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NATIONAL ASSEMBLY HANSARD 15 MAY 2025 VOL 51 NO 48

PARLIAMENT OF ZIMBABWE

Thursday, 15^th May, 2025

The National Assembly met at a Quarter-past Two o’clock p.m.

PRAYERS

(THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER in the Chair)

         HON. MUTIMBANYOKA: Good afternoon Madam Speaker. As the nation and the world recently commemorated International Workers' Day, we are reminded of the unwavering dedication of Zimbabwe's workforce, the men and women whose toil and sacrifice sustain our nation's progress. In the face of economic hardships and adversity, they remain resilient ensuring that Zimbabwe's industries thrive, our economy remains functional and our national vision of attaining an upper-middle-income society by 2030 remains alive. While the official celebration may have concluded, the recognition of our workers must extend beyond systematic gestures. It must be embedded in our policies, ensuring that sacrifices translate into tangible benefits.

 

It must be acknowledged that despite earning modest wages under the painful weight of economic constraints,  exacerbated by unjust external pressures and sanctions, our workers continue to excel in their respective fields, demonstrating unmatched commitment, extraordinary tenacity and ingenuity across industries including agriculture, health, education, mining and manufacturing where they ensure that the machinery remains operational and the fields cultivated. Their contributions far exceed the compensation they receive, making it imperative for this Parliament not only to acknowledge their effort but to take decisive action to improve their livelihoods.

Appreciation alone is insufficient. True recognition must be accompanied by meaningful policies that enhance the welfare of our workforce. Beyond the pursuit of fair wages and sustainable employment opportunities, this Parliament must legislate non-monetary benefits that uplift workers' well-being and guarantee their security, including but not limited to universal and comprehensive access to healthcare for all our workers and their families, ensuring their well-being, affordable housing initiatives that provide stability and dignity, education and skill development programmes that empower career growth and advancement, retirement and pension protection that safeguards financial security in later years, strong and enforceable safety regulations that uplift fair and humane working conditions.

Such measures Madam Speaker, backed by legislative action, will not only improve the quality of life for our workers but will strengthen Zimbabwe's economic foundation. When labour is nurtured and protected, productivity flourishes, businesses thrive and the nation advances…

THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Hon. Mutimbanyoka, remember it must be a one-minute statement.

HON. MUTIMBANYOKA: If you may just indulge me Madam Speaker Ma’am – [HON. MEMBERS:  Inaudible Interjections.]-

THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order, order! I advise you to raise a motion regarding those issues which you are raising.

HON. MUTIMBANYOKA: Thank you so much, if you may just indulge me to finish, I am about to finish.

THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: No.

HON. MUTIMBANYOKA: Thank you so much. I am so obliged.

HON. KARIMATSENGA-NYAMUPINGA: Thank you Madam Speaker. Before I go to my point of national interest, I just wanted to wish  Hon. women Members in this august House a happy belated Mother's Day - [HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear.]-

THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Thank you.

HON. KARIMATSENGA-NYAMUPINGA: Thank you. Madam Speaker. I rise on a point of national interest to draw the attention of this august House to the importance of the month of May, which we proudly celebrate as culture month in Zimbabwe. This month offers us as a nation, a moment to reflect, embrace, promote our diverse cultural heritage, values and traditions that define who we are as Zimbabweans.

Our culture makes us speak to each other in so many diverse and coherent norms as a people and it binds us together as a nation. We co-exist to ensure that the fibre which connects us in our cultural diversity is constantly cultivated, decorated and showcased boldly, speaks volumes about our origin and values as a people and we pride ourselves in that regard. As Parliament, we have a role to play in leading by example, in showing our solidarity with the nation's efforts to promote cultural awareness.

Madam Speaker, our culture is the backbone of the national identity, unity and pride. It is through the celebration of our languages, attire, music and customs that we keep our legacy alive and pass it to the future generations. In this spirit, I would like to propose, on behalf of the Portfolio Committee on Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture, that Hon. Members come in their African attire next week on Tuesday. With your indulgence Madam Speaker, we also showcase as Hon. Members that we are also moving together even with the Executive because the other day we saw the Executive putting on a national dress in respect of the cultural month. I was asking with your permission Madam Speaker, that next week on Tuesday that happens so that the whole room, the whole august House will be showcasing our cultural and our national dress. Congratulations to Zimbabwe as we celebrate the cultural month from the 1^st to the 31^st of May. I so submit Madam Speaker.

         THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Thank you Hon. Nyamupinga. You have raised a very important matter. Permission is granted for all Hon. Members to come to Parliament wearing national or African attire.

         HON. V. MOYO: I rise to give a point of national interest regarding the World International Nurses Day which was commemorated on 12 May 2025. On this day as a country, we also reflect and celebrate nurses' selfless dedication and unwavering commitment worldwide. In Zimbabwe, nurses are the backbone of our healthcare system, providing compassionate care and support to patients and families.

We recognise the immense challenges nurses face in Zimbabwe, from resource constraints to high workloads, yet, they continue to deliver exceptional care with resilience and determination.

As we honor nurses today, we acknowledge their vital role in:

1. Providing primary healthcare services in rural and urban areas.
2. Combating infectious diseases such as HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis.
3. Supporting maternal and child health initiatives.
4. Advocating for patients' rights and dignity.
5. They are our front-line forces in the wake of all pandemics and endemics.

To our nurses in Zimbabwe, we express our deepest gratitude for your tireless efforts. Your work is invaluable and your compassion inspires us all. Let us continue to support and empower our nurses, ensuring they have the resources and recognition they deserve. I so submit.

         Hon. Makumire having stood up to present a point of national interest.

         THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Why is it that your name is not on this list?

         HON. MAKUMIRE: I am not sure Madam Speaker. Maybe it was omitted.

         HON. TOGAREPI: Madam Speaker, we cannot deviate from the agreed position.

         THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: You will have your chance on Tuesday next week.

         HON. MAKUMIRE: Order No. 62 of the Standing Rules and Orders says we can have a point of national interest up to 14:35 hours on Tuesdays and Thursdays. We are still within the stipulated time.

         HON. TSITSI ZHOU: On a point of order. Just last of last week, Mr. Speaker commended both Chief Whips for conducting business in an orderly manner. He urged them to continue like that - to have a list that combines both political parties in this august House. By doing so, we want to follow what the Hon. Speaker commended which is good. We need to do things in an orderly manner. I thank you.

         THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Nyoresai kuna Chief Whip wenyu. Tozokupayi mukana. Tiri kushanda nema list.

         HON. MAKUMIRE:  We have the Standing Rules and Orders that regulate business in this House. We work with the Standing Rules and Orders and we should be bound by those rules. Unless there is an Order that mandates us to follow that route.

         THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Nyoresai kuna Chief Whip wenyu.

         HON. MAKUMIRE: If you read Standing Order No. 62, it is very clear how we give points of national interest. We do not do it in the way that is prescribed by any other Member. We must be bound by the Standing Rules and Orders.

         THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Ndozvandataura kuti nyoresai kuna Chief Whip wenyu.

         HON. MAKUMIRE: Aiwa but mutemo uripo ka apa.

         THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: You must also know that my ruling is final.

         HON. MAKUMIRE: The ruling is standing on things that are not specified in the Standing Rules and Orders. We cannot have two Orders Madam Speaker. We must be guided by the Standing Rules and Orders unless you are saying…

         HON. TOGAREPI: Are you challenging the ruling of the Speaker?

         HON. MAKUMIRE: The Speaker can only make a ruling on matters that are not specified in the Standing Rules and Orders and not on things that are very clear in the Standing Rules and Orders. We must be guided by the law. Madam Speaker, it is not my duty that I should school Hon. Members. We must follow the book.  We can read it for you.

         HON. TOGAREPI: Hon Members including the Hon. Member who was trying to raise a point of national interest must understand that this is a House of order. The Speaker and the Whips from both political parties agreed that points of national interest should be five. That was passed by the Speaker. It was then directed in this House that those who would want to speak should be listed for order. We cannot have one Hon. Member because he has got something that he would want to raise to then violate what was agreed. It is done and finished

MOTION

BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE

         HON. TOGAREPI: I move that Orders of the Day, Numbers 1 to 38 on today’s Order Paper be stood over until Order of the Day Number 39 has been disposed of.

         HON. C. MOYO: I second.

         Motion put and agreed to.

MOTION

PRESIDENTIAL SPEECH: DEBATE ON ADDRESS

         Thirty-Nineth Order read: Adjourned debate on motion in reply to the Presidential Speech.

         Question again proposed.

         HON. MUTIMBANYOKA: Good afternoon. I sincerely appreciate the opportunity to express my respectful gratitude for the significant State of the Nation address delivered to this esteemed House by His Excellency the President, Cde. Dr. E. D. Mnangagwa on the 2^nd October, 2024. The timing of this SONA could not have been more perfect as it touched and addressed all the critical social aspects of our well-being as a nation. It was both reassuring and comforting to hear the Head of State acknowledge the everyday challenges faced by our people. His commitment to crafting life-enhancing solutions and strategies to alleviate the economic burdens on his constituents is commendable.

The State of the Nation address resonated throughout every corner of the country including our Harare East. It naturally revived hope, resilience and conviction that united us. We can achieve great things despite numerous challenges and the economic burdens imposed by those who seek to hinder our progress through harmful, unjust and illegal sanctions. Yes, we are facing significant challenges.

At times, we struggle to put decent meals on our tables. Our healthcare system is in a precarious state and our currency is under constant attack, compromising its strength, value and stability. Many of our schools are in a deplorable condition, with some collapsing due to strong winds, posing serious damage to our students.

The economy remains fragile and basic services often seem to be a privilege for the reserved few. However, we draw comfort, solace and strength from the achievement of the Second Republic under the able leadership of His Excellency the President, Cde. Dr. E. D. Mnangagwa who is a remarkable builder and undisputed champion of development. Yes, the situation is painful and it may become more challenging in the short to medium term but the Head of State has set a transformative path for our nation's future growth.

The hallmark of leadership is the ability to acknowledge reality, identify problems and take corrective measures. This is precisely what the State of the Nation Address aims to accomplish. Within a few months of its delivery, we are witnessing a tightening of fiscal policy to curtail unnecessary spending while fostering fiscal discipline. This move will naturally reduce inflationary pressures, stabilise our currency and ease the burden on taxpayers, allowing the country to focus on clearing all our liabilities. The State of the Nation Address serves as the right remedy and deserving recommendation from this House. We owe the President a standing ovation for presenting a solid, pragmatic plan and solutions to extricate our country from the current economic quagmire.

We can only win this battle by confronting the elephant in the room rather than avoiding it. To demonstrate his empathy towards the families whose livelihoods were devastated by the El Nino drought, the President assured the nation that no one would suffer from hunger. His administration has already begun distributing food to drought-stricken remote areas and urban residents are benefiting from the Cash for Cereal Programme. Students are receiving nutritious meals daily, encouraging attendance and this initiative has positively impacted school pass rates. What a forward-thinking leader we have. His Excellency, as the chief lawmaker, continuously challenges us to create sound laws that deter potential offenders. Unfortunately, we have fallen short, often spending most of our time heckling and bickering instead of focussing on the bigger picture. The President wants us as lawmakers, to align our priorities and parliamentary oversight with his vision, whilst strengthening our collaboration in turning around the fortunes of our motherland. We can only achieve this if we work together as a team. We must be proactive in combating crime and other social vices, striving to craft laws that prioritise prevention over punishment.

Madam Speaker Ma'am, education is a tool for transformation and development. Our President has been providing us with invaluable resources. Through our collective efforts, we will ensure that education remains a powerful drive for economic empowerment, community development and national pride. Therefore, the President's call for this House is to quickly enact the Zimbabwe Schools Examination Council Bill timely, aiming to reinforce efficiency and good corporate governance in managing our country's examinations which are an envy to many nations.

Another important piece of legislation is the Teaching Professions Council Bill which seeks to regulate conditions of service and establish a code of conduct for teachers. This Bill will restore dignity to the teaching profession and instill pride among educators.

For too long, teachers have been undervalued but that must change. We owe our achievements to their hard work and it is time we recognised their contributions by addressing their social needs and elevating their status in the communities they serve.

Economically, His Excellency is diligently working to introduce reforms aimed at increasing production and productivity, stabilising our currency, reducing inflation and improving fiscal discipline. The revival of investor confidence in our economy and rich natural resources is a testament to these efforts. Regarding the engagement and re-engagement drive, if recent reports are an indication, our country is poised for readmission to the Commonwealth Family of Nations. The progress we see today marks the beginning of a recovery progress that will benefit not only future generations but us as well. I take pride in the President's careful and thorough approach to building the economy and ensuring no room for errors that could lead to recurring challenges.

His Excellency has guided us out of economic despair. Although the journey is arduous and far from over, in Harare East, we are encouraged that we are on the right path led by a capable and dedicated captain. His commitment to providing every Zimbabwean with opportunities for prosperity and justice is unwavering. These social benefits will no longer be privileged for a few but a right for all, so let us be patient as he builds a better Zimbabwe. The infrastructure developments we are witnessing are a testament to uplift the standards of living of all people.

The President has planted the seed of recovery which needs time to grow. Currently, they are at a germination stage and we must continue nurturing them. The time to reap the benefits is fast approaching. Political bickering, polarisation and selfish interests must be set aside. We need all all-hands-on-on-deck to drive this developmental agenda. Now is the time for heightened patriotism so that we can be counted among the builders and trendsetters of our time. It is essential to appreciate and commend good deeds.

His Excellency taught us a valuable lesson by thanking both the domestic and international community as well as our regional partners for their support following the devastating effects of the El Nino drought. In this spirit, I urge Members of the opposing side to learn from the humility shown by the Head of State. It is imperative to acknowledge positive actions. Whilst the supreme law of our land allows for divergent views, we must recognise and appreciate when the Government acts for the greater good of our people. This is a virtue every other leader must embody. The progress achieved thus far, reassures us that we are moving in the right direction.

I was humbled and impressed when the President reaffirmed his commitment to fulfilling the promises made during the campaigns. A promise is a credit and we owe it to our people to deliver  our commitments despite the daunting challenges posed by illegal sanctions. Peace and tranquillity are the cornerstones of development in any country. I commend His Excellency for recognising and appreciating the outstanding efforts of our uniformed forces. Their unwavering commitment to duty and dedication to safeguarding our nation's integrity despite numerous challenges is commendable. They are essential for our development and we must prioritise their welfare to ensure they maintain their pride.

In conclusion, the State of the Nation Address (SONA) affirms His Excellency’s commitment to economic emancipation for our people.  I believe the President delivered this address inspired by the spirit of our ancestors, in particular the Munhumutapa spirit offering a clear, practical and actionable plan for addressing our nation’s challenges.  His divine foresight resonates throughout Zimbabwe.  His pronouncements were filled with wisdom and clarity and he spoke from the heart, exuding a genuine desire to improve the lives of his people.  What an incredible leader we have.  Long live our supreme leader.  May you be abundantly blessed with energy, wisdom and enthusiasm as you guide our motherland towards prosperity?

         Before I resume my seat, I would like to express on behalf of Harare East and myself, our congratulations to His Excellency on his election, elevation and assumption of the Chairmanship of the SADC countries.  We also congratulate him for successfully hosting the 44^th SADC Heads of State and Government Summit themed, “Promoting Innovation to Unlock Opportunities for Sustained Economic Growth and Development towards an Industrialised SADC”.  Lastly, we commend His Excellency for successfully hosting the Extraordinary SADC Heads of State meeting here at the majestic Parliament building.

         Harare East is proud and Zimbabwe is filled with joy.  Thank you for putting our nation on the path of success.  You are doing exceptionally well as the country’s premier ambassador and your efforts are not in vain.  The imprints you are leaving will stand as a testament to your determination to position our country as a regional tourism and political giant.  Once again, our profound gratitude to you Your Excellency Sir.  With these remarks, I submit Madam Speaker Ma’am.  I thank you.

         HON. TAWOMHERA:  I rise first and foremost to express my deepest condolences to this august House on the passing on of the late Hon. Member Grandmore Hakata, my predecessor.  May his soul rest in peace. 

         I am humbled to be standing before you representing the residents of Glen View South, in particular and Zimbabwe at large.  Allow me to express my profound gratitude to my party ZANU PF, His Excellency the President, Dr. E.D. Mnangagwa, the people of Glen View South, the entire ZANU PF family and my own family, for entrusting me with this responsibility. 

         I represent a high-density constituency whose residents aspire for among other things; passable roads, clean potable water, refuse free environment, sewage free environment, secondary school within a shorter walking distance, youth and women empowerment programmes and projects, and comfortable living conditions.

         We are a vibrant community. Our community excels in various vocational businesses including carpentry, motor mechanics, dressmaking and hairdressing.  However, many aspiring entrepreneurs lack capital in order to expand and generate employment.

         I am pleased to acknowledge and appreciate the Government’s positive response by addressing various issues in my constituency, the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development, for roads refurbishment efforts and we hope for speedy completion to meet the people’s expectations.  I also appreciate the roles of Ministries of Youth and Vocational Training, ICT, Local Government, Women Affairs and all government ministries. 

         We appreciate the Chenesa Harare 3 initiative for refuse collection and the Presidential Borehole Scheme for clean water supply.  However, we urge the City of Harare to improve service delivery to prevent waterborne diseases.  The dilapidated sewer system and poor drainage in Glen View South require urgent attention from Harare City Council.  We hope to see our children growing up in better living conditions.

         We seek regularisation in settlement areas like Dare reChimurenga Housing Cooperative among others.  Sporting and recreational facilities will help curb drug and substance abuse and empowerment programmes for youths and women will foster development.

         Glen View South faces power supply shortages.  However, we are grateful for the Presidential Solar Scheme that is expected to improve power supply.  My constituency is looking forward to continued and shared development.

         As a youthful Member of Parliament, I would like to extend gratitude and appreciation to His Excellency, the President for the Presidential Heifer Scheme and Presidential Youth Fund among other programmes and projects.  As a young woman, I also want to appreciate His Excellency for opening the opportunity for young people to be in positions of influence in government, an example that the girl child from any background can make it. 

         Allow me to contribute to the State of the Nation Address (SONA) address by His Excellency, the President, Dr. E.D. Mnangagwa.  I will focus on the Administration of Estates Amendment Bill.  This Bill seeks to improve the efficiency and independence of the Masters Office in Zimbabwe, creating a board to oversee the Masters Office; ensuring qualified executors are appointed; introducing a High Court application for selling estate property, promoting transparency and accountability; a new executor appointment procedure, entrusting qualified individuals with estate management requiring High Court consent for property sales, adding crucial checks and balances.

         The amendments foster greater transparency, accountability and efficiency in estate administration.  As such Madam Speaker, I look forward to the tabling of this Bill before this august House as it will significantly improve the administration of estates in Zimbabwe. I also look forward to the tabling of the Youth Bill as a youthful Member of Parliament. 

         In conclusion, I pray that we progress together as a united Zimbabwe in our effort to achieve Vision 2030 goals.  Finally, Madam Speaker Ma’am, I hope all mothers had a happy Mothers’ Day on Sunday.  I thank you Madam Speaker. 

         ^*HON. CHIDUWA: Thank you Madam Speaker. I appreciate this opportunity you have given me to add my view to debate on the State of the National Address presented by His Excellency in Parliament. From his speech, the President showed us as a nation where we are coming from, where we are and where we are going, being led by the existing Vision 2030.

         I would like to focus my points on the State of the Nation Address by the President. He emphasised the importance of peace. For a country to progress, it needs peace. We talk of the need for progress of this country, which means employment creation, increased productivity as well as peace. All these things can be realised when there is peace. So, I really appreciate the message by His Excellency for the importance of peace.

         I am glad that the police are being given equipment such as vehicles for use. All these things are necessary for peace. In addition, the President said as ZANU-PF, we put a pledge to our electorate for us to be able to realise Vision 2030. The most important thing about Vision 2030 is the pillars of the plan. The pillar of economic growth refers to economic development. If you look at the budget for 2025, we expect that with the good rain that we got, our economy will grow.

         We also said as the economy grows, there must be inclusive growth. That is when the President says no one and no place should be left behind. Where I come from as the Hon. Member of Parliament for Zaka South, there are a lot of things that we can point out as achievements by the Second Republic, led by President E. D. Mnangagwa. This is in accordance with the devolution policy. In Zaka we have 11 wards. With regards to clinics, all wards have clinics. We have some wards with two or more clinics. We have a clinic that has since been completed and awaiting commissioning, which was constructed by PSI funding. There are also clinics that have been constructed through devolution funds and some were also  constructed by the Mashindi Foundation. We realise that all these things are a collaboration of the Government, private sector and other stakeholders.

According to government policy, there must be financial inclusion. As an Hon. Member of Parliament, I have been a Member of Parliament for five years plus seven months. We have since got five base stations during my tenure. That ensures that business people can then utilise opportunities that come from network availability. According to Vision 2030, it must be private sector-led but as private sector operates, there are some market forces that may bring challenges for their success. That is where the Government comes in through social protection. Under social protection, the vulnerable get BEAM social welfare assistance as well as AMTO. All these things are available in the rural areas where we come from.

I also like to applaud the President's speech when he spoke about sanctions. He told all of us Zimbabweans that sanctions exist. We were given sanctions because we decided to reclaim our land. Despite those sanctions, as a country, we must progress. According to OFAC, the sanctions were removed but as long as ZDERA still remains in place, sanctions are still there. OFAC and executive orders may have been removed but as long as ZDERA remains, it means the sanctions are still in place. So, I expect all Zimbabweans to call for the removal of sanctions every time because they are illegal.

The President also spoke about the El-Nino induced drought - but in Zimbabwe nobody starved. The President said what we need now is to utilise water bodies so that as a country we may have resilience. The most important thing is not the dam itself or the water but how we utilise the water. So, we are saying, wherever there are those dams or water bodies, we must have irrigation schemes. Madam Speaker, I would like to say where I come from, there is Mabvute irrigation scheme. We are growing a lot of crops including wheat. We also have two dams that we expect irrigation schemes such as Manjirenji Dam, where there is Machena Irrigation Scheme. There are people on the ground at work constructing the irrigation.

         We also have Bangala Dam. It is also on the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Settlement plans to have an irrigation scheme in place. So, the residents of Zaka South are very happy. This is in accordance with the President's speech that lets us utilise water so that we have water all the time and so that we have adequate food all the time. The President also applauded farmers who ensure that we have adequate food all the time.

I would like to commend Government programme from Pfumvudza which is under social protection. It has helped our constituencies a great deal, especially in Zaka South. We are very glad that this year we expect a bumper harvest. All this is because of the support that we got from government through the distribution of inputs.

         The President also spoke about the importance of RIDA which was DDF. He said RIDA will continue being funded to have tractors that may be used as draft power. We encourage RIDA to continue getting tractors that can be used for tillage on time. We also understand that RIDA was drilling boreholes but most of our RIDA branches no longer have vehicles for use. So, we expect RIDA to continue playing a pivotal role and get adequate funding for vehicles to use as well as rigs.

         The President also spoke about currency stabilisation. He said for our country to progress it must be built by its owners. We also say a country must use its own currency to transact. Yes, there is United States Dollar that we use but for Monetary Policy as well as fiscal policy to work, Monetary Policy can only stand firm if we have our currency.

We may get artificial stability when we are using the United States Dollar but if we are not exporting, that stability is short-lived so we must use our money. That is why you realise that the policy that we have in place that says those who may want to sell their money must meet on the market - that ensures stability. But for long-term stability, there must be productivity, be it in mining or agriculture. We realise that Manhize, Unki and ZIMPLATS are working, so all the monies earned from that production will stabilise the rate. We applaud the vision of the President because we want our currency to be stable. In that way, prices will not be going up each and every time. At least now there is stability. Even if there is S.I. 34 of 2025, the price increases are not much and all that is coming from the vision of the President and we applaud him for that.

I also like to add on by saying that Vision 2030 pronounced by the President; he said we are going to move in three steps. The first step was TSP, the second step is NDS1, the third step will be NDS2. Right now, we are going into NDS2.  In his SONA, the President said the roadmap for NDS2 is there, so we expect that as we go into NDS2, it must continue being transformative so that it continues changing things. We were at the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair recently. The theme was Industrialisation of Rural Areas. In rural areas, value addition must be done, be it in mining or agriculture as we grow maize. That is what we expect to drive NDS2.

According to the health sector, where we come from, things are okay. The President also spoke about universal health coverage with regards to health. He said everyone must be given an opportunity to get health coverage.  So, Zaka South residents expect to get that coverage and that shows the direction set by the President.

Finally, I would like to talk about engagement and re-engagement. This speaks about talking to the people that may like or dislike us. He says we are friends to all and enemy of none. As a country, what we are mainly focusing on is economic diplomacy. While we do engagement and re-engagement, our priority is what we are benefiting as a country. These days we are selling a lot of things to the United Arab Emirates as well as China.  That helps us as a country to develop our economy. This is what contributes to the stabilisation of our currency and our money. We expect that with regards to engagement and re-engagement, Executive Order 13288 and OFAC were removed. We will continue engaging and re-engaging until the sanctions are removed. All this will help remove financial risk upon our country so that they can access funding from outside the country. For those who read, even Americans at our independence celebration presented messages that they want to work with us. That shows the good work being done by the President.

Also as a country, we want a United Nations Security Council seat. A lot of countries are endorsing that we must get a Security Council seat. All the support that we are getting is from the efforts by the President on re-engagement and engagement policy. Our relationship with China has been uplifted to a Comprehensive Strategic Partner. That helps us as a country for technology transfer.  We are working very well and as you can see, we are getting electricity because we have been assisted by China. Some of the mining that is taking place, we are getting assistance from China. We applaud that because it is all stemming from the engagement and re-engagement policy. Still on that, we have a programme of arrears clearance and debt resolution. As a country, we have 21 billion in debt. That debt is being used by organisations like IMF to block us from getting further loans or access to funding. I realise that it is being worked on so that our country can progress.

 I thank you very much Madam President, for the opportunity that you gave me. SONA gives us hope and it gives us  direction as a country where we are coming from, where we are and where we are going.  What I encourage is, we have one Zimbabwe to all of us. You may run around but all of you know that we have one Zimbabwe. So, let us work and progress as Zimbabweans. I thank you.

HON. CHAKAKURA:  It is very difficult to speak after Hon. Chiduwa has spoken. It looks like he has exhausted all the points.  I will make reference to where I come from in Chipinge. We would like to applaud the President, for fulfilling his words according to his promises. With regards to food distribution, when there was drought, there was a Drought Relief Programme and people got maize. We applaud and appreciate that very much. In addition, all the Members of Parliament were given rice to distribute to their constituencies but you hear some other people saying there was starvation in their constituencies yet they had the rice to give to people. The President found it fit to give each and every Member of Parliament rice to give to their respective constituencies. Madam Speaker, that was the last Drought Relief Programme and I understand there is another one coming shortly because there are some areas that did not get good harvest though some others did. The President found it fit to bring back that programme again, especially for those facing drought.

We would also like to appreciate him for the construction of Mount Selinda Road that links Zimbabwe to Mozambique. It helps farmers, especially those who stay around to, get access to the market and it also strengthens our relations with Mozambique. It also encourages tourism. In Chipinge, Mount Selinda, they can come and see the big tree. People from Mozambique can come and visit that place. Madam Speaker Ma’am, we got better rains and we expect a better harvest than from the previous year. So, we expect the President to be spared from looking for food as we expect a good bumper harvest this time from Chipinge.

There is adequate food because it rained very well. The Pfumvudza was distributed all the way to the farms such as Ngaone and Chiriga in Chipinge. People were then able to grow their food. Youths were given tractors for agriculture and they are very handy in assisting them and other farmers. They can get income and buy fertilisers, thus grow their own food.

Madam Speaker Ma’am, I appreciate the solar programme that is meant to augment the electricity power supply. I also like to appreciate the ZiG. These days it is stable but we know that there are unscrupulous people who are trying to portray it in a negative way but are not succeeding.

Learners in schools are being given computers. They can learn what is happening in modern times. Our children are being taught and gaining knowledge of computers. Women are being given chickens and that is a pass-on scheme. If one is given the chickens, they pass it on and they can use that as a business venture. It can assist the rest of the community. The base stations programme is also in Chipinge and in places like Ngaone, everything is going on well.

Finally, I would like to appreciate the peace in this country. People are moving freely. It shows that the President works very well and peacefully with our neighbours. He wants to see us living peacefully in our country. I thank you.

HON. J. TSHUMA: Good afternoon Madam Speaker Ma’am. I also rise to give thanks to the speech that was delivered in this august House by our revered leader, His Excellency the President, Commander-in-Chief of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces, the Chairman of SADC, Dr. Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa, a visionary man indeed by the way. A man who is driven by the spirits of the above. A man who respects the order of Christianity and other religions. A man who does not want to leave anyone or any place behind. What a great President we have. Madam Speaker, we are blessed as a nation to be well-led.

Our strength lies in unity and diversity. I think our President has tried to show that out to all of us to understand that yes, you can be Shona, Ndebele, Venda or Tonga but at the end of the day, we are one.

That oneness is what will speak into development and growth of our nation Zimbabwe. The President came here and so well-articulated his vision, the vision of Zimbabwe on how things ought to be done and how things ought to be handled. Squarely, the ball is now in our court to be able to play it accordingly, to support the vision and the drive that he has had for us as a country to develop.

Madam Speaker, if we are all being honest here, we will all agree that we had the First Republic which was there from 1980 until 2017.  Currently, we have got the Second Republic that commenced in 2018 up to date. However, if we are to honestly ask each other here, in terms of infrastructural development, which one will take the cake - the First or the Second Republic? The answer is very clear. The Second Republic has gone out of its way to do amazing things. Unfortunately, we have got people who just do not want to appreciate good things because they have always wanted us to fail. When we do well, they curse us for doing well because to them it should never be an order of the day of the Second Republic. They want the Second Republic to fail at every corner and at every cost. Unfortunately, because we have got God on our side, we will never fail. The President has led us well on that path.

I will tell you in the short years that the Second Republic has come to power, we have seen dam constructions, road constructions and so much, even the village business units that are being put up all over Zimbabwe. All those things show that here is a man who has got a vision to try and make things work for us and to try and get us back on track, to try and get us to be the breadbasket of Africa again, something that is very possible. This is because if you harvest water, then you are able to do agriculture across all seasons. That makes you food secure and that then makes you be able to even export because we are an agricultural economy anyway, as much as we are a money economy too. So, the President came here and he alluded to that. He gave us that direction but now, it is up to all of us here.

As Members of Parliament, we are the third arm of the State. What are we doing to make sure that we support and push that vision to fruition? Madam Speaker, it is so saddening to see the amount of economic saboteurs that are outside there, people that want to demonise their own country. Someone wakes up in the morning to go on a keyboard to write nonsense about Zimbabwe, their own country. -[HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear.]- When I grew up in the dusty towns of Hwange as a young boy, I remember when we would go to school in the morning. Before we started lessons, we would all gather around and start talking about how our dinner was yesterday. Everyone somehow would tell you that yesterday we had sadza and chicken. Even if I knew that yesterday I had sadza and mufushwa, I would also join the chorus saying sadza and chicken in order to speak well for my home.

That is how it should be done. How do you want to open up your armpits in public and demonise your own country, to what end? That is exactly how we have failed as a nation to allow people to go out there and have the spirit of Judas Iscariot, to simply want to sell their own motherland with 30 pieces of silver. That nonsense must stop. People are lucky, can you imagine if I were the President, I was going to bring back the death penalty just for the economic saboteurs. This is because people deserve to go to the next land.

We are trying to revive our economy and leave a legacy for the next generation but somebody is busy hammering and making sure that, it does not exist, that does not materialise and then you want to call yourself a Zimbabwean?  How does it balance? Madam Speaker, we have got serious problems with that. I want to thank His Excellency, the President.. Leaving no one and no place behind is something that I have started to see in reality. We saw in Bulawayo Montrose Studios which is one of the oldest studios that have ever been there, it was so dilapidated and in a very sorry state but because of his mantra, I have seen works beginning to happen there. I have seen it at Khulumani FM in Bulawayo as well.  I have seen it in Mbembesi, even in Ntepe and Manama in Matabeleland South.  People are beginning to get communication through the mantra of leaving no one and no place behind but while I am at it Madam Speaker, I must hasten to say that we have got a serious problem.  We have got a visionary leader, the President who has direction but I have got a serious personal problem that I want to air here in Parliament to say, we have got some people who are not working in the same direction as our President but unfortunately, they occupy government offices that are supposed to implement some of these programmes and that must be said without fear or favour.

We have got people who, when our colossal and revolutionary parties ZANU-PF goes into our conferences and we do what we call policies and resolutions, we bring them to government for implementation but there are other people or officers who then take those resolutions, put them underneath their desks and those resolutions and policies never see the light of the day.  At the end of the day when we fail they say ZANU-PF has failed, which is a lie – [HON. MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections.] –

So, Madam Speaker, I know that civilisation did not come at once.  There are some people who might think that they are honourable but they are not civilised. However, I will forgive them anyway – [HON. MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections.] –

THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER:  May we have order in the House? Hon. Madzivanyika, the Hon. Member sitting next to you and Honourable Mhangwa – [HON. MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections.] – Hon. Madzivanyika and the Hon. Member sitting next to you, please may you leave the House?  I have made my ruling.

The Hon. Members left the Chamber.

HON. J. TSHUMA:  Thank you very much Madam Speaker and thank you for being firm when people do not want to have the same vision of driving our nation forward.

Madam Speaker, our President has tasked Ministers and government officials to look at the education sector.  Our education, from time immemorial, was brought in such a way that the coloniser wanted to breed or can I say manufacture learners that are more crammers than thinkers.  Our education system was that you would sit in a classroom and be asked which one is the biggest river in Africa and then if you say the River Nile, you have got it.  Who was Tshaka's mother?  If you say it was Nandi, you have got it but all those things had nothing to do with the development of a country or the economy but our President came in and said no, let us have industrial innovation hubs in schools.  Let us have vocational training centres so that people begin to learn trade skills and be able to do things with their own hands and think outside the box and be productive.

That alone Madam Speaker, is something that we need to applaud the President for because we have been busy channelling people or students that just do rote learning and just follow things.  Now the President is saying that no, let us have people that think, people that innovate because we are now in danger Madam Speaker, of saying that even in our hospitals, we are channelling out doctors and nurses that are only good at distributing Panadol and Paracetamol.  They never manufacture anything.  They have never come up with things that are of importance.  So, the President is trying to address all those kinds of anomalies that we have had in our society Madam Speaker.

Madam Speaker, when we come to the health sector, the President has made sure that we come up with all things that will make our health come to life again but then again in that sector Madam Speaker, we have people that are sabotaging it from the people, the players there, the doctors, the nurses, who at times you find, like for example, I was so annoyed to find that a patient went to a hospital and then they were told to go and buy  medication at a certain pharmacy because that pharmacy belonged to that person who is in that hospital.  It becomes unfair Madam Speaker.

You find medicine is delivered to our hospitals, then it is taken out through the back door and it finds itself in some pharmacy, a private pharmacy, yet the government is trying to do everything to make sure that they provide medication for people when they are sick or when they are injured, in contrast, they do not get all those things.  In fact, I am reliably told that there was one pharmacy that had the audacity to forget to remove the label of Mpilo Hospital and they were still selling that medication in their own private pharmacy but then people would come and cry and say, the government, especially ZAPU-PF has destroyed the health sector, yet people are destroying the health sector on their own and they are allowing that to happen with impunity.  

It should never be allowed, Madam Speaker.  We should frown upon such acts and we must speak about them boldly.  Sparing the rod is a good way of spoiling the child.  So, if we want to get things right and done properly, we must name a spade a spade and we must never mince our words on that.  That does not translate to fighting anybody but it is a simple way of saying that we want systems to work because we know we have a President who is crying day in and day out, praying day in and day out to make sure that Zimbabwe is functional but there are people who come and pull that rug under his feet.

We are saying enough is enough.  Whether that person be an appointee of the President or a Minister even, if you are going to do things that we do not understand, we are going to stand up here and talk about it to say, what are you doing because you are disappointing the appointer and that must be something that people should be ready to listen to.

We are all appointed to positions with trust and we cannot expect our President to be all over Zimbabwe or all of our Ministries.  You must do what you ought to do in the station that you have been put in by the President and compliment his trust in you by performing.  It is as good as the issue of the Bills that the President puts here.  We have got so many Bills that have not been passed yet because there are people who are not doing things properly.  The other time we spoke about the drafters and we said why do we not take those university students to actually come and help with the drafting of the Bills so that they are brought into the House and we would do our parliamentary business and we are done but things are delaying?  Let us get things to happen.  Let us get things to move so that we compliment the efforts of our able leader, the President.

Madam Speaker, we are in a very beautiful building, this parliamentary building.  All these are efforts and results of engagement and re-engagement.  The President simply said we are going to engage everybody.  We want to be friends with everyone.  Whoever is ready to take us on board, we are ready to accept them as well.  We need such leadership.  We need such a trajectory to always happen so that we keep advancing as a people.

As I conclude Madam Speaker, I want to quote what the President himself said in his SONA address.  He said ‘peaceful coexistence in our region, the African continent and globally is an essential ingredient for sustainable socio-economic development.’  So that is how I am going to end it Madam Speaker, to say we need the peace among us as Zimbabweans. We need the unity among us all Zimbabweans.  It does not matter whether you are on the left or you are on the right.  When it comes to Zimbabwe, let us learn to say Zimbabwe first.  Let us learn to be patriotic about Zimbabwe.  We must never politicise everything to the point whereby we want to destroy our own country.  Never ever allow that because those people that send you from America or Britain, when you go to their countries, they leave their parties and they will say America first and Britain first but then here, they teach you to say, no, Zimbabwe must be demonised. How so?  Then you also blindly follow.  It should never be like that.  It shows that we are not competent enough.

Madam Speaker, with these words may I thank you very much and wish you a happy Mother's Day and wish you peace and prosperity as we approach the cultural month of May?  I thank you.

HON. S. ZIYAMBI: Thank you Madam Speaker. Let me add my voice on the State of the Nation Address by His Excellency, President Dr. E. D. Mnangagwa. The address by His Excellency is a testament to the Government's commitment to fostering unity, stability and development in our beloved Zimbabwe. It outlines a clear vision for our future and underscores our collective responsibility to work towards a prosperous nation. The President emphasised the Government's dedication in enhancing the well-being of all Zimbabweans. Initiatives aimed at inclusive transformation and shared prosperity are commendable.

The commitment to ensuring that no one is left behind resonates deeply as it aligns with our core values of unity and social justice. On agriculture, the projected record of wheat harvest of 600 000 tonnes is a remarkable achievement, reflecting the hard work of our farmers and the effectiveness of Government policies. The Food Mitigation Programme which includes school feeding initiatives, is crucial in addressing food security and ensuring that our children receive nutritious food. This proactive approach is essential for lifting communities out of poverty. These programmes were also initiated in my constituency in Makonde where I come from.

On infrastructural development, the President, His Excellency Dr. E. D Mnangagwa, emphasised and focused on infrastructural development as a pillar for economic growth and he said it is particularly encouraging and investments in telecommunications, roads, and energy are vital for revitalising our economy and creating job opportunities. The railway agreement with Botswana and Mozambique illustrates our commitment to regional integration and economic collaboration which are essential for sustainable growth.

The Government's efforts to ensure health delivery systems including the introduction of telemedicine show a forward-thinking approach to health care. Additionally, Madam Speaker, the emphasis on reforming the education sector through curriculum updates and the establishment of innovation hubs will equip our youth with skills necessary to compete globally. This also resonates very well with where I come from in Makonde, where we have the Chinhoyi University of Technology with innovation hubs that has fostered a lot of students going to those innovation hubs to come up with projects that can really move our country forward.

The call for expedited passage of key legislation including those addressing corruption, electronic transactions and occupational safety, demonstrates a proactive stance in governance. These efforts will strengthen our institutions and enhance transparency, ultimately fostering public trust. The President's reaffirmation of the importance of peace and security is also commendable. The commitment to resourcing our defence forces with modern technology, ensures that we can effectively protect our sovereignty. A secure environment is fundamental for attracting investment and fostering economic growth.

Acknowledgement of the Zimbabwean diaspora community and the commitment to strengthening these relationships for mutual benefit is a significant step towards inclusive national development. This engagement can harness the skills and resources of our citizens abroad to contribute to our nation's growth. His Excellency the President, Dr. E. D Mnangagwa’s SONA presents a robust framework for addressing our national challenges and seizing opportunities for growth. As Hon. Members of Parliament, it is our duty to support these initiatives and work collaboratively towards a brighter future for all Zimbabweans. Let us commit to being agents of change, fostering unity and ensuring that our policies reflect the aspirations of our people. Together, we can build a Zimbabwe that we are proud to pass to the future generations. I thank you.

HON. KARIMATSENGA-NYAMUPINGA: Thank you Madam Speaker for according me this opportunity to say a few words on the SONA that was moved by the President last year in September. On behalf of Goromonzi West, I am grateful for this SONA for the way it addressed broad social and economic issues that affect the people I represent and Zimbabweans at large. Its focus and commitment as expressed in the SONA will ensure the achievement of an upper middle class society by 2030.

I thank His Excellency the President, for pursuing a transformational and inclusive agenda for our country and for consistently emphasising that our unity and social cohesion is the foundation upon which development can be achieved. It is also the basis for overcoming challenges including the effects of the long-running illegal sanctions. The establishment of agro-shops and village business units supported by the Presidential Borehole drilling programme bears testimony to the philosophy of leaving no one and no place behind. I urge the Government to speed up the process, ensuring accessibility by remote and rural communities. That also includes the input distribution under the Pfumvudza/Intwasa Programme.

More-so with the rain season that was so good this year hoping that the next season will also receive more rains than we did on the season 2024 to 2025, the support of farmers must recognise that the season will not wait for us, we should get prepared well in time. It will come and go, so time is of essence when it comes to all necessary support with input requirements for a successful season that can then guarantee food security. I applaud His Excellency the President, for the unprecedented infrastructural development across the country as he says, it is the foundation upon which growth and broader production can be realised. There is no illusion that it is not going to be done overnight. A lot will need to be done as we are coming from years of neglect. There is need to sustain the current momentum so that the progress is realised in all areas, especially on the roads.

I urge the Minister of Transport to ensure that the promised and already commenced Harare-Domboshava-Makumbe Mission Road and beyond is completed. It is going to be a disaster and a nightmare if the rains come again and the current state of the road is still like that. The road will simply not be passable with vehicles getting stuck in mud and potholes. Please, attend to it. It is already causing uproar even before the future rains come. I would like, in the same vein, to commend again the Minister of Transport for trying also very hard to have half the road done. It was not easy for him to just smuggle it in the budget because earlier on, it had been said it was not there. He made efforts and half the road is done, but the part that is left is the worst. The same goes for the need for hospital capacities that meet the population growth.

Domboshava, which is Goromonzi West Constituency, is now the fourth largest concentration of population in the country after Harare, Chitungwiza, and Bulawayo. The only mortuary serving a large population is at Makumbe Hospital and has a capacity of three bodies. Three bodies alone for that kind of population will not do the population very good because we will end up having to transfer bodies to other areas, either Bindura or Harare Hospital. That needs agent attention to make sure that such infrastructure is aligned to the new dispensation development trajectory.

 Madam Speaker, one of the key promises during elections was the generation of enough power for our country, a key ingredient in economic development. Its inadequacy affects all sectors of the economy, industry, mining, tourism and others. I am encouraged by His Excellency the President's commitment to exhausting all alternative energy sources. The current energy challenges are negatively affecting forecasted economic growth. The registered success in education innovation is highly commendable as it puts the country on a firm footing for technological advancement and modernisation.

In conclusion, Madam Speaker, I commend the Government through the leadership of His Excellency, the President, Dr. E. D. Mnangagwa, for the engagement and re-engagement policy that is bearing fruits, including the successful hosting that he did for the 44^th SADC Summit last year. Strong collaborative relationships are a prerequisite for beneficial economic integration. I thank you.

HON. A. R. MPOFU: Thank you Madam Speaker. I rise before this august House today with profound humility and an acute sense of responsibility. As one of the youthful MPs, I am profoundly honoured to partake in this pivotal deliberation that sculpts the trajectory of our nation. This occasion affords me the privilege to articulate the aspirations of our youth to extol the sagacious leadership of our esteemed Head of State and Government, His Excellency, Dr. E. D. Mnangagwa and to illuminate the remarkable transformation Zimbabwe has undergone through regional policies and transformative enterprise.

Madam Speaker, it is both fitting and imperative to commence by lauding the exemplary stewardship of our Head of State, His Excellency Dr. E. D. Mnangagwa, whose unwavering dedication to Zimbabwe's revival has galvanised us all. Under his discerning guidance, our beloved nation has embarked upon an ambitious odyssey of modernisation, economic resurgence and social rejuvenation. The astute initiatives championed by His Excellency underscore his profound comprehension of Zimbabwe's latent potential and the exigence of harnessing our abundant natural wealth for the universal betterment of our citizenry.

The recent infrastructural advancement, including the expansion and modernisation of critical transport arteries such as the transformative Trabablas Interchange, the resuscitation of strategic industries and the fortification of our energy security, stand as an indelible testament to his visionary governance. Madam Speaker, I take immense pride in commending the robust endeavours aimed at unlocking the latent genius of our youth. The inception of innovation hubs and industrial parks within our tertiary institutions heralds a deliberate and progressive strategy to cultivate youth entrepreneurship and empirical research.

These seminal initiatives are catalytic in transforming young Zimbabweans from passive consumers into dynamic progenitors of wealth. By nurturing youth-led enterprises, fostering innovation and advancing skills development, we are germinating the seeds of a vibrant, knowledge-driven economy poised for regional and global competitiveness. Furthermore, the Head of State's focus on stabilising the economy through currency reforms, including the adoption of the Zimbabwe Gold (ZIG), exemplifies prudent economic management aimed at restoring macroeconomic stability. His emphasis on prudent fiscal policies coupled with efforts to attract investment has resulted in increased confidence among local and foreign investors alike. Madam Speaker, allow me to underscore the government's deliberate initiatives to integrate youth within the matrix of national governance and developmental paradigms. The elevation of youth ambassadors, facilitation of their engagement in national discourse and inclusion in policy consultations, reflect an equivocal recognition of the youth as indispensable architects of Zimbabwe's destiny.

Such inclusion is indispensable in cultivating a cadre of responsible leadership and ensuring the corpus of our policies embodies the aspirations of the emergent generation. In the realm of education, the curricular recalibration to embed information and communication technologies coupled with the establishment of innovation hubs, bespeaks our unwavering commitment to nurturing a technological-adapted and globally competitive youth. Moreover, the development of tourism infrastructure, including new roads, hotels and cultural sites, has positioned Zimbabwe as a premier tourist destination.

This sector's growth not only creates employment but also promotes cultural exchange and national pride, celebrating initiatives for the youth. Madam Speaker, it is incumbent upon us to recognise the vital role played by youth-oriented initiatives in shaping Zimbabwe's future. Programmes aimed at supporting micro, small, medium enterprises have opened pathways for entrepreneurial growth among young Zimbabweans.

By providing access to finance, training, and markets, these initiatives are nurturing a generation of young leaders equipped to drive economic diversification and resilience. Furthermore, the Head of State's focus on stabilising the economy through currency reforms including the adoption of the Zimbabwe Gold ZiG exemplifies prudent economic management aimed at restoring macroeconomic stability. His emphasis on prudent fiscal policies coupled with efforts to attract investment has resulted in increased confidence among local and foreign investors alike.

Madam Speaker Ma'am, allow me to underscore the Government's deliberate initiatives to integrate youth within the matrix of national governance and developmental paradigms. The elevation of youth ambassadors, facilitation of their engagement in national discourse and inclusion in policy consultations reflect an equivocal recognition of the youth as indispensable architects of Zimbabwe's destiny. Such inclusion is indispensable in cultivating a cadre of responsible leadership and ensuring the corpus of our policies embodies the aspirations of the emergent generation.

In the realm of education, the curricular recalibration to embed Information and Communication Technologies, coupled with the establishment of innovation hubs, bespeaks our unwavering commitment to nurturing a technologically adept and globally competitive youths.

Moreover, the development of tourism infrastructure, including new roads, hotels and cultural sites is positioned in Zimbabwe as a premier tourist destination. This sector's growth not only creates employment but also promotes cultural exchange and national pride, celebrating initiatives for the youth. It is incumbent upon us to recognise the vital role played by youth-orientated initiatives in shaping Zimbabwe's future.

Programmes aimed at supporting micro, small and medium enterprises have opened pathways for entrepreneurial growth among young Zimbabweans. By providing access to finance, training and markets, these initiatives are nurturing a generation of young leaders equipped to drive economic diversification and resilience. Furthermore, the digital revolution facilitated by ICT penetration and the establishment of innovation hubs enables our youth to harness technology for entrepreneurship and social development. These platforms foster creativity, problem-solving and technological literacy, positioning our youth as active contributors to the national economy rather than passive recipients of aid. The Government's commitment to mentorship, skills development and access to resources underscores a clear recognition that youth are the cornerstone of sustainable development. As the youngest Member of Parliament, I am proud to see how these policies amplify our youth's potential to turn their aspirations into tangible realities.

I must also extol the Head of State for his unwavering devotion to fostering social cohesion and national concord. His clarion call for unity and diversity is vital in sustaining harmony among diverse regions, ethnicities and social strata. Such endeavours are foundational to cementing a cohesive Zimbabwe identity which is the bedrock of peace, stability and enduring progress.

Our youth are the embodiment of innovation and optimism. To invest in their development is to secure Zimbabwe's long-term stability and prosperity. I wish to reiterate my admiration for the visionary leadership of our Head of State, His Excellency Dr. E. D. Mnangagwa whose efforts continue to propel Zimbabwe towards a brighter future. The remarkable development initiatives, spanning infrastructure, economic reforms, social services and youth empowerment are transformative and promising.

As the youngest Member of Parliament, I am committed to championing the cause of our youth and advocating for policies that harness their potential. Together with unity and determination, we can elevate Zimbabwe to new heights of prosperity and development. May our efforts be guided by wisdom and may the spirit of patriotism and service continue to define our collective journey. I thank you all and I look forward to contributing to Zimbabwe's continued growth and success.

I want to express my deepest appreciation to our Head of State, President Dr. E. D. Mnangagwa for his visionary leadership that continues to drive our nation's development. His emphasis on infrastructure, education, regional cooperation, social welfare and youth empowerment serves as a beacon of hope to all Zimbabweans. I am confident that under his guidance and with the collective effort of all citizens, Zimbabwe will overcome current challenges and realise its full potential. I thank you.

HON. MUTOKONYI: Thank you Madam Speaker. I rise to also put my voice on the SONA address by the President of the Republic of Zimbabwe, Head of State and Government and the Commander in Chief of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces, Cde Dr. E. D. Mnangagwa.

Madam Speaker, first it is very imperative to note that for every nation to achieve its objectives, there has to be a vision. Our President did set a vision, which is Vision 2030 where the country aspires to achieve an upper-middle-income economy society. It is from that vision that the strategy was set. It is also important to note that for a strategy to be implemented, there has to be a system. According to one management scholar, the McKinsey 7S model is where we see the implementation of this strategy through a structure. The structure is through all the relevant Government Ministries.

In trade development, quite a lot has been done to ensure that there is a smooth flow of trade in Zimbabwe. The Government of Zimbabwe, through the stewardship of the President, did construct the Robert Mugabe International Airport which facilitates trade as well as tourism. This has a positive effect as far as economic growth is concerned. We have the Beitbridge Border Post, which is a state-of-the-art border post that was revamped through the leadership of the President. This then enhances trade flow in the north-south corridor to ensure that there is flow of trade, thus, ensuring growth as far as economic development is concerned.

I come from Marondera East Constituency. Quite a lot is being done and was done by the Second Republic. The people of Svosve are very much grateful in terms of the power electrification. In the yesteryear, four business centres and two schools were powered and electrified through the Government agents, the Rural Electrification Agents. This has a positive effect on the economic development of the communities where as I speak right now, we are now seeing small businesses happening in terms of the SMEs, small manufacturing and welding.

Moreover, this has been enhanced because of the power that was put in the constituency and we are very grateful to the Second Republic. Again, the National Development Policy NDS 1, it talks of the digital economy where we are now in the digital era. It is very imperative that our children in the schools should also be now doing the ICT related programmes and lessons. This has been made possible because of the power that has been availed to the schools. As such, we do not see much difference between a school in an urban setup school and that in rural schools because most of the rural schools in Marondera East are electrified. So, we are very much grateful for that.

This then shows that the Second Republic, through the President's address is walking the talk through the implementation of these various key projects. Again, in terms of power development, yes, the country is still facing some power challenges but it is also important to note that a lot of power development was done, particularly the expansion of Zimbabwe Power Company Stages 7 and 8 which was done. Right now, it is supplying to the National Grid. This has been also made through the steward leadership of the President.

Whilst there are power challenges, we are also seeing a lot of independent power producers coming online to augment the Government efforts. In terms of the industries, yes, they are still facing challenges but it is not an event to achieve all this, it is a process. As such, we and the Government are in the process and together we will achieve the goals.

Furthermore, in the National Development Policy, I would like to look at the issue of social development, where a lot of public health institutions were constructed like in Marondera East; we have got two public health institutions which were constructed last year. One is being revamped and this also shows the Government's efforts to ensure that there is health for all.

Also on social development Madam Speaker, the issue of education, a lot of schools are being built throughout the whole country by the Government and also by independent partners to augment the Government efforts. This again shows the direct positive approach of the Government of ensuring that education is available.

As the policy of the Government states that the infrastructure, the facilities should be as close to the people as possible within a five kilometre range to ensure that all our children get access to education. This also did not leave the people of Svosve. We are working on quite a lot of other projects through the devolution funds and through the CDF funds. As such Madam Speaker, the President poses that no one and no place should be left behind. Marondera East is not lagging behind.

In as far as agriculture development is concerned, Marondera East did contribute quite significantly in as far as agriculture growth is concerned on tobacco, maize, soyabeans, as well as the milk production.

On a weekly basis, Marondera East supplies 390,000 litres of milk into this nation. It is quite contributing to the national milk requirement of Zimbabwe.

In terms of the road infrastructure, we still have some challenges, particularly the Marondera-Chiduku Road which links Marondera with Manicaland and Marondera-Murewa. Part of that section still requires attention but I know the Minister of Transport is going to fix that as well. 

In terms of the water infrastructure, the Government through the President, did avail the VBU's programmes which are still yet to come into Marondera East. We have not yet witnessed any but we are going to get them. They are in the pipeline. As such, our people are going to contribute immensely in terms of poverty reduction as well as growing the local rural economies. This has been made possible because our President is a listening President.

As we look outside in terms of the international community, the President always says that Zimbabwe is a friend to all and an enemy to none. This then makes the relations of Zimbabwe with other external communities good in as far as trade and any other things. It is important Madam Speaker, that for a nation to thrive, it requires other nations and Zimbabwe has good relations with all the nations.

Madam Speaker, the President also highlighted the issues of the Bills that this Parliament has to expedite to ensure that they align with the current environment. Some of these Bills were enacted long back and as such, I know a lot of Bills have been debated in this Parliament to ensure that we move with the current trends. It is the task of this Parliament and I know we are all working to ensure that we put all these Bills to finality as the 10^th Parliament.

As I conclude, there is always strength in unity and if we are united as Zimbabweans or if we are not divided, we can achieve more. If we are united, we can drive our economy together. We can define our thinking but we are one people, one nation. At times, it is very important not to forget that we are Zimbabweans. As we talk, we should tell our story from a Zimbabwean perspective because we are Zimbabweans.  I want to thank you very much for giving me this opportunity to debate on this SONA.

*HON. NATISO:  Thank you Madam Speaker for giving me this opportunity to add my voice to the SONA by His Excellency the President.  I represent the Bikita West Constituency. I want to thank the President for his speech which was fulfilled in line with the drought that we faced this year. We were afraid because of the hunger which was very huge but no one was affected by hunger. Businesses thought they would stock mealie-meal in their stores anticipating that people would queue looking for mealie-meal, but there were no queues of people wanting to buy mealie-meal because all the people were given food by Social Welfare and all the people were satisfied.

We want to thank our leader for that. Up to now, till harvesting time because we were given all the implements, we had a bumper harvest. Now, we have food in our homes.

We also want to thank our President for capacitating RIDA, formerly DDF, that it is helping in the rehabilitation of our rural roads and also the drilling of boreholes. All the districts were given drilling machines to drill boreholes in the rural areas and chemicals were given to RIDA so that they put in the water for people to access clean water. Some were given water tanks. We also want to thank our President for capacitating RIDA, formerly DDF, which is helping in the rehabilitation of our rural roads and also the drilling of boreholes. All the districts were given drilling machines to drill boreholes in the rural areas. Chemicals were given to RIDA to put the water in for people to access clean water. Some were also given water tanks.

         We want to thank the President for capacitating the rural district councils. We are not aware that our rural councils can have firefighters, firefighting machines. In the rural areas, we are given machinery to rehabilitate our roads and also garbage collection trucks.

         We applaud the President for devolution funds and CDF funds. All those funds are buying a lot of things using our local currency, the ZiG. Where I come from in Bikita West Constituency, right now because of these devolution funds and CDF, all wards now have a clinic. We have 22 wards and out of the 22 wards, we were only left with two wards that did not have clinics but I am now constructing clinics for those two wards using the CDF funds.

         HON. CHIGUMBU: On a point of order Madam Speaker.

THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER (HON. MAUNGANIDZE): Order Hon. Natiso. What is your point of order Hon. Chigumbu?

HON. CHIGUMBU: Madam Speaker, the Hon. Member is misleading the House and the people who are listening. CDF does not come from the President, it comes from the Government.

THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER:  You may proceed Hon. Natiso.

^* HON. NATISO: Maybe the Hon. Member is not aware that the Government is a leader. We want to thank our President for the promise that he gave that our youths below 35 years should be empowered. He fulfilled that – most of our youths in our district were given tractors and they were given loans so that they engage in projects. We want to thank our President for empowering the women through chicken projects worldwide.

We want to thank the President for supporting our menfolk, he injected USD150 000 to the war veterans for them to engage in projects.

Without wasting time, I want to thank the President. In Bikita West, there are projects being done through dams which were constructed and there are irrigations. He said that we are going to plough wheat and to have surplus. We saw it with our own eyes in the last season that people were now being given wheat even to make sadza after making bread. I thank you.

HON. T. NYATHI: Thank you Madam Speaker. I would like to zoom in on just a few points from the President’s SONA speech which I found to be misaligned a little bit. I want to talk about, particularly the issue that was mentioned by the President to say that we want to make mining economy and bring it to 12 billion. I just want to mention a few issues which I think the President might have missed out on as he delivered his speech. Currently, the value that we get from the Ministry of Mines is that the economy in the mining sector is currently hovering around six billion.

         The President told us that the target was 12 billion this year. We do not know how this is going to be achieved. We do not understand how we are going to double the output to 12 billion because currently, we are still sitting at about six billion of revenues coming from the mining sector.

         I want to talk about lithium mining…

HON. TOGAREPI: Madam Speaker, I would not want to query my other Hon. Member but a projection or a target means you are not close to it; you are going towards it, is it not it? I do not understand why my other colleague would say the President has missed when we are not yet at the target. We are moving towards the target.

THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER: Hon. Nyathi, can you please be guided and debate facts? Do not mislead the House.

HON. T. NYATHI: Thank you Madam Speaker. The assumption is actually that we are at nine billion yet we are not anywhere near nine billion. So, probably when the President thought that we would hit the 12 billion mark, he was of the assumption that we were actually sitting at nine billion. That is false and this can be verified by the numbers coming from the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development. We would want the nation to know that we are not even at nine billion and to talk about 12 billion before we achieve nine billion, I think is not going to be achievable, particularly in the year 2025.

         I want to talk about lithium mining. Madam Speaker Ma’am, while we applaud the investment coming from mainly China which is dominating about 90% of the mining business in Zimbabwe, we also must look at the land displacement of people that have been moved, particularly in Buhera, that have been moved due to the lithium mining that is happening there.

There are cases that are actually before the courts now where people are complaining about displacement and where people are complaining about environmental degradation. I am talking only about the Bikita area. People are still complaining about environmental degradation. People are complaining about river contamination, all these things. While we applaud the investment from China, I think as a nation we need to safeguard and protect our people. We cannot just accept any investment, particularly investment that then puts our people at risk.

         While we are happy that we have investors in the lithium sector, we must also ask ourselves why this is only dominated by the Chinese. Why can we not open it up more to have competition from all over the world so that we do not end up being manipulated by the Chinese? We have seen what has happened now with the prices of lithium. They came here, they mined for so many years and then all of a sudden, the prices have dropped.

HON. TOGAREPI:   Hon. Speaker, point of order.

THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER (HON. J. TSHUMA): Order Hon. Nyathi! Please take your seat.

HON. TOGAREPI:  I would not want again to appear to be stifling debate but Zimbabwe is open for business. Those who want to do business with us can come. The Chinese come but some have decided to sanction us. If they decide to sanction us, what do we do? If they think they do not want to do business with us, do we have to go to everybody? Chinese are doing lithium in Zimbabwe because they want to do business with Zimbabwe. Do not appear to say we are favouring any national.  We are not favouring Chinese. They want to do business with us. Those who want to come to Zimbabwe, go and tell them and you can do business with them but let us not attack another country for supporting Zimbabwe.

THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER:  Thank you very much Hon. Government Chief Whip.  Hon. Nyathi, I am sure you are aware of the mantra that His Excellency, the President, has articulated so well to say that we are engaging and re-engaging. So, like the Government Chief Whip has said, the stance of our nation, our country, our Government is that we engage everyone. So, China also is part of that and any other nation is allowed and welcome to work with us. You may continue your debate.

HON. NYATHI:  Thank you Mr. Speaker. As I am going on with my debate, you probably will understand why I am just concerned that we have only a particular type of nationality coming to invest in this country. We have seen this Mr. Speaker, in the diamonds. We have seen the plunder that has happened in Marange because of this particular nation because there is no control. This is what happened...

THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER:  Order Hon. Nyathi! What I want us to do is for you to debate without wanting to particularly - [HON. MEMBERS; Inaudible Interjection] - ... Order, order, order, Hon. Members! Honourable Member, do not do that.  I am talking and you are talking. Where have you seen that? Where is the decorum as an Hon. Member?  Hon. Nyathi, like the Government, Chief Whip explained, Zimbabwe is open for business for everyone. So, please, as you debate remember that factor. Thank you. You may continue.

HON. NYATHI:  Again, thank you Mr. Speaker for the guidance. Mr. Speaker, my concern is we have seen mining in Zimbabwe, but the level of land degradation that is being perpetrated by particularly our all-weather friends from the East has never been recorded in this country before. We have never seen such in this country before.

Why I am saying this is, while we are open for business, we must ask ourselves why are these people only coming to destroy our country instead of developing country? The other investors before were mining in a proper and sustainable manner. What we are seeing, go to Hwange at the moment.

HON. NYABANI:   Point of order.

THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER: Hon. Nyathi, take your seat.  What is your point of order Hon. Nyabani?

HON. NYABANI:  My point of order is that we are waiting for the Mines Bill. You debate on the mines Bill, all your concerns. Thank you Mr. Speaker.

HON. NYATHI:  The reason why I am bringing these issues up is so that we can craft policies that protect the people and the nation of Zimbabwe from plunder and from anyone who purports to say they are coming to invest in this country. This is why I am talking about this in particular so that we all understand where we are. We look at mining that is termed heap leaching which is happening in Boterekwa, Shurugwi area.  Mr. Speaker, those mountains will soon be no more. We can see the destruction that is happening, but it is only being perpetuated by a particular nation. We need to sit down as a country and say, is this really what we want? We are open for business, yes, but for those that are not coming to invest, what is holding them up? Those that are coming to invest, why are they coming in such a rush and why are they leaving our country in the state that they are leaving it in? We all travel across this country.  Go to Filabusi Hon. Speaker. The roads are dilapidated, but we see every day trucks, heaps and heaps of trucks using the same road, coming as if they are approaching Bulawayo and going to the plant where they are processing the ore. No one is talking about the degradation that is happening there.  No one is talking about the investor coming in to participate, at least in the area where they are doing their mining. So, I am just bringing these things because we are waiting.

HON. TOGAREPI:  You forget that you are speaking from Parliament built by the Chinese and that is where you are speaking from.

- [HON. MEMBERS; Inaudible Interjections] -

THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER: Order, order, order, Hon. Members, order!  Do not arm-twist me to do the unthinkable here.  I do not want to remove anyone from this House. Hon. Nyathi, please may you continue as you also conclude?

HON. NYATHI: Thank you Mr. Speaker. It pains me that while all this mining is happening in this country, we still do not have industries, which I think the President should have emphasised to say we need now to make sure that we beneficiate more  of from those resources.  I know we have put an S.I. to say we cannot export raw materials and we have seen companies like the platinum sector moving in to improve or beneficiate the ore that they are mining. However, if we look at the lithium sector, we do not have those tangible...

THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER: Order Hon. Nyathi! What is your point of order Honourable Butau?  - [HON. MEMBERS; Inaudible Interjection] - Order Hon. Members! That is not Parliamentary language. Be guided accordingly.

HON. BUTAU:  The Hon. Member cannot prescribe what the President says in his speech, that is why it is called SONA. It is what is informed by his technical experts and there is EMA to do the work of protecting the environment. It is not his responsibility.

THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER:  Thank you very much Hon. Butau.  It is a valid point to note Hon. Nyathi.  In your debate, you indicated that there is no talk of beneficiation and yet the President is on record talking about beneficiation. So please, when you debate, debate guided accordingly. You may continue.

HON. NYATHI:  Thank you Mr. Speaker, I did acknowledge actually that the President has spoken about this, but I was just bringing this point so that the President can firm up on such matters. We have got a Mines Bill Mr. Speaker, which was also mentioned here by the President. That Bill, if we look at the past, has not come to Parliament for the past two years.

         Let me move on to our currency Mr. Speaker. It is a known fact that we are struggling as a nation to give confidence to our own currency, the ZiG. We have seen universities, schools and shops that are demanding payment partially in ZiG and partially in United States Dollars (USD). Our ZiG is backed by gold from what the Hon. Deputy Minister of Finance told us in this House. We wonder why our currency is still not solid. We do not understand why our currency is still losing value, yet gold prices are firming up. Probably, the President would need to firm up on the Ministry of Finance and really understand why our currency is not accepted locally wholly. I am saying this because if you go to remote areas now… ,

HON. DHLIWAYO: Point of order Mr. Speaker Sir. The Hon. Member has alluded to the fact that there has been some depreciation of our ZiG which is not true. In fact, our ZiG has stabilised. It is becoming firmer if you look at what is currently happening in the economy. Right now, all sectors are actually confident of our ZiG, so it is quite stable. There is macroeconomic credibility that is prevailing in our economy. Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir.

THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER: Thank you Hon. Dhliwayo. I want you to speak to the Chief Whip so that you debate and clarify that point. This is because it is a valid point but you must definitely clarify it. Hon. Nyathi, may you please conclude.

HON. NYATHI: Mr. Speaker, I am saying this because if we go to the bank, the maximum withdrawal that is permissible is so low, probably it does not go beyond ZiG5 000. If you were to go to the rural areas, what can you buy with ZiG5 000? You cannot swipe in the rural areas. There is no network and we all know this. So predominantly, the rural areas are using foreign currency, Rands, USD and Pula.

HON. MUGWADI: Thank you very much Mr. Speaker Sir. With due respect, I think the rules in this House are very clear. When an Hon. Member debating is challenged on a point of fact and whereupon it is established sufficiently that their submissions are not associated with reality and facts, it is a cardinal rule that they must prove in this House that what they have said is exactly as is and not what they are thinking or what they think should be. So, that issue Mr. Speaker, somebody will opine in this House and say, Parliamentarians in this House have died and then Mr. Speaker you will rule and say, no, do not stop him. Get your time to debate and then show that we have not died. I think when we do that, as a House, we will be degenerating into a circus and mind you, these sessions are broadcasted live on social media on the handle of Parliament or on TV. So, it is always important Mr. Speaker that Members associate with facts and reality. When they are giving an opinion, they must clearly outline that they are giving an opinion so that other Members do not take that opinion as fact, but exactly as an opinion. I bring again the point raised by Hon. Dhliwayo that the Hon. Member substantiate his claims so that he is not speaking to himself or his cheer fellows but to the whole House including this side of the House. Thank you.

HON. NYATHI:  Thank you Mr. Speaker. In conclusion, I  believe  my time is almost up. It would be a good thing I believe, to have breathalysers in this House. I think we should bring those gadgets here. I want to believe - [HON. MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections.]-

THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER: Order Hon. Nyathi, your time is up.

HON. TOGAREPI: On a point of order Mr. Speaker. I think some Hon. Members now who are claiming that they would want breathalysers are the ones who are drunk. This Hon. Member forgets he was insinuating issues about a certain country but he is in a building enjoying a good seat which was done by the same country. I think he is drunk. I think Mr. Speaker we need protection from such characters.

THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER: Thank you very much Government Chief Whip. I think Hon. Members need to note one particular thing here. We are not here to play ‘mickey mouse’ business. This is taxpayers' money and we need to conduct ourselves as Hon. Members. It does not pay or profit us to come here and  canvass for a certain narrative for whatever reason. Let us stick to facts. It is an Hon. House and let us treat it as such.

         HON. CHIGUMBU: Mr. Speaker, I really want you to intervene. I think the reason why we have debate is not really for the purpose of proving certain facts. Debates are usually based on opinions that should be supported by critical reasoning. I do not understand when somebody is debating and people are interjecting and giving their own opinions upon the opinions that are being given by the person who has been given the floor. The whole essence of a debate Mr. Speaker, is to allow people to share their opinions and logical reasoning towards certain things. Why would then somebody rise to interject upon a debate by giving their own opinions? You would expect Mr. Speaker, somebody to rise to point to a violation of the orders …

THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER: Order Hon. Member, please take your seat. Please take your seat. Do not entice me to take you out of the House. Please take your seat.

HON. CHIGUMBU: Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir.

THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER: I am glad that you are feeling that pinch because you normally do that to Hon. Members when they are debating. So, it has come back to haunt you today.

*HON. CHIOTA: On a point of clarity, Mr. Speaker. I want to say that if I am not mistaken, I heard the President saying that the people from the opposition should debate so that we implement. I am surprised that the other side is fighting the person who is debating from this side and it is allowed for them to say their view…

*THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER (HON. J. TSHUMA): Order Hon. Members, debate is allowed here but what others are saying is that as we are debating, we should say the truth not to work on assumptions. 

*HON. NYABANI:  Thank you Mr. Speaker.  I want to say a few words on the Presidential Speech on SONA – [HON. MEMBERS:  He has already debated on SONA.] –

THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER:  Hon. Nyabani, you can go ahead.

*HON. NYABANI:  Mr. Speaker Sir, I want to say that on the Presidential Speech...

THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER:  Order Hon. Nyabani! I am informed that you have already debated SONA – [HON. MEMBERS:  Inaudible interjections.] –

HON. NYABANI:  Mr. Speaker Sir– [HON. MEMBERS:  Inaudible interjections.] –

THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER:  Order Hon. Members!  I am the only Chair and I think we need to respect that.

*HON. NYABANI:  Mr. Speaker Sir, those on the left side came yesterday.  I have not debated on that one.

THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER:  We will verify that at a later stage and if you have not, indeed, you will be given another chance to do so.

HON. NYATHI:  Hon. Speaker, may I make a clarification?

THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER:  Hon. Nyathi, you do not just stand up and start speaking before I recognise you.  Please take your seat.

HON. NYATHI:  Point of clarity.

THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER:  Yes, what is your point of clarity Hon. Nyathi?

HON. NYATHI:  I just want to clarify Hon. Speaker.  I never said anyone was drunk.  It is common practice at workplaces that everyone who goes to work is breathalysed.  I never accused anyone of being drunk.  The Government Chief Whip alluded to the fact that I said there were people who were drunk or I mentioned that someone was drunk.  It is good practice to have those devices in this House so that we do not get contaminated by people coming into the House under intoxication.  It is common practice everywhere.  If you go to the industry, it is happening every day.

THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER:  Thank you Hon. Nyathi.  Do not repeat what you are saying over and over again.  

*HON. M. MATIZA:  Thank you Mr. Speaker for allowing me time to debate on SONA.  Firstly, I want to thank what the President is doing, especially us from Gokwe, like what he did during Independence Day celebrations.  We really benefited through the rehabilitation of roads and also Sikombela for it to be a tourist centre.

I want to thank the President for giving us opportunities from the farmers, miners and everybody.  It shows that his speech are not mere words but deeds are following.  Like last month he was in Kwekwe and he was introducing AI silos.  It is an amazing thing.  It is our first time to come about it in Kwekwe and Gokwe GMB.

Secondly, I want to thank the President for the Belarus agreement.  Before it was signed, it started by bringing implements.  I think in our councils we are seeing fire brigade machines, ambulances and the revamping of our hospitals.  I also want to thank the President  for the Pfumvudzwa/Intwasa Programme.  You can see that the Lord did a good thing by giving us rain and it is good for our season. I also want to thank the Nhimbe Programme, which is done in all the provinces where we have the coming together of DCCs and councils for revamping our roads.  The roads in Gokwe were impassable but we are thankful for that..  We are only left with one place, the bridge which joins Gokwe South and Gokwe North.  The machines are there, so we are just praying that the initiative will be expedited.

I thank the President for the community radio stations.  People are given an opportunity to speak through those radios and it is also bringing employment.  Mr. Speaker, in English we say empty vessels make a lot of noise.  If you see people who do not respect their leaders with the work that they are doing, I think it is high time that we start appreciating some of the things that are being done in Zimbabwe.  As Members of Parliament in here, we should appreciate the good works that are being done by our President.  If you get to Beitbridge Border Post, even if you visit our airport, things are changing. I think those who do not like us should leave us alone.  The President is doing a very good job.  All people are being given opportunities.  As youth, we are being given opportunities.  It was hard for us to be in Parliament, it is a good thing and we are thankful.  

When he was giving his speech, he referred to the struggle and he also talked about democracy, that everyone is free.  That is why Members of the opposition are given an opportunity to debate.  So, we are thankful for all that.  We also want to thank the Government for the solar boreholes.  Our parents are now fetching water freely, which is quite helpful. 

Let me refer to Sengwa Coal Mine, which is now operational.  A lot of employment has been realised.  I thought the other side was going to applaud me.  I do not have many things to say but I have stood up to say that the President is not only talking but is also doing.  I think as Parliament, we should support him so that Vision 2030 will be possible.  Thank you for this opportunity.  Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

HON. MURAMBIWA:  Thank you, Mr. Speaker for giving me this opportunity to debate on the Presidential Speech when he was delivering his SONA.  Let me say that he first talked about unity, That where there is unity there is progress.  If there is no unity, there is no progress.  If there is unity, there is peace.  If there is peace, there is progress.

Let me say that many times the President says that we should not leave any person or any place behind.  I have seen that the President is doing a lot of things in our areas. Like the former speaker said, this Parliament shows what the President has done. There are a lot of things that the President has done which a lot of countries admire. We used to say we go to Masvingo on a tarred road but now we say the road is now tiled.

         In my constituency, when it comes to roads, a lot of our areas in the Zaka North Constituency are being rehabilitated. Zaka North is a mountainous area and most of the roads are washed away during the rainy seasons but RIDA comes to rehabilitate the roads. Right now, the RIDA department is on standby to rehabilitate the roads because they were allocated fuel. All this is possible because of our President.

         The people in Zaka Constituency said as their representative, I should come to Parliament and thank the President for the work he is doing in our area. There were bridges that were washed away by the rains but as we speak right now, those bridges are being rehabilitated. We have a bridge called Chirunguhwe which the RIDA is working flat out so that the bridge is rehabilitated. People in Zaka North wards 6, 11 and 12 are very happy. What is only left is for the RIDA department to get new equipment such as tippers so that they can re-gravel other roads that were washed away by the rains. I know that in the shortest possible time that will have been done because RIDA has assured me that they are going to do it.

         Riding on the words of the President of leaving no place and no one behind, looking at Zaka North, the President goes by the mantra, ‘a nation is built by its own people being built by the local materials or produce in the constituency. When I look at Zaka North, we have a lot of things such as wild fruits and mangoes. If we can have a plant like the one in Mwenezi, Zaka North would be empowered. We have a lot of youths in Zaka North who need employment. So, if there is a processing plant for wild fruits and guavas, we will not have children from Zaka coming to Harare or Bulawayo looking for jobs as we will have rural industrilisation. If this is to take place, we will praise God. As long as our President is there, nothing is impossible because we have seen his works in this short period.

         Coming to agriculture and looking at Zaka North Constituency, people there work very hard and I am proud of them because they are not lazy. They said I should come here and tell the President that they are happy and proud of the President because he gives us agricultural implements without discrimination and free of charge. The people of Zaka North are thankful to the President and they wish him many more years because he is doing wonders for the Zimbabweans.

         In the last season, we did not get sufficient rains because of El Nino but no one died of hunger in Zimbabwe through our President. So, the people said Honourable, please go and tell the President that here we are receiving food which is ferried for free, no one is paying for transport. So, we want to thank the President for what he is doing in making sure that no one dies of hunger and we have seen it. People are very happy in Zaka North.

         Let me come to schools where the H.E. the President said we should debate the Education Bill because without educated people, a country will not develop. In Zaka North, we have 35 primary schools and 17 secondary schools and of those secondary schools, only three do not have electricity. That is when I realised that our President is a good person. For the three, I approached REA who said they were going to electrify those schools. So, I am proud of our President because he is doing wonders and as I stand in this House representing Zaka North, I am not shy because we have huge developments taking place in Zaka.

For hospitals, I have 12 wards and we only have three wards that do not have hospitals but some even have two. As the Member of Parliament representing my people in Zaka, when I receive the CDF, we are going to build the remaining hospitals and schools and we will also use the devolution funds in conjunction with our council. Moving together, the development will be realised in Zaka North.

Mr. Speaker, pertaining to internet connectivity, people in Zaka North are very happy. I remember one day last year…

HON. ZVAIPA: Thank you Mr. Speaker. The representative of Zaka, we are fed up. I think he has said enough and we are thankful.

*HON. MURAMBIWA: Thank you Mr. Speaker. Let me conclude. I was talking about the internet that one day when we were in this House, those who were present, I asked the Minister of ICT that in Jichidza there is only a booster but it is not operational. What plans do you have? The Minister within two weeks, ran around and now we have internet in Zaka North. Wherever you are, in the mountains or in the valley or in Ward 12, Jichidza network is there. I want to thank the President. There are only a few wards remaining like Wards 4, 5, 6 and part of Ward 33. We are only waiting for those wards to have internet then we are home and dry as Zaka North.

THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER: Order Hon. Members! You cannot be doing that child play across the floor.

 *HON. MURAMBIWA: Mr. Speaker, thank you for protecting me. In conclusion, let me say that a good thing is a good thing. Another man's meat is another man's poison. We should not be troubled because we are different.  We are born differently. If you see someone saying that this is red, that the leaves are red or yellow and they cannot see a good thing, I do not know what it means. My eyes and those of the people that I represent in Zaka North are seeing the good work that the President is doing. I want to say the truth before God. Those who know Zaka North know that way back, those people had not seen boreholes. They would see boreholes in Zaka Central, Zaka West, Zaka South and East. Now, when our President Mnangagwa is saying that there is no place that should be left behind, in Wards 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 10, 11, 12, 16, 22 and 33, people are now fetching water from boreholes that were put in place by President Mnangagwa. With these few words, allow me to sit down. Thank you.

HON. TOGAREPI: I move that the debate do now adjourn.

HON. C. MOYO: I second.

Motion put and agreed to.

Debate to resume: Tuesday, 20^th May, 2025.

On the motion of HON. TOGAREPI, seconded by HON. C. MOYO, the House adjourned at Twelve Minutes past Five o’clock p.m. until Tuesday, 20^th May, 2025.