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NATIONAL ASSEMBLY HANSARD 12 SEPTEMBER 2024 VOL 50 NO 82
PARLIAMENT OF ZIMBABWE
Thursday,12th September, 2024
The National Assembly met at a Quarter-past Two o’clock p.m.
PRAYERS
(THE HON. SPEAKER in the Chair)
THE HON. SPEAKER: Honourable Members on my right and left through your Chief Whips, can you be in for prayers so that we start together?
Before we proceed with our business of the day, there is a request for statements on issues of national interest. The first Honourable Member is Hon. G. Hlatywayo.
HON. G. HLATYWAYO: I rise on a point of national interest pertaining to the rising cases of alleged corruption involving public officials. Corruption is a cancer that has become ubiquitous in our country, hemorrhaging our economy and depriving citizens of basic social services. A couple of days ago Mr. Speaker Sir, Newshawks carried a disturbing story that this House cannot ignore. The publication claims that following an investigative journalism, they discovered that a certain Senior Government official is on a property buying spree in the most expensive parts of South Africa, including Sandton, Fourways, Randburg….
THE HON. SPEAKER: Sorry Hon. Member. The Standing Orders do not allow you to base whatever you want to say on publications which have not been validated.
HON. G. HLATYWAYO: Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir, with your indulgence, if you can allow me to finish my point of national interest before you give your ruling.
The Hon. Member having remained standing.
THE HON. SPEAKER: Please sit down when the Chair is speaking. The predication of your statement arises from a story that has been published in the media and that is against the Standing Orders. Because of that predication, you may not proceed.
HON. MADZIVANYIKA: My point of national interest is with regards to the application or operationalisation of provisions of a Bill which are not yet approved by Parliament. This is with regards to the removal in transit proposals which have been sent to Parliament by the Minister of Finance, but they are now operational. Some of the provisions or proposals in the Finance Bill are now operational without having been approved by Parliament. It is my point of national importance that we ask the Ministry to…
THE HON. SPEAKER: That is a general statement Hon Member. Do not make general statements when you are raising a matter of national interest. In that regard, if you are concerned, that question should have been asked to the Minister of Finance yesterday during question time.
HON. MADZIVANYIKA: With your indulgence, if you can allow me to …
THE HON. SPEAKER: Did you ask?
HON. MADZIVANYIKA: Yes and the Minister did not respond. He just said thank you very much, then he closed the debate. The Hansard is there and the officials can confirm. That is why I am concerned.
THE HON. SPEAKER: I will have to check the Hansard if indeed the Hon. Minister did not answer and then we take it up from there next week.
HON. MAKUMIRE: I had made a communication with the Chief Whip that I will put it on the Questions With Notice. Thank you.
THE HON. SPEAKER: Why did you not tell your Chief Whip that you have withdrawn?
HON. MAKUMIRE: I did.
HON. CHIGUMBU: I rise on a point of order. I have noticed that it is now becoming a trend that when Hon. Members from this side are giving their points of national interest, they are not being allowed to finish their submissions…
THE HON. SPEAKER: Hon. Member, sit down. If you want to challenge the Hon. Speaker on the Chair, do you know that you are guilty of contempt? Your Standing Orders clearly say that the decision of the Chair is final. Read your Standing Orders properly. I have no axe to grind the Hon. Members on my left provided they are procedural. That is all.
ANNOUNCEMENTS BY THE HON. SPEAKER
NON-ADVERSE REPORT RECEIVED FROM THE PARLIAMENTARY LEGAL COMMITTEE
THE HON. SPEAKER: I have to inform the House that I have received a Non-Adverse Report from the Parliamentary Legal Committee on the Private Voluntary Organisations Amendment Bill [H. B. 2A, 2024].
SUBMISSION OF PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO STANDING ORDERS
THE HON. SPEAKER: I also wish to remind the House that Hon. Members should submit their proposed amendments to Standing Orders by the 18th September, 2024 in Office 464, Fourth Floor, Parliament Building. The report on the review of the Standing Orders was circulated to all Hon. Members via e-mail and WhatsApp platform. Those are the proposed amendments that you can suggest refinement, not those that may come from Honolulu.
WINDING UP OF MOTIONS
May I remind Hon. Members that when these reports are tabled and have been debated, please wind them up so that they do not remain on the Order Paper indefinitely.
MOTION
FINANCE BILL: 2024 MID-TERM BUDGET AND ECONOMIC REVIEW
First Order read: Adjourned debate on motion that leave be granted to bring in a Finance Bill.
Question again proposed.
THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF FINANCE, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND INVESTMENT PROMOTION (HON. D. K. MNANGANGWA): At the close of business yesterday, the Minister of Finance had given comprehensive and exhaustive responses to the debate on the questions that arose. I would move that we go on to the next stage.
THE HON. SPEAKER: You want to do what?
THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF FINANCE, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND INVESTMENT PROMOTION (HON. D. K. MNANGANGWA): My apologies Mr. Speaker. I would move that the motion be adopted.
THE HON. SPEAKER: Thank you Hon. Minister, the debate was concluded yesterday.
THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF FINANCE, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND INVESTMENT PROMOTION (HON. D. K. MNANGANGWA): Indeed, the debate was concluded yesterday at the close of business.
HON. MADZIVANYIKA: The debate was not concluded. It was adjourned to today. So, when you asked is there any debate, I thought it was the House which was supposed to open for debate.
THE HON. SPEAKER: Did the Hon. Minister not respond to issues that were raised?
HON. MADZIVANYIKA: He responded but he did not close the debate, he adjourned it to today. So, there are many other questions that are still coming, he did not complete responding.
THE HON. SPEAKER: Can we distinguish one thing. When Members have contributed as much as they felt they could contribute, the onus is on the Hon. Minister to respond to the contributions put forward by the Hon. Members. I am advised that was done yesterday. The response of the Hon. Minister concludes the debate. That is the procedure.
HON. MADZIVANYIKA: With your indulgence Mr. Speaker, I may want you if necessary, to favour me with the Order No. that says so.
THE HON. SPEAKER: It is not the responsibility of the Chair to educate Members as to which Standing Orders. It is up to you to read the Standing Orders accordingly. Once the Hon. Minister has responded to the debate by Hon. Members, that concludes the debate.
HON. MOLEKELA-TSIYE: On a point of Order Mr. Speaker Sir. I was actually there in the House yesterday when the Hon. Minister of Finance Dr. M. Ncube adjourned the matter for debate, he had not answered some of the questions and he adjourned it to today. It is there in the Hansard, you can double check. It was not concluded yesterday…
THE HON. SPEAKER: Order! Order! When the minister has finished debate and he has nothing else to say, in terms of Standing Orders, the Hon. Minister can adjourn debate and thereafter, move for the next item or adjourn the House. That is the procedure. By the fact that the Hon. Minister adjourned debate, it does not mean that he was opening another pandora’s box for a debate.
HON. MOLOKELA-TSIYE: He had not answered all the questions yesterday, so he adjourned it to today. That is the other motion on the point of order that he has raised. So, there are questions that he did not answer yesterday and they adjourned to today.
An Hon. Member having stood up
THE HON. SPEAKER: When the Hon. Minister adjourns debate, the Chair will say is there any debate? At that point, if you have got certain observations, you stand up. I want us to be clear, I am saying when the Hon. Minister adjourns a debate, the Chair will ask is there any debate? At that point, is when you can rise - Hon. Molokela, are you contesting the Chair? You will not succeed my friend. – [HON. MOLOKELA-TSIYE: Sorry Mr. Speaker, it is because I was there yesterday and unfortunately, you were not there] - Okay, you then rise, Hon. Chair, there are four issues that the Hon. Minister has not answered to. If that was not done yesterday, the train has moved to the next station – [HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear.]
HON. MADZIVANYIKA: Check the Hansard, I raised a point of order to that effect and there was no response. Can you indulge us Hon. Speaker, so that we do justice to this very important document, which determines how the national cash is going to be used?
THE HON. SPEAKER: You raised a point of order? – [HON. MADZIVANYIKA: Yes.] - was it after the adjournment.
HON. MADZIVANYIKA: Yes, because when the Minister asked for adjournment, I actually raised that the Minister did not answer some of our questions.
THE HON. SPEAKER: Do you have the Hansard with you there? – [HON. MEMBERS: inaudible interjections.] – Order! Order! I have not finished responding to Hon. Madzivanyika. Do you have a record there indicating that? - [HON. MADZIVANYIKA: Yes.] – Can you read it?
Hon. James having wanted to read. – [AN HON. MEMBER: Gara pasi mhani iwe.]
HON. MADZIVANYIKA: Reading from the Hansard soft copy on the Website. I raised but it is unfortunate it is not paged, there are no numberings. Let me read what the Temporary Speaker said. “Hon. Member, I have heard what you want to say. You would want to say the Minister has forgotten about OneMoney”. Then I raised on a point of order. “On a point of order Madam Speaker, the Minister did not answer my question.” Then I was stopped by the Speaker.
THE HON. SPEAKER: What kind of stopping was that?
*HON. MADZIVANYIKA: Pakangonzi ‘inaudible interjections’
THE HON. SPEAKER: The official record on the Order Paper is before me under Item Number 6, alright. After the question was proposed and says “On the motion of the Hon. Minister of Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion, debate adjourned until tomorrow. Number 7. On the motion of the Hon. Minister of Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion, the House adjourned at Twenty-Seven Minutes to Seven O’clock p.m.” There is no record, whether there was any objection at all. This is the official record. – [HON. MADZIVANYIKA: You can go a little bit further, you can see Hon. Madzivanyika, on a point of order in this official order of the record.
HON. JAMES: I have Hansard here, I can read. Hon. Prof. Mthuli Ncube said “I move that the debate do now adjourn. Motion put and agreed to. Debate to resume…” - [HON. MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections.] -
THE HON. SPEAKER: Order! Can I hear what the Hon. Member is saying?
HON. JAMES: “Debate to resume: Thursday, 12th September, 2024. On the motion of the Minister of Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion, the House adjourned at Twenty-Seven Minutes to Seven O’clock p.m”.
THE HON. SPEAKER: So, there was no point of order requesting further debate. What Hon. James has read is what is in this
paper.
Hon. Madzivanyika approached the Chair.
THE HON. SPEAKER: What Hon. Madzivanyika is saying, he indeed raised a point of order, which also was in tandem with the point of order from, Hon. Khupe. The response of the Hon. Minister was that the Hon. Minister had noted the issue raised by Hon. Dr. Khupe and Hon. Madzivanyika. That is the correct record that the Hon. Minister noted your concerns, both of you. So, what is the issue now?
HON. DR. KHUPE: Mr. Speaker Sir, I think the issue here is, when the Minister responded yesterday, he was not supposed to adjourn the debate. He was supposed to ask for the adoption of the report and then close the debate so that it is removed from the Order Paper. He said, it is adjourned to today, meaning it is still ongoing. People can still debate. That is the issue here. When the Deputy Minister stood up, I thought he was closing the debate to say, the debate is closed, can we adopt the report so that it is removed from the Order Paper?
THE HON. SPEAKER: Thank you very much, but you agree that the Hon. Minister noted your concern and that of Hon. Madzivanyika, and the Bill is still to be debated in the Second Reading – [AN HON. MEMBER: Aaah.] – Who is saying aah – [HON. MEMBERS: Madzivanyika!] – Madzivanyika, I thought you are being accommodated, huh?
HON. MADZIVANYIA: I do not do that Mr. Speaker and you know very well.
THE HON. SPEAKER: So, the chance is still there and you still are going to go into Committee debate of the whole House. So, the stables are not closed.
HON. MADZIVANYIA: Thank you Mr. Speaker. As long as we will get that opportunity to debate again on the Second Reading. Thank you.
THE HON. SPEAKER: Yes. You still have Second Reading Debate and you will then go into the Committee of the whole House, where you go clause by clause and you still can raise issues. So, we spent issues …
HON. MAMOMBE: On a point of clarification Mr. Speaker Sir.
THE HON. SPEAKER: What clarity? You mean I am not clear!
HON. MAMOMBE: Not that you are not clear, but I just want us to be on the same page. Mr. Speaker Sir, I understand that what was being debated yesterday is the Mid-Term Fiscal Policy Review. This is not a Bill. It is not going to the Second Reading Stage as you are highlighting. This was a Mid-Term Fiscal Policy Review. So, maybe if you can clarify if indeed, we are going to go for the Second Reading Stage. Otherwise we are missing each other Mr. Speaker Sir.
THE HON. SPEAKER: Hon. Members, policy is linked to the Bill and the Bill will be debated. So, are we not on the same page? All right.
HON. KARIKOGA: Point of order Mr. Speaker Sir.
THE HON SPEAKER: What is your point of Order!
HON. KARIKOGA: Thank you Mr. Speaker. When we started this 10th Parliament Mr. Speaker, after swearing us in, you invested in ensuring that we all have knowledge of the procedures of Parliament and they chose not to attend. Today Mr. Speaker, we are almost a year after swearing us in – [HON. MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections.] –
THE HON. SPEAKER: Can you listen to the Hon. Member?
HON. KARIKOGA: Today, we are almost a year after swearing in, they are still to be educated by this House at the expense of our time. Mr. Speaker, it is my request that they do go for that induction again at their expense. Thank you.
An Hon. Member having stood up on a point of order.
THE HON. SPEAKER: Order! Order! I think self-education also needs to be impacted so that we continually improve in our understanding of our Standing Orders. Can we be guided accordingly and read your Standing Orders? Now, we have spent 25 minutes debating whether the Minister responded or not, whether there was a point of order or not. If we are clear on the procedures, there should not be any issue at all.
Now, I put the question that leave be granted to bring in a Bill to make further provisions for the revenues and public funds of Zimbabwe and provide for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto. Those who are of that opinion will say aye and those of the contrary opinion will say no – [SOME HON. MEMBERS: No.] – Do not invite me not to call upon you. Do not make this place a circus. We have agreed that we are going to debate. Why are you saying no, just for the sake of it?
Motion put and agreed to.
Bill ordered to be brought in by the Deputy Minister of Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion
FIRST READING
FINANCE (2024) BILL [H. B.8, 2024]
THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF FINANCE, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND INVESTMENT PROMOTION (HON. D. K. MNANGAGWA) presented the Finance (2024) Bill [H. B. 8, 2024].
Bill read the first time.
Bill referred to the Parliamentary Legal Committee.
THE HON. SPEAKER: If I was in a classroom, I say what happens after the Parliamentary Legal Committee has made its opinion on the Bill. What follows next? Then you can see what a waste of 25 minutes we had at the beginning.
SECOND READING
ABOLITION OF THE DEATH PENALTY BILL [H. B. 5, 2023]
Second Order read: Adjourned debate on the Second Reading of the Abolition of the Death Penalty Bill, [H. B. 5, 2023].
Question again proposed.
HON. KAMBUZUMA: I move that the Debate do now adjourn.
HON. NYANDORO: I second.
Motion put and agreed to.
Debate to resume: Tuesday, 17th September, 2024.
MOTION
BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE
HON. KAMBUZUMA: Mr. Speaker Sir, I move that Orders of the Day, Numbers 3 to 11 be stood over until Order of the Day, Number 12 has been disposed of.
HON. NYANDORO: I second.
Motion put and agreed to.
MOTION
CANCER AWARENESS PROGRAMMES AND MODERN CANCER TREATMENT EQUIPMENT FOR MPILO AND PARIRENYATWA HOSPITALS
Twelfth Order read: Adjourned debate on motion on the need to raise awareness and invest in the state-of-art equipment for cancer treatment.
Question again proposed.
*HON. MAPIKI: Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir. I feel quite saddened to support a motion raised by Hon. Khupe that touches on the entire country and the entire world concerning the issue of cancer. I almost came to tears when she was debating because she felt pity for the people that assisted her. She mentioned a lot of people that assisted her including His Excellency the President, the First Lady and other people that assisted her. I learnt a lesson that in Zimbabwe, it shows that we believe in the spirit of ubuntu or hunhu and that the political divide has no bearing, we show the same hearts and the same minds. In that light Mr. Speaker Sir, I want the House to be united and to speak with one voice so that our issues can be resolved.
Mr. Speaker Sir, she touched a lot of issues that India assisted through the provision of medication. I learnt that as Zimbabweans, we must sit down and look at what we have that may be of assistance in that regard. The treatment of cancer is not just about medicine that is used to treat cancer, but also has to do with our diet and only when sticking to a particular diet can one be cured of cancer. We believe in Zimbabwe we must come up with a law that is compulsory, that makes people consume small grains. We are looking at these crops that I have mentioned like rapoko, finger millet and other traditional foods.
Mr. Speaker Sir, so in the Ministry of Agriculture, we must come up with a policy that would want us to look at dietary issues. In our budget, if there could be a levy for high amounts on sugary foods. These sugary foods have caused a lot of people to suffer from cancer. We must come up with a very strong legislation. I also think that from what they have said, prevention is better than cure because a stitch in time saves nine. As the august House, we must come up with measures to prevent the spread of cancer. The Ministry of Health desk and Parliament must allocate a lot of money into the research of our traditional medicines.
Mr. Speaker Sir, I observed that in Namibia, if I am not mistaken, there is a Bill in Parliament about flora and fauna that protects the taking of such herbs to other countries. In the communal lands, we observed that cancer is treated through traditional herbs. We see that the European way of treating cancer deals with chemotherapy. The Ministry of Health should have sufficient money to research into the herbs that we have in our communal lands. I have observed that traditional healers or herbalists have come up with an association. At one time, it was led by the late Gordon Chavhunduka. This promoted the use of our herbs and a lot of countries came to get our herbs but the Association had different visions and some people simply agreed that the herbs be taken out of the country and only returned as processed drugs. There should be a desk that researches into such issues of traditional medicines. We should do it sooner rather than later.
I believe in 2016 and 2017, the Ministry of Health used to have such a desk. They were researching into that issue. We should not waste a lot of time over nothing, we should be more practical. A few days ago, people talked about Maragadu, those medicines have not yet arrived to treat the people that are insane or mentally retarded. If you ask the men that are in this House, they know the herbs. What we need to know is that the Standards Association should only come up with a dosage that is being given to the patient to see if it will not damage the patient. The words of Hon. Khupe, a lot of people are suffering from cancer of the colon, cervical cancer and various other types of cancer. There should be proper education Mr. Speaker in terms of women about the other medicines, herbs or drugs that they use in ‘enhancing or restoration of their virginity’. These are the drugs or herbs that are causing cancer. Such knowledge should be spread to the people so that people should not go far to look for medication for treatment. We need modern technology, we need expertise because of technology. There are ways and means that can be used to treat cancer. As Zimbabweans, we should place a lot of money into research which we will then ride on as a country. We are now able to research, whether as a desk into what other countries are doing. We have a Committee on health and this Committee should also behave like what they are doing in other countries and they should not just give us a report that skates on the periphery. It should not be just like a 90% AIDS infection and cancer. We want them to investigate into how best they can tackle the issue of cancer.
I support the motion brought by Hon. Khupe that we need to be looking into such issues. I am also of the view that as Zimbabweans, we need to look for our children that are in the health sector abroad so that we get money and we fund them to enable knowledge dissemination through vocational training centres. In London, if you go there, Zimbabweans have taken a lead in the research in cancer and health issues. So, I am advocating that there be a fund to retain our children that have done medicine and they are given money. Banks could support the productive sector so that we will be able to produce our own medication or do our own research; as such, our own children will not then run away from the country. Such children can be given a chance in the councils so that they can be allocated 25% of land, land which is being taken by land barons. It can then be put to better use if the land was to be given to these children.
It is a sad motion that has been brought by Hon. Khupe. When people talk about cancer before they have become victims or lose a relative, they take it as child’s play but this is an important motion. We should not just stick to the issues at hand just like the ambulance, and not speak at tangent. Those that are going to talk should not behave like the Jonas of the biblical era who were sent to Tashishi and went elsewhere. I thank you Mr. Speaker Sir.
*HON. P. ZHOU: I was touched by the words that were said by the previous Hon. Member that women should be enhanced so that they do not use certain herbs for them to maintain their “virginity.” When was that research done? How many women were involved and how many women have used such medicines? How many women did he encounter who were using such herbs? If he has got no evidence, may he withdraw that statement.
*THE HON. SPEAKER: Hon. Zhou, why did you not raise the objection when he was speaking. You allowed Hon. Mapiki to go on and on until he finished speaking?
*HON. P. ZHOU: Mr. Speaker Sir, I was afraid that I might disturb his debate.
*THE HON. SPEAKER: He is through with his debate, so it is done. This one is difficult to rule on. Our female folks do go under and I am aware of that, but some of the concoctions that are applied at the designated area – [HON. MEMBERS: Laughter] - that is why I said it is difficult. Concoctions do work for the intended objective. They do work and it is a practice among us African people to strengthen and ensure that the designated area remains very intact. – [Laughter.] - Now, do not ask me for what reason. It is an issue which vanatete, obabakazi can answer, but the practice is there. The only problem is that sometimes the applied concoction can have negative effects if it is a wrong concoction to be applied. This has definitely caused some cancer of the cervix and the doctors have researched on that, including the late Dr. Chavhunduka who was the guru on traditional medicines and so on. So, I am in a difficult position to rule against Hon. Mapiki to withdraw the statement because in some instances, what is applied has been proved that it does cause cervical cancer.
Then my observation also Hon. Mapiki, you were talking about research. I thought you were going to applaud - is it Harare Institute of Technology, which was on the news I think twice or three times that a cure for cancer and Alzheimer has been discovered? Hon. Mombeshora, the Minister of Health and Childcare said what is required now is to do some testing to validate that treatment as to its effectiveness. So, research has been done and carries on to be done and Zimbabwe researchers must therefore be applauded for coming up with this treatment for cancer as it will help a great deal.
HON. J. TSHUMA: Good afternoon Mr. Speaker Sir. Thank you very much for affording me this time to take the floor to speak to a very pertinent issue that has been brought before us by Hon. Dr. Khupe. When we begin to speak about cancer, normally that brings a lot of fear for the victim and even the family members because cancer, in most instances, has been deemed as a death sentence and therefore when we debate this issue, we need to adjust our minds and put in a lot of effort in trying to come up with prevention measures more than anything else.
In Zimbabwe, it is very unfortunate that most of the times, cancer is detected when it is already at a dangerous stage which is stage 4 and this is caused mainly by lack of resources, skilled people that are supposed to give us early diagnosis and prevention. As we debate this issue, we need to zero in on how Government, NGOs and private players can come together and we try to solidify a system whereby cancer can be detected when it is beginning. When it is detected early, you can actually cure it but when it is detected late, it would have gone all over and reproduce it cells and damaged a lot of things.
I stand here to say this cannot just be left to individuals. Government must deliberately invest a lot of money into cancer. We cannot wish away that disease as Government. We need to be seen to be in the forefront. Right now, the pathetic situation about our cancer treatment situation in Zimbabwe is that we only have two public institutions that are doing that at Mpilo in Bulawayo and at Parirenyatwa in Harare. What happens to the person in Tsholotsho, Binga, Muzarabani, and Mutorashanga. We have actually condemned them to death. We need, as Government, to bring down these issues of treatment and diagnosis to village, ward, district, provincial and national level.
One day I was so appalled as I was leaving Bulawayo coming to Harare. I gave somebody a lift and they told me that they were coming to Harare for chemotherapy because the machine at Mpilo was not working. I asked them that when you get to Harare, where are you going to stay. The person said that I will have to look for a cheap lodge because I do not have any relatives in Harare. I asked them what are you going to be eating and they said I will have to find takeaways and those same takeaways are the same foodstuffs that are killing us again, yet that person could have stayed at home and eat their traditional food and they are healthy. I said to myself really as a Government, are we caring for our people if we are going to allow a situation like that to happen.
At times I want to abnormally think that let us forego these 4x4 vehicles and buy machines and put them in hospitals and make people live because that is what is important. A car is just an asset that can break anytime and it is gone. You can replace it. You cannot replace somebody’s life. You will start to think about these things in the manner that I am thinking about them when you become a victim or you have seen a close family member going down by that disease. It is not a joke. Cancer can eat you.
Right now, as I speak, my own sister, the first born in our family, has got cancer. Luckily, she is in United Kingdom where treatment is better there. I want that treatment to be better even here. It does not need a rock scientist – right now we have specialists like pathologists, radiographers and oncology surgeons. They have all gone out because at the end of the day, just like us Members of Parliament, you give them US$200 and ZiG10000 as salary, will that incentivise them to stay here when they are called in other countries where they are given US$10000 salary, a house and a car. We stand here and cry and blame the brain drain of skilled people to a lot of other things and forget that it begins with how we treat and remunerate them. My cry here is that let us as Government, start to be serious about this.
I am glad that the Minister of Finance came with that sugar tax. Let us ring fence that money and make sure that money is not diverted for anything else besides that cancer issue. At times I envy a country like China where if you are corrupt, they just shoot you and you are gone. That is the thing that will make people to start thinking and feeling for other people. Some of these things are being done by people deliberately knowing very well that when blame comes, it will be brought to our colossal party ZANU PF. They will say you see what ZANU PF has done but yet it is somebody who is in there who has never even shared one slogan of the party. That person is killing our system and we are letting it go. We cannot allow that. I know that my colossal party stands for the people and it wants people to have good life and governed very well. There are people that are doing wrong things.
Yesterday I stood up here during Question Time Without Notice and I indicated that I know for a fact that there are some hospital people, doctors included, that when Government makes an effort to bring in medication to a hospital, they then go around and take that same medication and put it in their pharmacies. When you go to that hospital to get treatment, they will refer you to a particular pharmacy. If you go to any other pharmacy, they will not accept that medication. I saw one case in Bulawayo where somebody had a broken leg and their uncle sent them some device from South Africa. The doctors here refused to use that device. They said no you must go to such a pharmacy. When you go and research on that pharmacy, either they are shareholders or they are friends or something. What kind of behaviour is that? Where are we going to do with people with that kind of devilish mindsets? These are things that are killing us and we watch.
As Parliament, we stand in a very dangerous position whereby everyday when you open Parliament, you make a prayer. Guess what that prayer is going to God. On judgement day, God will call all the Members of Parliament and you will be in front as the Speaker and say, what did you do as Parliament to prevent all this rot that is happening. It is time that we begin to have teeth. This is not about a political issue. This is about life. I want us as we speak, to remove all political jackets and think and start to be human beings who feel for the next person.
I do not think that Zimbabwe, with all the mineral wealth, can fail to purchase machines for every district in this country. If somebody sitting in some air-conditioned office with a Government car and probably the money that they used for lobola is from Government and they are messing around, we cannot have that.
When I went to China, seconded by my colossal party of course, I went to the Chinese School of Excellence where l learnt something very important and it might be controversial. In China they make sure that the civil servants adhere to the ideology of the CPC Party so much that whatever resolutions come from the CPC Party see the light of the day in Government. I know it is controversial but that is the right way to go because right now we have got a lot of civil servants that are sitting on issues that are supposed to be done deliberately knowing that the blame is going to ZANU PF. We are tired of that. We need everyone to carry their own cross now. That is the only way that we are going to fix this country and make sure that people do not suffer from cancer deaths that are unnecessary.
My prayer to you in this House is that Hon. Dr. Khupe has brought in a very pertinent issue but as we debate it, let us remove all sorts of obstacles that will cloud our thinking and support this issue so that corrective measures are done. The Ministry of Health must be seen to be acting. The Ministry of Finance must be seen to be acting so that at the end of the day, our people survive. I am telling you that one day, we shall face judgement and we will not have an answer. We will have done everything perfect and the only thing that will make us miss Heaven will be us not having done something that is correct for the good of humanity. I so submit.
HON. MATINENGA: Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir. Firstly, I would like to thank Hon. Khupe for raising this important motion about the devastating effects of cancer and calling for the need to be very aggressive in our efforts to alleviate the problems. The other facts on cancer, what it is and the havoc it has caused have been raised by the other Hon. Members who have already spoken. I want to buttress on awareness. In Zimbabwe, people are aware of the cancers, but a lot needs to be done, especially in rural areas. There are a lot of people who have died or who are suffering from cancer not knowing they are suffering from cancer.
So, we need to know that this is an epidemic which means there should be efforts of all leaders in awareness campaign. We know at the moment that chiefs are very active in awareness on issues of environment, Gender-Based Violence and alcohol abuse. At every funeral in rural areas, I think they mention about these issues, the problem areas which I have mentioned. They need to include issues of cancer.
I think the Ministry of Health should design simple and straightforward pamphlets which should be used by chiefs. It is my understanding that chiefs are being trained to make people aware of the problems which I have already highlighted. The same should be in respect of cancer. They need to mention at every opportunity and even ourselves as Members of Parliament when given any opportunity to say something in our constituencies, let us include the issue of cancer so that people are aware of the problems.
I come from a rural area and I know that some people go to hospitals when the cancer is at a very advanced stage. Let us do something as the other Hon. Members have said. I would like to say awareness is very important. They say in Shona, kusaziva kufa. So, we need to let everyone know about its effects and make an effort to do our part wherever we are. We can use technology. Awareness can be spread through WhatsApp or any other method. I submit.
HON. M. NKOMO: Good afternoon Hon. Speaker and Hon. Members of this august House. Thank you for giving me this opportunity to add my voice to the motion on cancer awareness programmes and modern cancer treatment equipment for Mpilo and Parirenyatwa Hospitals, moved by Hon. Dr. Khupe and seconded by Hon. Nyandoro.
In her debate, Hon. Dr. Khupe applauds His Excellency, the President of Zimbabwe, Dr. E. D. Mnangagwa for his gesture going beyond tribal and partisan politics and authorised Government to fund Hon. Dr. Khupe’s treatment as a former Deputy Prime Minister of Zimbabwe. I want to thank the President for such a helping hand, being a true figure for all Zimbabweans regardless of our political affiliation. It also shows that when we are in public offices, like Hon. Dr. Khupe was as Deputy Prime Minister, let us work together bringing Zimbabwe first than our individual constituencies. As a Member of Parliament from Matabeleland North, I thank President E. D. for helping one of us. Siyabonga Baba.
Hon. Speaker, this motion comes at the right time when globally, cancer has become the third leading cause of death with figures that are projected to increase to 26 million cases and 17 million deaths annually by 2030. From 12 million new cases, 7.6 million cancer related deaths were recorded worldwide in 2008 (according to Zimbabwe National Cancer Registry 2007). The World Health Organisation has projected an increase in cancer, particularly in developing nations and Zimbabwe is not spared. Prostate cancer and cervix uteri cancer are the most prominent with 1 707 and 3 520 new cases recorded in 2022 for males and females respectively. There are many factors contributing to the increasing incidence of cancer in the African continent and Zimbabwe as a country, which include infectious agents, increased tobacco use and harmful alcohol use, unhealthy diets, physical inactivity and environmental factors.
In order to minimise the number of new cases and mortality, we need to start awareness campaigns as Government and private stakeholders. Hosea 4 verse 6 says: ‘My People are destroyed for lack of knowledge’. You will recall that when the world was faced with the deadly pandemic, HIV/AIDS in the early 90s, millions of people died until when nations through science had to educate the citizens about the disease. New infections were reduced, so as the number of deaths. It is pubic knowledge Hon. Speaker that when HIV/AIDS was at the peak, the school curriculum brought in the teaching of it in schools from grade three, focusing on cases, symptoms and prevention.
In tertiary education, even those who were studying engineering and agriculture had a module on HIV/AIDS and no one could go to the next level having failed that module. Department of Health and Counselling was opened in most Government learning institutions. In the industry of Arts Performance, musicians like legend Oliver Mtukudzi among others composed lyrics specified for awareness and hope against HIV/AIDS. Today, very little has been written or sung about cancer by our artistes. One wonders where they are today. Literature should speak to the societal problems for solutions. I am in support of the motion`s prayer for the Government to immediately start and intensify cancer awareness, I propose.
The Ministry of Health and Child Care jointly with the Ministry of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Service should come up with campaign message and strategy, which Parliament can adopt and implement in our constituencies. Hon. Speaker, during the height of HIV/AIDS, we did not have more radio stations than we have today, we did not have more MPs than we have in the Tenth Parliament, and hence publicity has been simple and accessible by the Second Republic.
This increased the proportion of Zimbabweans who are cancer literate to more than 80% by having a monthly radio programmes on cancer, annual magazines, 8 songs and TV Drama centered on cancer to reduce population exposure to alcohol and tobacco by lobbying for increases taxes levied on tobacco and alcohol sales, especially selling for children.
Hon. Speaker, on 23rd July 2024, the First Lady Mama Dr. Mnangagwa was at United Bulawayo Hospital (UBH), officiating at the 2nd Bulawayo Breast Cancer Symposium and presided over the ground breaking ceremony, which will see the construction and equipping of Breast Cancer Centre at UBH. This agrees with Hon. Khupe`s second prayer in her motion, for Government to invest in state of the art equipment for Mpilo and Parirenyatwa hospitals for all cancer stages. I want to support this motion that our two main public hospitals be equipped, than for our citizens to be moving to private and overseas hospitals for medication.
I however want to suggest that, as we equip the two hospitals, it would be of greater impact if the district hospitals can be equipped with machines to screen and treat cancer to stage two, then Parirenyatwa and Mpilo remain referral hospitals for stages three and four. If this is done Hon. Speaker, we will be assured of access to health by the public, and reduce chances of cancer developing too long without being noticed. In the same line of thought, I propose:
To equip primary health facilities, District, Provincial and Central
hospitals staff skills in cancer early detection by developing early detection and referral (early warning signs) guidelines.
To establish routine selected cancer screening services at Central, Provincial and District hospitals by capacity building for routine screening for selected cancers.
Use of devolution funds per district to prioritise buying cancer equipment for hospitals.
Lastly, let me say that cancer prevention and control require a population – wide integrated and inclusive approach to that prevention, screening, analysis, treatment and support, palliative and rehabilitative care. This calls for strong political and practical leadership as well as significant investment in terms of infrastructure and equipment, human resources, technologies, medicines and vaccines.
HON. KAITANO: Thank you Madam Speaker Ma’am. I had prepared my script, but fortunately Hon. Hon. Tshuma read my script and has already shared. However, I have got two or three things that I feel needs to be shared. It is a no brainer that our health delivery system in this country needs a lot of work to be done. It is beyond any reasonable doubt that there is so much that we need still need to do as a nation, when it comes to our health delivery system. It could be infrastructure, it could be personnel, it could availability even to the most grassroots levels. There is need for us as a country to revamp and revitalise our health delivery system.
Madam Speaker, I have no doubt that there is so much that we still need to do as a nation when it comes to our health delivery system. It could be infrastructure, personnel, availability, even to the most grass roots levels. There is need for us as a country to revamp and revitalise our health delivery system. Madam Speaker Ma’am. I have no doubt that this country can achieve that if we work together. If we put concerted effort, if we purpose in our hearts to really go for it, we can do it, we can do it.
We have shown it in the past four to five months when we were building access roads to Parliament. We have seen that we purposed to achieving it and indeed, we have beautiful world class roads. As a country, we did something. We purposed to do it and we did it well. I pray Madam Speaker Ma’am, that that same mind, same attitude, same drive and same incessant desire be in us as a county as we try to rebuild our health delivery system. I believe we can do it.
The issue of cancer in this country has been said over and over again. I remember sometime the Hon. Speaker, when we went for induction, said to us “if you know what needs to be done, so why are you not doing it?” We know we need the machinery for cancer treatment and diagnosis. So, why are we not doing it? I think it is high time Madam Speaker Ma’am, that when we talk about issues here in Parliament, the mechanism to ensure that the executive implements the proposals here has to be even tighter. Otherwise, we continue talking about things over and over again and we do not see something on the ground.
Hon. Joseph Tshuma spoke passionately about it. In fact, not just passionately, it moved my heart. I do not want to go there because I do not want my heart to be moved in that manner again because it is a serious issue. We cannot let our people die day in day out. The cases of cancer are on the increase. It is a no brainer that we also need to make this cancer issue a topical issue in this country, to alert our people and make sure they are aware of this existence and the need to be checked and assessed. But if they do that Madam Speaker, I shudder to think if they know they have cancer, what is next? What then happens after that, are we able to treat them? Do we have enough machinery and equipment to treat them?
I shudder to think that we may even instill fear in their hearts, if there is no solution. The ring-fenced sugar tax, we are now in September, January to August, eight months, I think there is something that the Minister of Finance has done. I think it is high time that we start buying the machinery and we must see that indeed, this tax will make a difference to our people.
As I conclude, allow me to share with this House that about two, three months ago in Mudzi District, we are thankful to Her Excellency, the First Lady of this country, Dr. Auxilia Mnangagwa. She brought in, through the Angel of Hope, a number of doctors and the whole of Mudzi District were cancer screened. Over five thousand people, over a period of three days, trucks and buses were traversing the whole district, ferrying people to that programme and people were screened. I was there and I was also screened. We appreciate such efforts done by NGOs and in Mudzi District, we are so thankful. A number of people do not know about this but they came in numbers, they were screened but I shudder to think those that were found to have, where are they right now? What is happening to them? Do they have the machinery to treat them?
Madam Speaker, it is critical as Parliament, to take these things seriously. I have seen that Parliamentarians of today, the Tenth Parliament, they want results. We have talked, we have dinned, we have wined, that is enough. Now we are grateful to His Excellency, the President of this country, Dr. E. D. Mnangagwa who has demanded results over and over. The mindset of the Second Republic is results oriented but as Hon. Tshuma said, it is the person now, that is in Government, that has not smelt the coffee of the day. It is high time that Parliament, if we have whips, we start whipping some Members of the Executive to indeed see the fruition of cancer treatment in this country. I thank you Madam Speaker.
HON. KARENYI: Thank you Madam Speaker for giving me the opportunity to add my voice on this important motion. Firstly, I would like to thank the mover of the motion, Hon. Khupe for raising this debate and the motion which I feel is going to touch the whole world. After hearing her testimony Madam Speaker and also as a woman that she managed to walk a journey from here to India and ended up in the UK, I would like to say in Shona, tinotenda Mwari nehupenyu hwavakavadzorera zvakare – [HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear.] – One thing I would like to say Madam Speaker, I think from the first time she went for the treatment, I have noticed one thing which I think other women out there must also take courage, she is a fighter. Having cancer for the first time and second time, uchingorarama, means you are a true fighter. I would like to encourage her that you must remain positive Hon. Khupe, God loves you.
Cancer is a formidable opponent affecting millions of lives globally. It does not discriminate based on age, gender or social status, rich or poor. Madam Speaker, these phenomena do not only affect the patient, it also affects families and friends. Everyone around that patient is caught up in this phenomena. Fighting cancer requires strengthening the health system including improvement of human resources for health and reducing the current brain drain. Hence the need for multi stakeholder approach. The motion Madam Speaker, is a beacon of hope and a call to action as Members of Parliament and all the stakeholders in Zimbabwe. The question then arises Madam Speaker, what can we do to contribute to this cause. The answer lies in number one education advocacy and community engagements to make sure that people get early detection, treatment, palliative care and rehabilitation to serve lives.
Madam Speaker the current high costs of cancer treatment remain a stumbling block to many of us in Zimbabwe. My research is like in US dollar, it ranges from US$150 up to US$1 000 per session or more. This calls for a subsidy for the cancer treatment to ensure health equity for all. A study from 2017 shows that common oral chemotherapy cost between US$7 500 per month for medicines, care of patients and very few people can afford.
In Zimbabwe, if for example a civil servant, she cannot even feed the family, sent children to school and what about if she is diagnosed with cancer. Obviously, she will not even afford one session for her or for him to survive. I would like to applaud the Government, through the responsible Ministry, for heading the call from the public in managing to resume the radiotherapy services at Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals. Hence the general public battling the dangerous disease have been given a lifeline following the resumption of the radiotherapy services at the biggest Government referral hospital. Hence, they provide a more affordable treatment option for those patients.
Madam Speaker, I would like the Minister of Finance to fund the Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals so that at least everyone who is suffering from this disease can afford to get medication. As a country, we have lost lives, therefore if you think about these hospitals, we talk of Parirenyatwa, Mpilo and other hospitals. They have no funds to make sure that all these machines are functioning. Hence the need for the Government to fully fund them because people cannot afford to go for radio therapy in the private sector, it is very expensive. There is urgent need to make sure that in our constituencies, at least one Government hospital is fully funded for cancer screening so that everyone can afford to go and access the medication and also the cancer screening. I strongly feel that the responsible Ministry must make sure that there is adequate funding across the country at least and I underline at least in each province to have one referral Government hospital with fully funded machines. I would like to propose that all the clinics, especially in all our districts, at least to have a cancer screening machine every month even a mobile clinic so that at least people will go and access the services.
Madam Speaker, there is also an outcry that some of the cancer or radiotherapy machines are lying idol in some of our hospitals. Therefore, I urge an audit to all equipment in all these Government hospitals and see whether these machines are still working. If they are still working then they must be funded so that at least they get service and make sure that they are working.
Madam Speaker, I also want to propose that we must promote cancer screening awareness through our traditional leaders, civic societies, church leaders, media and also schools. I also want to propose that Government should also engage NGOs so that they also partner and assist in getting these cancer machines to work as they are required in all the hospitals. I urge the Government to have a cancer policy that is meant to eradicate cancer deaths. Lastly, Government must invest in research. When I was listening to Hon. Dr. Khupe’s testimony, she said when she was in India, she got worse and when she went to UK that is where she managed to be treated. It means there is need for the doctors and all those who are in these institutions to invest in research so that as a country, we also equip our Government hospitals.
In conclusion, Government should also partner with countries like India, United Kingdom which have demonstrated that cancer can be treated like any other curable diseases and much investments is required in public hospitals towards cancer fighting. Madam Speaker, the poor should not continue to die. Let us join our hands to eradicate cancer because not everyone can afford to go to South Africa, India or to United Kingdom. As a nation, we must make sure that we also fund all these hospitals. I was saying to myself, after hearing Hon. Dr. Khupe kana zvichidai pamuti munyoro, ko kuzoti wakaoma. Most of the people Madam Speaker, cannot even afford the medication, what about a gogo who is in Dotito, or a gogo in Chikanga, how can she afford to go and pay for the radiotherapy? I urge the Government to take this motion seriously and make sure we join hands so that we increase our awareness through social media and also through our feedback meetings to encourage women who are also suffering from cancer to come and speak to the world.
Madam Speaker, the other thing that touches me is most of the people are shy to talk about it. We must educate our people out there to say you can keep it to yourself but you will be killing yourself, but if you speak Madam Speaker, it is also a therapy on its own. Thank you Madam Speaker.
*HON. KARIMATSENGA-NYAMUPINGA: Thank you Madam Speaker for allowing me to add my voice to this motion which is quite a touching issue, the issue of cancer. I want to thank the mover for sharing here journey and her experiences. Most of the times we do not talk about these diseases not knowing that sharing lightens the load for people who are facing similar challenges and you might also get information which is related to these diseases. So, I thank the Hon. Member for bringing up this issue. I know the Hon. Member has been talking about this since 2011 and we discussed this issue of cancer. Madam Speaker Maam, cancer is a challenge and it is a problem in Zimbabwe. I do not know what can be done in order to mitigate the effects of cancer but I want to talk about awareness.
There is not much awareness whether it is people who live in urban areas or in rural areas. People go for check-ups late when cancer is on stage 4 and there will be fewer options that can be explored even if they have to go outside the country for treatment where the Hon. Member went, you would discover that it will be a bit late. So, I want to implore the Ministry of Health and Child Care to ensure that in every clinic in every ward, there is a day set aside by councilors and village heads, a day where health experts and cancer experts are engaged to convene these meetings so that they educate the public and people who will be coming from central hospitals. I was told that there are nurses who move around villages with health kits. So, it is important that this is done. You heard that for those who sell their cattle, there is a day set aside for selling cattle and for cattle shows at dip tanks. This can also be done by the health care sector so that people are checked for cancer. This will help our people who do not get checked on their own initiative. Some prefer to go to their gardens but when such days are set aside, they will meet as a community to talk about issues which affect the community whilst health care professionals will be testing for cancer and training people on issues related to do with cancer. The challenge that we are facing is that of public education. On the same note, I believe that the clinic and wards should be empowered with information that has everything to do with cancer so that they lighten the burden that is being carried by public hospitals. This would ensure that when people are referred to bigger hospitals, they would have been attended to at clinics instead of congesting Parirenyatwa and other big hospitals.
Madam Speaker, when I talk about this disease, I become very emotional. I feel like crying because I have lost a lot of relatives whom I loved so dearly. When I check my phone database as a Member of Parliament, there are people who think that we have money. The people we lead think that we are wealthy. I received a message last week and I still have the message in my phone. The message was saying that Hon. Member, my brother was diagnosed with cancer of the esophagus and he cannot digest food, and we went to the hospital and we were told that they needed US$9 000. So, we felt that we should inform our Member of Parliament who can assist. Indeed I got troubled. I have a lot of doctors that I reached out to. Some were referring me to different doctors and they went to two of the doctors but the charges did not change. The monies were for consultation fees and physicians. The operation was done last week but the list of drugs is quite long and the tablets are needed. Sometimes you would find that when a relative passes away, they do so after you have expended all your energy and all your finances. So, my plea is that Government should take cancer like HIV where medicines are given for free. This will help the nation and people will be motivated to go for testing. Sometimes people do not go for testing because they fear that they will leave their children suffering.
So, my request is that through you Madam Speaker Ma’am, please push this issue because I believe that you are aware that most people who are suffering from this are women. Of course, there are men who are also suffering but the majority are women. So, it is important to find a solution that will help women, men and even children who are suffering from this disease so that people can be treated freely whether, it is scans, x-rays or radio therapy. This should be done for free and there should be cancer centers where the vulnerable will be given the opportunity to be treated because every moment counts until you pass away. This is my request.
Even laboratories which are testing, I believe that there should be a one stop center where people are tested and where there is a laboratory and also treatment done under the same roof. I once spoke about this in the past that my big sister went to Harare Hospital, we did not know what it was. She always showed us a lump that was in her breast. We would just say ignore it and use home remedies not knowing what it was. But when her breast was eventually cut after the diagnosis was done the breast was put into a plastic bag and the husband had to carry the breast in a plastic bag going to a laboratory. Imagine in a commuter omnibus with a breast in a plastic bag, this is quite heart wrenching. When people see you carrying a plastic bag, they would think that maybe you bought meat for domestic consumption yet you are carrying your wife’s breast in a plastic bag. So, I implore Government to establish a one stop center so that people would not be exposed to such humiliating experiences.
Madam Speaker, I also want to look at the Abuja Declaration which says that 15% of the annual budget should be allocated to the Ministry of Health. If this is done it will empower our Ministry with finances to fix machines which are at Parirenyatwa or will assist them to procure new machines. There are a lot of machines which are not working at the moment, which need to be fixed but there is no allocation for the repair of such machines. My plea regarding the annual budget, whether big or small, it is important that 15% is allocated to the Ministry of Health so that the funds can also be channeled to different diseases like cancer.
When we experienced COVID in Zimbabwe, a lot of people were affected but Government responded positively by issuing sanitisers, PPEs and all other utilities that were needed. Of course, we lost some lives but eventually Government managed to address it. My plea is that in this budget there should be an allocation for cancer or maybe exceeding the allocation of 15% which was recommended by the Abuja Declaration.
Cancer should be well funded because some people do not have transport money to travel long distances to get treated for cancer and related conditions. Having a budget for that would help us as a nation. We cannot continue mourning the loss of lives as a result of cancer without interventions. It is also important that the Ministry of Health gets that allocation which will assist the Ministry in carrying out research programmes. We want researches to be done so that even herbalists who claim to heal using herbs are engaged by researchers who will take these herbs for testing so that the medicines are validated. There are so many different types of cancers where patients go through radiotherapy and chemotherapy, and sometimes people would say why did you go through these forms of therapy. So, we do not know what can be done. This is affecting people mentally. If the Ministry of Health is given this allocation it will invest in research. After research has been done, then people will be able to be diagnosed of the proper cancer that they are suffering from.
I want to request that the issue of palliative care be looked into because when you are caring for a sick relative at home sometimes you do not have options. The hospital would have said that we have done all we can but there should be information on how people who offer palliative care are addressed because sometimes they do not have any option. So, they should be given diapers and other things that they need because there are different stages of cancer. After exhausting and expending their monies, sometimes they might be desperate without anything to offer their sick relative. I request that Government should intervene in that regard.
We need centres in every district so that when families can no longer care for their relatives, they can refer them to cancer treatment centres because sometimes the charges will be too much. Such centres should be there so that they can assist the people. Sometimes they are not able to look after their people. This is my request Madam Speaker.
I would also want to say that our nurses and clinics should be trained so that they are empowered with cancer knowledge like the knowledge they have for HIV/AIDS so that when people go for treatment they can be educated about cancer. This will help our people so that they will not face challenges.
The last point that I want to raise is on the levies that are being collected. Is it not possible that there is a substantial fund for cancer which is funded from sugar tax or through the sale of alcohol so that cancer patients can be assisted? I thank you.
HON. PINDUKA: Thank you so much for giving me the opportunity to add my voice on the debate that is before us. I would like to start by applauding and commending Government in scaling up the response to non-communicable diseases like cancer in various ways that we are witnessing in an effort to make sure that the general populace gets an opportunity to get treatment. I would also want to applaud Her Excellency, the First Lady Dr. Auxilia Mnangagwa for taking the lead as the Health Ambassador leading from the front in terms of making sure that screening takes place in different parts of the country through the Angel of Hope Foundation.
I would also want to premise my submission with some statistics so that we also understand the depth and breath of this discussion on cancer treatment in Zimbabwe. According to the Zimbabwe Cancer Registry 2017 Annual Report that was published in 2020, the country recorded 7659 new cancer cases in 2017. Of these new cancer cases recorded by that time about 42.7% were male and 57.3% were female. This gives us an insight in terms of the disaggregated proportion between male and female being affected by this kind of illness.
From these statistics, we will also see that it is almost everyone, be it male or female who is affected by this cancer phenomenon in our country. Going just a step further to also understand the breakdown in terms of the frequency of occurring. We have cervical cancer taking up almost 20%, followed by prostate cancer which is about 10%, breast cancer 8%, Kaposi Sarcoma 5%, Hodgkin Lymphoma 5%, colorectal 4% and liver cancer about 3%.
This breakdown shows that those are the cancer types which are frequently occurring in that category. It means that in terms of intervention, we need to make sure that we sensitise as we can see that the cervical cancer is on the lead. We need to say in terms of intervention or in terms of awareness, we need to make sure that this is the largest constituency where we need to focus our interventions in terms of our programmes and we are also making sure that we tailor make intervention in that respect.
I would also encourage to share that Statutory Instrument 63, of 2018 which spoke of a rebate on duty which is granted for plants and equipment that will be used exclusively for health services as the minister may approve. I think this opened up an opportunity for all stakeholders so that it is a multisectoral approach to this phenomenon that we face right now to make sure that we will have more of these machines being imported so that they can cover quite a number of people in our different provinces.
It is important to look at the treatments available on this cancer phenomenon that need to be pursued. I have also researched about five. The first one being surgical procedures to remove the ceased organs or tissues. We have radiotherapy that calls for radiation therapy that kills cancer cells and shrink the growth. We have chemotherapy, that destroys cancer cells. We have hormonal therapy that is the hormone that is used to manage cancer in terms of female patients and lastly, the palliative specialised medical care for people with life threatening illness that include cancer on relieving symptoms and try to improve the quality of life.
The current status quo is that we have radiotherapy machines at Mpilo and Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals. These are the only two referral central hospitals that are managing the current phenomenon of cancer. I also make for a clarion call to make sure that we have quite a number of central hospitals and other provincial hospitals. We should as well have a referral hospital even at district levels to also have such a machine to also aide in terms of screening. We should make sure that this phenomenon is addressed. Currently, what is available at Mpilo is that covering the southern part of the country and Parirenyatwa covering the northern part of the country. I think it is not enough for the whole country.
In 2022, I think a survey was done in terms of the functionality of the machines, some of the radiotherapy machines at Parirenyatwa, are obsolete since 2022. I would like to applaud the Government for coming in with the sugar levy, the 2% which will see such machines at Parirenyatwa resuming meaning to say Government is also making frantic efforts to make sure that the cancer phenomenon is addressed.
There are challenges that are being recorded in the fight against cancer treatment that include issues to do with resources and the functionality of these machines. For those that are available within the country, I am sure the reason why radiotherapy machines at Parirenyatwa took long to get fixed by engineers are issues to do with funds and issues to do with spare parts. The engineers are not local. I think it is high time we need to make sure that we need to invest into our indigenous and local experts to also come up. They should be trained and move along with other developed countries in terms of making sure that we have our own engineers who can also attend to these machines so that they are functional.
We need to make sure that there are no gaps in terms of functionality. Another issue is on the training specialist who is the oncologist. I think this is also high time that as a country that we to push or give incentives and scholarships to make sure that we have quite a number of expert oncologists. They can also do the research on the cancer phenomenon. These challenges will end up resulting in limited access to early detection. It will limit in terms of diagnosis and early treatment. So, if we are having functional machines and have awareness campaigns across all constituencies in our country, we will end up reducing the limited access to early detection, diagnosis and treatment as well.
Moreover, high cost of treatment is another issue making it highly unaffordable, the high cost of treatment for the cancer patients. I think this has been discussed or tabled by other Hon. Members that have come before me. I cannot overemphasise on this. Madam Speaker Ma’am, one of the key challenges that we are witnessing on the ground as Members of Parliament, we come from the rural communities or at the grass roots level. The information dissemination is not really going on well as expected or in tandem with the magnitude or with the effort that we all expect. Lack of awareness about cancer leading to the late detection is highly seen mostly in rural areas where we have quite a number of women.
Some of the women and men are also suffering in silence. So, as a result of that, I have a few recommendations that l intend to submit so that they are also taken forward in terms of making sure that the cancer treatment in Zimbabwe is adding up. The first one is prioritisation in terms of purchase of equipment. That will make sure that we have this equipment at least in every province or in every referral district hospital so that early diagnosis is happening for further treatment.
We are proposing for a radical training of oncologists and further investment into research and development. I think other Members have also talked about this. The third recommendation is that we are calling upon Members of Parliament to support the Ministry of Health and Child Care in terms of budget allocations. Hon. Nyamupinga has highlighted that the Abuja Declaration of about 15% has never been attained in terms of our budget. As Members of Parliament, we have a great role in making sure that we also persuade Treasury in making sure that they allocate enough resources to the Ministry of Health and Child Care. You would follow that the 2024 budget had almost 9.8% against the total budget for the 2024 National Budget had almost 9.8% against the total budget for 2024 National Budget. In the past five years, you will see that almost – I think it is just once where we recorded about 12.8%, meaning to say we never reached 15%. The last time we did it was just around 12.8%. In 2024, it was about 9.8%. I think it is important that as we get into 2025, we also call upon the Treasury to also consider allocating enough resources to the Ministry of Health and Childcare, so that it will also have enough resources to procure these machines and also do the awareness programmes to the grassroot level, where we are coming from in the constituencies, the information is there but I think more still needs to be done to make sure that it reaches all corners of the country. Lastly, is on the issues to do with early detection, early treatment and early diagnosis. This will serve lives, once the machines are available or if they are accessible in almost every province or district. I thank you.
*HON. MATSUNGA: Thank you Madam Speaker Ma’am. I would like to thank the mover and seconder of this motion. We feel saddened and heavily touched when we debate on the issue of the scourge of cancer. In my own words, if I am going to use them in this august House, maybe it will help us as we go forward. I was hoping that our Government would go into our own universities and assist in elevating our students so that we would have a lot of scientists that may assist us. They would carry out researches on the disease of cancer. On WhatsApp groups and media, they publicise that people may be tested for cervical cancer or any other forms of cancer. A lot of people are afraid to go there. They go into denial before they have even contracted the disease. When they then suffer from that particular disease, they become apprehensive, knowing that a relative or a neighbour has died and a lot of money was used, money that could have been used to buy a house. A lot of friends or family members have died in Zimbabwe. It is no longer confined to certain ages. It is no longer a rarity to find cancer in clans. A child can be born with cancer, so it is a problem that if one is to be diagnosed with cancer without money, there is no other way that one can be treated. One will just live waiting for the Lord God to take you away.
I also want to add that Mpilo and Parirenyatwa Hospitals are the only medical institutions that have equipment for the treatment of cancer. I urge the Government to have a treatment clinic or one that tests for cancer at every district so that before one goes to these referral centres, they go to their district hospitals, which will be nearby. We have observed that we now have psychiatrists at our clinics. People who suffer from mental illness can no longer be sent to Parirenyatwa or Sally Mugabe hospitals. They are given medication at their local institutions.
Furthermore, we are pleading with the Government and the Minister of Finance together with the Minister of Health that people should go to these hospitals, they have very good machines, which has already been said by the previous speaker, that these are now white elephants. They have been there for more than three to four years; they have not been put to use. It would have been good if the Minister of Finance were to release money that will enable entities that will be outstanding to be paid so that they can come and repair the same machines so that people can be assisted.
Madam Speaker, if you look at our communities, 35 000 villages require education in the urban and rural centres. Others are just living on hearsay that as soon you are diagnosed by cancer, it is a death sentence. There is no sufficient knowledge. I urge the said Ministry to come up with awareness on that if they have cervical cancer or prostate cancer, it is not a death sentence, but depending on the stage where this cancer is, you may live long. Now that people are ignorant, they will not even go near a person suffering from such an ailment. What hurts most in Zimbabwe is that we do not have money to enable us to go abroad or go further and be treated.
As Members of Parliament, looking at the small salary that we earn and you hear the amounts that people pay for chemotherapy, it would help if there was a grant for people living with chronic diseases such as cancer so that people can be assisted. If you do not have money, you just wait for your death. That is why a lot of people are in denial and they do not want to go and be tested. I want to give an example of a Member of Parliament, Hon. Dr. Khupe, who moved that motion. If she had not gone outside the country and be assisted by the Government, she would not have been where she is today.
To you Hon. Khupe, congratulations, you are glowing. We thank God for that. She is the only one, what about those that are outside and what about those that she leads? Who is going to assist them? I urge the Government to come up with a fund that is dedicated for the treatment of cancer. That will enable us to go further in this august House. I urge this august House to adopt the measures that have been put in place by the First Lady. We are now eating a lot of GMOs. As Hon. Members, we should go back to our roots and go back to our traditional foods. This will help us. Let us teach our children to eat rapoko, finger millet and mahewu and that sadza is not thrown away. Once there are left overs, one can make mahewu. People take it that this is the First Lady, who is the wife of a ZANU PF President. That is not the issue. If the 210 constituencies come up with women doing shows or cooking competitions, we will see a lot of our children willing to eat traditional foods.
As we grew up, we had a lot of girls and women using cow dung and even pieces of cloth during menstrual periods, this causes cancer. The First Lady says it is not only meat that should be consumed. All dried vegetables can be used and they are good for our health. When you see the Nhanga and Gota and the mahewu, as we grew up in the custody of our grandmothers, we used to have mahewu and wind of milk using mahewu. This shows that we are able to defeat this particular sickness and go back to the era where we were eating traditional foods.
In conclusion Madam Speaker, what pains and touches me, others may be touched because I have spoken about it, but we cannot withdraw that…
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Hon. Matsunga, I urge you to stick to one language.
*HON. MATSUNGA: I withdraw my English statement. I said, I will continue preaching about this gospel. I will not go back. We should follow the example that is being set by the First Lady. Let us teach our children good eating habits. Let us teach them that as we were growing up, we used to eat traditional foods. It has nothing to do with politics. If we have cooking competitions for women and as men, we support this and give people enlightenment and education on what cancer is all about. If that is done, it will help us a lot. I thank you Madam Speaker. God bless you.
*HON. ZIKI: Thank you Madam Speaker for affording me this opportunity to add my voice on the motion that was moved by Hon. Khupe. The issue at hand affects many people. To those few that have not yet experienced it in their homes, it is an issue that needs serious treatment that it deserves. Madam Speaker, a lot of issues have been raised in connection with this particular disease from urging people to be tested. A stitch in time serves nine. People should timeously be treated and there is need for education of the people that are supposed to treat that disease as well as the provision of funding by Government on this particular disease.
I would want to bring in the element of the theme that we come up with machinery that is taken to hospitals will not work. Why? Because we have an issue that needs to be first resolved. The manner in which the people in the health sector are working is not good. Our doctors are greedy for money. Those that dispute this have not experienced it. You need USD160 to USD200 to see a specialist. Where one needs to be admitted in hospital, they require several thousands of dollars. This habit is being experienced in our own country.
We have come across those that are ill in our constituencies and others have undergone operations and have recovered. Others because of late diagnosis lose their lives. We were taking them across to Zambia where USD50 can carry out a lot of tests, which tests you are unable to conduct in Zimbabwe. You then wonder whether all these doctors attended the same medical schools. If you go to South Africa, you will see how much it costs for an x-ray and juxtapose it with Zimbabwe. We have a bad habit that needs to be attended to. The greediness of the people in the medical field. It is a debate for another day because the prices that are being charge are exorbitant.
Furthermore, there is corruption. Even if you bring in that machinery and leave it in the hospitals, it will never work for two months because the doctors work with cartels. They buy these particular machines, house them at a certain place and refer all patients to their cartel. I am aware of a part that was being required for USD15 thousand and for years, we could not come across it. We were lucky and then given a state-of-the-art x-ray machine. The said machine cannot print. If you want the machine to print, you will take the cellphone to the doctor with a picture on the cellphone. There was a part that was removed from the machine.
So, we have seen it is not about the Government not buying machinery. The Government is buying machinery but if you look at the issue of dialysis, it is the same problem. You are told the machine is not working but the person who works at that institution refers you to a machine that is functional. That needs to be remedied.
Yes, machinery should be bought but we have a problem amongst us. I do not know if we have a standard pricing system for these services. If we do not do that, we are going to fall into the same problem where machinery is bought, never works for a long time and people then form cartels and send patients to pay exorbitant prices, which are way beyond the majority of the people. My plea is that we need to correct this anomaly whilst we are looking at provision of machinery. I hope this subject will come up some other time for discussion. I thank you Madam Speaker for the opportunity that you have granted me.
HON. MUCHEMWA: Thank you Madam for giving me a chance to add my voice to the motion brought by Hon. Thokozani Khupe. Let me start by thanking the First Lady, Dr. Amai Mnangagwa for the sterling work she is doing in fighting against cancer. With regards this cancer menace, I believe that we should have cancer mobile clinics in every district so that people can quickly receive attention not far away from their community. A woman in Uzumba can survive on $20 for a whole month. So, if they have these mobile clinics that screen cancer, it could help them a lot.
I also believe that every district hospital should have a cancer treating machine so that the local people can quickly access the services within their own area. That will then remove the need for transport for them to go and receive medication. For a lady to come to be treated in Harare it is exorbitant and for someone who is living on $20 per month, she will not be able to foot the bills for medication. I think the Government needs to look into that and make cancer treatment free of charge. Honourable Members, to say the truth, you know that if someone has been diagnosed with cancer it is like someone has been sentenced to death.
HON. HAMAUSWA: On a point of order.
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: What is your point of order.
*HON. HAMAUSWA: Madam Speaker Ma’am, I am surprised. Is it true that there are some people who are living on $20 per month? Will this not be detrimental to our Government that there are some people living on $20 per month. It appears as if Zimbabwe is a very poor country. I do not believe that is the truth.
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order, Hon. Hamauswa, you will have a chance to debate the motion. You need to debate the motion on your own. Proceed Hon. Muchemwa.
*HON. MUCHEMWA: Thank you Madam Speaker for protecting me. It was an example that I have given that the old people that are in our communal homes may live on $20 which may not be sufficient to come here to be treated using chemotherapy. I have said that if one has been diagnosed with cancer, you are just as good as someone who is on the death row because you just think that you will die because you do not have the means to get medication. For one to go to hospital, if we talk of chemotherapy $150 is required and I had already given an example of the old woman in Uzumba living on $20 per month, how then will she raise the required fees.
I advocate that cancer be treated free of charge. Screening of cancer should be compulsory just as much as was the case with HIV and AIDS. I urge men and women to be tested. We need compulsory testing for anyone who goes to a hospital or medical institution to be tested. I also urge our Government to put in place legislation that bars or that does not allow the entry of GMOs. When we grew up, there was not a lot of cancer diseases. A lot of these cancer diseases are being caused by the food we are eating.
We are eating junk food that is being imported. I understand that those experts on traditional medicines, the medicine that they use assists our relatives. Such medicine should be researched by people at HIT so that the herbs are tested and we can come up with own medication which we can be able to sell outside the country and earn us foreign currency. I would like to end by thanking Hon. Dr. Khupe for being a champion in cancer and also for talking about her own predicament, her own state as a cancer survivor and everyone else. I thank you Hon. Members who are here, let us go to our constituencies and create awareness campaigns so that people do not shy away from screening because people are having cancer detected at a very late stage. I thank you.
HON. KAMBUZUMA: I move that the debate do now adjourn.
HON. NYANDORO: I second.
Motion put and agreed to.
Debate to resume: Tuesday, 17th September, 2024.
MOTION
BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE
HON. KAMBUZUMA: Madam Speaker, I move that Orders of the Day, Numbers 13 to 15 on today’s Order Paper, be stood over until Order of the Day Number 16 has been disposed of.
HON. NYANDORO: I second.
Motion put and agreed to.
MOTION
REPORT OF THE 148TH ASSEMBLY OF THE INTER-PARLIAMENTARY UNION (IPU) AND RELATED MEETINGS HELD IN GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
HON. KARIKOGA: I move the motion standing in my name that this House takes note of the Report of the 148th Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and Related Meetings held from the 23rd to 27th March, 2024 in Geneva, Switzerland.
HON. TOBAIWA: I second.
HON. KARIKOGA: Thank you Madam Speaker for according me the opportunity to present my report.
- INTRODUCTION
- The 148th Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and related meetings were convened in the City of Peace, Geneva, Switzerland from 23rd to 27th March 2024 under the overarching theme “Parliamentary Diplomacy: Building Bridges for peace and understanding”.
- The spring edition of the IPU Assembly was attended by one thousand six hundred (1 600) delegates including fifty-five (55) Speakers and fifty-five Deputy Speakers from one hundred and forty-eight (148) IPU Member Parliaments. Furthermore, thirty-six percent (36%) of delegates were women while twenty-seven percent (27%) were young parliamentarians.
- The Parliament of Zimbabwe was ably represented by Hon. Advocate Jacob Francis Nzwidamilimo Mudenda, Speaker of Parliament and Hon. Mabel Memory Chinomona, President of the Senate. They were accompanied by the following Members of Parliament:
- Chief Mtshane Lucas Khumalo;
- Tsitsi Muzenda;
- Tawanda Karikoga;
- Naledi Madzara;
- Jona Nyevera;
- Prosper Mutseyami; and
- Judith Tobaiwa.
1.4 The above theme of the IPU 148th Assembly was opportune. According to the 2023 statistics obtained by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, fifty-six (56) countries across the globe were experiencing armed conflict. Consequently, some of these conflicts have negative global impact on world economies such as inaccessible grain and fertiliser supplies, curtailed movement of goods and services resulting in devastating consequences of humanitarian crisis. In this context, the IPU is applauded for providing a much-needed platform for Parliamentarians to exercise Parliamentary diplomacy through dialogue in order to complement the peace and security efforts by the United Nations and other multilateral humanitarian organisations.
2.0 SADC GROUP AND AFRICA GEOPOLITICAL GROUP MEETINGS
2.1 As per established practice at IPU Assembly meetings, the SADC Group and Africa Geopolitical Group convened on 22nd March 2024 to discuss and reach consensus on issues affecting the region and the continent respectively.
The meetings provide a focused approach in tackling issues under consideration by the global Parliamentary body.
2.2 Of special note is that Hon. Speaker Mudenda continued to receive commendations for his sterling contribution to the work of the IPU among the SADC Parliaments and in the IPU Executive Committee during his four-year tenure as he represented SADC Parliaments and the Africa Geopolitical Group. Subsequently, Hon. Speaker Mudenda was presented with a certificate of distinction by Hon. Roger Mancienne, Speaker of the Parliament of Seychelles and President of the SADC Parliamentary Forum in recognition of his “Outstanding commitment and excellence in serving the African Geopolitical Group and the SADC Region as a Member of the IPU Executive Committee.”
2.3 In keeping with the spirit of the theme of the Assembly, both the SADC and Africa Geopolitical Group resolved to support the submission of an Emergency Item submitted by South Africa entitled, “Raising awareness of the International Court of Justice provisional measures for Israel in relation to Palestinians in Gaza, and of the need for urgent action on the humanitarian crisis in Gaza”, for inclusion on the IPU Agenda. This emergency item will be married with Algeria’s proposal in terms of Rule 11(2) of the IPU Statutes and Rules which allow for such composite approach. In the same spirit, the 12 Plus Geopolitical Group agreed to combine its submission with that of South Africa only to be aborted later. The vote on the Emergency Item resulted in a stalemate and for the second consecutive time, the IPU failed to have an Emergency Item.
2.4 Hon. Tulia Ackson, President of the IPU and Speaker of the Parliament of Tanzania addressed both the SADC and Africa Geopolitical Groups in her maiden appearance since election to the position of President of the IPU in October 2023. President Ackson expressed gratitude to Africa for the election support and pledged to deliver on her campaign promises as well as to ensure that the continent’s challenges receive due attention at the international fora.
3.0 GOVERNING COUNCIL
3.1 ACTIVITIES REPORT BY THE PRESIDENT: The Governing Council took note of the IPU President’s report on the activities undertaken since she was elected as President in October 2023 anchored on three deliverables, namely,
- Reinforcing peace and security through dialogue – The IPU President undertook visits to the Middle East (Israel and Palestine) in November 2023 wherein she engaged the Prime Minister of Palestine, His Excellency, Mohammad Shtayeh as well as the Speaker the Parliament of Israel, Hon. Amir Ohana. Through her interactions during the visits, the IPU President gained a deeper appreciation of the conflict. She opined that both parties were willing to resolve the conflict through dialogue.
- Reinforcing the IPUs visibility – Key meetings attended by the IPU President include a webinar preventing and responding to violence against women in Parliaments; 9th MIKTA Speakers’ Consultation on Strengthening Multilateralism; Addressing Intergenerational Challenges held in Bali, Indonesia; Antalya Diplomacy Forum held in Turkey and the Women’s Speakers’ Forum held in France.
Supporting the implementation of the IPU Strategy – In support of the IPU Strategy, the IPU President attended the High-Level segment on COP 28 held in United Arab Emirates (UAE). Additionally, the IPU President attended the 2024 Parliamentary Hearing at the United Nations as well as the Annual IPU – UN Women Parliamentary meeting at the 68th session of the Commission for women held in New York, USA.
3.2 IMPACT REPORT BY THE SECRETARY GENERAL ON THE ACTIVITIES BY THE OF THE IPU IN 2023
3.2.1 The Governing Council took note of Impact Report presented by Mr. Martin Chungong, Secretary General of the IPU, which articulated activities undertaken since the last Governing Council Meeting held in Luanda, Angola in October 2023. The report was anchored on the five strategic objectives of the IPU as encapsulated in the IPU Strategy Plan (2022-2026).
Some of the major highlights for the period under review included the following:
- An increase in Membership to 180 Member Parliaments and 15 Associate Members
- 762 Human Rights cases examined by the IPU
- Over 150,000 views on climate videos
- 3% of Women MPs at IPU Assemblies (IPU supported Sierra Leone with the quota system which saw more women elected in that Parliament.
- 6% of Young MPs at IPU Assemblies
3.3 IPU FINANCIAL REPORT
3.3.1The Governing Council noted the financial statement of the Organisation together with the Audited Financial Report conducted by the Auditor General of the Government of Indonesia in Accordance with Rule 13 of the IPU Financial Regulations. The IPU Executive Committee noted that the financial position remains stable with a high degree of solvency.
3.3.2 The mobilisation of voluntary funding had also increased including the One (1) million United States dollars donation by the United Arab Emirates. Other key funding agreements includes the following:
- Swedish International Cooperation Agency (SIDA);
- Shura Council of Qatar;
- Canadian Department of Foreign Affairs Trade and Development (DFATD);
- The Irish Aid; and
- The World Health Organisation.
3.3.3 The Governing Council also noted that external funding for the organization constituted only 27% while the rest was internally generated mainly from Member Parliaments subscriptions.
3.4 REPORT ON IPU MEMBERS AND SITUATION ON OTHER PARLIAMENTS
3.4.1 The Governing Council approved the request by the Permanent Conference of Political Parties of Latin America and the Caribbean (COPPPAL) as an IPU observer.
3.5 IPU REGIONAL OFFICES
3.5.1 The Governing Council took note of the progress on operationalization of the two IPU pilot Regional Offices in Uruguay and Egypt. It was noted that a two-year agreement between Uruguay and the IPU had been signed. The Host countries are expected to meet all costs relating to the running of the offices while the IPU would only render logistical support.
Ultimately, Member Parliaments through their Geopolitical Groups, may open Regional Offices to foster parliamentary engagements outside the Assembly meetings as well as increase visibility in line with the IPU Communications Strategy.
3.6 IPU TASK FORCE ON THE WAR IN UKRAINE/ MIDDLE EAST
QUESTIONS
3.6.1 Regarding the IPU Task Force on the Ukraine-Russia conflict, the Governing Council noted the progress registered by the Task Force in dealing with the war in Ukraine. Accordingly, the Governing Council resolved to maintain the Task Force.
3.6.2 The Governing Council further resolved that the IPU should also entrench its presence on other related conflict resolution initiatives by other bodies such as the Geneva Peace Summit being organised to resolve the war in Ukraine.
3.6.3 Similarly, the Governing Council noted and acknowledged the efforts made by the IPU President following her meetings with authorities from both Palestine and Israel over the conflict in Gaza. To that an extent, the Governing Council resolved to await the detailed report which will be presented by the substantive Committee to the Assembly.
3.7 With regards to the proposed amendments of the IPU Statutes and Rules, the Governing Council endorsed the establishment of a Sub Committee to scrutinize the various submissions by Member Parliaments and respective Geopolitical Groups. Hon. Nelly Mutii, Speaker of the National Assembly of Zambia will represent the Africa Geopolitical Group on the Sub Committee. The following are highlights of the proposed amendments:
- Gender rotation of the IPU Presidency
- Reduction of the IPU Youth Parliamentarian age from 45 years to 40 years
- Introduction of Portuguese as a working official language of the IPU.
3.8 The Governing Council approved the hosting of the 150th IPU Assembly and Related Meetings by Uzbekistan from 5th to 9th April 2025. No Member Parliament has expressed interest to Host the 149th Assembly and Related meetings. Accordingly, the Governing Council approved the recommendation by the Executive Committee for this Assembly to be convened in Geneva, the Headquarters of the IPU, ceteris paribus (everything remaining constant).
3.9 The Governing Council resolved that annual meetings of Women Parliamentarians, similar to the Annual Young Parliamentarians Meetings should be embraced.
Additionally, the Governing Council approved the hosting of the Sixth World Conference of Speakers of Parliament scheduled for 2025 in Geneva, Switzerland. Accordingly, the Preparatory Committee for this Conference has since been constituted and will be chaired by the IPU President.
3.10 As is the entrenched practice now, the 2024 Cremer – Passy Prize will be awarded during the 149th Assembly and related meetings in October 2024. Accordingly, the Governing Council noted that the nomination process is now open. The 2024 prize is open to sitting parliamentarians who are making an outstanding contribution to the defense and promotion of the IPU objectives as well as those who are contributing to a more united, peaceful, sustainable and equitable world. The nominations can be submitted through the Geopolitical Groups and must have two nominees, the substantive and an alternate. The deadline for submissions of nominees is the 30th April 2024.
3.11 The Governing Council took note of the reports of the IPU Specialised Committees and other bodies including the Committee on the Human Rights of Parliamentarians. The Committee examined several cases of alleged human rights violations against Members of Parliaments in fourteen countries including Zimbabwe.
3.11.1The cases before the Committee on Human Rights of Parliamentarians involve 41 opposition Members of Parliament (22 men and 19 women), 18 of them new and concern Citizens for Coalition of Change Members who were recalled on 14th November 2023. Accordingly, in expressing Zimbabwe’s reservations to the decisions of the Committee on Human Rights of Parliamentarians, Hon. Advocate Mudenda made reference to the detailed response he had submitted to the Committee on Human Rights of Parliamentarians in February 2024. Furthermore, he emphatically stated that the Speaker and the President of the Senate are guided by the legal regime governing the recall of Members of Parliament as pronounced under Section 129 (1)(k) of the Constitution of the Republic of Zimbabwe which stipulates that “The seat of a Member of Parliament becomes vacant if the Member has ceased to belong to the political party which he or she was a member when elected to Parliament and the political party concerned, by written notice to the Speaker or President of the Senate, as the case may be, has declared that the Member has ceased to belong to it.”
In this context, therefore, Speaker Mudenda explained that it is the political party which is the instigator of the recalls. The Presiding Officers of Parliament are not mandated to investigate internal political party affairs neither do they interfere in internal issues of political Parties.
With regards to the intervention of riot police to bring order to the House, Hon. Advocate Mudenda clearly articulated the background of the situation highlighting that he had exercised extreme patience while Members of the opposition continued disrupting the business of the House unabated for two hours fifteen minutes. Accordingly, the police was indeed called in to remove the said Members and bring order to the House. Speaker Mudenda indicated that there were no reports of injuries and no medical reports were tendered to the said Committee to validate the veracity of its report.
Hon. Speaker Mudenda welcomed the proposed Mission to Zimbabwe provided the Committee on Human Rights of Parliamentarians clearly articulates its terms of reference for consideration by the relevant authorities.
Notwithstanding the reservations raised by Speaker Mudenda, the Governing Council endorsed the decisions as presented by the Committee on Human Rights of Parliamentarians.
4.0 EMERGENCY ITEM FOR INCLUSION ON THE AGENDA OF THE IPU ASSEMBLY
4.1 In line with Assembly Rule 11 of the IPU Statutes which states that “A request for the inclusion of an emergency item must relate to a recent major situation of international concern on which urgent action by the international community is required and on which it is appropriate for the IPU to express its opinion and mobilise a Parliamentary response”, the Assembly considered three (3) requests for inclusion as an Emergency Item on the Agenda of the IPU 148th Assembly as follows:
- Raising awareness of the International Court of Justice provisional measures for Israel in relation to Palestinians in Gaza and the need for urgent action on the humanitarian crisis in Gaza submitted by South Africa with the support of the Arab Geopolitical Group, Africa Geopolitical Group, Indonesia and Malaysia
- Call for urgent action regarding the conflict in the Middle East submitted by Denmark, France, Hungary, Ireland, Portugal, Sweden and the United Kingdom.
- Free, fair and transparent elections without prohibitions: Towards an orderly and peaceful democratic transition in the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela submitted by Argentina on behalf of delegations from Argentina, Guyana, Peru and Uruguay.
4.2 Unfortunately, none of the three requests garnered the statutory two thirds majority vote. Consequently, there was no Emergency Item for debate.
HON. MAMOMBE: On a point of Order, Madam Speaker Ma’am.
THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER (HON. TSITSI ZHOU): What is your point of Order Hon. Mamombe?
HON. MAMOMBE: Thank you very much Madam Speaker Ma’am. I really appreciate the report that Hon. Karikoga is reading but I think it will be very dishonest to then ignore the actual IPU report that was tabled on 23rd to 27th, March by the IPU itself. The issues that he is reporting to this House; that the Hon. Speaker of Parliament responded during the IPU sessions do not then speak to the resolutions of the IPU, particularly, Madam Speaker the resolution to reinstate the Members of Parliament who had been recalled.
THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER: Order, order Hon. Mamombe. Everyone in this House will be free to debate the report when Hon. Karikoga finishes with his presentation. Thank you.
HON. MAMOMBE: I stand guided. Thank you.
THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER: Please proceed Hon. Karikoga.
HON. KARIKOGA:
5.1 OFFICIAL OPENING SESSION: At the request of Rt Hon. Tulia Ackson, President of the IPU, participants observed a moment of silence in honour of those who had passed on, with particular reference to the iconic statesman, His Excellency Hage Geingob, the late President of the Republic of Namibia, Members of Parliament, victims of global conflicts, victims of gender based violence and those facing violent challenges in their different forms.
5.2 In her remarks to the Assembly, Rt Hon. Ackson expressed concern over the alarming rise in global conflicts which threaten peace and stability. In this context, she welcomed the theme of the Assembly which aptly speaks to the founding principles of the IPU as enshrined in Article 1 of the IPU Statutes and Rules. Additionally, the theme of the Assembly provided an opportunity for Member Parliaments to rejuvenate the work of IPU and making it central to global peace building initiatives through dialogue, negotiation and Parliamentary diplomacy.
5.3 Speaking at the same occasion, Mr. Martin Chungong, Secretary General of the IPU welcomed the return of the IPU Assembly to Geneva, known as the “City of Peace.” Accordingly, he opined that this was particularly relevant as it sent a strong message that the IPU stands for global peace and democracy as strongly expressed in the IPU slogan, “For democracy, for everyone.” He drew Assembly’s attention to the critical role of Parliaments in achieving democracy through creating the appropriate environment as well as engaging in Parliamentary diplomacy. Accordingly, the IPU is, therefore, strategically placed to contribute to ongoing global efforts to restore peace through dialogue and reconciliation processes across geographical, religious, political and racial divide.
5.4 In keeping with its commitment to the inclusion of the youth, Hon. D. Carden, the IPU President of the Forum of Young Parliamentarians also addressed the Assembly. He noted that in areas of conflict, it is the youth who are recruited to fight but unfortunately the same youths are excluded in times peace. In this regard, he strongly urged decision makers to include young people in peacemaking processes. Furthermore, he advocated for improvements to the diplomatic processes taking into account the geopolitics as well as the operating environment. In concluding his remarks, he opined that peace is the only battle worth waging.
5.5 In the spirit of promoting gender equality, the President of the Forum of Women Parliamentarians, addressed the Assembly. She opined that women should be at the centre of conflict resolution, peace processes and peace keeping missions. She called for the support of women organisations that deal with gender equality, humanitarian needs among other critical organisations.
6.0 THE GENERAL DEBATE
6.1 Following the special opening segment, Presiding Officers and Parliamentarians reflected on the current global conflicts which have caused great turbulence and instability, threatening peace and international security. Speakers condemned the rising conflicts particularly in the Middle East, Ukraine/Russia conflict, conflicts in Mozambique and the DRC as well as coups in some parts of Africa. It was noted that these conflicts have a global impact and accordingly there is need for concerted and collective response to achieve peace and sustainable development. In line with the founding principles of the IPU, Speakers’ called for dialogue, negotiations and parliamentary diplomacy to resolve the current challenges.
6.2 In his address to the Assembly, Hon. Speaker Mudenda welcomed the Assembly’s theme, “PARLIAMENTARY DIPLOMACY: BUILDING BRIDGES FOR PEACE AND UNDERSTANDING” which is in tandem with the United Nations Charter’s trajectory for peace and security among its sovereign states as provided for in Article 2 of the Charter and well as Article 1(2) of the IPU Statutes and Rules which underscore peaceful resolution of global conflicts.
6.2.1 In the spirit of peaceful resolution of conflict, Hon. Advocate Mudenda shared how the SADC Parliamentary Forum had exercised parliamentary diplomacy by calling for the intervention of the SADC Summit to curtail the insurgent conflict in Northern Mozambique and the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. Accordingly, the SADC Summit had reacted positively in the spirit of collective self-defense.
6.2.3 In welcoming the establishment of the IPU Taskforce on the Ukraine-Russia conflict, Speaker Mudenda underscored the need for sustained efforts in resolving the conflict which has resulted in internationally imported inflation and disrupted supply chains of goods and services in Africa as well as Europe.
6.2.3 In the same vein, Hon. Advocate Mudenda called for urgent action in the resolution of the Middle East conflict, more so now as the world is witnessing the calamitous annihilation of Palestinian lives and colossal infrastructure destruction.
6.2.4 Hon. Speaker Mudenda, accordingly, called on the IPU to foster the spirit of parliamentary diplomacy and dialogue and rise to the occasion in resolving global conflicts. He concluded by affirming that no war ends war as was the case in the First and Second World Wars.
6.3 At the conclusion of the General Debate, the Assembly adopted the Geneva Declaration which called for peace and security in all the areas of conflict by exercising diplomacy, negotiations and dialogue.
7.0 FORUM OF WOMEN PARLIAMENTARIANS
7.1 In order to contribute to the work of the Assembly, women Parliamentarians examined, from a gender perspective, the draft resolution of the Standing Committee on Peace and International Security entitled, “Addressing the social and humanitarian impact of autonomous weapon systems and artificial intelligence (AI).”The discussions focused on the need for national laws, policies and international instruments to regulate military AI systems and autonomous weapons, including from a gender perspective.
7.2 Additionally, the Forum of Women Parliamentarians held a panel discussion on “Women peacebuilders advancing sustainable peace.” Participants discussed how Parliamentarians can improve the implementation of the women, peace and security agenda and work with women peacebuilders to promote inclusive and gender sensitive processes that are more likely to lead to sustainable peace. The discussions underpinned the criticality of inclusion of women on an equal footing, in peace processes, peacekeeping, peacebuilding and security efforts.
8.0 FORUM OF YOUNG PARLIAMENTARIANS
8.1 The President of the IPU, Hon. Tulia Ackson delivered the opening remarks and stated that the voices of the youth are the bridge between governments and the people.
8.2 She further expressed her desire to advance inclusivity and embracing youth participation for sustainable development. Hon. Ackson also reiterated that youth should be involved in advocating for the protection of women and children during warfare.
8.3 She concluded her remarks by expressing her readiness for a strategic partnership with the youth in enhancing their participation in global parliamentary processes.
8.4 As Member Parliaments shared their parliamentary best practices on youth participation, Hon. N. Madzara, provided Zimbabwe’s progress in youth participation highlighting the following key issues:
- The implementation of the youth quota in Parliament with effect from August 2023 where 10 seats in Parliament were allocated to the youth under 35 years;
- An increased number of young Members of Parliament at 40%. Additionally, there has also been an increase in number of young Zimbabwean Ministers from 4 to 11;
- Parliament of Zimbabwe established a Youth Caucus which advocates for the need to address the concerns of the youths; and
- The Government continues to support the youth through various initiatives including creation of youth desks in various Ministries. This has undoubtedly contributed to increased political awareness by encouraging youth to have an active interest in Zimbabwe’s democratic processes.
9.0 STANDING COMMITTEE ON DEMOCRACY AND HUMAN RIGHTS
9.1 The UNESCO Representative, Mr. Prateek Sibal, highlighted that while (Al) presents potential benefits to humanity, recent major advances in AI and its rapid application across political, economic and social spheres also presents immediate threats to democracy, human rights and the rule of law. Parliaments have a critical role to play in ensuring that appropriate legislation is enacted to regulate AI systems.
9.2 He further highlighted the following AI Regulatory Approaches:
- Should be Principles Based in accordance with international guidelines;
- The regulatory framework should be Standards Based by allowing private organisations to self-regulate based on industry standards;
- Should have Agile Frameworks;
- Must be risk-based by preventing problems and controlling risks associated with AI which infringe on human rights and freedoms;
- Must Command and Control through Mandatory standards of conduct backed by criminal sanctions
9.3 Mr. Sibal also provided the following AI best practices and recommendations:
- Identify specific challenges and diagnose them;
- Understand the lifecycle of the regulated technologies;
- Consider diverse regulatory tools ranging from persuasion to coercion;
- Participatory planning process that effectively include diverse voices and perspectives; and
- Monitoring the results and impacts of regulations.
9.4 The preparatory debate provided an opportunity for all Member Parliaments to express their opinion on the issues to be included in the draft resolution which will be examined and finalized at the 149th Assembly of the IPU in October 2024.
10.0 PANEL DISCUSSION ON INTERFAITH DIALOGUE: BUILDING BRIDGES THROUGH INTERFAITH DIALOGUE FOR MORE PEACEFUL AND INCLUSIVE SOCIETIES.
10.1 In his opening remarks, the Senior Advisor to the IPU Secretary General, Ambassador Mokhtar Omar, bemoaned continued religious violence which undermine the current conversations around interfaith dialogue.
10.2 Furthermore, he emphasized that Parliamentarians should enact legislation that enhances peaceful co-existence.
10.3 In the same vein, a Professor Masturah bint Obaid Al-Shamri from the Shura Council of Saudi Arabia, underscored the need for a lasting solution to peaceful coexistence guided by appropriate legal framework. Furthermore, she commended the work of King Hamad Global Center for Peaceful coexistence in Bahrain, which provides a model framework for peaceful coexistence.
10.4 Hon. Karikoga, shared the Zimbabwe’s experiences highlighting that Zimbabwe does not have an official religion, rather the country is tolerant of all religions which are equally protected by the law. He further cited Chapter Four (4) of the Constitution of Zimbabwe, on Bill of Rights, whose section 56 (3) provides that, “every person has the right not to be treated in an unfairly discriminatory manner on such grounds as their nationality, race, colour, tribe, place of birth, ethnic or social origin, language, class, religious belief, ….” their religious belief, among others.”
10.5 Hon. Karikoga concluded his contribution by concurring on the need for a strong legal framework that protects all religions which encourage peaceful coexistence.
11.0 OUTCOMES OF THE 148TH ASSEMBLY OF THE IPU AND RELATED MEETINGS
11.1 GENEVA DECLARATION ON PARLIAMENTARY DIPLOMACY: BUILDING BRIDGES FOR PEACE AND UNDERSTANDING:
11.1.1 At its closing sitting, the 148th Assembly adopted the GENEVA DECLARATION ON PARLIAMENTARY DIPLOMACY: BUILDING BRIDGES FOR PEACE AND UNDERSTANDING. The Declaration acknowledged the rising global conflicts with the increasing threat of a new global arms race and the need for shared global commitment to building a resilient foundation for lasting peace rooted in upholding human rights and democratic principles. Accordingly, the IPU reaffirmed its commitment to parliamentary diplomacy to address the growing challenges to peace and international security.
11.1.2 In this context, the Geneva Declaration condemned all human rights violations arising during conflict as well as all breaches of basic rules, principles and core tenets of international law. Parties to armed conflicts should strictly adhere to the 1949 Geneva Conventions and their Additional Protocols without exceptions.
11.1.3 Furthermore, the Geneva Declaration acknowledges the link between peace and development. Accordingly, conflicts affect the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals. Governments and Parliaments should, therefore, tackle the underlying causes of conflicts rooted in economic inequality and discrimination against some groups.
11.1.4In view of the forthcoming UN Summit of the Future scheduled for September 2024, the Geneva Declaration called on Member Parliaments to help advance UN reform and to further strengthen the parliamentary dimension of the work of the UN.
11.2 Resolution entitled “ADDRESSING THE SOCIAL AND HUMANITARIAN IMPACT OF AUTONOMOUS WEAPON SYSTEMS AND ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE.”
11.2.1The 148th Assembly of the IPU also adopted the resolution entitled “ADDRESSING THE SOCIAL AND HUMANITARIAN IMPACT OF AUTONOMOUS WEAPON SYSTEMS AND ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE.” The resolution stressed the need to study an international regulatory framework for AI so as to regulate the harmful use of this technology. Additionally, the Resolution acknowledged the significant role of Parliaments in raising awareness on the social, humanitarian, legal and ethical implications in the use of Autonomous Weapon Systems (AWS) and in supporting Governments with input to draft the text for an instrument to regulate such systems.
11.2.2In this context, Parliaments were called upon to develop comprehensive legislation to establish regulatory frameworks in governing the development, deployment and use of AWS once there is an internationally agreed definition of AWS.
11.2.3Parliaments were further called upon to play a crucial role in holding governments accountable regarding AWS by ensuring quality in their governance, notably regarding the imperative of retaining human control over the use of force and transparency in their design, development, operation, regulation as well as oversight so as to trigger concrete action by governments and society at large.
11.3 Resolution entitled “PARTNERSHIPS FOR CLIMATE ACTION: PROMOTING ACCESS TO AFFORDABLE GREEN ENERGY, AND ENSURING INNOVATION, RESPONSIBILITY AND EQUITY.”
The 148th Assembly of the IPU also adopted the Resolution entitled “PARTNERSHIPS FOR CLIMATE ACTION: PROMOTING ACCESS TO AFFORDABLE GREEN ENERGY, AND ENSURING INNOVATION, RESPONSIBILITY AND EQUITY.” The Resolution, therefore, called on Parliaments to:
- Take stronger climate action by implementing the IPU climate change tools such as the 10 actions for greener parliaments, to align their work with greening initiatives, to take greater part in NDC processes and to call for more ambitious climate action plans and goals that focus on people-centered and community-led adaptation as well as just and equitable energy transition at all levels;
- Cooperate with the public and private sectors to create a conducive environment for investing in clean energy technologies and infrastructure, capacity-building and technology transfer and development as well as to promote greater public-private partnership at the regional and international level, and to deliver a more people-centered energy transition and climate-resilient development for all;
- Urge their governments to work towards facilitating access to low-cost financing for developing countries, for existing as well as new and emerging clean and sustainable energy technologies in order to support just and sustainable energy transitions;
- Encourage the inclusion of the vulnerable groups, particularly the youth and women in all climate change negotiation and processes.
11.4 Motion on the Reform of the United Nations Security Council
11.4.1In the context of diminishing trust in the UN multilateral system, the Committee expressed deep concern over the current stalemate at the UN, where reform of the Security Council has been on the agenda for decades without any traction.
11.4.2Accordingly, the Committee called upon each IPU Member Parliaments to:
- Engage its Government leadership and its Permanent Representatives to the United Nations to advocate for that reform;
- To obtain regular updates from the respective Foreign Affairs Ministries regarding proposals for reforming the Security Council as well as progress made in this regard;
- Demand that the reform process is undertaken democratically, inclusively and transparently, and with an eye to the Summit of the Future in September 2024 as a decisive turning point;
- Prepare for the ratification of UN Security Council reform, pursuant to any final General Assembly approval and in accordance with national procedures; and
- Engage in parliamentary processes, such as debates, committee hearings and resolutions, to influence the intergovernmental process leading up to the Summit of the Future in order to ensure that the voices of parliamentarians are reflected in its outcome document, the Pact for the Future.
11.5 IPU Leadership Statement on the Situation in Gaza.
11.5.1In view of the worsening situation in Gaza, the IPU leadership issued a Leadership Statement which called for urgent action to alleviate the suffering of the people in the region, including women, children and the elderly, who have been caught up in the conflict. Accordingly, the Statement called for: -
- An immediate ceasefire in Gaza.
- The immediate and unconditional release of all hostages.
- The relevant authorities on all sides to expand the flow of essential humanitarian aid to reach those in need in Gaza.
11.5.2 Furthermore, the Statement condemned all forms of violence against civilians and stressed the need to respect international humanitarian law by the belligerents.
12.0 CLOSING CEREMONY
12.1 The Chairpersons of the six (6) Geopolitical Groups of the IPU addressed the Assembly during the closing ceremony. Of note is the shared concern in the rising global conflicts which have a devastating impact on civilians, particularly the most vulnerable being women and children. They expressed commitment towards advancement of conflict resolution anchored on dialogue, negotiations and parliamentary diplomacy.
12.2 Addressing the same occasion, Mr. Martin Chungong, the IPU Secretary General, applauded Member Parliaments for the constructive engagements which resulted in the adoption of a wealth of outcomes and recommendations. He reiterated the IPU’s commitment to the climate change agenda. To that an extent, all Assembly documents were readily accessible on digital platforms. In view of the forthcoming 135th Anniversary of the IPU, Mr. Chungong encouraged Member Parliaments to enhance the founding values of the IPU through embarking on peace initiatives in their regions.
12.4 Finally, Rt Hon. Ackson congratulated all delegates for the successful Assembly which sent a strong message on the need for global peace and security to the international community, including the United Nations and its Agencies, Non-Governmental Organisations and multilateral stakeholders, of the IPU’s reinvigorated resolve to placing the IPU at the centre of global peace building initiatives through dialogue, negotiation, and parliamentary diplomacy.
13.0 RECOMMENDATIONS
13.1 The delegation once again calls on the Youth Caucus to spearhead the launch of “I SAY YES TO YOUTH IN PARLIAMENT CAMPAIGN.”
This movement has gained traction among IPU Member Parliaments where it has been successfully launched.
13.2 The Portfolio Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade to spearhead engagements with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade on the required action on UN reforms. Additionally, the same Committee to initiate discussions and debate in the House on the UN reforms.
13.3 Parliament of Zimbabwe should be incorporated into the National delegation attending the Summit of the Future slated for September 2024 in New York, United States of America.
13.4 The SDG 16, more than any other SDG, relates to parliament as the key institution of governance in every country. In this regard, Parliament is urged to enhance public engagement and inclusion in parliamentary processes through activities such as public hearings, responding to petitions and information dissemination, among others. The setting up of Parliamentary Constituency Information Centers is a welcome development which should be expedited to enhance Parliament’s visibility at Constituency level to enhance Public participation in Parliamentary processes, especially by employing digital technologies.
13.6 Issues of climate change remain relevant and requiring urgent action. In this regard parliament is urged to take stronger climate action by implementing the IPU climate change tools, such as the 10 actions for greener parliaments, to align their work with greening initiatives and to call for more ambitious climate action plans and goals that focus on people-centered and community-led adaptation as well as advancing just and equitable energy transition at all levels through the relevant portfolio and thematic committees.
14.0 CONCLUSION
14.1 The delegation once again encourages relevant Committees to implement, to the extent possible, the resolutions of the 148th Assembly. Implementation of resolutions gives credence to Parliament of Zimbabwe’s participation in the IPU Assemblies and its related meetings.
14.2 The Delegation tenders its profound gratitude to the Government of Zimbabwe and to Parliament for affording it the opportunity to represent Zimbabwe at such high-profile statutory meetings of the Inter-Parliamentary Union. I thank you Madam Speaker.
HON. KAMBUZUMA: I move that the debate do now adjourn.
HON. NYANDORO: I second.
Motion put and agreed to.
Debate to resume: Tuesday, 17th September, 2024.
On the motion of HON. KARIKOGA, seconded by HON. KAMABUZUMA, the House adjourned at Twenty-eight Minutes to Six o’clock p.m. until Tuesday, 17th September, 2024.