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SENATE HANSARD 31 MAY 2023 VOL 32 NO 32
PARLIAMENT OF ZIMBABWE
Wednesday, 31st May, 2023
The Senate met at Half-past Two o’clock p.m.
PRAYERS
(THE HON. DEPUTY PRESIDENT OF SENATE in the Chair)
ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE HON. DEPUTY PRESIDENT OF SENATE
BILL RECEIVED FROM THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
THE HON. DEPUTY PRESIDENT OF SENATE: I
have to inform the Senate that I have received the Prisons and Correctional Services Bill [H. B. 6A, 2022] from the National Assembly.
MOTION
BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE
HON. SEN. MATHUTHU: Thank you Mr. President. I
move that Orders of the Day, Numbers 1 to 7 be stood
over until the rest of the Orders of the Day have been disposed of.
HON. SEN. TONGOGARA: I second.
Motion put and agreed to.
MOTION
BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE
HON. SEN. MATHUTHU: Mr. President, I move that
Order of the Day, Number 8 be stood over until the rest of the Orders of the Day have been disposed of.
HON. SEN. CHIRONGOMA: I second.
Motion put and agreed to.
MOTION
REPORT OF THE ZIMBABWE ELECTORAL COMMISSION FOR THE 7TH MAY 2022 BY-ELECTION
Ninth Order read: Adjourned debate on the Report of the
Zimbabwe Electoral Commission for the 7th May, 2022 By-Election.
Question again proposed.
THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR MASHONALAND
CENTRAL PROVINCE (HON. MAVHUNGA): Mr. President, I move that the debate do now adjourn.
Motion put and agreed to.
Debate to resume: Thursday, 1st June, 2023.
MOTION
CONDITIONS OF SERVICE FOR DOCTORS AND NURSES DURING COVID-19
Tenth Order read: Adjourned debate on motion on
the Conditions of Service for Doctors and Nurses During COVID-19.
Question again proposed.
HON. SEN. PHUGENI: Thank you Mr. President for the
opportunity to debate on this very important motion that was tabled by Hon. Sen. Chief Chundu and seconded by Hon. Sen. Chief Ngungumbane. As usual, in debating this motion, I would like to draw inspiration from the word of God…
THE HON. DEPUTY PRESIDENT OF SENATE:
Order, order! Apparently, your gadget is not connected Hon. Senator.
HON. SEN. PHUGENI: Thank you Mr. President for the
opportunity to debate on this very important motion that was tabled by Hon. Sen. Chief Chundu and seconded by Hon. Sen. Chief Ngungumbane. As usual, in debating this motion, I would like to draw inspiration from the word of God from the book of Esther 4:15-16, ‘Then Esther told them to reply to Mordecai, “Go, gather all the Jews to be found in Susa, and hold a fast on my behalf, and do not eat or drink for three days, night and day. I and my young women will also fast as you do. Then I will go to the king, though it is against the law, and if I perish, I perish.”
The gallant heroism of our doctors and nurses and indeed the
entire health sector was succinctly expressed yesterday by the Honourable Members who took part in this debate. COVID-19 pounced on us and like a thief in the night, it found us in deep slumber and woefully unprepared, for what looked like inevitable destruction and accordingly, the whole country was gripped with extreme anxiety.
Our health infrastructure crumbling under years of inadequate
investment for one reason or the other, protective wear shortages, corruption and tense labour relations between employer and employee; in this case, Government and the health sector amongst other things. Zimbabweans were hopeless facing mass deaths such as never seen before, considering the impact COVID-19 had against other health systems far more advanced than ours. It is no wonder Mr. President, that our health workers are in demand throughout the world.
During this dark period, notwithstanding the lack of protective
wear, our doctors and nurses interjected themselves, stood as it were with bare hands between the killer virus and our most vulnerable citizens and as a consequence, millions of lives were saved. It must, therefore, come as no surprise to anyone that I associate myself with this motion and the demands contained therein.
The slave wages paid to our doctors, nurses and indeed the
entire health sector demand that we all hang our heads in shame as a nation, in view of their selfless sacrifice. The low wages paid to our health workers is forcing them to take up other employment, which in turn compromises the quality of healthcare offered to our people. The low wages are forcing our healthcare providers to afford accommodation only in high density settlements, that are often far and have no reliable public transportation. Imagine when a health care provider has to move from his or her place of residence which in this case for those who know Bulawayo, might be St Peters – very far end of Bulawayo or even Cowdry Park and have to move to UBH. That will mean that health care worker will have to take two ZUPCO buses since the commuter omnibus are in USD or foreign currency; health care workers earn local currency. Imagine the time element spent in trying to commute to work which will be a minimum of two hours and at worst four to five hours. Imagine the physical demand and how physically exhausted will that health worker be by the time they get to work.
Our health workers deserve more than what we are giving them. It has already been said that the challenges which they faced during the COVID-19 was death itself and yet they did not shy away. It can be said that they sacrificed for our lives and for them to demand a decent wage and working conditions is not too much. On the 6th of May 2023, the Newsday reported and quoted the Minister of Housing, Hon. Daniel Garwe - ‘National Minister of Housing said that sanctions were not an excuse for failure to develop the country’. Some of the Hon. Chiefs here will remember a meeting with His Excellency Dr. E. D. Mnangagwa on the 13th January, 2018 in Gweru. This is what His Excellency had to say - Zimbabweans should stop complaining about the impact of western sanctions on the country and instead focus on creatively leveraging on available human and natural resources to stir growth and development.
The background to the text I started with is a story of a heroine called Queen Esther. She was the Queen of King Ahasuerus of Persia in the period around 479BC. A conspiracy to kill the Jews who were in exile was hatched by one of the top officials of the King. Mordecai who was an uncle to the Queen Esther tried to enlist the Queen’s intervention on behalf of her people. Unfortunately for the Jews, the law did not allow the queen to just show up before the king uninvited. Esther sent the word back to her uncle Mordecai that ‘whereas I deeply sympathise with the dreadful fate of my people including you my uncle, my hands are tied and I cannot help’. In Esther 4 v 13, this is what Mordecai’s motion to Esther read – ‘do not think in your heart that you will escape in the King’s palace anymore’ and I may read, “you may escape in Parliament anymore and all the other Jews. For if you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place. But you and your father’s house will all perish. And who knows, whether you have come to the palace in such a time as this.” 15: Then Esther told them to reply to Mordecai - “go and get all the Jews who are present and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days and nights. My maids and I will fast too. After we fast, I will go to the king which is against the law and if I perish, I perish”.
Mordecai went his way and did according to Esther’s command. The motion is a noble demand on all of us to stand up for health workers and stop the excuses and make sure that our health workers have a decent wage and decent working conditions. Long live the undying spirit of our health workers, long live the undying spirit of Zimbabwe. Amandla.
*HON. SEN. D. M. NDLOVU: Thank you Hon. President of the Senate. I will try to speak in Shona so that you understand what I am saying though I am not very good in Shona but I always try.
There is always a cause in every occurrence – I am not going to dwell much on doctors’ issues but on the plight of doctors and nurses so that they get enough remuneration. I want to emphasise the importance of the patients. For doctors and nurses to be there, there must be patients. If a country does not look at the welfare of these people and the challenges they face in hospitals then the Government is not just neglecting the nurses and doctors, but the community and patients. We need to think widely as we consider the welfare of the people. As a Senator, when I was sworn – I was sworn to represent the people. When you look at what is happening and the words that are being said, you find that there is dishonest and reality of what we say. When I came to this august House, I came to represent people yet as a Senator I only come to represent my personal interests. This is what is obtaining even out there. I always listen when we pray that there are rulers of the office in Parliament. Parliament and its officers represent the people. These are the people who are supposed to set examples because Government does not see all the things but there are people who are responsible for taking the watchdog role. When the august House speaks about such issues to Government, particularly looking at the plight of children who are chased away from school because maybe they have long hair which they did not cut and teachers say that. As Parliament, we have that oversight and watchdog role, not just to come, sit and observe, seeing things as normal yet the people we represent are suffering.
Last month, I went to the United Bulawayo Hospital (UBH), this was a renowned hospital with good standards. I was shocked Mr. President Sir, to discover that people were given thin small blankets which were divided into two. I could not say that I was a Senator but I just asked someone if this was what was happening with other patients. I asked whether they knew that the blanket was that small and could not cover the whole body. They said that those were the blankets that were available. They said that if they could see parliamentarians, they would tell them. I did not even identify myself because I was embarrassed. I did not want to be identified with Parliament. They say that when you see MPs and councillors and other parliamentarians, please inform them that we need help in such hospitals like the UBH.
I also went to their OPD Casualty Department because I wanted to use their ablution facilities and take that opportunity to see their condition. I was led to an open room. I went there and I was shocked because it was not a proper toilet. There was water on the ground and there was blood on the floor. I asked whether this was a toilet and was told that this was the proper toilet which was being used by all the out patients; I was really shocked. The biggest challenge is with us as the eyes of Government because when we debate, we inform the Executive because His Excellency, President E. D. Mnangagwa is not on the ground. It is our responsibility to give him feedback and inform him about what is happening on the ground, instead of us sitting here and criticizing.
Even the issue of sanctions, I beg to differ that sanctions cannot bar us from having plan B. I am a woman Mr. President Sir and I am married. When my husband marries a second wife and the second wife stays elsewhere and people inform me that my husband has another wife, if they are not helping me with anything, why do they tell me that and how does that help me when they only come to criticize my husband? You are just criticizing, causing grief and causing pain but not proffering any solution.
I believe that as the august House, we need to proffer solutions and come up with plans to assist Government instead of complaining about sanctions only. If I had power, I would beat up the person who complains about sanctions. They should sweep the house instead of saying there is no broom. Why do they not go and look for leaves to sweep the house? We grew up using branches to sweep our yards. The onus is upon us to assist our Government because Government does not have eyes all over the country but it is our responsibility as representatives.
We come to this august House saying that sanctions are failing us but we need to figure a way of defeating sanctions. For example, if you come saying I do not have seed, then you can work with your neighbour to find a way of getting a cob of maize so that you have seed. This is hard work. No-one is refusing but everyone knows that sanctions are there but we can put on nice clothes, suits and plait our hair while sanctions are still there. The same plans that we are doing regarding our clothing should be applied to the emancipation and development of the economy of Zimbabwe because by complaining, we will be like a crybaby who just cries.
My plea is, let us come up with solutions and work with our Government. We came to this august House as representatives but when we come here, we start behaving like soccer players of different teams. Let us not be like Highlanders, Dynamos or any other team but let us be one Government and representatives of our people. I thank you Mr. President.
*HON. SEN. KAMBIZI: Thank you Mr. President for affording me this opportunity to contribute to the motion. Let me thank Hon. Sen. Chief Chundu who brought this motion and Hon. Sen. Ndlovu who just debated the substance. This is a pertinent issue regarding the welfare of doctors and nurses, even during COVID-19. Indeed, this is open and clear to everyone that our health care workers worked hard. Let me start by appreciating their dedication during COVID-19. It is like the young men and women who sacrificed their lives to fight for the liberation of Zimbabwe. We appreciate that because this showed their patriotism as the people of Zimbabwe when fighting for the health of Zimbabwe. Indeed, it is true that the tools of trade were not adequate.
Let me look at challenges that they face. Indeed, everyone needs a salary which is commensurate with their expertise. It is true also that a salary is never enough but it is true that doctors and nurses are earning what is below what they need. The second point is that when you go to work you need decent accommodation. The third point is that you need transport. The fourth point being that you need tools of trade at work. Indeed, all the things that I mentioned are not adequate for our healthcare workers. There is a shortage.
Mr. President, the issue that was pertinent is the issue of sanctions. Indeed, Zimbabwe is facing sanctions and we have gone through sanctions for over two decades until a certain point where His Excellency said that let us face reality, that we are facing sanctions and they might not be going anytime soon. So, the effect of sanctions might not be felt that much and that is why I said Sen. Ndlovu spoke well. We cannot continue crying but that is why Government is saying people should work hard so that you have enough to feed your family to defeat sanctions.
The challenge with sanctions is that we have heaps of elephant tusks and if we were allowed to sell them, we would fund our hospitals and our healthcare workers. As I speak, Government is trying to build flats and houses for our healthcare workers but sanctions are affecting us in that area. Those who prohibit us from selling elephant tusks do not fund even the construction of houses. Those we trade with to get foreign currency are prohibited from trading with Zimbabwe, which means that we cannot trade with external partners globally.
The other point is that if we look at the currency we are using in Zimbabwe, it is facing turbulent times and there is competition between the local and foreign currency. As I speak, it is now over ZW$3 000 because the money that we are using is not local currency. What we need to use, whether it is medication and other tools of trade, we need foreign currency and it is not readily available and not circulating.
Let me go back to the point that was said that we cannot continue complaining whilst folding our hands. There are several things that I believe should happen so that we defeat this. Indeed the Abuja Declaration prescribes that there should be 15% of the annual budget allocated to the Ministry of Health and Child Care but as I am talking, it is around 8% which was allocated to the Ministry of Health but it is not enough because this Ministry caters for all the 15 million people in Zimbabwe and 8% of the budget is not enough.
We have mineral resources, including diamonds, which at one point were termed blood diamonds and are not allowed to be traded globally. What we could do Mr. President, looking at Zimbabwe, there is a big challenge of drug and substance abuse. These are drugs which are bought by foreign currency. We have a problem of T.B which is a result of smoking. So, why not increase tax in that aspect. You will find that some taxes are taken from roads to repair roads. So, tax on substances and alcohol should be high and channelled to the Ministry of Health. If you buy for example a cigarette worth a dollar and the tax is pegged also at a dollar, then it will discourage people.
However, I cannot sit down without thanking Government for the good work that is happening. Bit by bit, we are seeing a difference even throughout COVID-19. Zimbabwe is among the few countries which managed to contain COVID-19 and had lesser and fewer deaths which means that our Government was indeed vigilant and our healthcare workers did their best. You would find that other developed countries had greater losses and it is surprising that we had fewer losses because Government was really dedicated. Our doctors and healthcare workers proved that they are true patriots who are prepared to work for Zimbabwe and the healthcare of the nation.
*HON. SEN. MOEKETSI: Indeed, a lot has been said but when you stand up you can add a few words to the motion which was moved by Hon. Sen. Chief Chundu, seconded by Hon. Sen. Chief Ngungumbane. I want to talk about nurses and doctors’ welfare. In the past, there was an outbreak of cholera and typhoid. You would find nurses heaping and pilling bodies in plastics at hospitals and this was the challenge that they were facing. Relatives were seated outside, which means that nurses and doctors are sacrificing their lives. These are people who care for the welfare of the people of Zimbabwe.
I want to say a few words especially looking at their living conditions which are deplorable. Where they stay and how they travel to work is really painful. My plea is that this is the Upper House in our Government in Zimbabwe. So, if possible, I would implore this august House that we look at transport and logistics for our healthcare workers. This is a period where we have in our area, the young men who move around carrying machetes. Health workers go to work fearing for their lives but they have to work for their families and have no option.
Secondly, I would like to request that we look at where they come from, their accommodation with their families. As I speak, you find that some nurses and doctors have children who are going to day schools because they do not have money to take their children to boarding schools. My plea is that Government should take care of healthcare workers. They are not the only ones who are important but we also have teachers who are quite important but they are not being accorded the right status. We have quite astute Members of this august House who passed through the hands of teachers. We have people who experienced accidents and were helped by healthcare workers.
Mr. President, it is my plea that Government should look into the welfare of our teachers and healthcare workers. My question then: is the Minister of Health and Child Care aware of the challenges that we are talking about because he is the responsible authority who should know what is obtaining in his ministry?
You would then have feedback that everything is well, do not worry. Mr. President, my request is that this should be looked into. Doctors and nurses are emigrating to seek greener pastures because they are not being remunerated properly. They are not getting the incentives that they deserve in order to have decent lives. Therefore, if we do not come together as a nation, we are going to lose our health workers to brain drain. I thank you.
*HON. SEN. CHIRONGOMA: Thank you very much, Mr. President. I also want to thank Hon. Sen. Chief Chundu for bringing this motion to this august House. Therefore, I have stood up to add a few words to this important motion. COVID-19 is a pandemic that affected everyone in Zimbabwe and the world at large.
Mr. President, COVID-19 affected many people and it came upon us unawares. However, our doctors and all the healthcare workers stood to mitigate the effects of COVID-19. This was quite a challenge and the different World Health Organisation regulations like masks, sanitizing, and others were adhered to. At one point, a child fell ill and was attended to successfully; these doctors and nurses know their job very well, and they are trained personnel. We appreciate the good that they do.
We have listened to Hon. Senators here saying that the records are there of the people who were doing all the healthcare services, hence we need a percentage which should be taken as tax from every employee to cater for our healthcare workers. A committee should therefore be set up to monitor and assess what happens in the health sector.
We not only need to thank healthcare workers but even other departments which support the sector. We have our Minister of Health and Child Care who stood as the responsible line Minister who is also the Vice President of the Republic of Zimbabwe. When His Excellency, Dr. E.D Mnangagwa appointed the Vice President as the Minister of Health and Child Care, he knew the importance of the Health Ministry and its demands.
In our rural areas, we were facing challenges, we would encourage people not to gather, and as leaders in various constituencies, we would make it a point that even at funeral gatherings, they were limited and there was no need for waiting for those who were not around for the burial.
COVID-19 is now a thing of the past, but the sanctions are still there. There is nothing that is as important as having good friends, however, despite these illegal sanctions, His Excellency, the President is in good relations with other countries who stood with us so that we got all the medications that we needed and other facilities and amenities that were needed, be it injections, medications et cetera, continued to come from various countries.
Many countries stood with us; we cannot name them one by one otherwise we might end up skipping others. All these counties assisted us and we appreciate that indeed His Excellency should continue with the re-engagement agenda and bilateral agreements which benefits the nation. We have even noticed more and more investors coming into the country to invest in Zimbabwe, which is all because of good relations through His Excellency, the President.
We also need to appreciate the whole country and even us as legislators as we would talk to people about masking up, sanitizing, and isolation in order to mitigate against COVID-19. Our doctors and nurses would even go to work every day despite the risk of death that they were faced with. COVID-19 was a deadly disease. I would like to liken the health experts in our country to those who fought for the liberation of our country because COVID-19 was a vicious war.
However, I would like to come back to how we can address the challenges that we are facing even in the rural areas and I would propose that there should be a health tax that should be applied. We have our Minister of Finance and Economic Development Prof. M. Ncube, who should put mechanisms for raising funds that can support the Health Ministry. We have relatives who are out of the country, we have people who pull resources. As legislators, we need to come up with such solutions even legislators should find a percentage to contribute to the Health Ministry. If we work together and agree that every individual contributes $20.00 per month. Then we can raise a lot of money and also go to ministries and raise money that can be used in different areas. We appreciate and know that some people went out to fight for the liberation struggle and contributed differently. So, we cannot continue crying about sanctions.
Indeed, sanctions are painful and are biting not just in urban areas but in rural areas as well. So, the people who are running businesses in our country face challenges. If you do not have loans from banks, you cannot run a successful business. A nation cannot be viable without credit lines but now Zimbabweans have been resilient throughout sanctions. We have set bilateral partnerships and have even the belief that those who imposed sanctions on Zimbabwe will take note of the developments and remove the sanctions.
We continue soldiering on and Mr. President, we appreciate the guidance that you made during COVID-19. His Excellency, Dr. E. D. Mnangagwa was really active and did a lot during this time. He would create solutions whilst working with other countries. He invited those who had the expertise to work on helping people during COVID-19. Thank you.
*HON. SEN. CHIMBUDZI: Thank you Hon. President for giving me the opportunity to support the motion which is quite pertinent and was moved by Hon. Sen. Chief Chundu and those who seconded the motion. Indeed, this is important.
Regarding this motion, most Hon. Senators raised valid points before I stood and I appreciate their contributions. Indeed Mr. President, our healthcare workers, doctors and nurses are very important in our lives and in the lives of Zimbabweans. In order for a nation to be developmental, it needs healthy citizens, you cannot work when you are not healthy. So, our doctors and nurses are very important.
COVID-19 Mr. President came to us when we were unprepared. Zimbabwe did not even know what COVID-19 was. At one point, I was in a commuter omnibus, the driver was seated next to an apostolic lady and they were talking about COVID-19. Despite the fact that people knew about COVID-19, they did not understand what it was. The driver was saying - you old people are going to die and we are going to remain behind as young people but with time, we saw that Covid was affecting all ages and was not confined to a particular age group.
Mr. President, let me say that Zimbabwe as a nation, worked very hard during COVID-19 through our experts like doctors and nurses. Indeed, let me say that COVID-19 transformed out culture as Africans. We know that on funerals there were different cultural rites and traditions that were done and these traditional rites were reversed because of the protocols that were pronounced during COVID-19 so that we could contain the pandemic. This really affected people because they could not shake hands and perform other traditions that they were used to. This, however, saved a lot of lives.
I want to support previous speakers who said that as Zimbabwe, we need to really look at the welfare of our doctors and nurses, their tools of trade, technological gadgets, proper accommodation, transport and adequate remuneration. Let us not wait for them to demonstrate. The field of medicine is a specialised field of highly qualified people. These are highly trained people and it will not be proper to find a doctor wearing a white jacket that shows that he is a doctor, walking in the streets demanding proper accommodation. This should be rectified so that our doctors do their jobs properly and that the nation is in good health.
Let me also say that teaching people is quite important. Our national television worked hard with other organisations to conscientize people about COVID-19. This was indeed helpful. When illnesses come, people should be conscientized so that when they see nurses and doctors going to rural areas, they accept help from healthcare workers instead of instances where you find a few people attending meetings at hospitals and clinics.
So, I want to appreciate the public education that was broadcasted by Zimbabwe Television. Indeed, during the first days of COVID-19, people thought that it was going to end in the developed countries but because of globalisation, we found COVID-19 proliferation to Africa and indeed to Zimbabwe. We appreciate that the pandemic was contained.
Mr. President, it is important that Government even through sanctions, I support what other Hon. Senators said that we need to work hard and unite against sanctions, unite to develop Zimbabwe. Whether there are sanctions or not, we must not be divided because when we are divided then we will not find the assistance that we need in the form of credit lines and financial injection for different projects but if we are united and speak with one voice, then we will get the help that we deserve for our hospitals and health care workers. As we speak together, this is quite important because working together means that we will succeed. As representatives, I appreciate that thrust. We have gone through sanctions for a long time and we need to continue working hard together for the development of the nation. We thank Government for the good job that it is doing in hospitals and other public institutions where we see medication being distributed. We appreciate that Government is not stopping supporting different hospitals and forging relationships with other countries so that our health care facilities are well equipped.
We are Zimbabweans and need to work for our country – no-one can work on our behalf. Our doctors are going to seek greener pastures in other countries and they are known to be hard workers there. We lose them through the brain drain yet it is costly to train them. As a nation, we should work hard so that we are able to support our health care workers. We need to continue looking at how we can ensure that their welfare is alright. We cannot have development if our health care is not good. I thank you Mr. President.
HON. SEN. CHIEF NDLOVU: Thank you Mr. President for giving me this opportunity to contribute to this important debate. I would like to thank Hon. Sen. Chief Chundu for bringing this motion and also thank Hon. Sen. Chief Ngungumbane for supporting it.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank our brothers, sisters, sons and daughters who are in the health profession for the sterling work that they did during the difficult period that we went through as a country. It was captured yesterday that it was expected that Zimbabweans were going to die in their thousands but surprisingly we managed to monitor and keep the COVID-19 pandemic under check with very little tools of trade for our nurses and doctors who were helping us.
Inasmuch as we would like to thank them, we should not be comfortable with the situation that we are under. We cannot be sending our soldiers to war without weapons. We cannot be sending our doctors and nurses to do their duties without the proper tools of trade, inasmuch as we thank them for their sacrifices. What we may want to do as a Government or country is to have our priorities right. We are failing to improve the conditions of services for our doctors and nurses. We are failing to deliver proper services to the patients that end up in those clinics and hospitals simply because we have got our priorities wrong.
There are certain things that we may have to look at which might be the root causes of why we are not able to improve the conditions of service – that is to make sure that there are enough tools of trade for our health workers. There are enough medicines for patients who end up in our hospitals. Some of the reasons are rooted squarely on corruption. There are medicines that are procured and have got to end up in our hospitals. At times they are overpriced. Those that we contract to supply those medicines either steal from the Government. I am aware of a situation at one stage where one truck that would be meant to deliver medicines would deliver to Mpilo and drive off with the same consignment, pretending to be delivering medicines. The recording is that the medicines have been delivered to these hospitals. We will be sitting here thinking that there is X amount of medication that has been delivered to hospital X. This is corruption that is inherent in some of our companies and we need to deal with it. That has absolutely nothing to do with sanctions but corruption and we need to deal with that directly and make sure that we prevent such things from happening. We need to have the checks and balances that these contracts that are given to these people – these are people who have a good record of working with Government.
Not so long ago, we had companies that were listed and black listed as having tried to cheat Government. I have had the privilege to work in certain industries and companies and I know what the cost of a computer is. Some of the computers that were being said to have been bought for USD6000 -7000 hardly cost R20 000; USD6000 is about R70 000 or so. If we are having such people and companies in our health sector providing services, we will be sitting here complaining about sanctions, yet it has nothing to do with sanctions but corruption. That is what we need to be dealing with.
Assuming that there were sanctions, this country is endowed with an educated population. Most of us are literate. We have got graduates that we are churning out of universities year in year out. We have got the University of Technology, University of Zimbabwe and many other universities in the country. If we have to complain about sanctions and yet we have got universities that are producing these graduates, what equipment are we not able to buy outside the country due to sanctions? We are able to buy cars, computers outside Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe does not have an assembling plant at the moment and yet we are able to buy some of these things. We are saying, if we are able to buy some of these things outside the country, beds and other sophisticated equipment; if we are not able to buy those things, why can we not engage our graduates to look into some of these things instead of us complaining continuously about the situation that we can resolve.
When South Africa was under sanctions, they came up with what is now called Sasol. Sasol is a fuel and energy producing company. They extract fuel from coal and this was done during a period when South Africa was under sanctions and they were able to mobilise their own people to say how do we deal with our situation instead of complaining every day. We are 43 years into independence and we are still complaining. We have not produced anything for ourselves but we want to complain about everything.
I think Mr. President, we need to collectively own up to the mistakes that we have done. We at least need to be forward thinking to say of the mistakes that we have made, how do we not repeat them? How do we correct them? If we are not in a position to correct these mistakes, how do we then make sure that the country does not – if for instance sanctions do not go away, are we going to be complaining about sanctions in the next 20 years. We certainly cannot be doing that. We have got to come up with solutions as a country. We have got to make sure that we move forward. We have got mineral resources that we can sell. We have got lithium, gold and all these minerals, we are able to export.
Of those that we are not able to export, they surely cannot be the reason why we are not able to deliver services to improve conditions of our doctors in our hospitals. We definitely need to be pragmatic. We need to think outside the box if we are faced with this situation where we know Mr. President that no one is going to come and rescue us. If then there are sanctions, then we need to fix those issues that have brought sanctions and we cannot continue to be blaming others. I know there are some issues that are beyond what we may want to fix. We have got a question of land where we eventually found ourselves being punished for that but there are other issues that we need to correct ourselves so that we get out of the issue of sanction.
In conclusion Mr. President, I would like to implore the generality of the population of Zimbabwe to say this is our country and if we have to move this country forward, we have got to be united. Someone spoke about the efforts that we are making as a country to make things right. Right now, our currency is depreciating and it is not because there are people from outside that are making things difficult for us. We are making situations difficult for ourselves. My brother said, but at times I think Zimbabweans deserve the suffering that they are getting if the Minister of Finance says your Zimbabwe dollar is equal to USD$1. We quickly say that our Zimbabwe dollar is bad money and we therefore have to drive it out. Hence, we end up in the situations that we are in. Our situation is also exacerbated by the behaviour of Zimbabweans and we need to try and collectively move this country forward as a nation. I thank you Mr. President.
THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF PUBLIC SERVICE, LABOUR AND SOCIAL WELFARE (HON. MATUKE): Mr. President, I move that the debate do now adjourn.
Motion put and agreed to.
Debate to resume: Thursday, 1st June, 2023.
MOTION
REPORT OF THE 52ND PLENARY ASSEMBLY SESSION OF THE SADC PARLIAMENTARY FORUM HELD IN THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO
Eleventh Order read: Adjourned debate on motion on the Report of the 52nd Plenary Assembly Session of the SADC Parliamentary Forum held in the Democratic Republic of Congo from the 3rd to the 11th December, 2022.
Question again proposed.
THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF PUBLIC SERVICE, LABOUR AND SOCIAL WELFARE (HON. MATUKE): Mr. President, I move that the debate do now adjourn.
Motion put and agreed to.
Debate to resume: Thursday, 1st June, 2023.
MOTION
SUSTAINABLE HEALTHCARE SYSTEM
Twelfth Order read: Adjourned debate on motion on Sustainable Healthcare System in Zimbabwe.
Question again proposed.
HON. SEN. TONGOGARA: Mr. President, I move that the debate do now adjourn.
HON. SEN. MATHUTHU: I second.
Motion put and agreed to.
Debate to resume: Thursday, 1st June, 2023.
MOTION
PROMOTION OF DEVELOPMENTAL PROGRAMMES FOR THE PROTECTION OF THE ENVIRONMENT
Thirteenth Order read: Adjourned debate on motion on the Sustainable Management of Waste.
Question again proposed.
THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF PUBLIC SERVICE, LABOUR AND SOCIAL WELFARE (HON. MATUKE): Mr. President, I move that the debate do now adjourn.
Motion put and agreed to.
Debate to resume: Thursday, 1st June, 2023.
MOTION
PROTECTION OF VICTIMS OF TRAFFICKING
Fourteenth Order read: Adjourned debate on motion on Measures to Combat Human Trafficking.
Question again proposed.
THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF PUBLIC SERVICE, LABOUR AND SOCIAL WELFARE (HON. MATUKE): Mr. President, I move that the debate do now adjourn.
Motion put and agreed to.
Debate to resume: Thursday, 1st June, 2023.
MOTION
REPORT OF THE 145TH ASSEMBLY OF THE INTER-PARLIAMENTARY UNION AND RELATED MEETINGS
Fifteenth Order read: Adjourned debate on motion on the Report of the 145TH Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union and related meetings held in Kigali, Rwanda.
Question again proposed.
THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF PUBLIC SERVICE, LABOUR AND SOCIAL WELFARE (HON. MATUKE): I move that the debate do now adjourn.
Motion put and agreed to.
Debate to resume: Thursday, 1st June, 2023
On the motion of THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF PUBLIC SERVICE, LABOUR AND SOCIAL WELFARE (HON. MATUKE), the House adjourned at Nine Minutes to Four o’clock p.m.