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NATIONAL ASSEMBLY HANSARD 11 FEBRUARY 2025 VOL 51 No. 22

PARLIAMENT OF ZIMBABWE

Tuesday, 11^th February, 2025.

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

PRAYERS

(THE HON. SPEAKER in the Chair)

ANNOUNCEMENTS BY THE HON. SPEAKER

THE HON. SPEAKER:  I have the following announcements, but before I do so, I would like to welcome all of you Hon. Members, I think from a well-deserved rest with family and friends.

DEATH OF HON. GRANDMORE HAKATA

THE HON. SPEAKER:  It is with profound sorrow that I have to inform the House of the untimely death of Hon. Grandmore Hakata, Member of Parliament for Glenview South Constituency who passed on, on 23^rd January, 2024.  I therefore invite Hon. Members to rise and observe a minute of silence in respect of the late Hon. Member.

All Hon. Members observed a minute of silence.

THE HON. SPEAKER:  May his soul rest in eternal peace. Thank you.

PETITION RECEIVED FROM GREATER HWANGE RESIDENTS TRUST

THE HON. SPEAKER:  I also have to inform the House that on 17^th December, 2024, Parliament received a petition from Greater Hwange Residents Trust, beseeching Parliament to enquire into the threats of pollution for Hwange residents and review or amend the Pneumoconiosis Act, Chapter 15:08, to ensure the protection of non-employees from the surrounding areas.  The petition was deemed admissible and has been referred to the Portfolio Committee on Environment, Climate and Wildlife.

         HON. CHIDUWA: Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir.  My point of National Interest is on the Review and Amendment of SI 63 of 2009 and reclassification of steel products.  The Minerals Marketing Corporation of Zimbabwe Act (Definition of Minerals), Notice, 2009 (SI 63 of 2009), specifies:

“Iron and steel in blocks, ingots, pigs, billets, slabs, blooms, rods, bars, channels, angles, sections and rails, including alloyed or tool steels, not perforated or otherwise worked up.”  As minerals, this definition presents significant challenges to the steel industry. The broad definition of these products as minerals has far-reaching implications on the export, regulation and financial obligations of steel producers.

Implications of the Current Definition

1. Export Restrictions

According to S.I. 5 of 2023, Base Minerals Export Control Act, the export of beneficiated base mineral ores is regulated and controlled. Under this legislation, no unprocessed base mineral ores can be exported from Zimbabwe without a written permit from the Minister of Mines and Mining Development. Permits can be granted only under specific conditions, such as if the applicant can demonstrate that beneficiation or processing of the ore within Zimbabwe is not feasible, or if samples are needed for assaying that cannot be done locally. The application for the exemption can take between 3 to 5 working days, before an applicant can proceed to the next stage of export documents generation.

2. Regulatory Oversight by MMCZ

The Minerals Marketing Corporation of Zimbabwe (MMCZ) plays a critical role in the export and sales of minerals within the country.  

1. Marketing and Selling Minerals

MMCZ generates tripartite contracts between themselves, producer, and the client. Their entire process of finalising and executing a contract may take about 7 – 12 working days.

In addition, regardless of who has marketed and identified an export client, MMCZ charges a commission for marketing and selling minerals produced in Zimbabwe. The commission is set at 0.875% of the gross invoice value of the mineral sold. In addition to this commission, there is also a 15% Vat on the commission itself. All of these costs are either transferred to the Customer, reducing our competitiveness or they are absorbed by the producer, eating into the margins of the investor.

1. Regulation and Control

MMCZ regulates and controls the export of minerals. This involves issuing export permits and ensuring that all mineral sales and exports comply with national laws and regulations.

The export permit entire process takes on average 7-14 working days to be issued.

Considering that partly and fully manufactured steel products are considered minerals as per S.I. 63 of 2009, this control inadvertently applies to iron and steel related exports. This oversight imposes additional administrative and financial burdens on steel companies. These controls create additional barriers to access export markets.

Of late we have seen significant growth of the iron and steel sector.  Steel is very critical for pushing our industrialisation agenda as a country. It’s very critical that the SI be reviewed and amended to align the regulatory environment with the strategic goals of NDS1 and maximize the economic contributions of the steel industry.

I am therefore requesting an urgent Ministerial Statement from The Minister of Industry and Commerce

• Consider Amending SI 63 of 2009
• Reclassification of Steel Products - Redefine iron, steel, and related manufactured products to exclude them from the mineral category.
• A relook on possible amendment of the ZISCO Steel Act as the Act focussed on an institution ZISCO and not the Sector, now that we have DINSON and Steel Makers

These changes will promote the following:

• Mineral resource value addition
• Ease of doing business
• Competitiveness on export markets

The steel industry is now the cornerstone of Zimbabwe's economic growth and industrialization strategy. By revising Statutory Instrument 63 of 2009, the Ministry of Industry and commerce can foster a more conducive environment for steel producers to thrive.

         THE HON. SPEAKER: Order Hon. Member! You are now debating.

         HON. CHIDUWA: Yes, I am closing. By revising SI 63 of 2009, the Ministry of Industry and Commerce can foster a more conducive environment for steel producers to thrive. I thank you.

         THE HON. SPEAKER: Are you still the Chair of the Committee on Industry and Commerce?

         HON. CHIDUWA: Yes, Hon. Speaker.

         THE HON. SPEAKER: I suggest that you do some justice to the analysis of Statutory Instrument 63 of 2009 vis-a-vis Statutory Instrument 5 of 2023 and the related legislation and come up with recommendations as a Committee accordingly. Thank you.

HON. CHIDUWA: Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir.

THE HON. SPEAKER: Your acknowledgment should be done whilst you are upstanding.

HON. CHIDUWA: Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir.

THE HON. SPEAKER: I will forgive you because you had a long recess. The Standing Orders require that you do so.

HON. V. MOYO: Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir. My point of national interest arises from the impact that has been created by the withdrawal of US funding on truck stop clinics in maintaining the prevalence of HIV in Zimbabwe. Truck stop clinics in Zimbabwe have long played a critical role in addressing the health needs of long-distance truck drivers, many of whom are at high risk of contracting and transmitting HIV due to their mobility, exposure to multiple partners and involvement in high-risk behaviours. These clinics will not only provide vital HIV prevention and treatment services but they have also acted as a life plan for communities affected by HIV/AIDS, especially in areas with high traffic and frequent mobility.

One such area is where I come from which is Victoria Falls and mostly all border towns. The Victoria Falls truck stop as I am speaking Mr. Speaker Sir, has closed down and this has created a decline in the availability of HIV testing and treatment services at truck stop clinics. Without funding for laboratory tests, HIV counselling and antiretroviral medications, many truck drivers and sex workers who rely on these clinics may not have access to crucial HIV-related healthcare services. In turn, this could result in an increase in undiagnosed HIV cases and the lack of consistency of the ART adherence both of which contribute to higher transmission rates.

         Secondly, condom distribution which has been a major strategy for preventing HIV transmission at truck stop clinics will be significantly impacted by funding cuts. The availability of condoms may decrease leading to a reduction of…

*HON. MATANGIRA:  Point of order! My point of order Mr. Speaker Sir is that people and their country must have discipline not because the USA is taking care of our people whilst we have the Ministry of Health which has everything.  Thank you.

         THE HON. SPEAKER:  Hon. Matangira, I hear you and I thought you were going to say the saying before President Trump withdrew the funding – [HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear.] – Hon. Moyo, can you wind up?

         HON. V. MOYO:  Health education and awareness campaigns targeting truck drivers and their high-risk partners have faced disruptions due to the loss of this funding.  These programmes play a crucial role in informing individuals about HIV prevention, treatment adherence and healthy sexual practices.  Mr. Speaker Sir, this touched me just last week, I had one youth who came to me personally.  He had contracted an STI.  The first thing that he did was that he went to the truck stop and when he got there, he found that the truck stop was closed.  He was coming to me just to get money so that he could go to the clinic and get treated.

         In conclusion, the withdrawal of funding from truck stop clinics in Zimbabwe has created a significant challenge in maintaining HIV prevention, testing and treatment efforts for high-risk populations such as truck drivers and vendors.  These clinics have historically played a crucial role in reducing HIV transmission and providing essential healthcare services to a mobile and often underserved population.  With funding cuts, the sustainability of these services is at risk and the impact could be felt in high HIV prevalence, decreased access to care and return to higher transmission rates.  To mitigate these effects, it is essential to explore and implore the Ministry of Health to seek alternative funding models and to strengthen our local healthcare system to ensure that the vulnerable population continues to receive the support they need in the fight against HIV/AIDS.  Thank you.

THE HON. SPEAKER:  Your observation Hon. Moyo indeed is felt not only in Zimbabwe.  The withdrawal is also felt in other countries, especially in Africa.  Perhaps, you may want to ask a question tomorrow as to what measures the Ministry of Health and Child Care is putting in place in order to close that financial gap which has been necessitated by the executive order of President Trump in withdrawing the funding.  For the future, Hon. Matangira’s point of order may be relevant so that we upscale our discipline in terms of future attacks by the same disease and similar diseases.  So, it is a question of upscaling the moral compass of the nation, not only Zimbabwe because the transmission is across borders.

         HON. KADEMAUNGA: I rise on a point of national interest to bring to this august House the passing on of President Sam. Nujoma, a titan of Pan Africanism and a champion of Africa’s liberation whose unwavering support for Zimbabwe’s liberation struggle will forever be added in our nation’s history.

         Mr. Speaker Sir, as the last of the Frontline State leaders to pass on, this demise marks the end of an era in both Namibia and African history. President Nujoma’s lifelong work embodied the principles of Pan Africanism seeking to promote solidarity and cooperation among African people through his leadership of the SWAPO Party. He spearheaded Namibia’s struggle of independence, inspiring a generation of Africans even beyond Namibia’s borders to resist colonialism, apartheid and neo-colonialism.

         His commitment to Pan Africanism was shaped by his encounters with other African luminaries like Kwame Nkrumah, Patrice Lumumba and President Gamal Abdel Nasser Hussein of Egypt. Here in Zimbabwe, we remember President Nujoma’s steadfast support to our struggle of liberation. We recall how he stood in solidarity with us during our Independence Celebrations in 1980 in Rufaro Stadium, even as he continued to battle for Namibia’s freedom back home.

         We recall how exactly year after that in June 1981, he returned to Zimbabwe as Zimbabwe hosted a Namibia solidarity week featuring mass rallies to shun the apartheid regime in Windhoek which were addressed by President Nujoma himself further solidifying the bonds of Pan African solidarity between our two nations.

         As we mourn the passing on of this African icon, we draw inspirations from his life. Nujoma’s dedication to African Liberation, his commitment to Pan Africanism and his pursuit of justice and equality are a testament of his enduring legacy and his tireless efforts. We also acknowledge his significant contributions to the development of the Pan African port. He played a crucial role in forming the organisation of African Union and he also paid a crucial role in promoting regional integration in our own sub-region through the Southern Africa Development Community.

         Mr. Speaker Sir, President Nujoma’s tireless efforts and his numerous accolades include the Lenin Peace Price, the Indira Gandhi, Peace Prize and the Houchi Peace Prize. In light of these immense contributions, I propose that this august House impresses upon the Executive to declare a day of national mourning in Zimbabwe to honour the life and legacy of Sam Nujoma, the last of the Frontline States leaders to pass on. I thank you.

         THE HON. SPEAKER: Order, good ideas have no boundaries. – [HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear.] - I want to thank the Hon. Member for raising that matter of national interest with such passion. We will transmit through our Government Chief Whip that message to the relevant authorities and hear what they will say. Meanwhile, I thought Hon. Kademaunga would say, let us rise and pay a minute of silence in honour of the late President Nujoma.

         All Hon. Members observed a minute of silence

         THE HON. SPEAKER: Thank you, may his soul rest in eternal peace.

MOTION

BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE

         HON. TOGAREPI: I move that Orders of the Day, Numbers 1 to 4 be stood over until Order of the Day, Number 5 has been disposed of.

         HON. C. MOYO: I second.

Motion put and agreed to.

MOTION

REPORT OF THE PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON ENERGY AND POWER DEVELOPMENT ON THE STATE OF ELECTRICITY SUPPLY IN ZIMBABWE

HON. SIHLABO: I move the motion standing in my name that this House considers and adopts the Report of the Portfolio Committee on Energy and Power Development on the state of the electricity supply in Zimbabwe.

HON. FREDY MOYO: I second.

        HON. SILHABO:     INTRODUCTION:

Flavi (1986) asserts that the real potential of electricity lies not only in improving social amenities but in stimulating long term economic growth.  Electricity is an enabler in the development matrix and economic growth for any country. Zimbabwe's power generation primarily relies on hydropower and coal. Zimbabwe has been facing power outages for the past years due to a combination of factors which include aging infrastructure, inadequate investment and climate change amongst other factors. In response to this crisis, the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Energy and Power Development initiated an enquiry to assess the state of electricity supply. This report presents the findings, observations, and recommendations of that inquiry, delving into the challenges, root causes and consequences of Zimbabwe's electricity shortage as well as proffering recommendations.

OBJECTIVES:

The objectives of the enquiry were to:

1. Establish the current capacity of power generation within the country;
2. Assess the overall state of electricity supply and distribution nationwide; and
3. Identify and analyse the challenges hindering the efficient generation, transmission and distribution of electricity and propose appropriate recommendations.

METHODOLOGY:

The Committee held oral evidence sessions with Rural Electrification Fund, Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority Holdings and its subsidiaries and the Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority in order to get a first-hand understanding of the power generation, electricity supply and distribution in the country and challenges that are being faced. The Committee then conducted site visits to power generation plants and transmission infrastructure, namely Kariba Power Station, Sherwood, Gwanda and Hwange Power Station.

COMMITTEE’S FINDINGS:

LEGAL FRAMEWORK GOVERNING THE ELECTRICITY SECTOR

ZESA management highlighted that electricity sector is mainly governed by the Electricity Act [Chapter 13:19] and the Energy Regulatory Authority Act [Chapter 13:23]. These two Acts provide the legal framework for the generation, transmission, distribution, and supply of electricity in Zimbabwe. Therefore, the Committee noted that the Electricity Act establishes the Zimbabwe Electricity Regulatory Commission, which is responsible for regulating the sector and ensuring compliance with standards and regulations, however there are gaps that are found in this Act. The Committee cited that the act does not address the need for modernising and expanding electricity infrastructure which is the major challenge in the electricity sector.

In addition, the Act lacks detailed provisions to promote the adoption of renewable sources such as solar and wind and it also does not address the issue of tariff setting that affects the financial viability of power generation projects. The Committee also noted that the Act enforcement measures for harsher penalties that were imposed for vandalism and theft ZESA management mentioned that the Energy Regulatory Authority Act, on the other hand, empowers the Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority (ZERA) to issue licences, regulate tariffs, and enforce compliance with regulatory requirements.

The Committee then noted that, this Act could enhance its effectiveness if some of the areas are improved, that includes clarity on renewable energy promotion. The Committee added that the Act mentions renewable energy but there are no specific measures and incentives for the renewable energy development. Furthermore, members pointed out that the Act could improve on the resolution of disputes between regulated utilities and their customers.

Current Capacity of Power Generation

The Committee visited the Kariba South Power Station (KSPS) and was informed by the Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC) management that Kariba Hydroelectric Complex has a storage capacity of 64.74 billion cubic meters for electricity generation and there are two power stations on the complex, that is, Kariba South on the Zimbabwean side and Kariba North on the Zambian side.

ZPC added that KSPS is capacitated to produce 1050 Megawatts (MW) but currently is only producing 250MW. Management stressed out that the normal year water allocation is 20 billion cubic meters and allocation for the year 2024 was eight billion cubic meters. Lake level was at 477.4 meters as of May 2024, resulting in the production of only 250 MW. The Committee noted that this significant decrease in water allocation for 2024 has raised concerns about the sustainability of current energy production levels.

In addition, the Committee also visited Hwange Thermal Power Station. ZPC emphasised that the power station serves as the nation's base load station and the features of the power station ensure a steady supply of power at all times. ZPC explained that the power station is capacitated to produce 1520MW inclusive of the two units, namely Hwange 7 and 8 that were commissioned in 2018 providing 300MW each. It was further explained that these two units are a contributor to the self-sufficiency in electricity generation helping in the reduction of importation of electricity and help to retain foreign currency.

In addition, ZPC mentioned that Independent Power Producers (IPPs) are playing a crucial role in the energy sector as most of them use various energy sources such as solar helping in diversifying the energy mix. Management added that the IPPs are also contributing 69 MW to the national grid.

PLANTS	CAPACITY IN MEGAWATTS (MW) (When at 100%)	ELECTRICITY GENERATED IN MEGAWATTS (MW) (currently)	SHORTFALL
Kariba South Power Station	1 050	250	800 MW
Hwange Power Station	1 520	760	760 MW
Independent Power Producers		69
TOTAL	2 570	1079	1 560

 

Fig 1: Combined Installed Capacity of Power Plants

 

Overall State of Electricity Supply and Distribution

The Committee also visited the Sherwood transmission hub and assessed the old Sherwood transmission substation in Sherwood as well as the Hwange 7 and 8 transmission substation, also known as Sherwood B. Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company (ZETDC) responsible for the operation and transmission, network rehabilitation, network expansion and project management informed the Committee about the new transmission lines being built, including the Alaska-Karoi. The Committee commended the good works being done by ZETDC.

However, in as much as the transmission and distribution lines are functioning well, ZESA management highlighted that Zimbabwe is still facing serious power outages because the distribution supply of electricity is not meeting the nations demand. The Committee noted that the major challenge is of all power plants not producing their optimum capacity.

In addition, ZPC pointed out that KSPS is producing 250MW only, Hwange power station is producing 750MW and IPPs are adding 69MW, making a total of 1079MW which cannot sustain the whole nation yet the nation’s demand is from 1500MW to 2350MW. Furthermore, ZPC has resorted to importing power from the neighbouring countries like Namibia in order to reduce load shedding. The Committee cited that considering the state we are in as a country, if there are no strategies that are going to be implemented sooner to boost generation, the nation will be suffering for a long haul.

Challenges Hindering the Efficient Generation, Transmission and Distribution

Climate changes or variability

ZESA management cited that as a result of the climatic shift that has negatively impacted the water levels at the largest man-made lake, dam levels have been dramatically reduced, affecting the quantity of electricity produced by hydropower facilities. As a result, water allocations to KSPS are only eight billion cubic meters, resulting in 250MW of output. This suggests that the country's power generation would be significantly reduced as water levels fall.

Aging Infrastructure

ZPC pointed out the outdated infrastructure of the Kariba and Hwange power plants which were built approximately six and three decades ago respectively, posing operational issues. For example, the breakdown of KSPS Unit 4 in July 2022 emphasizes the importance of extensive maintenance modifications.

Theft and Vandalism

ZETDC reported substantial theft and vandalism issues which have a negative impact on their business. This involves the theft of power cables, transformers and other equipment, as well as the vandalism of infrastructure like power lines and substations. They said that these illicit operations cause service delays, financial losses, and increased maintenance expenses for ZETDC. Furthermore, ZETDC stated that they are working on how to replace copper wires that are attracting criminals, and that there are rumours that the theft and vandalism are an inside job, but there is no proof to support this.

High Foreign Currency Obligations For Loan Repayments

According to ZESA Holdings, they possess huge loan burden in renovating some of the units, KSPS which amounts to $350 million. ZESA created a huge debt burden on the utility, including foreign currency commitments for loan repayments and spare parts purchase. Management added that repayments need to be done in foreign currency and they have resorted to exporting power in order to generate foreign currency.

Skills Flight

ZESA management added that there is shortage of skilled personnel in the electricity sector resulting in lack of technical expertise and they cited that over last two years, they have struggled to retain critical skills for the efficient running of the electricity generation plants. ZETDC mentioned that they are enrolling their own for technical expertise but mainly males are participating yet they are trying to break the gender stereotype.

 COMMITTEE’S OBSERVATIONS:

The Committee observed that Zimbabwe’s electricity supply strategy has been overly reliant on the Kariba South Power Station upgrade, a short-term solution vulnerable to water constraints. This approach has failed to address the country’s persistent electricity woes. Furthermore, global funding trends favouring renewable energy projects have limited Zimbabwe’s options for a balanced energy mix. The Committee observed the need for baseload power sources like thermal and nuclear plants to ensure stable electricity supply while acknowledging the role of renewables in peak power generation.

The Committee highlighted the country’s history of poor loan servicing has hindered access to affordable financing for power projects. The Committee noted that the Hwange and Kariba projects were procured at inflated costs contributing to high electricity tariffs.

The Committee raised concerns about ZERA’s independence in determining tariff structures in line with ZESA Holdings objectives. Additionally, the shortage of foreign currency to service power project obligations and the ongoing brain drain in the energy sector pose significant challenges.

The Committee observed the importance of timely maintenance of transmission and distribution infrastructure to prevent system failures.

COMMITTEE’S RECOMMENDATIONS

Based on the above observations, the Committee made the following recommendations that focus on three broad areas namely; addressing infrastructure and energy mix, financial sustainability and governance and human capital and revenue generation:

ZESA Holdings should be actively involved in attracting significant investments in refurbishing existing power plants and constructing new ones to overcome the over-reliance on Kariba South and address the observed infrastructure deficiencies by 31^st  December, 2025.

The Ministry of Energy and Power Development should diversify the energy mix to mitigate the impact of water constraints on hydroelectric power and enhance overall system reliability by 31^st  December 2026. In this regard, the Committee recommends for a strategic balance between base load power sources such as thermal and nuclear and renewable energy like solar, wind and geothermal.

Treasury should timely disburse funds to service loans for power projects to ease Zimbabwe's history of debt servicing challenges and improve the country's creditworthiness and facilitate access to affordable energy financing.

The Ministry of Energy and Power Development should invest in renewable energy projects in order to complement private sector efforts and address the funding constraints observed by 31^st  December 2025.

The Ministry of Energy and Power Development should implement stringent contract management protocols thorough due diligence, clear performance indicators and effective dispute resolution mechanisms to prevent recurrences of the Gwanda Solar Project debacle by 31^st  December 2024.

The Ministry of Energy and Power Development and the Ministry of Finance, Economic and Development Investment Promotion should make deliberate efforts to retain existing talent and attract skilled Zimbabweans in the diaspora to address the critical shortage of skilled personnel in the energy sector by 31^st  December 2026.

The Ministry of Energy and Power Development should implement robust revenue collection mechanisms by 31^st   December 2025, to ensure the financial sustainability of the power sector and support ongoing projects as well as contributing to reducing the government's financial burden on the sector.

ZPC and energy contractors should develop an effective communication and collaboration strategy for successful project implementation as a forward-thinking approach that prioritises the national interest that maximises project benefits by 31^st  December 2025.

CONCLUSION:

Zimbabwe's power generation crisis poses a significant obstacle to economic growth. The escalating impacts of climate change underscore the urgent need for substantial investments in infrastructure and renewable energy sources. Fortunately, Zimbabwe is endowed with abundant renewable resources, including solar and hydropower which offer a promising path towards addressing the country's energy supply challenges. By harnessing these resources, Zimbabwe can enhance its energy security, reduce reliance on fossil fuels and stimulate economic development. I thank you.

         HON. FRED MOYO:  Thank you Hon. Speaker Sir.  I think we all note that the Committee reports indicate a dire situation of a sector that has got a lot of challenges which need to be addressed.  I want to put the situation of the energy sector into the context of our national development vision.  Our national vision for social upliftment talks of us achieving an Upper Middle-Income Economy by 2030.  I think we have all understood from previous debates that what we refer to is achieving a net income per capita of USD4000 to USD12000.  That is the measure of what achieving an upper middle-income economy is.  However, we need to also understand that monetary figure in relation to development millennial goals or to social development upliftment which refers to the state of education, health in a nation, food and nutrition, transport, infrastructure and housing, etcetera.  The measures of national income status economy-wise are developed by the World Bank which has matrix or measures that refer to the social variables that I have mentioned.  What should be the state of education in a nation in order for that nation to be given that status?  What should be the state of our health?  When you look at those variables, you then ask, what is the role of the energy sector in pushing those variables in the correct category to give us the status that we are looking for?  Education will not progress without electricity.  The health sector is heavily dependent on the availability of electricity.  Food, irrigation and processing is done using electricity.  Transport is highly dependent on electricity to control its movement and its safety.  Infrastructure, water, sewer and communication are also heavily dependent on electricity.  We cannot live in houses that are dark without electricity and lighting.  Fuel is very critical for us to move our goods around the country. So we can all see that electricity or energy, globally, is central to us achieving Vision 2030.  Without developing our energy sector, in particular electricity, Vision 2030 can easily become a pipe dream. 

         The measure of primary electricity consumption per capita for Zimbabwe was highest at 6000 kw/per hour, per capita in 1990.  We have dropped down to 2600 kw from that figure as per the year 2021 record which was the last publication.  That means our ability and progress in providing electricity to our nation is going down but it does not mean that we are generating less.  What it simply means is that our population has gone up and hence per capita access to electricity has gone down.  So, Mr. Speaker Sir, I want to summarise by saying that we will not achieve Vision 2030 if the energy sector is not assisted and directed by the Executive, pointedly to ensure that it carries all the other social service delivery variables that will give us the vision that we are looking for.  I thank you.

         *HON. MATANGIRA:  Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir for affording me this opportunity to add my voice to the issue of the importance of our country, Zimbabwe.  This is the motion which was raised by Hon. Sihlabo, seconded by Hon. Moyo.  It is a very important issue and we cannot progress without electricity.  Climate change is real and you heard Hon. Sihlabo mentioning that the water levels in Kariba are very low because of the El-Nino induced drought.  There is no engineer who can produce water and pour it into the dam, hence it is pertinent to come up with a solution to ensure there is provision of electricity.  It is an issue which needs all ministries to put their heads together to come up with a solution.  As a country, we should come up with something that will help us produce electricity.  Hon. Sihlabo mentioned that all ministries need energy and electricity to function.  Hon. Moyo also stressed that in order for us to realise our Vision 2030 and be an Upper Middle-Income Economy, we need to come up with a solution to have electricity for all sectors. 

Mr.  Speaker Sir, I understand this issue deeply because I serve in the Mines and Mining Development Committee.  His Excellency, Dr. E. D. Mnangagwa, the President of the Republic of Zimbabwe is always encouraging us to do beneficiation of our minerals so that we get more revenue to enable our Vision to materialise.  However, we are failing to do that because of lack of electricity.  I will give an example of ZimPlats, which if it needs to beneficiate, it has to install refineries and uninterrupted electricity throughout the year. I was thinking that this motion really needs all of us in this august House, Ministers, the Speaker of Parliament and everyone and see what we can do since we have 64 million tonnes of coal, how best we can utilise it? Let us build thermal power stations at Hwange and produce electricity.  Government should look for the funds and build power stations so that our country can have enough electricity. At the moment, Hwange is producing 700 megawatts and Kariba is producing 200 megawatts of electricity. Why are we waiting for something which is difficult whilst we have got enough resources to produce electricity in the country?

Hon. Sihlabo also emphasised the importance that we also have other areas where we can get electricity. For example, we have got thermal power, which is coming from coal. Some of the ideas which are being given against the coal are not really valid; we also have hydro power.

 

Hon. Speaker Sir, Zimbabwe is endowed with uranium. As a country, if we could agree and come up with a solution, if we can mine uranium, produce reactors and develop our country so that those neighbouring countries that are removing aid would end up complaining because as a country, we will be self-sufficient and  sustainable on our own as a country. We can have a better life. If we work towards the development of our country, by 2030, we will be a middle-income economy country.

Hon.  Members, I am pleading to you through the Hon. Speaker of Parliament, Advocate Jacob Mudenda, this motion which has been brought into this House by Hon. Sihlabo, let us support it. It is affecting everyone. It is something which is affecting us as Hon. Members and the nation at large. If we do not support this motion, we are also putting the country at a standstill in terms of development.

Mr. Speaker, I thank you for awarding me this opportunity. I also take this opportunity to thank Hon. Sihlabo for raising this pertinent motion. – [HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear.] -

Hon. Matangira having clapped his hands thanking the Hon. Speaker

*THE HON. SPEAKER: Then what can I do after you have clapped hands like this?

*HON. MATANGIRA: It is just a way of acknowledging you and thanking you. You just accept Mr. Speaker.

         HON. ENG. MHANGWA: I stand to buttress the report from the Committee on Energy and Power Development. It is common cause that we have a dire electricity situation in this country. Those who care to remember, will remember exactly more than a year ago in the pre-budget seminar, we insisted that as a country, we are not out of the woods to self-sufficiency as yet.

As such, electricity should not only be adequate but enough to be an enabler to the growing economic needs of the country in the next 30-year horizon. As a country, we need to comprehensively deal with the energy issues in a way that provides a reliable and yet sustainable energy mix that can spur the much-needed growth to our economy and meet the Sustainable Development Goals of 2030.

If one goes by the reports from the utility, one would be tempted to think that if we have a good rainfall season for a few years, this is a panacea to our energy woes. Mr. Speaker Sir, even if we have the best rains, Kariba by its nature and its design, will not consistently give us 1,050 MW that is designed 24-7. It merely helps us with the energy gaps during the peak seasons and during the peak hours.

From the 1960s, when Kariba was commissioned, the ESC and the Central Africa Power Company have been decisive in their planning. This trend continued into the 1980s. As a young engineer in the mid-2000s, Mr. Speaker Sir, I was pleasantly surprised at the amount of planning and the database that ZESA has in terms of the plans for Zimbabwe to be energy secure. It is not lack of planning, Mr. Speaker Sir. It is lack of implementation that we are suffering from.

Energy sources that have not been exploited span from coal, which we have in vast abundance in Gokwe, Chiredzi and Beitbridge, in addition to the Hwange that we are used to.  Hydropower, solar, wind, biomass, geothermal power, natural gas, uranium for the production of nuclear.

You can mention all of them. Our approach to the energy supply crisis since the turn of the century has been inadequate, reactive, ad-hoc, fragmented and inefficient. We have not allowed ourselves to look at the resources we have as a country and make the best use of it. We remain cognisant of the limitation of the fossil fuels as non-renewable and contributing to greenhouse gases but indeed we cannot rush to do away with these at such a critical point. We need to have a well-timed just transition from fossil-based forces to balance our energy mix. This can happen by us planning long-term while acting short-term.

Mr. Speaker Sir, you have always mentioned that as Hon. Members, we should proffer solutions and not just criticise. In the next part of my presentation, I hope to give some solutions.

Number one, urgently construct one or two thermal power plants with a minimum of 500 megawatts in Gokwe or Chiredzi. Concurrently to this, exploit natural gas in Lupane and give another 300 to 500 megawatts of energy to the grid. Key to this is to ensure we revert to the way ZESA used to synergise with Hwange Colliery in the past. A clear resource mining plan should talk to our generation plan. Now that we have many private players in coal mining, we need to thoroughly coordinate these efforts so that we do not have a plant and not necessarily have the resources to power this plant. In the immediate future, we make our coal and gas more efficient and mitigate emissions using technology.

Number two, we juxtapose this with an addition of a thousand megawatts from renewable in the next two years or so. We need to set a target of a 40-60 split between renewable, which is in the form of solar, wind, geothermal and biomass, which are great on paper but have shortcomings, to fossil, natural gas and nuclear which create a dependable base for cheaper, reliable electricity of which industry can grow without burdening the end user and making our products unmarketable. Nuclear is classified as renewable, though it has high safety standards. It is one of the best energy sources that should be added in the next ten years.

We may fear embracing nuclear, fearing how we will dispose of it but already with the much applauded solar, we still have a disposal problem. Many scientists argue that the crisis of disposing the solar panels may be worse than what we fear from nuclear. As Parliament, this is an issue that is within our purview and our input can make a big difference. We can ensure that all legislative hurdles to IPPs are removed.

I further go on to propose as a fifth point, to actively ramp up our net metering in a symbiotic way for entities, institutions and homes producing excess electricity to send to the electricity grid. This is something that ZESA has already started embarking on but the pace has been at a snail's pace.

There is a need that there is a collaborative effort to ensure that there are incentives for those who have excess electricity to put back into the grid.

 On the sixth point, Mr. Speaker Sir, we need to have a multi-sectoral energy efficiency programme led by the Ministry of Energy and Power Development and the Ministry of Industry and Commerce that goes beyond mere policy.

Mr. Speaker Sir, the biggest power station we can build in the short term is saving the electricity that we already have. We must have resources channelled towards energy efficiency. We need to have a green building court. We should encourage the new buildings to be energy efficient and target zero buildings.

 

The seventh one, Mr. Speaker, that has been alluded to by my Hon. Chair, is that we have to have a comprehensive skills audit and roadmap on energy-related professions. Ensure there is a seamless integration from tertiary institutions to industry to ensure that the traditional professions that we are used to of those electricians keep abreast with the new technologies that are coming.

Sadly, Mr. Speaker Sir,  even at a time when we are saying there is skills attrition through death and migration at ZESA, there is a moratorium at ZESA as we speak.  ZESA cannot recruit. ZESA cannot even take attachés currently. ZESA cannot take graduate trainees. This has been in place for the last one and a half if not two years. So, if the pipe is cut, definitely the skills cannot continue to come. Some of us have chosen politics from engineering and engineers have left ZESA.

So, it is important that ZESA becomes responsive and they continue to have the marvellous programme they had, that groomed some of us to become the engineers that we are.

 

Mr. Speaker Sir, on the eighth point, energy players, including the utility, Government ministries should plan and act responsibly such that they align the response to the country's energy needs holistically. Funding of electricity planning should be prioritised and fully supported by the Government in general and Treasury in particular.

Part of what is needed is, since there is much talk about prescribed asset status that can be applied for by those engaging in generation projects in the form of IPPs, it is my submission that it should be foregone that for any power plant that is above 5 megawatts, there is an automatic prescribed asset status. This helps to make the industry lucrative to the players in the form of pension funds, players that have local funds that are available but may not necessarily find the sector lucrative.

Last but not least, Mr. Speaker Sir, is investment in transmission infrastructure. It is no use adding new generation capacity to an incompetent network. Yes, there are new projects that have come for transmission lines aligned to the Hwange 7 and 8. There are projects like Alaska that have come but the rest of the network is old and dilapidated. It is important if we envisage that we are going to double our output, our generation output, equally the lines that will carry that electricity should be doubled in terms of their capacity. This is an urgent need that needs to be carried on.

 I will not buttress too much on the issue of having a strong framework for contract management in projects that ZESA subsidiaries and the ministry embark on. There are many cases in point, there are projects that have been embarked on where the utility does not have clauses to protect itself.

It has to resort to negotiating with defaulting contractors. A case in point is the Gwanda project that failed to deliver 100 megawatts over more than 10 years. Mr. Speaker Sir. I so submit.

*HON. MAPIKI: Mr. Speaker Sir, before I add my voice to the report presented by the Portfolio Committee on Energy and Power Development, I want to say this.  The Government of Malawi; 85% of their budget was being funded by donors. It was a donor-funded budget. Here in Zimbabwe this year, on the issue of health, we saw that we were expecting more from the donors from the budget which was presented here in the august House.

 

We did not expect that the United States Government under Donald Trump is going to remove the donor funds. I want to encourage that as a country, we must be able to craft our budget as a standalone country and not rely on donor funding.

On the issue of electricity, we have what we call independent power producers. Those are some of the players in this energy sector who make sure that we have electricity. I fear that if these people close their companies, like what the United States Government has done, Zimbabwe will find itself in a compromised position.

Vision 2030 is a very noble idea, hence it needs us as a Government to come up with ways to make sure that the country develops. The independent electricity producers are contributing very much. So, if the donor funding is removed, even the issue of electricity is going to be troublesome for us as a country. So, I think as a country, Zimbabwe must work hard to make sure that we produce enough electricity for the industries in all other areas in the country.

We also have the issue of solar and lithium. Regarding the issue of lithium, the Ministry of Mines has not managed to mine lithium like what other minerals are being mined. However, lithium is another mineral that helps us in the production of batteries and solar, which will help us to produce our electricity as a country. So, it has taken a very long time for the Mines Bill to come up with a Bill in this august House so that we can work in mining these minerals, which will help us in the alleviation of electricity woes. Currently, if you look at the number of solar panels and batteries that are being imported from other countries, you will see that a lot of money is being used to import these solar systems.

Hence, it is very pertinent as a country, to come up with a Bill or laws that allow uranium and lithium to be mined so that we can produce our electricity locally using our own products. In order for us to be part of the Non-Proliferation Treaty and be able to use uranium to produce electricity, we heard that our engineers said that the process takes a lot of money.   It is very pertinent to consider this because we use water to produce electricity but currently because of El Nino, it is difficult.

We also have engineers in this august House who do not have proper papers. It is very pertinent for us as a country to work together and move forward as a country and come up with better solutions.

The issue of mining of gas in Lupane and Muzarabani, we have

asked those who are working on those areas.  We noted that the Government does not have a policy to ensure whether the amount of gas is able to cater for the country. I was looking at countries such as Russia taking gas from countries like Liberia.  We were supposed to be in the process of laying pipes from Muzarabani to Harare and export to other countries but right now, there is nothing tangible in those areas.  So, as a country, we must look into those areas and maximise the benefits which we get from that.

The Government says it is installing floating solar panels.  They expect to install the solar panels at Lake Kariba.  Other countries are using solar panels in urban areas.  Here at Parliament, they can install solar panels on top of the roof and as a Parliament, we can produce electricity which we are using here at the institution and also distribute to surrounding buildings.

For example, in Harare, if they install solar systems in all buildings in First Street, they will be able to use electricity from solar systems and end up distributing to other buildings. Other countries are also using the same strategy. Zimbabwe is part of the SADC countries.  There is an issue of electricity which is coming from the Democratic Republic of Congo from the Grand Inga Dam. We can be able to benefit the whole of Africa in making sure that we get electricity. As a Government, we must work and make sure that we get electricity from the Grand Inga Dam and also get electricity through South Africa.  As SADC countries, we must work together to make sure that we can get a massive line from the Grand Inga Dam, in the DRC and take electricity from that country and distribute into SADC countries.  As a Government, we encourage each one of us to think carefully on the issue of electricity and come up with solutions.

The other issue of electricity, big companies which are mining and manufacturing are not supposed to take electricity from Lake Kariba.  They must be given an opportunity to produce their own electricity. When they are doing impact assessment, they must produce their own electricity and use it for their processes with the remaining electricity being sent to the grid.  It helps the country to lessen the burden of producing electricity for all activities that are being done in the country.

The other issue which is derailing the processing of manufacturing of electricity is that we do not have a policy. There is a Ministry of Skills Audit.  There must be incentives or benefits.  Those who managed to learn engineering or artisans must be given incentives to prevent them from migrating to other countries. Some of the problems which we are failing to alleviate as a country, most of the people who are being trained in this country on manufacturing of electricity are migrating to other countries whilst the country is lagging behind in the shortage of knowledge and skills.

Students who complete their studies must be incentivised.  For example, stands and everything so that they do not migrate to other countries because most of the time, it is important to give them incentives  because most of their salaries are below the poverty datum line. In other countries, you will find that their senior engineers are former students from Zimbabwe.

I am not looking down upon our local engineers in this House but I am imploring them to come up with ways to utilise water at the Victoria Falls and come up with a better solution to manufacture electricity.  I thank you. 

*HON. NYABANI:  Thank you Madam Speaker.  Let me add my voice on the issue of electricity.  In order for us to attain Vision 2030, electricity is very important in the country. We once went to Angola and saw a solar farm. The solar farm was so huge to the extent that we could use either a car or aeroplane in order to see the whole farm. The kilowatts produced are impressive.

So, when we visit other countries, we can copy those ideas, bring them home and implement them so that we alleviate the issue of electricity shortage.

In Zimbabwe, our weather is sunny most of the time. Yes, we can lack water since there is insufficient water in Lake Kariba due to climate change.  When it comes to this time, it is always hot and we can have enough electricity. We must come up with solutions to make sure that we produce our solar systems and batteries that are being imported from other countries. Even the solar panels that are being imported from other countries, duty must be reduced in order to alleviate the shortage of electricity.

In the past few years, you will recall that electricity was being provided from 2200hrs to 0600hrs but during production times between 0900hrs and 1100hrs, you hear reports saying there is no electricity.  It is very important to make sure that the country has enough electricity to ensure that production happens. A country cannot develop without electricity.  I implore the Government to encourage people to install solar panels for home use and also utilise our own electricity. I have tried the same concept in Rushinga, it is very viable and doable. Fridges can work properly using electricity from the solar panels.  Many households and shops install solar systems and the excess power produced being channelled to the national grid. The electricity being produced by the country must be channelled to the heavy industries for production.     

There is an issue that the Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (ZESA) needs to work on and that is replacing the timber electricity poles with concrete ones.  ZESA must make sure that they erect concrete poles throughout the country. I once travelled to Mozambique and Angola; they use concrete poles. In Zimbabwe, in rural areas like Rushinga and Mukumbura, most of the time, up to 100 wooden electricity poles are always down. Hence, ZESA is losing a lot of money to replace these poles. How much do these wooden poles cost? Let us install concrete poles. If we use the money being channelled for pole replacement, we can construct biogases, solar farms and many other ways to alleviate shortage of electricity.

If you travel in the rural areas, you see that there are no solar systems, there are no techs but there are techs that must be used.  So, if you travel in the rural areas, you see that there are no solar panels on the premises. When we are importing electricity from other countries, the Government uses a lot of foreign currency.  Companies which have managed to install solar systems or to produce their own electricity must get a benefit of reduced tax in order to encourage other companies to follow suit. When we are importing electricity, we will be using a lot of foreign currency.

There is another issue of beneficiation that was mentioned. As a country, we cannot thrive without electricity. We used to buy mealie meal in the industries.  These companies operated during the night because of electricity shortage because during the day there was no activity because of electricity. If you go to other companies in need of buying something, they will tell you to wait a bit because electricity is going to be available during the night.

Other countries have resorted to using windmills, countries such as Germany.  I am not yet sure about the wind in Zimbabwe, I am going to ask the Hon. Minister about the issue.  In order for us as a country to attain Vision 2030 and His Excellency, Dr E. D. Mnangagwa’s vision, electricity is the key. I thank you.

HON. MAMBIPIRI:  Thank you Madam Speaker.  I just want to add my voice in support of the report on the electricity and power situation in the country.  I think it is a known fact that electricity and power are serious issues that are grappling and making life difficult, not only for Zimbabwe but for the region.  In order to address these and move forward, I would like to propose four strategic steps for this House and for this nation that could help us move from the power crisis.

The first one is, we have to be deliberate as a country in terms of generating power from coal.  There have been discussions and deliberations about whether we can use coal at this present moment vis-a-vis issues of the environment but I would counsel and say all the states that have developed before us have done so at the back of using coal.  Given that our options are few and limited, we just have to lean on coal and use it to the best of our advantage.

We are blessed by God that we have more than 550 million tonnes of coal deposited in this country.  We surely cannot just mourn and cry about how to generate power when we have the coal.  For now, I think we just have to be deliberate and use the coal that we have to generate power.

The second point that I want to raise if we want to be deliberate about solving our power situation, is to encourage the use and function of IPPs, the independent power producers in this environment.  Their biggest challenge so far, the IPPs, those who have attempted to generate power for this country or to apply for licencing has been in terms of capital to kick-start their projects. Our economy has not leaned towards helping or assisting those who are willing to generate power in this environment.  ZESA also as an institution has not been kind in terms of providing incentives to IPPs so that they generate power.

One good example that those who are in this IPP sector have always complained about is that whenever they generate power and want to transmit it; because they have to use the ZESA infrastructure, they are charged four cents per kilowatt which then makes their electricity very expensive if they have to sell to the next person.  So I just want to encourage ZESA to at least revise their fees and motivate the IPPs to exist.

The third point that I want to raise is for ZESA to at least be accountable for the little resources that they have.  We all are familiar with the story of Gwanda and how ZESA put five million in that project but up to today, ZESA is not able even to be on the ground.  They are not able to visit the site, they are not even able to call the contractor for any other meeting regarding the way forward.  Now, Gwanda is just one project but there are several other projects and works that ZESA is engaged in and the economy and the nation has not benefited anything from those.  I just want to encourage ZESA to always try to be accountable even for the little resources that they have.

The last point that I want to raise is, given the limited power that we have as a country, I just want to urge ZESA to at least be deliberate about being equitable in terms of how, where and when they provide power to the population.  It is very disheartening, especially for some of us who live in the ghettos, when you go for almost 20 hours without electricity but every night when you are outside your house, you look on the horizon, you see those who live in the leafy suburbs having access to electricity and you wonder what special qualities they have to be afforded that power.

 If ZESA at least accepts that we are in a crisis and this crisis is shared as it impacts and affects everyone who would want the limited resource that they have, therefore that resource must be shared equitably to make sure that every other Zimbabwean, no matter where they stay, have access to electricity, life would be easier and better for every Zimbabwean.  I so submit.  Thank you.

*HON. ZEMURA:  Thank you Madam Speaker.  I stand to support the motion which was tabled before this august House on energy and power development.  Honestly, if we look into our country, we are actually suffering because of a lack of electricity.  When the previous speakers were speaking, I discovered that as women, we are suffering more.

Sometimes when you are cooking, you have cooked sadza halfway and you want to prepare food for people to go and rest and then we experience a power cut.  It is a very big challenge to us as women.  Some of us might be having solar-powered back-ups but most of us do not have access to such.  Some of the residents might have gas stoves but the majority do not have those gas stoves.  Right in the CBD, I have discovered that most of the citizens have electricity challenges.

There was a woman who was pregnant with triplets and she wanted to go and deliver her babies.  She was asked to bring her own lights, to buy candles but the shops were closed.  She was then asked to bring those lamps which are made out of paraffin but she did not have the paraffin.  

I am kindly requesting for the whole nation to have electricity or no power cuts. Sometimes we pay for electricity worth a month but it will last for up to four or five months without fully consuming the amount paid for.  Honestly, it is simply because we run out of power now and then.  On the issue to do with television or entertainment, sometimes we fail to switch them on.  Televisions are no longer functional. 

         We have lost a lot of meat in our refrigerators.  A lot of businesses have gone down because of power cuts.  You cannot keep on opening your shops without electricity.  You also risk facing those thieves.  The deep freezers are melting with a lot of items.  If there is a power cut whilst there is a chicken stored in a fridge and then the power comes back, it rots easily.  You cannot even consume it. 

         Moreover, young business people are not doing anything because electricity is turning them down.  Those ladies who used to run around selling freezits no longer do such business.  There is nothing that those who used to go around in the streets selling ice cream can do.  Everything has been shut down, even those big businesses that use electrical machines.  Honestly speaking, electricity is failing us.  If you want development and if we have electricity, we go forward. 

         Right now as we speak, these students sometimes want to use their computers or gadgets.  Without electricity, they do not have anything to do and are now on the negative side.  All those things have pulled us down.  So, I would like to thank the Committee for mentioning issues that are being affected by electricity and some of the things that the Committee should put back in place.  If you want to import electricity then let us import from other countries.  Kariba does not have adequate water.  It is not Zimbabwe’s fault but it is simply because we experienced drought last year.  We have  limited amount of water levels in Kariba.

         I once visited Kariba and discovered that the water levels are very low.  Since we were born, it is my first time seeing Kariba going down to that level.  I am kindly requesting any means and ways to assist with the availability of electricity.  If it means we want to draw water from the sea, I think let us do it.  Thank you.

         *HON. NYAKUEDZWA:  Thank you Madam Speaker.  I would like to support the motion before this House.  I would like to support those Members who debated before me.  The information was tabled by the Chairperson of the Committee on Energy.  It is very important to us all.  For the whole country to move on, we must have electricity.  If we do not have electricity, nothing goes forward.  There is no development even if you look at the Ministry of Health . In hospitals, people are being treated but when they want  to go to a theatre, if there is a power cut, then that means we are going to lose that person’s life. So, it is very important if we have electricity Madam Speaker Ma’am.

I was of the idea that as a nation, let us proceed and give assistance to Hwange Colliery. This is because it is a Government-backed parastatal. They accept our local currency. We are not only saying that these IPPs can draw us back because sometimes they reject local currency. Let us prioritise the expansion of Hwange Colliery so that they have somewhere to mine their coal. In our country, we were blessed that we have God-given resources and in vast quantities.

 I would like to say as a nation, if we prioritise the assistance of Hwange Colliery, our country can have adequate power generation. In this nation of ours, we have newly introduced solar energy plants which were introduced in the Second Republic. They will assist our nation to have adequate electricity. In Manicaland, there was a recently launched solar power plant that is quite big and can supply business centres, hospitals and schools as well as 80 homesteads. So, if we manage to have such solar energy plants in this country in numbers, that will help our country to have an adequate power supply.

In my constituency, they are constructing a new big solar energy plant which can supply, schools, hospitals and 80 homesteads. I would like to thank the Government for such ideas to add to  electricity. I move on to the minerals. We were blessed to have numerous minerals in this country. However, if we do not have electricity, we cannot extract or mine day and night so that we have enough minerals which will then assist us in generating foreign currency.

 I support that if we have power stations which will then be supported by solar and hydro power, that will then help us to have adequate electricity to achieve Vision 2030 and we can only reach there if we continue empowering the power generation in this country Zimbabwe. Madam Speaker, I would like to thank you so much for the information shared by the Chairperson of Energy. I thank you.

         *HON. BAJILA: Thank you Madam Speaker Ma’am. I would like to thank Hon. Sihlabo and Hon. C. Moyo who have brought this motion to this House so that as Hon. Members, we debate on it. A lot has been said but I would like to add one or two issues which are bothering people where I come from and bring about solutions to proffer.

         Firstly, there is an issue to do with people who are paying electricity yet they continue to remain in arrears. This is what we call fixed charges. In a situation like this where we do not have electricity, we have people who are paying electricity that they are not using yet in the past, this little money that they were paying, they would have electricity where they would cook beans on the same little amount of money that they were paying. All I am saying is that this issue of having a fixed charge in electricity fees should be removed so that people can only pay for what they use. This fixed amount is a challenge in scenarios where we do not have electricity at all. 

         The second issue is that in the past, when electricity fee would be increased, it would go hand-in-hand with the country’s challenges and it would go hand-in-hand with the amount that would be given monthly. Right now, it is increasing more often in ZiG. We need to only have electricity charges increasing in correspondence with the value of our currency not to just have it increasing haphazardly.

         Right now, I will focus on what we call vandalism. I want to challenge this House to ensure that everyone who is found vandalising electricity equipment is made to pay exorbitantly. For urban dwellers, we are forced every now and then to keep buying these vandalised equipment  to replace in those areas that would have gone down due to vandalism.

         The challenge with vandalism is making us keep paying more yet the people that are found vandalising this equipment are not reprimanded accordingly. It is my plea that this august House says it clearly that for those that are paying for these vandalised equipment, their money should be paid back to them because in other areas, they are refunded but in other instances, they are not refunded.

         There are so many institutions that have been brought down because of these challenges of shortage in electricity that has been highlighted before. These include educational institutions and farming institutions that are disturbed in their operations due to lack of electricity. We need to work hand-in-hand in fighting these challenges.

         In conclusion, our country is now known as a country which every moment when they are trying to empower themselves, they are made to pay tax. If it was possible, then Zimbabwean citizens who are putting in their money to buy solar equipment should do that without paying tax. If we are made to pay tax, it will be a challenge to those who would want to continue to provide solar equipment to help us in this challenge of lack of electricity.

         If possible, Government should put in money to make sure that solar equipment is purchased outside the country at a low fee. This will also encourage those who would want to do business in our country, to do it without any challenges. With these few words, I would like to thank you Madam Speaker.

         *HON. GANYIWA: Thank you Madam Speaker. Let me add a little bit because most of the information was mentioned before. Let me try my level best to try and pave way forward on how best we can assist each other in this challenge because we already have it. I am personally seconding what was mentioned by previous speakers that let us look closely at using the renewable sources of energy which are found in this country, like the use of coal which is found in areas like Muzarabani and Hwange. I actually know that sometimes we might have some challenges which could hinder us from using such sources of energy, focusing on the differences in climatic changes because of some of the people who are focusing on environment.

Let us avoid continually having those previous oppressors to continue having them in charge by way of fighting the crisis of electricity. On the issue of resolving the electrical challenges in those rural and urban areas, I suggest that up to this point, if we fail to have our own solar systems, to import such solar systems. I am kindly requesting that they reduce the taxes for import duties on those solar panels, especially focusing on those people who are in rural areas. If we do not motivate people to use such solar panels, it will be very expensive for us to build some of the things mentioned before. If we try our level best to generate electricity for different stations like Kariba, Hwange and other areas, to pave the way forward for the electricity to be transported from point A to point B, if we use this opportunity, we have to ensure that we generate electricity which is being used in urban and rural areas.

         Let us try our level best to motivate those local authorities to say all those people who want to have their certificates or their plans approved to build must have the authority. Let us have those people building their structures on the eastern side generate electricity through solar systems. I am kindly requesting that our Government ensures that people do reduce taxes on those solar panels importation. Let me focus on the other way where we can generate more electricity. Let me speak on to the gas. – [ Power outage] -   Can I continue speaking; because I do not use electricity when speaking? Let us all use gas and coal whenever we want to do our domestic cooking. Gas stove prices and import duties should be reduced. Cooking is a mammoth task for women when preparing meals for their children and their husbands. We have to focus on the other form of power generation, be it big or small. Let us try our level best to generate more electricity from those forms which we will then be using in our areas.

         I agree and support the idea which was once mentioned before in this august House to ensure that in our areas, we have solar panels to generate more electricity. Companies must have the authority to use the power which is being generated or power which we have been using of late from those power stations like Kariba, Munyati and Hwange so that it reduces demand for the power needed in rural areas and in other areas like in farms and companies.

I would suggest that we avoid being monitored or controlled by those previous oppressors.  Let us try our level best to issue funding to the learners who are doing research in universities for them to find different ways. They will have to use nuclear systems, they will then be granted permission to do power generation and we avoid criminalising people who do power generation using the nuclear system and use it in this country. With these few words, let me allow other people to support the use of solar systems more. I thank you.

         *THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: I thank you.  When we had a power cut, it was not an electric fault; I am the one who pressed here by mistake. Let us avoid having such information spread around, I am the one who mistakenly pressed here.

         *HON. MANANZVA: Thank you Madam Speaker. I am here to add my voice on the issue which was mentioned in this august House to do with electricity.  Honestly speaking, we used to generate a lot of electricity from a hydro-power station in Kariba but this year and last year, we received low rainfall.

I thought that if these councils could be granted permission, say each council to generate its solar system to give power to its residents especially those in residential areas or have a law whereby everyone who has his or her own house must have his or her five-kilovolts or three-kilovolts power supply so that we avoid having challenges in accessing a limited amount of electricity.  If we get some from coal or hydro that will then be directed straight to the industries.  This will then assist our nation to go forward taking into consideration that we received low rainfall. 

In conclusion, let me say God blessed us here, we have enough sunlight in this country.  We must make it a law to say people in urban areas, everybody must have his or her solar power generated.  I thank you.

         *HON. KUKA: Thank you Madam Speaker. Let me add to this debate which was brought in this House by the Chairperson of Energy and Power Development.  We have a problem just like what we are saying in this august House as we debate the issue to do with power cuts.  If you look into this area, it is affecting almost everyone in our areas because everyone in this country wants to buy perishables which need electricity now and then for refrigeration.  At the end of the day we will end up having a problem of buying things which will be ready to be disposed. Let me focus on the issue of those children who are going to school, especially in primary, you will discover that the primary school pupils are learning a lot of subjects. Children are given homework but when they get home, they will not have electricity. This is drawing back the level of education and our children can no longer be able to read and they cannot read a day before an examination. It is very impossible. So, the issue to do with electricity is a big challenge to the whole country.

In urban areas, we have some tower lights which assist us when we want to go from one place to another but if it is dark, it will be difficult to move.  With these challenges it will then end up giving thugs the opportunity to rob people of their belongings using weapons. In addition, some thugs are stealing oils and cables from transformers. These are the challenges which we are facing as a nation. For example, we come from different provinces where some of the areas have enough running water and sunlight. Those areas should be utilised and ensure that we generate power from those areas. Areas like Lake Kyle in Masvingo should generate power for Masvingo residents.  From there, we then go to places like Hwange and Mutirikwi and then generate power from those areas. With these few words I thank you.

HON. NYANDORO: I move that debate do now adjourn.

HON. KAMBUZUMA: I second.

Motion put and agreed.

Debate to resume: Wednesday, 12^th February 2025.

MOTION

BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE

HON. KAMBUZUMA: I move that Order of the Day, Number 6 on today’s Order Paper be stood over until Order of the Day Number 7 has been disposed of.

HON. NYANDORO: I second.

Motion put and agreed to.

MOTION

REPORT OF THE PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON HEALTH AND CHILDCARE ON NON-COMMUNICABLE DISEASE (NCDS)

HON. MAKOMBE: I move the motion standing in my name that this House considers and adopts the report of the Portfolio Committee on Health and Child Care on non-communicable disease (NCDs) including cancer.

HON. P. ZHOU: I second.

HON. MAKOMBE:

Introduction

Zimbabwe has been making significant efforts to strengthen cancer management, particularly in the context of non-communicable diseases (NCDs). However, the burden remains high and this has been exacerbated by the increased incidence of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) which accounted for 36% of deaths in 2019. Recognising the urgency of this matter, the Portfolio Committee on Health and Child Care undertook fact-finding visits to various hospitals from the 13 to 16 May 2024. This visit aimed to evaluate the state of cancer treatment services and the management of NCDs in selected hospitals across different regions. The Committee visited six hospitals: Mpilo Central Hospital, Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals, Gweru General Hospital, Makumbe District Hospital, Karanda Hospital and Bindura General Hospital. These hospitals play a crucial role in providing healthcare services to large catchment areas, often serving as referral centers for surrounding districts. To that end, the report presents the findings from these visits, highlighting critical areas such as health infrastructure, human resources for health, and health financing. The report aims to provide a detailed overview of the current state of cancer and NCD management in these hospitals, identify the key challenges faced, and offer recommendations for improvements to enhance healthcare delivery and outcomes for patients across the country.

2.                   Objectives

The primary objectives of the fact-finding visit were:

1. To assess the measures in place to effectively offer cancer treatment and NCD management services
2. To identify the challenges faced by these hospitals in providing adequate care for cancer and NCD patients.
3. To proffer recommendations aimed at addressing the challenges

3.                    Methodology

The Committee's inquiry commenced with an oral evidence session with the Ministry of Health and Child Care. This session provided an overview of the national efforts and policies aimed at addressing NCDs and cancer treatment. Following this session, the Committee conducted visits to the six selected hospitals from 13-16 May 2024. During these visits, the Committee engaged with hospital administrators and medical staff, to gather first-hand information on the conditions and challenges faced.

4.                   Committee’s Findings

• Treatment and Management of Cancer and NCDs
  • During oral evidence from the Ministry, it was highlighted that Zimbabwe had prioritised the management of NCDs as outlined National Health Strategy (2012-2025). The plan focused on strengthening the treatment and management of cardiovascular diseases, cancers, chronic respiratory diseases and diabetes. It was further mentioned that NCDs accounted for 36% of deaths in Zimbabwe, with cardiovascular diseases contributing 13%, cancers 9%, diabetes 5%, chronic respiratory diseases 2%, and other NCDs 7%. The mortality of these NCDs was worsened by major risk factors such as tobacco use, physical inactivity, unhealthy diets, and harmful alcohol use. These risk factors often led to conditions such as high blood pressure, obesity, hyperglycemia and hyperlipidemia. Furthermore, it was expressed that poor health seeking behaviours particularly among men, had led many patients to seek medical treatment only at advanced stages of their diseases, particularly for cancer, where early detection significantly improved treatment outcomes.
  • However, in response, it was highlighted that the Government had focused on early detection, screening, treatment, and palliative care, with cancer prevention strategies addressing infectious agents, reducing tobacco and alcohol use, promoting healthy diets, and utilizing vaccinations against Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) and Hepatitis B Virus (HBV). Moreover, radiotherapy and oncology services were available at Parirenyatwa and Mpilo Hospitals, but the diagnosis of cancers was often delayed, with 80-90% of patients presenting at advanced Additionally, this untenable situation was aggravated by the critical shortage of specialists, including pathologists, radiologists, and oncologists, and advanced imaging facilities like Computed Tomography (CT) and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) which were largely unavailable in public hospitals.

4.2          Health Infrastructure

• The Committee toured the health facilities and were alerted to the various challenges that had militated against their capacity to efficiently and effectively provide quality cancer and NCD treatment and management services. The Committee noted that at both Mpilo and Parirenyatwa Central Hospitals, critical radiotherapy machines had been non-functional since At Parirenyatwa, one of the two brachytherapy machines were down due to the exhaustion of Cobalt 60 radioactive sources, needs to replenished. Additionally, the linear accelerators, essential for targeted cancer treatments, had been non-functional for the past two years, severely impacting the hospital’s ability to provide comprehensive cancer care. At Mpilo Central Hospital, the situation was similarly dire, with only 7 out of 14 renal treatment machines operational, reducing the hospital’s capacity to provide necessary dialysis treatments.
• The mammogram machine at Mpilo, which was donated by the National AIDS Council (NAC) to aid in breast cancer screening, was out of service, thereby halting vital early detection processes for breast cancer, a major concern given the high prevalence of late- stage cancer diagnoses. Further to that, the mobile X-ray unit at Mpilo was also down, causing significant delays in surgical procedures for children, who require timely diagnostic imaging for accurate and effective treatment. More so, although the laboratory services were fairly equipped with essential diagnostic tools, they suffered from an erratic supply and availability of key reagents. This inconsistency disrupted routine diagnostic testing and delayed critical medical investigations, undermining the overall efficiency of the hospital's healthcare delivery system. Consequently, the combination of outdated and malfunctioning equipment, coupled with supply chain issues, paints a challenging picture for the hospitals’ ability to deliver timely and effective patient care.
• However, Government must be commended for the on-going efforts to recapacitate health facilities, which are crucial steps towards improving healthcare delivery in the country. Notably, the recent procurement of two MRI machines for Mpilo and Parirenyatwa Central Hospitals represented a significant advancement in diagnostic These state-of-the-art machines enhanced the hospitals' ability to conduct detailed imaging studies, leading to more accurate diagnoses and better treatment planning for a range of conditions, including cancer and other non-communicable diseases. This investment, indeed, reflects the Government's commitment to addressing the critical needs of the healthcare system and demonstrates a proactive approach to modernising medical infrastructure, which was essential for delivering high-quality healthcare services to the population.

4.4          Human Resources for Health

4.4.1 During the tour, the Committee was made aware of high level of skills flight to green pastures in the hospitals. It was highlighted that most health facilities were operating below optimal levels due to significant shortages of key personnel such as radiographers, medical physicists, and nuclear medicine physicians. This shortage of skilled staff was exacerbated by the increased workload and the rapid advancements in medical fields, which necessitated continuous upskilling of health professionals. However, limited funding restricted opportunities for professional development, leaving many healthcare workers without the necessary training to keep pace with new technologies and treatment protocols. Additionally, the shortage of skilled personnel was compounded by obsolete medical infrastructure, further hampering the effective delivery of healthcare services. This combination of understaffing, lack of training opportunities, and outdated equipment created a challenging environment for healthcare providers and adversely affected patient care outcomes.

4.5          Health Financing

• The visits revealed that most hospitals were underfunded and this had negatively affected service It was pointed out that health financing in Zimbabwe had been a persistent challenge, with public healthcare funding relying heavily on Government allocations and external donor support. The limited national budget had resulted in insufficient funding for hospitals, medical supplies, infrastructure maintenance, and staff salaries. Moreover, the hospitals bemoaned the inconsistent disbursements and the large discrepancies between the allocated and the disbursed funds. This situation had led these health facilities to struggle to offer and maintain essential services and/or invest in advanced medical technologies and comprehensive training programs for healthcare workers.
• Additionally, in some instances, such as the provision of renal services, the Government often provided renal kits to support patients undergoing dialysis. However, patients were still expected to purchase other sundry materials, such as catheters, which significantly increased their out-of-pocket spending on health. This additional financial burden was particularly challenging for many patients, who already faced high medical costs due to their The requirement to buy supplementary medical supplies highlighted a gap in the healthcare system's ability to fully support patients, further exacerbating the financial strain on individuals and families dealing with chronic health issues.
• However, Government was commended for its to reduce the burden of accessing health services. Notably, in the 2024 National Budget, there was a significant increase in per capita spending on health to USD71.8, moving closer to the National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1) target of USD84. This increase represented a substantial commitment to improving healthcare infrastructure, services, and accessibility for all citizens. Additionally, the introduction of the tax on sugar, which was specifically ring-fenced to procure cancer treatment equipment, demonstrated a strategic approach to health financing.

5.0 Committee’s Observations

The Committee made the following observations:

1. NCDs accounted for 36% of deaths in Zimbabwe, with major risk factors being tobacco use, physical inactivity, unhealthy diets, and harmful alcohol use.
2. Poor health-seeking behaviors, especially among men, resulted in late-stage disease presentations, notably for cancer.
3. Radiotherapy and oncology services were available at certain hospitals, but diagnosis was often delayed due to a shortage of specialists and advanced imaging facilities.
4. While some services were offered, patients were often required to purchase other sundry materials such as catheters which significantly increased out-of-pocket spending on
5. Hospital visits revealed critical infrastructure challenges like non-functional radiotherapy machines and limited renal treatment capacity.
6. Most health facilities could not operate optimally due to the high rates of attrition of key medical personnel such as theatre nurses.
7. The user fee policy had affected the capacity of health facilities to generate revenue to support their operations.

6.0 Recommendations

1. The Ministry of Health and Child Care should establish binding maintenance contracts with health equipment suppliers. These contracts should include comprehensive training programmes for local personnel, covering both the use and ongoing maintenance of the
2. There is need for the Ministry of Health and Child Care to formulate a policy to ensure that training schools retain some of the health personnel by June 2025.
3. There is need for the Ministry of Health and Child Care to develop a roadmap for the decentralisation of cancer treatment facilities to all district hospitals by June 2025. This includes procurement of mobile clinics and capacitation of primary health care facilities to provide these services.
4. There is need for a deliberate strategy to train, recruit, and retain key medical personnel, especially oncologists and theatre nurses. This strategy should focus on providing competitive salaries, opportunities for professional development, and supportive working conditions by June 2025.
5. There is need for the Ministry of Health and Child Care in conjunction with relevant Ministries, departments, agencies and development partners to conduct awareness campaigns on cancer and NCDs treatment and management by December 2025.
6. There is need for the Ministry of Health and Child Care in conjunction with the Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education, Innovation, Science and Technology Development to conduct research and development into traditional medicines and their efficacy in cancer and NCD treatment and management by December 2025.
7. There is need for the Ministry of Health and Child Care to establish palliative care centres in all hospitals by December 2025.

7.0 Conclusion

The fact-finding visit highlighted critical issues in the management and treatment of cancer and NCDs in Zimbabwean hospitals. The limitations in infrastructure, human resources, and financing severely affect the quality of care provided to patients. Addressing these challenges requires a coordinated effort by Government, healthcare institutions, and stakeholders to improve healthcare delivery and outcomes for patients with cancer and other NCDs.

         HON. P. ZHOU:  I seek leave to debate this motion next week, I am not feeling well.

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

         HON. NYANDORO: I second.

         Motion put and agreed to.

Debate to resume: Wednesday, 12^th February, 2025.

MOTION

BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE

         HON. KAMBUZUMA: I move that we revert to Order of the Day Number 6.

         HON. MUJEYI:  I second.

         Motion put and agreed.

MOTION

REPORT OF THE PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC SERVICE, LABOUR AND SOCIAL WELFARE ON PAYMENTS BY NATIONAL SOCIAL SECURITY AUTHORITY (NSSA)

         HON. MALINGANISO: I move the motion standing in my name; That this House considers and adopts the Report of the Portfolio Committee on Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare on the petition on meagre pension pay-outs by the National Social Security Authority.

         HON. MUJEYI: I second.

         HON. MALINGANISO: I rise to give a report on behalf of the Portfolio Committee on Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare in relation to a petition that was extended to Parliament by NSSA Pensioners Advocate of Zimbabwe.

• Introduction

1.1    According to Section 149 of the Constitution, read together with Standing Order No. 191 and Appendix E, every citizen and permanent resident of Zimbabwe has a right to petition Parliament to consider any matter within its authority, including the enactment, amendment or repeal of legislation. 

1.2    On 4 April 2024, the Speaker of Parliament informed the House that Parliament had received a petition from NSSA Pensioners Advocacy Zimbabwe requesting Parliament to look into the plight of pensioners in view of meagre payouts.  The petition was referred to the Portfolio Committee on Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare.  The Committee conducted an enquiry into the issues and came up with this report with recommendations.

2.0    Petitioners’ Prayer

2.1    The NSSA Pensioners Advocacy Zimbabwe beseeched Parliament to exercise its oversight and investigate and rectify the following:

2.2    Pronounced suffering of NSSA Pensioners due to meagre pension pay-out.

2.3    Failure to access reasonable health services by pensioners and their legal dependents.

2.4    Failure to get decent accommodation.

2.5    Abuse of the pension fund by NSSA fund’s administration and State’s slow response in bringing the culprits to book. 

3.0    Methodology

3.1    The Committee invited the Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare, National Social Security Authority (NSSA) and NSSA Pensioners Advocacy Zimbabwe petitioners to a meeting to discuss the issues raised in the petition on 8 July, 2024.

4.0      Committee’s Findings

4.1    Monthly pay-outs

The petitioners informed the Committee that the monthly pay-outs from NSSA were inadequate resulting in many challenges such as lack of funds to cater for food, shelter, medication, and utility bills. They were concerned that even the current employees who were contributing towards NSSA pension scheme would face the same problem when they retire unless some changes are implemented. 

           The petitioners submitted that the monthly pay-outs of $20 from NSSA were their only source of income and was insufficient to sustain them and their dependents.   As a result, most pensioners were living below the poverty datum line.  They argued that they had contributed much but only to get this little in return.  They pointed out that NSSA was violating Sections 75 and Section 76 of the Constitution of Zimbabwe by denying them and their dependents the right to education and the right to health care respectively due to the meagre pay-outs.  They felt that NSSA had the ability to make profits from its investments yet there were no efforts to improve the welfare of pensioners.

           Dr. Shava, the General Manager of NSSA explained that the National Social Security Act, [Chapter 17:04] of 1989 established the Pension and Other Benefits Scheme (POSB).  The Act is administered in terms of Statutory Instrument 393 of 1993 that regulates and governs the administration and management of pensions and social security in the country and is based on 50/50 contributions by employers and employees.

           However, there were concerns and challenges related to the implementation and effectiveness of this scheme due to lower contribution rate in comparison to private pension schemes because the pension scheme is subject to an insurable earning ceiling.  He further explained that there was a misconception by the general public that the POBS was the main national pension scheme. The POSB scheme was designed to complement occupational and private pension schemes and not meant to be the only source of income as alluded in the petition.

           Dr. Shava explained that the POSB was a social welfare pension scheme with a lower contribution rate of 9% (4.5% from the employer and 4.5 % from the worker) based on a cap of USD700 compared to the average deduction for private pension schemes of 20%.  Despite this, Dr. Shava explained that NSSA offered higher pension benefits compared to private schemes. He explained that NSSA’s minimum retirement pension sometimes goes up to USD50, funds permitting compared to the private schemes which pays USD40.

           Mr. Masanga, the Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare indicated that there were many occupational pension fund houses though some had closed.  He informed the Committee that in good times, NSSA would increase its pay-outs and at one time, it was paying a minimum pension equivalent to USD100 but due to changes in the economic environment that figure went down to around USD20 to USD30.  He added that the pay-outs were slowly increasing to around USD40 to USD50 a month. 

           4.2  Regular Upward Review of NSSA Pension Pay-outs      

The pensioners proposed that monthly pay-outs should be reviewed regularly and be aligned to the cost of living. Dr. Shava explained that from September 2023 to March 2024, monthly pension increases were implemented as per the table below.

 

	Sept 2023 ZWL	Oct 23 ZWL	Nov 23 ZWL	Dec23 ZWL	Jan 24 ZWL	Feb 24 ZWL	March 24 ZWL	April24 ZiG	May24 ZIG	June 24 ZiG
Minimum Pension ZWL	160,395.00	200,617.09	227,751.35	230,228.37	236,135.59	449,996.51	626,908.14	376.34	376.34	376.34
Min Pension in USD @ Official Rate	34.81	40	39.82	40.00	40.00	50.00	40.00	50.00	45.00	50.00
Pension Increase		25.08%	13.53%	1.09%	2.57%	90.57%	39.31%

 

Dr. Shava explained that it was not possible for pension pay-outs to relate to cost of living and family breadbasket.  However, NSSA considered the cost of living in pension reviews but cannot match pension pay-outs to the family breadbasket level due to POSB's design as a supplementary scheme.  Dr. Shava said significant reforms, including adjusting the contribution rate and insurable earning ceiling, were necessary for this alignment.

4.3    NSSA Investments

In terms of the call by petitioners for NSSA to invest their contributions widely and share dividends, it was explained that POSB operated on a pay-as-you-go basis. The contributions collected sustain pension pay-outs, with surpluses invested to grow the fund for future liabilities and sustainability. 

4.4    NSSA Clinics

Dr. Shava explained that the petitioners’ request for NSSA to set up clinics nationwide was not possible because funding for clinics initially came from NSSA's corporate social responsibility budget but proved unsustainable.  However, NSSA will continue to provide medical services through mobile clinics as part of its corporate social responsibility.

4.5    Stakeholders Consultations

The petitioners suggested that NSSA should undertake consultations with stakeholders to gather their views on pension pay-outs and the challenges faced by pensioners.  It was stated that NSSA held regular engagement meetings with pensioners and other stakeholders through the National Pensioners Association and liaison officers.

5.0    Committee’s Observations

The Committee observed that:

5.1    The pensioners’ dissatisfaction with the meagre pay-outs they receive was justified considering that the amount was grossly inadequate to cater for basic needs.  However, the problem should be solved by amending the National Social Security Authority Act by removing contributions ceiling and allow the Authority to deduct a reasonable contribution amount which will result in reasonable pay-outs.  This shortfall in funding was impacting negatively on the ability of the Authority to provide adequate benefits to pensioners.

5.2    The Committee noted that as of October 2023, NSSA's pay-outs were USD 40, which was comparable to what private pension houses were paying their pensioners. Given that NSSA has a contribution rate of 9%, compared to the 20% rate of private pension schemes, NSSA pay-outs were therefore reasonable.

5.3    Pensioners were unaware that the NSSA pension scheme was not intended to be their sole source of income, but rather a social protection scheme. However, the Committee noted that for a pensioner expecting to benefit from their contributions, the explanation that the NSSA pension was not the main pension does little to improve the situation. The solution lies in empowering NSSA to increase its contribution collections from pensioners thereby enabling the Authority to review and raise the pay-outs. 

6.0    Committee’s Recommendations

The Committee, therefore, recommends that:

6.1    The Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare should initiate the process of amending the NSSA Act to raise the ceiling for deductions, thus allowing NSSA to collect higher contributions, which will result in increased pay-outs, by June 2025.

6.2    The Treasury should financially support social welfare programs such as the Assisted Medical Treatment Order (AMTO) and the Basic Education Assistance Module (BEAM) by allocating adequate funds in the 2025 financial year. These programs will significantly assist pensioners and other vulnerable groups in society.

6.3    NSSA, the Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare, and the Ministry of Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion should undertake educational awareness programs on social protection and insurance schemes, including the NSSA pension scheme and occupational insurance schemes, by June 2025.

6.4    The Ministry of Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion should continuously monitor and regulate the operations and conduct of all pension houses to ensure regular and meaningful pay-outs upon retirement.

7.0    Conclusion

7.1    The dissatisfaction of pensioners with the pay-outs and the insufficient contributions collected by the National Social Security Authority are key issues that need to be addressed by making the necessary amendments to the NSSA Act.  Moreover, there is a need for improved communication and awareness about the role of the NSSA pension scheme in complementing other occupation pension schemes. Addressing these challenges is crucial to ensure the effectiveness and success of the Pension and Other Benefits Schemes under the Act.

*HON. MUJEYI:  Thank you Mr. Speaker. I rise to add my voice on the issue which was raised in this august House by Hon. Malinganiso, the issue to do with pensioners. Yes, it is very true that pensioners have got worries on the amount of money which they are earning.  They were requesting for an upward review of the funds.  They used to receive USD20.00 each and they were requesting for an upward review of USD50.00 to USD60.00 because they need to pay school fees and medical bills.

Furthermore, they cannot survive on the meagre amounts.  They cannot survive on the little funds because the money will be deducted whilst they are still working expecting that when they retire, the pension will sustain them.  We actually expect them to have something to assist them because when they retire from work, they will not have enough energy to work for themselves.

So, I am kindly requesting for this figure to be reviewed upwards. Can they not review this amount upwards a bit? Actually, I am saying, can NSSA not have a way of ensuring that hospitals assume medical responsibility for the elderly? With these few words, I thank you.

*HON. MANHANZVA:  Thank you Mr. Speaker. I rise to add my voice on the issue which was tabled in this august House by Hon. Malinganiso. The issue has to do with pensioners.

Yes, it is very true that pensioners have worries on the amount of money which they are earning. We realised that it is very important for us to debate on that issue.  Honestly, when somebody goes on retirement, they expect something to be paid back in their old age on issues to do with health, food or accommodation. So, I was kindly requesting for NSSA to urgently look into this matter.  We know that NSSA has a lot of investments. Some of the places where they invest their funds, all those assets should be openly and announced publicly that NSSA this year managed to have such and such income.

My other plea is that workers pay up to 4.5% and the other 4.5% is being paid by the organisation or company. We are kindly requesting for an upward review of this pension percentage so that whenever a person goes on retirement, they earn a reasonable amount.

Then we move on to the issue to do with insurance. If you look into it, National Social Security Authority (NSSA) is actually better than other insurance companies which are deducting funds from workers. We are kindly requesting for a law whereby those organisations who actually will have deducted funds from workers’ earnings ensure that those workers get their funds back.  We must have a law whereby if you deduct funds from these workers, you repay them.  Just like now, if you are given 5kgs of seed, we do not expect that if it is on credit, you come back and say, I experienced a veld fire. So, if you take such funds, when they go on retirement, they must receive their due entitlements.

The other thing that we expect National Social Security Authority (NSSA) to do is  to regularly hold meetings with the workers. Sometimes NSSA will simply say, we paid a lot of funds, but if people do not understand what is happening, it will be difficult. Let me buttress on the issue to do with the law.  We must have a law which will then ensure that people pay all those people whose funds were deducted. It also includes these Hon. Members in here. We must have a law which will protect all these people.  With these few words, I thank you.

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

HON. S. MAHLANGU:  You had already recognised me Mr. Speaker Sir.

THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER (HON. NGULUVHE):  You may proceed Hon. Member.

+HON. S. MAHLANGU:  Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir. Thank you for giving me this opportunity to support the report on Public Service and Social Services submitted by Chairperson, Hon. Malinganiso, seconded by Hon. Mujeyi. I was part of the Portfolio Committee and what we found out was difficult concerning pensioners.

The first issue that I would like the Government to look into is that for pensioners, during the time they will be serving, it is critical that Government from what we have realised, most buildings by NSSA could assist some of these people who will be staying in camps. Once they are done serving, most of them fail to pay rentals where they will be staying because they will be getting paltry fees.  So, my plea is that there is need to have houses built for these people to stay with their families so that they do not encounter challenges of paying rentals for the rented places. Even in schools, right now looking at BEAM, it caters for everyone in Zimbabwe and does not focus on those that are from NSSA funded pensions.

         My plea is that Government should look into these people and provide for their needs like housing and their children or grandchildren’s education to ensure that these places are well catered for by Government. Thank you Mr. Speaker.

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

         HON. C. MOYO: I second.

         Motion put and agreed to.

         Debate to resume: Wednesday, 12^th February, 2025

MOTION

BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE

         HON. KAMBUZUMA: I move that we proceed to Order of the Day Number 8 on today’s Order Paper.

         HON. NYANDORO: I second.

         Motion put and agreed to.

MOTION

REPORT OF THE BENCHMARK VISIT BY THE ZWPCA ON ANTI-CORRUPTION, ELECTORAL REFORMS AND OPERATIONS OF THE SEYCHELLES WOMEN PARLIAMENTARY CAUCUS IN ADVANCING GENDER EQUALITY

         HON. CHINANZVAVANA: I move the motion standing in my name that this House takes note of the Report of the benchmark visit by the Zimbabwe Women Parliamentary Caucus on Advocacy on Anti-corruption, Electoral Reforms and the operations of the Seychelles Women’s Parliamentary Caucus in advancing gender equality from 1^st to 9^th June, 2024.

         HON. MUDZINGWA: I second.

         HON. CHINANZVAVANA: The Parliament of Zimbabwe in collaboration with the Africa Development Bank co-funded a benchmark visit by the Zimbabwe Women Parliamentary Caucus to Mahe, Seychelles from the 1^st – 9^th June, 2024. The study’s main objective was to understudy the role of women in advocacy for anti-corruption, electoral reforms and the operations of the Seychelles Women’s Parliamentary Caucus in advancing gender equality and women’s empowerment. Seychelles was identified as one of the best or leading countries in curbing corruption compared to Zimbabwe. The expected outcome of the visit was to equip Members of Parliament and staff with advocacy skills on anti-corruption issues and facilitate the ZWPC to develop its strategy for combating corruption. In addition, the ZWPC was also expected to share notes with the Seychelles Women Parliamentary Caucus (SWPC) on their operations and the strategies they are adopting to increase the number of women in Parliament.

         Background

         Seychelles is among the countries that have taken initiatives to address corruption and promote transparency and good governance. Following the release of the 2023 Corruption Perception Index (CPI), Seychelles is ranked 20^th out of 180 countries, scoring 71 points out of 100. Seychelles is also ranked first in the sub-Saharan African Region, ahead of Cape Verde at 30^th position with a score of 64 and Botswana at 39^th position with a score of 59. Zimbabwe on the one hand is ranked 149 with a score of 24, which is considered to be a low level of corruption. Establishing the Anti-Corruption Commission of Seychelles (ACCS) and the Whistle-Blower Protection Act are some initiatives taken by the Seychelles Government to combat corruption and promote transparency and good governance. Given this background, Seychelles was identified as the most appropriate country to visit.

         Objectives

1. Understudy advocacy on anti-corruption issues by women in Parliament;
2. To have an appreciation of the Seychelles electoral system;

• Learn Seychelles Women’s Caucus resource mobilisation for women’s economic empowerment programmes in Parliament; and

1. To benchmark the operations of the Seychelles Women Parliament Caucus.

Participants

The following Hon. Members of Parliament and staff participated in the activity; Hon. Maybe Mbohwa, ZWPC Chairperson and head of delegation, Hon. Sethulo Ndebele, Hon. Anna Rungani, Hon. Concilia Chinanzvavana, Hon. Lucia Mudzingwa, Hon. Patricia Ndudzo, Mrs. C. Mafoko, Chief Director Information Services and Advisor to the ZWPC and Mrs. P. Mtetwa, ZWPC Desk Officer and secretary to the delegation.

Meetings Attended

On arrival in Seychelles, the delegation participated in the following meetings;

1. Courtesy Call on the Speaker of the National Assembly, Hon. Roger Mancienne

Hon. Mancienne expressed gratitude to the Zimbabwe Women Parliamentary Caucus (ZWPC) for identifying Seychelles as one of the best countries in Africa as witnessed by its low levels of corruption. He emphasised that corruption remains a priority for the country and as Parliament, through the SWPC, they continue to lobby the Government to put in place policies and legislation aimed at curbing corruption. He echoed that, ‘it begins with Parliament to achieve a corrupt free generation,’ hence, it was important for women in Parliament to lead in the debates on corruption. Hon. Mancienne advised that Parliaments must be the centre of excellence when it comes to doing business since it is the face of the people. He noted that any negative effects of corruption affect the constituencies, hence the important role Parliament plays in overseeing the work of the Executive.

The Hon. Speaker also emphasised the importance of joining forces to amplify the voices of women in their respective countries and the SADC region at large. He noted that as a country, they are also seized with the need to strengthen women’s participation and amplify their voices in Parliament. He however, pointed out that in other sectors of the economy, Seychelles has managed to involve women in decision-making positions with more than 70% of women being in decision-making positions in both the government and the private sector. The Hon. Speaker specifically acknowledged that having more women in the decision-making processes of the country has contributed significantly to the low levels of corruption in Seychelles. However, Hon. Mancienne noted with concern that it was only in the political arena whereby women were less represented. He attributed this to issues related to gender-based violence and cultural barriers since Seychelles is largely a matriarchal society, among other factors. He also noted that by being a small country, everyone in Seychelles has access to communication, i.e. radio and TV among others, which has made it easy to raise awareness on the effects of corruption.

He concluded by expressing sincere gratitude for the great work the Speaker of Parliament of Zimbabwe, Hon. Jacob F. N Mudenda is doing at the SADC PF and IPU levels in contributing towards the strengthening of the institutions.

1. Meeting with the Seychelles Anti-Corruption Commission (SACC)

The delegation established that the Seychelles Anti-Corruption Commission was set up in April 2016 after Seychelles had ratified UN AICCS in 2006. The Commission is an independent and self-governing body which only relies on the national budget allocated by the Ministry of Finance. The presenter was quick to highlight that Seychelles has managed to become number 1 in Africa due to the independence of the Commission. As a country, they adopted several strategies, which among others have managed to transform the country. The following strategies were implemented;

• Awareness programmes were conducted in primary and secondary schools, tertiary institutions and communities so that the information is cascaded to homes,
• Improved the doing business conditions in Seychelles, whereby licences are processed within five working days.
• Legislative reforms were implemented aimed at supporting the ease of doing business approach by the government,
• Political will by the former President which was also adopted by the current sitting President, and
• Strengthened the Economic Intelligence Unit under the Seychelles Central Bank

To cement the gains already achieved, the Commission is seized with the development of the Whistle Blower Protection Act and secondary school module on corruption so that learning about corruption becomes part of the curriculum. In addition, the Commission has established Youth Against Corruption whereby some young people are identified as ambassadors in schools to lobby for the elimination of corruption among their peers and teach about the negative effects of corruption. The Commissioner emphasized that as the country, they have decided to invest more in prevention measures. In addition, the Commission did a corruption status analysis to identify the most affected sectors and came up with strategies to curb the pandemic. Furthermore, the Commission is also working with the EU and Transparency International Seychelles in the fight against corruption.

The Commissioner emphasized on enhancing the ‘declaration of assets’ procedure by both the public and private sector players. It was pointed out that the President, Deputy President, Ministers and Members of Parliament are required to declare their assets every year and through freedom of information, the members of the public can view the declaration of assets. On the other hand, there is also a declaration of assets for all senior management in public service. The Freedom of Information Act of Seychelles has been a pillar of strength for the country as it is clear that anyone who abuses or misuses the information acquired under the declaration of the asset will be prosecuted. In addition, the Anti-Corruption Act is constantly reviewed so that it remains relevant. Of particular importance is the need to review the Evidence Act of 1955. She noted that since the establishment of the Commission, the Anti-Corruption Commission has been amended six times as measures to improve, strengthen and empower the Commission to perform its mandate.

While the Commission has prosecutorial powers, it has found it difficult to deal with all the cases, especially complex financial cases. However, the Commission has relied on external help from institutions such as the International Anti-Corruption Coordination Centre in the UK, which has the expertise in investigating complex matters. In addition, the Commission continues to work in partnership with other key stakeholders such as the Police, FIU and International Partners.   

She concluded by urging the delegation to lobby for improved conditions of service for the employees within the sector and to develop a code of conduct which the employees sign as part of their contract. She further noted that corruption happens more at the level where decisions are made and by those who have access to decision-making powers. For Seychelles, having more women in decision-making bodies of both public and private institutions has contributed significantly to the reduction of corruption in the country, as women tend to shun corruption more than men.

1. Meeting with the Seychelles Electoral Commission (SEC) Chief Registration Officer – Ms. Sheena Boniface

The delegation was privileged to meet with the officials from the Seychelles Electoral Commission. Ms. Boniface pointed out that the Commission is mandated to conduct free, fair, transparent, credible, and cost-effective elections and referenda to safeguard democracy in the country. The SEC is governed by three main legal instruments, namely; the Constitution of Seychelles, the Elections Act of 1995 and the Political Parties (Registration and Regulation) Act of 1991. The Commission was established in 1991 and has since then undergone several amendments, which have given birth to the current institution. The electoral reforms of 2017 resulted in an amendment to the Elections Act in 2018, which increased the number of Commissioners from five to seven and the appointment of a permanent Chief Electoral Officer to oversee the running of the Secretariat. This amendment was very key as it ensured a complete separation of power between the Commission and the Secretariat.

The delegation was informed of the different types of elections in Seychelles ranging from the presidential elections held every five years to the National Assembly Election, which may be; (a) a general election; (b) a by-election; or (c) an election for a new Electoral Area published under Article 116 of the Constitution. The presenter highlighted that the current National Assembly system of Seychelles included only the First Past the Post (FPTP) and Proportional Representation (PR). Twenty-six of the National Assembly Members of the Seychelles Parliament are elected through the FPTP while the remainder of the nine are through PR based on the percentage of votes received by each party. A party gains one additional seat for every 10% of the total national vote received. However, Seychelles does not have a women’s quota system which has contributed to more women in Parliament in Zimbabwe.

Generally, the functions of the SEC were similar to those of the ZEC. However, the delegation established that the nomination fee for the Presidential election is SCR 15,000 (approximately USD985) while for the National Assembly is SCR 1,500 (approx. USD98), compared to Zimbabwe whose nomination fees are pegged at USD20 000 and USD1 000 for the presidential candidate and Member of Parliament respectively. One important aspect that Ms. Boniface highlighted was that the SEC is mandated to register political parties. It was noted that the Commissioner is the Registrar of Political Parties and has the power to terminate a political party for not meeting the electoral requirements. It was noted that plans are underway to review the electoral laws and have political parties’ constitutions include a clause that mandates them to put more women in Parliament. 

1. Meeting with the Seychelles Women’s Parliamentary Caucus

The delegation met with its counterpart Caucus, the SWPC, which was established to allow women in Parliament to work across political party lines and amplify the voices of women. It was noted that the Seychelles electoral laws did not have any provisions for the quota system in any format, i.e. women or youths. It was highlighted that the SWPC comprised only nine women out of the 35 seats in Parliament, which is 26%.

During the discussion concerning the operation of the SWPC, it was highlighted that the SWPC operates just like any other committee of Parliament and meets at least once or twice a month. The Parliament of Seychelles did not have any committees which focused on gender or women’s affairs as is the case with Parliament of Zimbabwe. Therefore, the Caucus operates as both an oversight committee and an advocacy group of female MPs to lobby for women’s rights in Parliament and the nation at large. In addition, the SWPC works closely with the National Youth Parliament.

Some of the achievements by the SWPC include, among others, the following;

• A motion to introduce the provision of sanitary wear in schools,
• Advocacy for the enactment of the Domestic Violence Act in 2020,
• Capacitation of the female MPs in Seychelles Parliament,
• Presentation of its annual report in Parliament

The SWPC is funded through the Parliament budget while the Civil Society Organisations complement government efforts.

1. Meeting with Committee on HIV/AIDs, SRHR & Communicable Diseases

The delegation learnt that the Committee is tasked with the mandate to implement the governance project under the SADC PF. The Committee works closely with the line ministries to provide oversight and review laws to suit the modern environment. It was noted that the government has invested heavily in the health sector and every Seychellois woman has access to free family planning clinic and maternal health.  Very few cases of rape have been recorded in the country and there is a clear pathway to handle such cases for abortion of such pregnancies. On the other hand, the judicial has taken priority of rape cases so that cases are handled expeditiously.

The presenter highlighted the challenge with the age of consent, which is still pegged at 16 and not 18. The major challenge with this age was the need for the children to be accompanied by parents or a guardian to access SRHR services and this has been problematic. As a country, they are also seized with early child pregnancies and sex indulgence. However, the government has also introduced the Re-Entry policy, which has offered school-going girls the opportunity to go back to school after giving birth.

 

1. Courtesy Call on the Leader of Government Business, Hon. Bernard Georges

Hon. Georges emphasised the need for the SADC region and Africa to work hard to close the perception of women’s participation in politics and Parliament to achieve complete gender parity in all sectors of the economy. As a country, they are still trying to put in place a system aimed at achieving gender parity in politics. There is a proposal to adopt the zebra or rotation cycle in every constituency. Women make up more than 50% of the population in most countries hence, the need to also have adequate representation at all decision-making processes.

The matriarchal nature of the Seychelles society has contributed to the country's development. This has extended to key sectors of the economy such as the judicial and the executive, which have more women in decision-making positions. He also emphasised the need for women and men to work together in this fight for gender equality. He noted that women in Seychelles are completely empowered across the board except for politics and Parliament. He urged the women to emulate Mexico, which now has the first female President ever, in its history. 

 

1. Courtesy Call on the Leader of the Opposition, Hon. Sebastien Pillay

Hon. Pillay noted that women's advancement has been the strength for the Seychelles given that the majority of women are educated and occupy decision-making positions in the Executive and Judiciary arms of Government. He noted that it is only the legislative arm which is lagging with most women shunning the political field. He then emphasised the need for women caucuses to adopt affirmative action programmes as is the case in Rwanda to attain gender equality in their countries. He noted that the advancement of women was essential given that women constitute about 51% of its population. There are proposals for all party constitutions to adopt the 50/50 balance when fielding candidates for the next elections. Hence, he urged both the SWPC and the ZWPC to ride on the support they always get from the august House when they table reports. 

 

1. Visit to Women in Action and Solidarity Organisation (WASO)

The delegation was informed that the organisation was founded in 2006 to empower Seychelles women to improve their lives. The main intention was to empower women to start their businesses or deal with gender-based violence. Now, the organisation has grown to cover a lot of programmes to support women in Seychelles. The organisation works closely with the Commission on Economic Empowerment of Women to give out business start-up loans for women. They also get national grants from the government and the private sector through their corporate social responsibility. WASO offers vocational training programmes, which includes among others, baking, sewing, cooking, including lessons on how to run export trade businesses. Given that Seychelles has a lot of fish, women are also encouraged to participate in the fish industry, particularly the export business.

 

1. Meeting with the Minister for Youth, Sports and Family Affairs, Mrs Marie-Celine Zialor

The delegation met with the Minister of Youth, Sports and Family Affairs, Mrs Marie-Celine Zialor. Her ministry houses the gender portfolio given its mandate to deal with family matters. The Ministry is responsible for the well-being of children, the elderly, persons with disability and gender portfolio issues. However, it was noted that the Ministry is particularly seized with addressing issues to do with drug and alcohol abuse among the youths, an elderly population which requires universal access to health care facilities and early child pregnancies, among others. The Ministry is mandated to come up with comprehensive social welfare programmes aimed at addressing some of the challenges highlighted. She noted that Seychelles is struggling with an elderly generation, hence the need to ensure that the health sector is adequately funded. Mrs Zialor also highlighted that her Ministry works closely with the National Youth Assembly to engage young girls and boy leaders in decision-making. She noted that her Ministry prioritises prevention and advocacy programmes as measures to reduce drug abuse, early child marriages, etc.

 Lessons Learnt

The exchange visit has been a truly transformative experience for the ZWPC delegation. The following lessons were observed, which can significantly inform the ZWPC collective efforts to play a role in curbing corruption and enhancing women's political representation and leadership in Zimbabwe as well as improving the operations of the Caucus.

1. The delegation was deeply inspired by Seychelles' unwavering commitment to gender equality, as evidenced by the country's impressive record of women's participation in economic development. It was noted that women dominate most decision-making positions in government, which has considerably contributed to the reduction in corruption. Also, Seychelles is a matriarchal society whereby women wield significant influence at home and in the public sphere. The delegation learnt that more than half of Seychelles households are headed by women. For example, from the discussions during the visits, the delegation established that close to 70% and 40% of women were at the management level in both the public and private sectors respectively.
2. That educational achievement is close to gender-equal in Seychelles, with slightly more post-secondary schooling among women than men. A key driver of this success has been Seychelles' implementation of a gender parity law, which ensure that there is no discrimination between girls and boys in school. It was observed that girls and women in Seychelles have equal access to education and in most cases, girls and women outperform boys and men in schools, universities and colleges. This innovative policy has been instrumental in dismantling the entrenched patriarchal structures that have historically marginalised girls and women in accessing education.
3. The delegation was deeply impressed by the robust institutional mechanisms Seychelles has put in place to support and empower the independence of the Seychelles Anti-Corruption Commission to perform its mandate. The delegation learnt that it is the SACC that implements the ‘declaration of assets’ procedure by both the public and private sector players.
4. The establishment of a multi-partisan Women's Caucus, for instance, the SWPC and the ZWPC has provided a crucial platform for women legislators to collaborate, share best practices, and collectively advocate for their constituents' needs. However, Seychelles and Zimbabwe are still lagging in terms of attaining 50-50 gender parity as Seychelles and Zimbabwe Parliaments have 26% and 33% women representation in Parliament respectively. While Zimbabwe has the women’s quota, Seychelles is yet to adopt a strategy to increase the number of women in its Parliament. For Zimbabwe, while the women’s quota has contributed to the increase in women's representation in Parliament, this has not resulted in the attainment of a Parliament that is gender equal. For Seychelles, it was noted that discussions are underway to adopt the Rotational Principle or zebra formation at the constituency level to allow both males and females equal chances of representing their constituencies.
5. That the SEC has the right to register and deregister political parties. For Zimbabwe, the ZEC is yet to be empowered to register and deregister political parties.

Recommendations

In light of these invaluable lessons, the ZWPC would like to propose the following recommendations for consideration by Parliament:

1. The ZWPC must engage the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) to share its experiences from the benchmark visit and explore the best ways to involve women leaders or parliamentarians in the fight against corruption (by June 2025).
2. The ZWPC must engage the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) to explore the feasibility of implementing a gender parity law such as the Rotational or Zebra formation at the constituency level to ensure equal representation of women and men in Parliament (i.e. out of the 210 Constituencies), the women get half and the males get half and this proposal is implemented on a rotational basis (by June 2025).
3. The ZWPC engages the Government and advocates for the ZEC to be awarded the powers to register and deregister political parties that do not implement the provisions stipulated by the Constitution under Section 17 (On-Going).
4. The ZWPC must develop its own Anti-corruption Strategy aimed at involving women leaders in advocacy against corruption during this 10^th The strategy includes, among others, how the Caucus will engage the public and private sectors, including schools and universities in raising awareness of the negative effects of corruption on the nation at large (by June 2025).

Conclusion

The benchmark visit by the ZWPC delegation in Seychelles has underscored the immense value of cross-border collaboration and knowledge-sharing among women in politics. The visit has undoubtedly served as a fountain of inspiration and mutual support as the ZWPC navigate the complex terrain to advocate for the increased participation of women leaders in fighting corruption and increasing the number of women in Parliament. Indeed, Zimbabwe can make significant strides in enhancing women's political leadership and representation if some of the lessons presented in this report are adopted by the august House.

         HON. MUGWADI: On a point of order Mr. Speaker Sir.  We are in the House our esteemed Mr. Speaker Sir.  Our expectation is that we be treated equally.  If we do not manage the issues of the register well, we could actually risk making this House a centre of corruption, where other Members are allowed to escape from the House through clandestine means while others appear to be detained inside.  I do not think it augers well, so for that it is important for you Mr. Speaker, to make a ruling that Hon. Members must sign the register at once, simultaneously from both sides of the House.  It is very important to maintain decorum in this House.  I respectfully submit.

         THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER: Thank you Hon. Mugwadi, I think this is more of an administrative issue, which we were going to discuss with those doing the register. Your point is taken.

HON. DR. KHUPE: Thank you very much Hon. Speaker. I would like to add my voice to the report on the benchmark visit by the Zimbabwe Parliamentary Caucus on Advocacy on Anti-corruption Electoral Reforms and the operation of Seychelles Anti-Corruption Commission in advancing gender equality.  The visit was from 1 June to 9 June 2024. Many thanks goes to the African Development Bank which collaborated with the Parliament of Zimbabwe to fund this benchmark visit to Seychelles. The main objective of the study visit was to study the role of women in advocacy and anti-corruption and…

HON. DHLIWAYO: On a point of order.

THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER: What is your point of order?

HON. DHLIWAYO: Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir. I wanted to find out if she is seconding a report that has not been presented. What is happening?

THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER: With all due respect Honourables, when we are coming to Parliament, you know very well that you are going to debate and we cannot give an excuse that I did not bring my spectacles and then we stop a debate. Let us be fair, we cannot stop a debate [HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear.] - She said she is going to debate tomorrow. Go ahead Dr. Khupe.

HON. DR. KHUPE: I am going to add my voice by flagging three issues; that is corruption, electoral reforms and political parties’ constitutions. In regards to corruption, Seychelles has managed to involve women in decision making in both Government and the public sector. The Speaker of Parliament for Seychelles acknowledged that having more women in decision making processes of the country contribute significantly to the low level of corruption in Seychelles. 

It is important to know that women inherently are less corrupt than men hence, why countries with more women in decision making boards have low levels of corruption. I want to substantiate this assertion by the fact that any ministry or company or organisation being led by women, there is less corrupt. This is so because women are care givers, they care about citizens’ well-being. That is why corruption is their greatest enemy.

It was also noted that corruption happens more at the level where decisions are made and by those who have access to decision making powers, that women in decision making shun corruption more than men, which is very positive and progressive. Over and above that, this should be the reason why women deserve to be elected into decision making at all levels.

On electoral reforms, as far as electoral reforms are concerned in Seychelles, they have First-Past-the-Post and PR systems. In Zimbabwe, in order to achieve the first 50-50 representation of women in decision making boards at all levels, there is need to change the electoral system from First-Past-the-Post to PR system where the least is a woman then a man. This would guarantee the 50 – 50 call by women. This is very important because with more women in decision making positions, this is likely to lead to economic development because women are hard working. Half of the food consumed in our country and the whole world comes from the women’s hand.

Women are creators of wealth. They constitute about 80% of gross domestic product in their countries. This can be supported by the fact that if you look at farms, women are the majority workers.

If you look at the manufacturing sector, women are the majority workers because of their finger dexterity like manipulating buttons and zippers. In the informal sector, women constitute 80% of the informal traders. More importantly, women are nation builders and without women, there is no country to talk about.

I would like to conclude by saying benchmark visits are important for knowledge sharing because development is not rocket science. Development is about copying from others, discovering what others are doing in terms of making sure that there is gender equality and empowerment as far as this mission was concerned. It is of paramount importance for the Zimbabwe Women’s Parliamentary Caucus to discover and copy from Seychelles on the progress they have made in ensuring that women are represented equally in decision making process and positions at all levels. I rest my case, thank you.

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

HON. C. MOYO: I second.

Motion put and agreed to.

Debate to resume: Wednesday, 12^th February, 2025.

MOTION

BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE

HON. KAMBUZUMA: I move that Order of the Day, Number 9 be stood over until Order of the Day Number 10 has been disposed of.

HON. C. MOYO: I second.

Motion put and agreed to.

MOTION

ESTABLISHMENT OF A DEDICATED FRAMEWORK TO ENSURE GOVERNMENT TENDERS ARE RESERVED FOR YOUTH LED BUSINESS ENTERPRISES

HON. MAUNGANIDZE:  Mr. Speaker Sir, I move the motion standing in my name that:

MINDFUL THAT Zimbabwe’s supreme law emphasises youth mainstreaming, participation and empowerment as being vital for the economic development of the country;

DISTURBED THAT Youth led enterprises are confronted with a plethora of challenges among them being failure to access Government contracts thereby negatively impacting on economic growth;

NOTING THAT increased youth participation fosters innovation, job creation and economic development;

NOW THEREFORE This House calls for the establishment of a dedicated framework that ensures that 30% of Government tenders are reserved for youth led enterprises as a way of promoting their economic empowerment and entrepreneur growth.

HON. S. SAKUPWANYA:  I second.

HON. MAUNGANIDZE:  Mr. Speaker Sir, I rise to present a motion that seeks to address one of the most pressing challenges facing Zimbabwe today – youth unemployment and the under utilisation of young talent in driving economic growth. This motion calls for the establishment of a framework to reserve 30% of all Government tenders for youth-led enterprises. By doing so, we will foster economic empowerment, create jobs, encourage entrepreneurship and promote inclusive socio-economic development.

Mr. Speaker Sir, young people in Zimbabwe, those under the age of 35, constitute over 60% of our population, according to the 2022 census conducted by the Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency (ZimStat). Despite their numerical dominance, youth unemployment remains alarmingly high, with the ZimStat Labour Force Survey revealing rates exceeding 50%. These young people are brimming with creativity and ambition but face systemic barriers such as limited access to finance, markets, and opportunities to scale their businesses.

Section 20 of our Constitution compels the State to take reasonable measures to ensure that the youth are afforded opportunities for employment, empowerment, and participation in all spheres of society. Yet, many young entrepreneurs remain excluded from accessing public procurement opportunities, which constitute a significant share of our public expenditure. Leveraging Government tenders to empower youth-led enterprises is a practical step toward fulfilling our constitutional obligations.

The motion I present is also rooted in regional and continental commitments.  The African Youth Charter urges State parties to create enabling environments for youth participation in development and prioritises economic empowerment as a cornerstone of youth policy.  Agenda 2063, the African Union’s Strategic Framework for the continent’s development, emphasises the importance of harnessing the demographic dividend by investing in the youth.  Specifically, Goal 1 envisions a prosperous Africa based on inclusive growth, with empowered and actively engaged youth driving the continent’s transformation.

At the regional level, the Southern African Development Community (SADC) recognises the pivotal role of youth in fostering socio-economic development, as reflected in its payoff, "Towards a Common Future." SADC policies advocate for youth empowerment as essential to achieving sustainable development and inclusive economic growth.

This motion also advances Zimbabwe’s commitment to Sustainable Development Goal 8 (SDG 8), which emphasises the promotion of decent work for all. By prioritising youth-led enterprises, we address SDG 8’s focus on creating job opportunities and ensuring that young people actively participate in and benefit from economic development.

Zimbabwe has already established the groundwork for youth inclusion through Vision 2030, which seeks to ‘Leave No One and No Place Behind’, the National Youth Policy and the National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1).  The NDS1 aims to increase youth participation in development processes from 3.3% in 2020 to 25% by 2025.  Reserving 30% of Government tenders for youth-led enterprises aligns with these commitments and reinforces our role as a nation that values its youth.

Mr. Speaker Sir, the benefits of this framework are vast:

1. Job Creation: It will address youth unemployment by providing direct economic opportunities.
2. Entrepreneurship Stimulation: Youth-led businesses, known for their agility and innovation, will contribute new ideas and solutions to our economy.
3. Formalisation of the Informal Sector: Many youth enterprises currently operate informally. This framework will drive their formalisation, expanding the tax base and fostering economic resilience.

To ensure the success of this initiative, I propose the following measures:

1. Transparent Verification: Develop a system to confirm that businesses benefiting from the framework are genuinely youth-led.
2. Capacity-Building Programmes: Provide financial literacy, business development, and tender process training for young entrepreneurs.
3. Institutional Support: Leverage Empower Bank, the Zimbabwe Youth Council (ZYC), and other bodies to offer mentorship, technical assistance, and access to capital.
4. Monitoring and Evaluation: Establish mechanisms to track compliance and measure the policy's impact.

Furthermore, collaboration with the private sector is essential. Encouraging private companies to adopt similar youth-focused frameworks will extend opportunities beyond Government contracts, particularly in high-growth sectors like technology, agriculture, and renewable energy.

Mr. Speaker Sir, this motion calls for a transformative policy that recognises youth as the cornerstone of our economic future.  By reserving 30% of Government tenders for youth-led enterprises, we are not merely addressing youth unemployment but also catalysing economic growth, innovation, and social equity. This motion aligns with our constitutional mandates, Vision 2030, NDS1, the African Youth Charter, Agenda 2063, and SADC’s regional vision.

I urge this House to adopt this motion and demonstrate our commitment to empowering the youth of Zimbabwe.  Let us unlock their potential and create a brighter future for all. I so move. Thank you.

HON. S. SAKUPWANYA: Mr. Speaker Sir, I would like to thank Hon. Maunganidze for raising the motion, whose prayer is to direct Government to create a 30% quota on all Government tenders for the youth. I must first state that I fully support this motion and my reasoning is as follows. With our ever-evolving global technological environment, the youth adapt more to the changing times. Often, it is said that young people come with new ideas. I contest that statement because even the elderly, with their experience, have new ideas possibly even more. The difference is that the young person is a risk taker. A young person has far less fear to fail and hence they will try until they get it right.

If we were to look at the youth positive policies and I would like to highlight youth quota and women's quota. They delivered young Members of Parliament like myself and others who can confidently stand before you and debate matters that affect our nation at large. These same policies have delivered Deputy Ministers, Committee Chairs and even those on the Speaker’s Panel leading this august House as we deliberate matters that will charter the course of Zimbabwe's path to success.

 Without the amended provision in Section 124 of our Constitution, we would not be here. We would not have been given the chance to be heard where it matters most. The rest of Zimbabwe would not have known that we exist, not only as young individuals but as youth who have ideas and are prepared to contribute towards nation building. If we were not afraid to have young MPs in influential positions that we have now, then we should not fear the economic upliftment of these youths.

Mr. Speaker, the fact is, we will not be young forever. Just as I have alluded that some of us here benefited from the youth policies that got us into Parliament, it must be remembered that a lot for us will not benefit twice from the said policy. The policy therefore guarantees that you will always see new faces with fresh ideas that speak to the vagaries of the changing times.  You will find that through this motion, there will never be a monopoly of tenders, speaking greatly to the direction of creating opportunity for all, leaving no one and no place behind. The word tenderpreneurs will cease to exist because we would have deliberately dismantled ring-fencing of Government tenders that would benefit but a few. The motion before you will ensure that young people understand competitive tendering which is not only price sensitive but emphasises quality and efficiency.

Mr. Speaker, instituting this policy is creating the space that I guarantee will be filled up. Ours is not to ask for substandard service on the basis of us being youth. Rather, it means we are introducing the ideals of competence and compliance at an early age. The youth will be quick to understand that nothing is for free. The notion that one can cut corners to be successful will be done away with. This directly encourages our youth to stay away from corruption, recognising that there would be no need to grease hands for them to get a piece of the pie. It also brings back the belief that success can be attributed to what you know instead of who you know. This will also instill the responsibility of being tax compliant as they will directly play a part in building our national purse. Even amongst themselves, we will see a bulge in competition which is a healthy breeding ground for innovation and creativity that ultimately leads to productivity.

We often talk of youth unemployment which is exacerbated by the lack of skills within our youthful population. It is known that we continuously mention the 2.2 million youth who are not in education, employment or training as a cause for concern. I have to say that I applaud Government for tackling these challenges through vocational training centres, village business units and even through the curriculum with the recently adopted education 5.0. It is imperative that we open space for those who have developed skills through these various institutions to implement. Those who have graduated out of these VTCs must look to this policy as a start up to their entrepreneurial journey. For any business minded young person, very few things in this world beat the relevance of attaining your first paying contract. Even for those of us who hold successful businesses, no one forgets their first contract. One does not forget how much attention, detail and effort they put towards it so that they can prove not only to themselves but to the world that they are capable, that they were the right choice, that they deserve this opportunity and more to come.

Mr. Speaker Sir, as I conclude, I would bring to your attention that unlike other special groups, to be a youth is something that every human being goes through. In our many speeches, we speak of doing what we do for posterity. How often do those of us at their older age say they wish they could turn back the clock and do things better? We should instead look to our youth and see ourselves in the younger generation. Investing in the youth is investing in the younger versions of ourselves.

With that, I reiterate my unwavering support of this motion with the hope that it will be implemented. I so humbly submit.

HON. KAMBUZUMA: Mr. Speaker, I move that the debate do now adjourn.

HON. C. MOYO: I second.

Motion put and agreed to.

Debate to resume:  Wednesday, 12^th February, 2025.

On the motion of HON. KAMBUZUMA, seconded by HON. C. MOYO, the House adjourned at Ten Minutes past Six o’clock p.m.