30th May, 2018.
MOTION
FIRST REPORT OF THE THEMATIC COMMITTEE ON
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS ON SDG NO. 3
Tenth Order read: Adjourned debate on motion on the First Report of the Thematic Committee on Sustainable Development Goals on SDG No. 3.
Question again proposed.
HON. SEN. CHIEF MTSHANE: Mr. President I stand to ask Hon. Members if there are any Members who still want to debate on this report from the Committee to please do so because I intend to withdraw the motion very soon. I move that the debate do now adjourn.
However, I intend to withdraw it from the Order Paper soon.
HON. SEN. MUMVURI: I second.
Motion put and agreed to.
Debate to resume: 30th May, 2018
MOTION
FIRST REPORT OF THE THEMATIC COMMITTEE ON PEACE
AND SECURITY ON THE PREPAREDNESS OF THE GRAIN
MARKETING BOARD TO HANDLE THE 2016/2017 CROP DELIVERIES AND THE SUCCESS OF THE COMMAND
AGRICULTURE PROGRAMME.
Eleventh Order read: Adjourned debate on the First Report of the
Thematic Committee on Peace and Security on the Preparedness of the Grain Marketing Board to handle the 2016/2017 Crop Deliveries and the
Success of the Command Agriculture Programme.
Question again proposed.
HON. SEN. CHIEF MUSARURWA: Mr. President, I move that the debate do now adjourn.
HON. SEN. MUMVURI: I second.
Motion put and agreed to.
Debate to resume: 30th May, 2018.
On the motion of HON. SEN. MATHUTHU, seconded by HON. SEN. MUMVURI, the Senate adjourned at A Minute Past Three o’clock p.m.