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NATIONAL ASSEMBLY HANSARD 21 MAY 2025 Vol. 51 No. 50

PARLIAMENT OF ZIMBABWE

Wednesday, 21^st May, 2025

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

PRAYERS

(THE HON. SPEAKER in the Chair)

ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE HON. SPEAKER

INVITATION TO A HALF-DAY SYMPOSIUM ON THE 57^TH PLENARY ASSEMBLY OF THE SADC PARLIAMENTARY FORUM

THE HON. SPEAKER:  I wish to remind the House that all Hon. Members are expected to attend the Half-Day Symposium on Artificial Intelligence which will hosted by Parliament on Thursday, 22^nd May 2025 from 0800 hours in the Multipurpose Hall.  The symposium is being held as part of the preparatory processes for the 57^th Plenary Assembly of the SADC Parliamentary Forum (SADC PF), being hosted by Zimbabwe in Victoria Falls City from the 31^st May to the 7^th June 2025.

ORAL ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE

         *HON. MAPIKI:  Thank you Mr. Speaker.  My question is directed to the Minister of ICT.  What is Government’s policy to empower the Community Information Centres so that people get help? 

         HON. MUTSEYAMI:  On a point of order Hon. Speaker.  Probably you have forgotten, you have not appraised the House as to who is the Leader of Government Business today or to advise the House as to why other Hon. Ministers are not present.  Thank you Hon. Speaker.

         THE HON. SPEAKER:  I got the apologies while I was already in the system.  I was going to announce this after Hon. Mapiki. 

ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE HON. SPEAKER

APOLOGIES RECEIVED FROM MINISTERS

Hon. Gen. Rtd. Dr. C. G. D. N. Chiwenga, Vice President; Hon. Col. Rtd. K. C. D. Mohadi, Vice President; Hon. Prof. M. Ncube, Minister of Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion; Hon. M. Mavhunga, Minister of Veterans of the Liberation Struggle Affairs;

Hon. Prof. Dr. A. Murwira, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade; Hon. N. M. Ndlovu, Minister of Industry and Commerce; Hon. Dr. A. Masuka, Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development; Hon. B. Rwodzi, Minister of Tourism and Hospitality Industry; Hon. Senator M. Mutsvangwa, Minister of Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development;

Hon. C. Sanyatwe, Deputy Minister of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage; Hon. P. Kambamura, Deputy Minister of Mines and Mining Development; Hon. S. Sibanda, Deputy Minister of Higher and Tertiary Education, Innovation, Science and Technology Development;

Hon. A. Gata, Deputy Minister of Primary and Secondary Education;

Hon. Edgar Moyo, Minister of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare; Hon. M. Dinha, Deputy Minister of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare; Hon. V. P. Haritatos, Deputy Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development; Hon. D. Marapira, Deputy Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development.

         There is a big conference on Transfrontier that is taking place.  A number of Ministers have accompanied the President, I think it is in Chiredzi.  That is why quite a number of them are away and also there is a celebration for the cultural month. 

         HON. TOGAREPI:  Hon. Speaker, I want to raise something regarding these apologies.  On many occasions, we realise that Ministers that are put on that list for you to announce sometimes there will be in the House.  Is it that people who do those lists will just be doing for the sake of doing the lists for the Speaker to read out or it is real that the Minister who is absent will be committed somewhere?  For example, Hon. Minister Gata is here in the House but she is on the apologies list. 

         THE HON. SPEAKER:  Where is she?

         Hon. Minister Gata stood up.

         THE HON. SPEAKER: Yes, she is there, who else has been given an apology? Who is the Acting Leader of the House?

         HON. TOGAREPI:  Mr. Speaker Sir.  Hon. Dr. Mavetera is the Acting Leader of Government Business. 

         *THE MINISTER OF INFORMATION, COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY, POSTAL AND COURIER SERVICES (HON. DR. MAVETERA): Thank you Hon. Speaker Sir.  Let me thank Hon. Mapiki for that question which pertains to the issue of Community Information Centres.  As the Ministry of ICT, Community Information Centres should be improved and we decided to put the Digital Centres Policy,  a policy which is going to help us to better these centres and to identify the centres that need to be improved. We desire that these centres should be modified. We want them to be platforms where people would be able to access free internet access and free communication technologies. After having done that, we saw it fit that we should revamp the existing community centres so that in the near future we will be also working on others but we want people to have access to information and to know the purpose of these information communication technology centres. We are going to be carrying out awareness campaigns as well. So, I want to promise that after completing that process, we are going to add more information communication centres. We want them to be 300 for now, we are targeting 200 and I thank you.

 

*HON. MAPIKI: Thank you Hon. Speaker. My question is that what is the Ministry doing regarding the distribution of devolution funds and the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) like in other areas where hospitals are going to be attended to?

*HON. DR. MAVETERA: Thank you Hon. Speaker. I want to thank Hon. Mapiki for that supplementary question. It is true and indeed we are noting that these are issues that we need to look into. There is the Universal Services Fund which has been helping us really in terms of information community centres. We want to look at the laws that we can apply to this, especially looking at the devolution fund. These are recommendations that we are going to be taking up so that we work together with the Ministry of Local Government.

*HON. NYABANI: Thank you Hon. Speaker. I want to thank the Hon. Minister and the Ministry for setting up community centres, but I want to ask what steps you are going to take to ensure that your staff will be found in these centres because sometimes some are not remunerated properly. So, are you going to ensure that the workers are going to be paid to do that job?

*HON. DR. MAVETERA: I want to thank Hon. Nyabani for that question which is quite important. Regarding community information centres where we are working together with Zimpost and some were Post Offices, we are building new centres and we have some that are in containers. These are different community information centres but serve the same purpose. We are negotiating with POTRAZ and we are working on the digital centres policy. As such, we are going to be engaging agents who are going to assist us in different areas.

Secondly, we want Zimpost to work together with POTRAZ. What has been happening is that Zimpost was doing this alone but from this policy, we want to ensure that there is specialisation where POTRAZ will play its part and Zimpost will play its part. This is a challenge that we have been having in the past, sometimes some leave their jobs because of poor remuneration. Now that we have agents and we are having staff, this is going to help us in setting up these community centres. I thank you.

*HON. S. ZIYAMBI: Thank you Hon. Speaker. I want to thank Government for its good work in terms of building community centres in other areas. There are community information centres that were built and these centres are still work in progress. So, the question is what is Government doing to ensure that information community centres are completed? Some have been under construction for two or three years, for example, in St Rupert's in Makonde.

*HON. DR. MAVETERA: I want to thank Hon. S. Ziyambi for your quite pertinent question. I want to thank and appreciate the point, you specifically mentioned an incomplete structure; I said that we are using Universal Services Fund (USF), sometimes what results in projects being incomplete is a lack of information but I want to ask each and every one of us to provide information which will assist us to identify those that are incomplete. There are some that we know are in the database, which we know that they are still work in progress. The request is that from your constituency, from your area, you were given the opportunity to do this. As a Ministry, we are prepared to come and assist with computers and technology. So, the question is are these centres and the Ministry or the community centres that are a result of the collaboration between our Ministry and POTRAZ? Our aim is to  give everyone access to technology and access to communication. We need a database of the different outstanding projects so that we can complete these projects that no one is left behind to fulfil His Excellency’s vision towards Vision 2030. Thank you

*HON. SHUMBA: Thank you Hon. Speaker. I want to direct my question to the Minister of Transport and Infrastructural Development. Please allow me to commend them for a good job that they are doing. However, my question is that last year our bridges were stripped away by the heavy rains, for example, in Mberengwa, there is Jinda Bridge. School children are on the other side of the bridge and the clinic is on the other side of the bridge. So, the question is, what is Government doing through this Ministry to renovate such bridges? Thank you.

THE HON. SPEAKER: That is a specific question. It has nothing to do with policy. Perhaps you can put it in writing for next week.

HON. GWABENI: My question is directed to the Minister of Health and Child Care. What policies are in place to prevent and control bedbug outbreak in public places such as hospitals and schools? Thank you.

         THE MINISTERR OF JUSTICE, LEGAL AND PARLIAMAENTARY AFFAIRS (HON. Z. ZIYAMBI): Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir. I was settling down, with your indulgence. Maybe you can repeat your question. Thank you.

         THE HON. SPEAKER: You can repeat your question Hon. Gwabeni.

HON. GWABENI: My question is directed to the Minister of Health and Child Care. What policies are in place to prevent and control bedbug outbreaks in public places such as hospitals and schools? Thank you.

THE MINISTER OF JUSTICE, LEGAL AND PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS (HON. Z. ZIYAMBI): Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir. The policy is we must always be as hygienic as possible in what we do. The mantra is that prevention is better than cure. So, all households are encouraged to practice hygienic to ensure that they are not infested with any of the calamities that may befall upon us. More specifically, turning to public places, the Ministry of Local Government has partnered with others to ensure that we can go and fumigate all the places where we feel that members of the public are not safe. I submit.

         *HON. ZIKI: Thank you Hon. Speaker for giving me this opportunity to ask my question. I want to start by thanking the Hon. Minister of Transport for the good work that is happening along our roads and I appreciate that. Let me also say that we have roads that are under construction. When is the Ministry going to attend to other roads that are still work in progress especially roads that are in Harare? That is my question. I thank you.

         *THE HON. SPEAKER: The moment you mention Harare roads, that is no longer a policy.

         HON. ZIKI: I was trying to avoid mentioning the Chirundu Road. This is the hotspot that I was talking about, but there are a lot of roads that were mentioned that the Ministry promised to work on. So, I wanted to ask the plans regarding the completion of such roads. I thank you.

         *THE MINISTER OF TRANSPORT AND INFRASTRUCTURAL DEVELOPMENT (HON. MHONA): I want to thank Hon. Ziki. He indeed mentioned that there are some roads which we have not attended to. Let me emphasise the point that for most works that were at a standstill, we have resumed working on those roads. The road that the Hon. Member mentioned is quite important because it is part of the North-south corridor. This is a road that links us to other nations like Zambia, DRC and Malawi. I want to thank the Hon. Member and I want to promise this august House that we are still pooling resources so that we will be able to complete that road.

Let me say that the budget is drawn from the pot. We are busy with completing Harare-Beitbridge Road. I want to promise this august House that by October, we will have completed that road and we will be focusing on the Chirundu-Harare Road. This means that we have the same vision of completing these roads. I want to ask this House that if you allow me Hon. Speaker, next week, I will come and inform the House about the progress along our roads from all the ten provinces. I am going to allude to the same road that was alluded to earlier. I am going to look at every province.

         Hon. Ziki having stood up to make a supplementary question.

         THE HON. SPEAKER: The supplementary question does not arise. Why do you not wait for the Ministerial Statement next week and then you can deal with points of clarification, if you do not mind.

         HON. ZIKI: What I was going to ask is a compliment to whatever was going to come.

         THE HON. SPEAKER: When the Hon. Minister has indicated that he will give a comprehensive report inclusive of all provinces on the state of our roads, why don’t you give him that opportunity.

         HON. ZIKI: Thank you Hon. Speaker.

         HON. NJANJI: My question is directed to the Minister of Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion. What is  Government doing to manage debt which is hovering around 21 billion, which translates to 35% of the GDP, the external debt and 24% of GDP for the internal debt, given that the country is operating unjustified sanctions? I submit.

THE MINISTER OF JUSTICE, LEGAL AND PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS (HON. Z. ZIYAMBI): Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir. I want to thank the Hon. Member for the question which has got some statistical analysis of figures that I may not agree with the debt, which I believe needs interrogation and for me to also be prepared to bring the actual figures to the House on the date. However, our debt situation is being managed through various means. We have a programme that is championed by the former President of Mozambique, who is the champion together with the President of African Development Bank, where we sit with various development partners and countries to see how we can structure the debt.

Currently, as I am speaking, on the 26^th of May, they will be convening in Ivory Coast and on the sidelines of that we have a meeting to have deliberations on how we can restructure our debt. Over and above that, we also have arrangements with whoever we owe, with a view of ensuring that we honour our debts.

What is very important is we managed to clear our debts with IMF, we do not owe them anything and all those that we owe are manageable but on the specific aspect of the question where the Hon. Member has got specific statistics which I indicated Mr. Speaker that I do, I would want to challenge. I would gladly request him to put that in writing so that we can bring a comprehensive report that indicates our debt status and the actual percentage and the burden to the nation regarding that. I so submit Mr. Speaker.

HON. MADZIVANYIKA: Thank you Mr. Speaker. My follow-up question to the Hon. Minister is with regard to the structural dialogue platform which you have mentioned. My understanding Hon. Minister is that the structural dialogue platform has three pillars, the economic pillar, the governance pillar and the resolution of PIPAS. How far have you gone Hon. Minister with the Government pillar which deals with matters of human rights, respect for the rule of law as well as the issue to do with the governance? How far have you gone because this is where the problem is standing?

THE MINISTER OF JUSTICE, LEGAL AND PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS (HON.Z. ZIYAMBI): Thank you Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the Hon. Member for the follow up question. Mr. Speaker, the Hon. Member is admitting that this is a dialogue, a negotiation process and ordinarily we refrain to disclose where we are when we are dialoguing.

We usually announce the results so I think let us allow the dialogue process to go on and once we have concluded we will then be able to say to the Hon. Member, we disagreed or these are the areas of agreement. I would not want to pre-empt and say we are agreeing on this and not on this when we are on a negotiation table. I submit Mr. Speaker.

THE HON. SPEAKER: Just before we proceed, I noticed that Hon. Kambamura Deputy Minister of Mines and Mining Development is now here.  The Government Chief Whip had raised a question of Hon. Ministers, they are attending to something else but they are now finalising.

THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF MINES AND MINING DEVELOPMENT (HON. KAMBAMURA): Thank you Hon. Speaker, I was attending a meeting so I thought the meeting would take long but I requested for leave in order to attend Question Time.

THE HON. SPEAKER: I understand Hon. Minister and I want to thank you for coming.

HON. MADZIVANYIKA: Considering that part of the debt that we have was adopted from the pre-colonial Government and also considering that the growth in debt is also a result of some climate change which is mainly caused by the Western countries, is there anything that we are doing to try and maybe get some reparations for what was done during the pre-colonial era and also as a result of climate change that is caused by maybe the pollution that is done by the Western countries? Thank you.

         THE MINISTER OF JUSTICE, LEGAL AND PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS (HON. Z. ZIYAMBI): Thank you Mr. Speaker. On the first part, that part of the debt we inherited from the colonial period, I think you have a historical memory that we had a negotiated settlement that culminated in the Lancaster House Agreement and subsequent ushering in of the First Republic. Therefore, because of the agreements, we are obligated to carry those debts. We cannot dissociate ourselves from them.

On the second part pertaining to climate change, Mr. Speaker, our Ministers of Environment and Climate as well as Energy, are spearheading this via our carbon credit scheme to ensure that we adequately cater in terms of the vagaries of climate change that are happening to us so that we are adequately compensated. So, I would request the Hon. Member to defer the question and have conversation on the work that the Ministry of Climate and Environment is doing to ensure that we mitigate against climate change in terms of our programmes pertaining to this issue. I submit Mr. Speaker.

         HON. L. SIBANDA: Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir, my question goes to the Minister of Primary and Secondary Education. Is the policy of free education at primary and secondary schools that was announced by Government being provided in the schools since a sizable number of children are now out of school due to the lack of school fees caused by the economic hardships?

DEPUTY MINISTER OF PRIMARY AND SECONDARY

EDUCATION (HON. GATA): Let me thank the Hon.  Member for asking a very good question. The education policy that he is talking about is still in the process of being finalised. However, in the meantime, in the interim, we do have a safety net that caters to specifically what he asked for from the education policy. That is BEAM. BEAM is catering for the needs that he has talked about. So, I would say yes, at the moment we do have BEAM that is a safety net catering for marginalised children.  I thank you.

HON. M. C. SIBANDA: Thank you so much Hon. Speaker and I want to thank the Minister for the response that pertains to our students and learners. I have noticed that a number of students covered by  Government support such as BEAM varies from one location to another, from one province to another in terms of numbers. What is the Government effort to ensure that there are equitable numbers across our provinces? Thank you.

THE HON. SPEAKER: Unfortunately, the moment you delve into statistics, the Hon. Minister may need to validate that and respond accordingly. So, if you may put your question in writing for next week, the Hon. Minister will attend to it accordingly.

         HON. MADZIVANYIKA: Thank you Mr. Speaker. Thank you, Hon. Minister for the response that the Government has actually used another plan, which is BEAM to try to close the gap.

         Is it confirmation that the Government has failed to deliver on its election promise to the fact that there will be free education for all primary school learners? I thank you.

THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF PRIMARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION (HON. GATA): Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir. Let me thank the Hon. Madzivanyika for his question. He asked if the Government had failed to deliver. No, it has not. The Government has delivered, children are going to school and those who are in need of help are going to school. So I submit.

HON. MUTOKONYI: Thank you Mr. Speaker. My question goes to the Ministry of Energy and Power Development. Firstly, Mr. Speaker, I want to applaud the Ministry for the massive rural electrification, which has not left the people of Svosve behind. The Zimbabwe National Energy Renewable Policy sets some objectives in terms of the energy mix which are supposed to be achieved by 2025. I wanted to hear from the Hon. Minister what or how we have so far gone in as far as achieving the set objectives as spelt out in the policy.  I thank you.

THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF ENERGY AND POWER DEVELOPMENT (HON. SIMBANEGAVI): Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir. The Hon. Member is talking about energy goals that are supposed to be achieved by this year 2025. I do understand that our National Energy Policy has goals that we have said we will achieve. I am not sure about the 2025 timeline but I know that as the Government, we are doing our best to ensure that issues of renewable energy are issues that we take seriously. Just yesterday Mr. Speaker, we were here ratifying the SADC, Renewable Energy and Conservation Protocol. This is a sign that as a Ministry, we are committed to ensuring that issues of renewable energy and utilisation of renewable energy are of paramount importance. I thank you.

         HON. MUTOKONYI: My supplementary is that the policy did state that 15% of the energy mix should come from solar by this year. We want some further information from the Minister, particularly in as far as more renewable. What are the programmes or the projects that are being done on renewable energies to ensure the trajectories are achieved? I thank you.

         HON. SIMBANEGAVI: Thank you Madam Speaker Ma’am.

I do agree with the Hon. Member that as a Ministry, in terms of our policy, our trajectory is to ensure that we have maximum use of the renewable energy resources that we have. In terms of the projects that are currently ongoing renewable energy projects, we have quite several projects that are under renewable energy. These are projects that are in terms of solar. We have a lot of ongoing solar energy projects. If the Hon. Member is aware we have what we call independent power producers. Most of these independent power producers are solar energy producers. We have the Manhize Projects. We have the ZZEE Projects in Hwange.  We also have floating solar projects that are soon to commence in Kariba. We have a lot of other projects. Right here in Harare, we have a solar project.  The company that sells Pepsi drinks, Varun Beverages, also has an ongoing solar project that is there. What we have done as Government is we have said now if anyone wants to invest in solar projects or any renewable energy project we now have incentives that we have rolled out to just try to boost the confidence of investors that want to invest in renewable energy projects. Some of these incentives are in light of tariffs that ensure that if they invest, they are also able to have enough money out of the tariffs that we have set.

We now have what we call a tariff code. This tariff code is there to ensure that as people come to invest in renewable energy projects, they understand the will of the Government in securing their investments and ensure that they also get favourable returns. I do agree with the Hon. Member that we need to ensure that we also increase our thrust towards the development and utilisation of renewable energy technologies, which we are doing as a Government and which we also continue to do. Some of our renewable energy projects are small. They vary in size. We have some that are 1 Megawatt. We also have some that are also above 50 Megawatt. Another example is the Zimplats 1, which is about 35 Megawatt. As the Government, we have a policy that also says that we understand that our economy cannot rely only on the Government for the supply of electricity, seeing the issues of climate change that we have, seeing the challenges that we have with our hydroelectricity.

We have now said that even individuals or companies in the industrial sector or people that are within their homes are now encouraged to put up home solar systems, rooftop solar systems and to ensure that people can start these kinds of projects. We have now said that if anyone wants to bring in solar equipment from outside the country, they are excused from duty. These can come in duty-free.  If you are buying solar equipment here in Zimbabwe, it is now very affordable and easy to find. We have a lot of traders and suppliers that are dealing in solar equipment that is easily available. Some of the traders even offer our civil servants on zero deposit. This is to ensure that everyone can put up rooftop solar systems within their homesteads. For those that will be using more solar than the ones that are on the rooftops, we call them captive power projects. These, we have said they can do a solar power project and we have allowed now to say they can get into arrangements with our  ZESA utility.

They can get into agreements where they can produce. Let us say they want to use 10 megawatts, but they can put up a system that produces 50 megawatts. So they use the 10 megawatts and sell the remaining 40 megawatts to ZESA, which then means that inasmuch as they now have access to electricity, they are also able to make some profits by selling to ZESA, which we then give out to the consumers. This also helps us as Government to balance out some of the deficits that we have in terms of energy supply. Thank you.

         HON. MOLOKELA-TSIYE: My follow-up question is, is it not so much on how much energy we need, especially renewable energy but it is so much on how much we are using. I wanted to ask if there is a clear policy in terms of reducing domestic use of energy for basic things like ironing, boiling water and charging a cell phone. These should be using solar instead of using thermal or hydroelectricity from Hwange or Kariba. That will reduce the pressure on the national grid. Thank you.

         HON. SIMBANEGAVI: Madam Speaker, I am not sure if the Hon. Member was asking a question or just giving a suggestion. However, I do agree with what he was suggesting that with our current energy balance, we do need to ensure that the energy mix is balanced in that way, wherein a household, they can use the electricity from the grid but at the same time, they can use the electricity from the grid on their refrigerators and other things. When they want to cook, they can use gas.  When they want to use irons, we now have solar irons that can also be used.

So, for a household to function properly without having shortages of electricity, it is also important for our people to understand that they can also employ the energy mix within their households and try to find ways of harnessing all the available types of energy so that they can be able to balance out and not have shortages. In that regard, they will also be able not to be affected by the load shedding. If ever there is load shedding, they can then be able to switch on their solar systems and lights and be able to cook using their gas.

We are also now encouraging our people living in the rural areas, especially in the farms, to also look at how they can start wind-powered projects. As far as we are concerned, we are seeing a huge response in terms of the use of wind projects, even though at this stage, most of these projects are still very small because we still have a lot more of research that we need to do in terms of the wind technologies but some of our people have already act on some of these projects.

         HON. ENG. MHANGWA: Madam Speaker, bearing in mind that IPPs are key in realising the energy mix that we desire, what Government interventions are there to respond to the challenges that IPPs haver? The first is currency convertibility. The second is, excessive transmission charges. The third is, moving from VAT deferment to VAT exemption.

         HON. SIMBANEGAVI: As I indicated earlier, the Minister of Energy has now a vast array of incentives that we have rolled out and these are mainly targeted at independent power producers. The first one that I have said is if you are an energy investor and you have to bring equipment into this country, most of this equipment has duty exemptions which makes it affordable for them to be starting some of these projects.

When it comes to currency convertibility, I think the Ministry of Finance will provide more details for this question but in short what I can say is, we have sat down with our investors and we have agreed with them that there could be that challenge. So, we have a series of procedures that we now go through with each investor to assure them that if they invest, they can be able to send their money back to their  countries and be able to pay their investors back home within reasonable periods of time. Of course, these have other financial modalities that come with such kinds of agreements and probably the Hon. Minister of Finance can be able to elaborate on these ones.

However, we have what we call Government Implementation Agreements and these are some of the agreements that layout the procedures that an investor can go through.  Ensuring that they can be able to have their currency converted that they can be able to send back to their home countries.

THE MINISTER OF JUSTICE, LEGAL AND PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS (HON. Z. ZIYAMBI): Maybe a clarification on behalf of the Minister of Finance. Currently, as a country, we do not have anyone who requests genuine remittance of foreign currency and fails to get that. Every week, I think for the past four months, we have been putting money. Last week I think it was about US$25 million. What was taken by the banks was US$10 million, so there is no problem with investors remitting back what they invested to their countries currently. I just wanted to clarify that so that there will not be a misconception that when you invest in Zimbabwe you will not be able to get your money back because at the moment we do not have problems with those who genuinely request to purchase something outside the country or remit what is legitimately required to be remitted outside the country by way of converting their ZiG to USD. I submit.

HON. ENG. MHANGWA: My point of clarity is both Ministers have misconstrued the question. When we speak of currency convertibility, it does not talk about what is prevailing currently. The fact that the project has a long range for return on investment when the contract speaks to …

THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER: It looks like you have answers to your questions, you are able - [HON. ENG. MHANGWA: I do not have answers, I am clarifying.] – Order, order. Can we have order in the House? We took the last supplementary question and we are going to proceed to the next question.

⁺HON. DR. S. NYONI: My question is directed to the Minister of Transport but first, I would like to congratulate the Minister of Transport because he was in pole position  on the performance assessments. What is Government policy with regard to the people who are fixing their own roads because rains swept away or damaged the roads and people are fixing roads on their own? They are causing deforestation by cutting down trees but the roads are usable for some time. What is the Government policy so that the people at least get some remuneration or maybe we should have engineers to assist the people?

         THE MINISTER OF TRANSPORT AND INFRASTRUCTURAL DEVELOPMENT (HON. MHONA):  Thank you Madam Speaker Ma’am and also let me thank Hon. Nyoni for that very important question and for the compliment. We were struggling with the translation but I am sure we managed to get the gist of the question. In terms of those who are also supporting the Ministry in rehabilitating our roads and whether they can be guided by our engineers and also be supported. This is a very noble suggestion and we have been calling this to the citizenry to say let us also partake in the exercise of rehabilitating our roads to sychronise with the mantra of His Excellency, Dr. E.D. Mnangagwa that nyika inovakwa nevene vayo. I want to thank those who are actually participating in the road rehabilitation. Maybe they are bringing aggregates and also doing the rehabilitation. Therefore, it calls for the expertise in terms of managing and guiding the works so that the roads become durable and they can last.

I would suggest that we work closely with our provincial road engineers. We have got road engineers in each province and they can actually guide those who are willing to help not only individuals but even companies which are willing to participate. We would then call for our engineers to guide the processes so that whatever is being done is done accordingly. I thought maybe if we have got a number of those who are willing to assist the Ministry, we will be very happy as a Ministry to share with Hon Members so that we know and we do give them technical support so and works will stay for some time, so that with the advent of rains, the works will still last. Thank you Madam Speaker Ma’am.

*HON. NYABANI: Thank you Hon. Minister for the good job that you are doing on our roads. You would find that using the urban roads, they are in good condition. The question is, what plans do you have regarding the gravelling of the roads that are in the outskirts, especially in rural areas? I thank you.

*HON. MHONA: Thank you Madam Speaker Ma'am and I want to thank Hon. Nyabani for those encouraging words. I want to say that he raised a pertinent question, which allows me to clarify to this august House that every year we have been grading different roads and when the rains come, the roads would be corrugated. Nevertheless, let me say that we have learned over the years that there are some chemicals that we can apply to the roads, which bind our roads. The use of non-technology has been quite critical and we have companies that are giving us such chemicals. This is the stage that we are at and as time goes on, we are going to be developing in terms of technology so that we would maintain that standard on our roads. In different constituencies in rural areas, we are going to see people benefiting from this programme. I thank you.

+HON. ZEMURA: Thank you Madam Speaker Ma'am. I want to add on to what Hon. Dr. Stembiso Nyoni said. There is a forgotten road which links Kwekwe, Silobela and Nkayi. This is a road which is in disrepair. I believe that Hon. Nyoni knows that this particular road needs attention. This is my home and it is difficult to use that road. We request the road to be worked on.

*THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER (HON. TSITSI. ZHOU): Thank you very much Hon. Zamura for that quite pertinent question. However, today, if you specifically mention an area, then the Hon. Minister might need to research on that road. May you please put it in writing so that the Hon. Minister will respond after researching accordingly? I thank you.

+HON. M. C. SIBANDA: Thank you Madam Speaker. I want to thank the Hon. Minister of Transport. We come across roadworks repairmen who are covering potholes using different things like sand. This poses a risk to citizens who sometimes fall victim to accidents. Is there anything that can be done so that we prevent this state of affairs where we find people repairing on their own? I thank you.

HON. MHONA: Thank you Madam Speaker Ma’am. Let me also thank Hon. Sibanda. Indeed, as much as we would advocate for the citizenry to also participate in road rehabilitation, we are not saying they must go into our highways and patch potholes on behalf of the Ministry, which we actually condemn. We are talking of partaking in the exercise where we have a joint effort from the Ministry, guided by our engineers and then working closely with the citizenry.

In the circumstances raised by Hon. Sibanda, we have actually seen a number of delinquent youths actually standing on our highways purporting to be rehabilitating but they will not be rehabilitating our roads. We are saying and warning the people of Zimbabwe that is very dangerous. We cannot allow members of the public to just go along our highways and stand by trying to patch our potholes. We are coming and we will definitely make sure that we patch our potholes.  Furthermore, we have got a motto in the Ministry that we want to declare zero tolerance to potholes on our major highways.

So, definitely we will be working but you find those will be soliciting for funds like what Hon. Sibanda raised but not attending to potholes. Thank you Madam Speaker Ma’am.

         *HON. S. TSHUMA: Thank you very much Hon. Speaker.  My question is directed to the Minister of Mines and Mining Development. Madam Speaker, looking at the delays in the Mines and Minerals Amendment Bill to this august House so that it is reviewed, what is Government doing to ensure that those who are in mining will be accorded different rights from foreign miners?  We are noting that at the moment they are treated the same from the monies that they pay during the pegging of mines and even in paying their taxes and that our local people are given rights as citizens of this nation compared to foreigners. I thank you.

         *THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF MINES AND MINING DEVELOPMENT (HON. KAMBAMURA):  Thank you Hon. Speaker Ma’am. I want to thank Hon. Tshuma for that question. We are working on what the Hon. Member just alluded to so that there is a difference between Zimbabweans and foreign miners or foreign investors.

         We are reviewing and are going to be looking at these issues. When someone comes from outside the country to bring investment, then they should have a substantial investment. We cannot just allow people who come into the mining sector without a significant amount of investment just like local miners. You would find that sometimes there is competition in the small-scale mining sector.  So, we expect investors to bring a significant investment, which is going to be communicated to this august House before they are given licensing to operate.

We are going to enact a law that stipulates that foreign investors should give locals opportunities to be employed.  We have noticed that most investors bring their workers from their countries, who sometimes do not share the technical expertise with locals.  So, we are working on that law which will culminate in the changes that will be found in the Mines and Minerals Act.  We cannot pre-empt the law, that is still work in progress but we thank Hon. Tshuma for that question.

I want to assure the Hon. Member that locals are going to be prioritised.  In the next few months, we are going to ensure that small-scale miners or the sector will only be for black local Zimbabweans.  I thank you.

*HON. S. TSHUMA:  Thank you Hon. Speaker Ma’am.  I want to thank the Hon. Minister for that response and indeed that the Hon. Minister is acknowledging the competition in the small-scale mining sector by foreign investors.  My supplementary question is that we have been anticipating this new law for quite some time and it has been long since the 9^th Parliament.  What is happening Madam Speaker is that mining is going on and our minerals are being exploited whilst we are waiting for the law?

So, may the Hon. Minister explain how long it is going to take and the challenges that are preventing the new law from coming to this august House so that it is tabled in Parliament and discussed, instead of foreign companies coming to take all the money? I thank you.

         *HON. KAMBAMURA: Thank you Hon. Speaker Ma’am.  I want to thank Hon. Tshuma for that supplementary question. Let me say that the law is at an advanced stage.

         In the past few days, we gazetted the Act and some sections were noted that needed editing.  So, the Attorney General's Office is reviewing such errors, such mistakes which are going to be corrected then it will be regazetted.  After gazetting, then we are going to sit down and analyse it.  Let me reassure Hon. Tshuma that in the next few months, I cannot specifically say which month because I do not know how it is going to take but we desire that as soon as possible. I thank you.

         *HON. KARIMATSENGA-NYAMUPINGA:  Thank you Madam Speaker. I want to pose my supplementary question regarding the issue of foreign investors. There are some areas which are reserved, called EPOs.  When local people apply so that they get the applications processed, they do not succeed but foreign miners are found mining in schools and in other protected places or in other gazetted places.  I do not know whether the issue is being looked into so that our locals would be able to go to such places and their applications are also treated with priority over the foreign applications.  I thank you.

*THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF MINES AND MINING DEVELOPMENT (HON. KAMBAMURA):  Thank you Hon. Speaker Ma'am.  I want to thank the Hon. Member for that supplementary question.  The Hon. Member is saying that foreign miners are being EPOs at reserved areas and being given priority over locals.

Let me start by clarifying that Hon. Speaker Ma'am.  EPOs are places that are allocated to the people who have been given permission to do exploration of minerals to determine whether there are minerals or not. After discovering minerals then they would get back to the Ministry to inform them that we identified such and such a point.  Then they will request for permission to peg.  So, because of that, sometimes you find big explorations and big mining companies coming into such areas after being given such EPOs.

So, from the Hon. Member's question, the Constitution allows that if there is an EPO that has been identified, that person can be given permission to peg and to mine for a mineral that is targeted by the explorer of the EPOs.  EPOs operate in a way that requires consent because such licenses, small licenses are given to provinces.  There are special grant licences which are found in reserved areas.  These are approved at the head office and for others, Cabinet stopped the processing of such applications in reserved areas.  When there is such an application, the Hon. Minister of Mines and Mining Development, Hon. Chitando will go to Cabinet, the Executive which gave the directive to stop exploration in EPOs.

When Cabinet gives approval then a letter of permission is given.  For example, those who know where people were given licensing to mine in schools and some areas, please bring that information to us so that we investigate.  I thank you.

*THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER (HON. TSITSI ZHOU): Hon. Nyamupinga, may you do that and inform the Ministry if there are any places that you know of? I thank you.

*HON. NYABANI:  Thank you Hon. Speaker Ma’am.  I want to ask the Hon. Minister that when there are people who are pegging their mines, will Government then make a follow-up to check exactly what the miner is mining for because sometimes they might peg saying that they are mining minerals of lesser value, yet they are mining some precious minerals. I thank you.

*THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF MINES AND MINING DEVELOPMENT (HON. KAMBAMURA):  I want to thank Hon. Nyabani for that question. We have offices in different provinces where there are people who are qualified to look at these issues. Before giving licenses, they go to review and look at what will be happening on the ground, looking at the minerals. Some deceive us saying that they are mining for such and such a mineral, yet we discover that it is not the case. Sometimes we do not give licenses until they declare exactly what they will be prospecting for because minerals have different laws that apply to them.

On the same note, we have a programme of constructing or building laboratories, which are going to be used to test different minerals from the ore. At Gwanda University, the MMCZ is also building another place where our minerals are going to be tested in different provinces. I want to promise Hon. Nyabani that the Ministry is seized with the issue and these are issues that are quite important to us because sometimes we receive such deceitful information, which does not declare the minerals that the miner will be mining for.  Sometimes you would find one rock having different minerals. Sometimes they would claim that they will be mining for one mineral, yet they are extracting different minerals and then they will do the processing outside the country. These are issues that we are really looking into. I thank you.

HON. MARIKANO:  Thank you Madam Speaker. My question is directed to the Minister of Sports Recreational, Arts and Culture. What policies and measures are there to protect athletes from mistreatment by coaches and organisations that represent them? I thank you.

THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF SPORTS, RECREATION, ARTS AND CULTURE (HON. JESAYA):  Thank you Madam Speaker. I want to thank Hon. Marikano for the pertinent question that she asked with regard to the safety and well-being of our sports personnel as they conduct their sports. Madam Speaker, as a Government, we have strict policies when it comes to the welfare of our sports people, be it the males or females. We have put in place measures that ensure that this policy is adhered to.

• Madam Speaker, whenever each sporting association wants to employ coaches or officials, these candidates have to go through a security check where their background is scrutinised to see if they have the experience that is needed and also to check if they have committed any crimes that pertain to the nature of the job that they have applied for because we have different disciplines when it comes to sport. If the person is cleared, then they can become a suitable candidate to get a job in the different associations of sports that we have.
• The other measure that we have also put in place is to have all the sporting associations in Zimbabwe being registered under the Sport and Recreation Commission. As they register under the Sport and Recreation Commission, part of the requirements that we ask for is for them to provide us with their constitutions. Within the constitutions, they have clear guidelines of how they are going to be conducting their day-to-day sports programmes.
• Also, we do have confidential reporting channels that are used by athletes. For example, if there is an athlete who has been involved in any cases of abuse or mistreatment by coaches, they can then report those issues and the case is investigated. If there are any coaches or officials within their sporting organisations that are found wanting, then they will have to be answerable to the authorities.
• Again, Madam Speaker, we also conduct regular trainings with our different sporting associations where we conscientise them and raise awareness of the different issues that athletes may face in their day-to-day activities as they go about their sports.
• Our sporting associations again, have got constitutions that align with international standards such as the WADA and also the UNESCO policies on sports integrity. Those are also some of the governing bodies that their constitutions are aligned to and they also understand the implications of mistreatment of athletes.

I also want to say that as a Ministry, we also conduct training as well with our athletes on their own, without their coaches and officials that they work with, so that we also conscientise them and give them the awareness on how to deal with issues of mistreatment when it comes to their associations. I submit Madam Speaker.

HON. MANGONDO:  Thank you Madam Speaker.  My question is directed to the Minister of ICT. Firstly, I would like to applaud the efforts by the Government in terms of providing accessibility to modern technologies. My question relates to the accessibility of modern technologies in terms of laptops and in terms of functional networks as it relates to rural areas. What is the Hon. Minister doing in terms of measures to ensure that there is equitable accessibility to these in rural constituencies, particularly this relates to schools and also the provision of information communication centers in all rural constituencies. Thank you.

THE MINISTER OF INFORMATION COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY, POSTAL AND COURIER SERVICES (HON. DR. MAVETERA):  Thank you Madam Speaker. Let me thank Hon. Mangondo for that important question.  What we are doing as the Ministry of ICT in relation to connectivity, is firstly to continuously engage with our TELCO players so that they avail full connectivity across the whole country. We have a broadband mapping plan that we have come up with and we are already doing it so that we are able to establish areas with is no connectivity. In terms of connectivity, because he asked a lot of things, I will to try to break them down.

The first one was connectivity and we are engaging our TELCO players, the likes of NetOne, Econet and also TelOne. We are constantly engaging them and finding out where they are deploying, which a lot of times conversations we have been having is that they are saying it might not be profitable for them to put the stations, especially in the rural areas. After that, we then had to say to them, they are obliged to make sure that at least they deploy. We had to come up with the policy to say yes, within their deployments, as much as they are talking of the population, especially in the rural areas, they always say it is not profitable for them. That is what they have always said but what we then came up with was for us to then be able to really tell them that they are obliged to make sure that there is connectivity at least from about 10 base stations, one has to be in the rural areas and then they will increase as they go. That is what we have done.

Then in terms of the schools, the community information centres, our plan for this year through the Presidential Internet Scheme is to deploy 50 community information centres within the next two years.  We hope to continuously be able to increase as we go.  Also, for the base stations, our hope as a Ministry is to deploy at least 50 base stations each year. We are happy that now we have got the likes of Starlink.  It is also going to assist us in making sure that we connect areas which are marginalised which do not have connectivity. That is what we are doing as a Ministry. Thank you.

HON. MANGONDO:  My supplementary relates to the availability of ICT equipment to rural schools. There are a lot of rural schools that do not have any laptops and they do not have any access. They have never seen kits, they have never seen a laptop at both primary and secondary schools.  Also, especially in terms of the resettlement areas, what is Government doing to ensure there is equitable distribution of ICT equipment to those marginalised rural areas? Thank you.

HON. DR. MAVETERA:  Thank you very much Madam Speaker Ma'am.  Let me thank Hon. Mangondo again for the follow-up question. What we are doing in terms of deploying ICT gadgets, especially laptops, is we have come up with a plan. The community information centres are also going to assist us in making sure that people have access to laptops. 

In terms of the schools, so far, we have equipped 1,350 computer labs across the country over the last three years.  We hope to increase more depending on the resources.  The plan that we have now, like I reported last time to say we have managed to get a budget for us to acquire some laptops for our schools and for the ICT lab per school.  Now we are starting to deploy and we would want to inform the Hon. Member that in our deployment, especially schools that have benefited before, we would want to at least try to also engage other new schools and then find out, especially for the ones that would have got equipment which is obsolete.  I think we would need then to maybe supply new ones but as far as we are concerned now, we are already starting that. The work is starting next week.  By next week we are starting to deploy ICT gadgets or laptops across the whole country. Thank you.

*HON. KARIMATSENGA-NYAMUPINGA: Thank you Hon. Speaker.  I want to direct my question to the Minister of Transport and Infrastructural Development. I want to start by thanking the Hon. Minister for the good job. I want to congratulate the Honourable Minister for being complimented for meeting his targets.  I want to appreciate that even the road that links my constituency was done well.  My question is, what is the Government planning to do regarding the issue of congestion or traffic jams?  We are having serious traffic jams. I wrote down my question thinking that it is only in Domboshava but I have gone to different places.

People arrive home at 9 p.m. or 10 p. m. because of congestion but they are also required to wake up as early as 4 a.m. in the morning for them to be at their workplaces in time. What can we do as Government to solve this issue? I thank you.

*THE MINISTER OF TRANSPORT AND INFRASTRUCTURAL DEVELOPMENT (HON. MHONA): Thank you Hon. Speaker and I want to thank Hon. Nyamupinga for that question. I also want to thank the Honourable Member for commending the Ministry for the good work.  I want to believe that the question would assist us in clarifying to this august House that when we look at Government, the Government has different departments. There is the urban transport management system which is done by the Ministry of Local Government which looks at the robots, traffic lights and intersections to see if our traffic lights are working properly.

Hon. Speaker, we are working together as different Ministries to make sure that things run smoothly.  We go back to the urban transport system to decongest cities, which is the responsibility of municipal authorities.  As the Ministry of Transport, we are intervening in the issue because we do not just expect the councils to have a response because they might take long, so, we are working together.  We have interchanges or great separations which we are going to introduce. That system where some cars will be below and some above to decongest our cities.

Going to the constituency which is represented by Hon. Nyamupinga, that road is called the Legacy Way, the Borrowdale Road. It is going to be broadened so that it will have six lanes out of Harare. As I am speaking, we are starting the process from Harare Drive. Some cars will be using a flyover.  At Mabvuku turn-off, where some cars are coming from Ruwa and some from Mabvuku, the same process is going to be done in the near future. I want to say that we should expect that to happen by August. These are the spaghetti roads that were alluded to.

*HON. KARIMATSENGA-NYAMUPINGA: Thank you, Hon. Speaker. I want to thank the Hon. Minister and I believe that from his explanation, this is going to happen.  I did not seek your guidance when I started because the response that was raised about the traffic lights that are not working, we desire that traffic lights should work. I do not know in terms of the relationship and in terms of the engagements that they make, how this will be solved but we desire that to happen?

THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER (HON. J. TSHUMA): Thank you Hon. Member. I believe that the Hon. Minister said that the council is responsible for that.

*THE MINISTER OF TRANSPORT AND INFRASTRUCTURAL DEVELOPMENT (HON. MHONA): I want to thank Hon. Nyamupinga for that question. In the past few weeks, Cabinet discussed the issue that was brought up by the Minister of Local Government.  It was pertaining to an agreement, which explains how councils are expected to work regarding issues to do with traffic lights or robots and the issue of fixing such robots as soon as possible. Indeed, it is true that we have traffic lights that are not working, but the Hon. Minister of Local Government expressed his commitment to implore councils to fix robots as soon as possible. As a ministry, we are going to be making a follow-up on that issue. I thank you.

         *HON. NYABANI: I want to thank…

         THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER (HON. J. TSHUMA): Hold on Hon. Nyabani. Hon. Members on my left, it is good to carry ourselves with decorum in this House. I have just asked Hon. Nyambani to take the floor. I will come over to you. Be patient. Carry on Hon. Nyabani.

*HON. NYABANI: Thank you Hon. Speaker. I want to appreciate the good work that is done on our roads. There are some road traffic signs in roundabouts and at different intersections. The question is, what plans does Government have in terms of danger warning signs, which warn of speeding and other dangers? Sometimes people approach roundabouts while speeding and they end up being involved in accidents. What is the Government going to do regarding the signs? I thank you.

THE MINISTER OF TRANSPORT AND INFRASTRUCTURAL DEVELOPMENT (HON. MHONA): Thank you Hon. Speaker and I want to thank Hon. Nyabani. Indeed, it is true that our drivers are driving without regard for human life, which results in the loss of human life. Even when there are signs, some people do not read road signs. I want to appreciate that from what the Hon. Member has said, we gave such signs, which talk about sharp curves. You would find that sometimes people would be speeding, but I want to say that we are going to be enacting such signs.

I appreciate that you sent us to represent you and we are going to be doing that together with Hon. Kazembe. I am sure you have noticed that we now have police who are directing people to the Parliament of Zimbabwe. Those cars which are not supposed to be entering into this area are no longer entering. For areas which are not covered, we are going to be putting rumble strips. The rumble strips will prompt drivers to lessen their speed or reduce their speed. I believe that such hazardous areas need our input together. As drivers, we need to follow the rules that apply to our roads. I thank you.

*HON. KARENYI-KORE: Thank you Hon. Speaker. I want to direct my question to the Hon. Minister. The question is that as Government, maybe the Hon. Minister would say that this falls under a different ministry. The issue of working together with other ministries is important because when you look at countries like Tanzania, you will find that from their peak hours, the major roads which have traffic lights, they work in conjunction with police officers in the morning, in the afternoon and the evening. This allows the smooth flow of traffic, especially in urban areas. If this becomes the norm, this would assist us and it will assist in reducing accidents. So as a Government, we need that guidance. I thank you.

HON. MHONA: Thank you Hon. Speaker. I want to thank Hon. Karenyi. If you allow me Hon. Speaker, we work together with the Minister of Home Affairs. He is in our midst. May you allow me to hand over the question to the Hon. Minister of Home Affairs? I thank you.

THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER: Can the Minister of Home Affairs respond to that?

*THE MINISTER OF HOME AFFAIRS AND CULTURAL HERITAGE (HON. KAZEMBE): Thank you Hon. Speaker. I want to thank Hon. Minister Mhona for handing over that question to me and I accept the question.  What has been said by the Hon. Member of Parliament it true, that police are supposed to be doing that. You would note that in many robots and traffic lights, the police are working together with the traffic lights, but in the near future, what we desire is to see all traffic lights working because this is a stopgap measure.

In the near future, we need to work together with the Hon. Minister and other stakeholders. We will be working together to alleviate this problem. What I said in the past few days is that we are going to be applying technology which would allow us to be efficient in discharging our duties. You noticed that in the past few days, the police were gazetting the number plates of cars, saying that such cars should report to the police. This was done through the use of cameras, which are catching perpetrators of road offences. In the near future, there will not be any need for writing to say go to the police.

We are going to be identifying people through technology and it will identify from wherever you will be, for example, when you violate different traffic laws. This is what we are working on and technology is the solution. This is what we are seized with, together with the Hon. Minister of Transport. I thank you.

THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER: You clarified it well. Thank you.

*HON. MUWODZERI: Thank you Hon. Speaker and good afternoon. My question is directed to the Hon. Minister of Health. I wanted to know what the Ministry plans to do regarding the big Government hospitals which are over congested. The question is, are there other alternatives to decongesting our public hospitals, the Harare Hospital and Parirenyatwa Hospital? I am saying there are some hospitals which were used during the war to attend to people who were injured, like rehabilitation centres, which rehabilitation centres have the amenities to allow them to be used as proper hospitals.

THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER: May you ask your question directly Hon. Member?

HON. MUWODZERI: Thank you Hon. Speaker. I want to ask what Government plans to do regarding the decongesting of the Harare Hospital and Parirenyatwa Hospital. Thank you.

*THE MINISTER OF JUSTICE, LEGAL AND PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS (HON. Z. ZIYAMBI): Thank you Hon. Speaker, I want to thank the Hon. Member for that contribution.  The issue that the Hon. Member is talking about is that, when we desire to decongest the central hospitals, we might consider some of the alternatives.  When Hon. Dr. Mombeshora comes back, from a meeting he is attending at WHO, I will brief the Hon. Minister and I will give a recommendation to him regarding the congestion of central hospital. 

The Hon. Member just looked at city hospitals and it is true.  When these hospitals were constructed the population of Harare by then was not the same as it is now.  At our local college, the Zimbabwe Defence College there is another hospital that is being built.  We are trying our best to engage those who are responsible for Local Government. In the past people who were severely ill used to go to Parirenyatwa and Sally Mugabe Hospitals and most people went to their local clinics, be it Highfield or Mbare.  So, we believe as Government that we are going to look at clinics and rehabilitate the clinics so that they will be able to attend to the needs of patients. 

Some local clinics were destabilised by mismanagement of funds but His Excellency, the President intervened and put up a Commission of Inquiry which is focusing on the Harare City Council.  The reports from the Commission is going to guide us in terms of revamping our clinics and hospitals in different areas so that they benefit our people.

HON. S. ZIYAMBI: Thank you Hon. Speaker, my question is directed to the Minister of Tourism and Hospitality.  In line with promoting domestic tourism, the Government embarked on building cultural villages in some places in Zimbabwe.  There are some cultural villages whose structures were left uncompleted.  What is the Government doing to complete these projects for example the Kore-Kore cultural village in Makonde?  I thank you.

THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER (HON. J. TSHUMA):  Hon. S. Ziyambi, the moment you mention a specific area it is no longer a question without notice.  Maybe you would want to put that in writing so that the Hon. Minister can respond after some investigations.

HON. S. ZIYAMBI: Hon. Speaker, I said cultural villages across the country so this was just one example but there are so many.

THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER: I will indulge you but like I said once you mention a specific area it falls away. 

THE MINISTER OF HOME AFFAIRS AND CULTRURAL HERITAGE (HON. KAZEMBE): Thank you Hon. Speaker, I would like to thank the Hon. Member for the question and as you alluded Hon. Speaker, the question seems to be specific but however the Government policy is to complete all the buildings that have been started.  If there is a specific building that the Hon. Member believes it has taken far too long, he can put the question in writing then the Hon. Minister for Tourism will respond comprehensively.  I thank you.

+HON. KAPOIKILU: Thank you Hon. Speaker, I want to direct my question to the Hon. Minister of Transport and Infrastructural Development. How far has Government gone in terms of moving tollgates which are now close to residential areas, it is now expensive for people who have to pay tollgates whilst they are still in their communities?

THE MINISTER OF TRANSPORT AND INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT (HON. MHONA): Thank you Hon. Speaker, I want to thank Hon. Kapoikilu and I am happy to say that he has raised an important question but let me say that as Government we note that people are now building houses.  If we concentrate on how the city is expanding, we will end up with no toll- gates at all.  Let me also say that the Hon. Member should inform his constituency, I think he also forgot to mention that we are going to move the Skyline tollgate at Stoneridge.  However, we have tollgates that are going to be moved including the Skyline tollgate which are going to be placed at Charter which is around 36km from where it is.  We will move far from the residential areas.  We are also targeting the Seke tollgate which is going to be pushed further, we are building a new tollgate in the Dema area.  We also have the local tollgate which is near the Parliament New Complex which is going to be moved further.  We will have one in Mvurwi and the other one going to Bindura. 

This is going to be done because now there are close to residential areas.  As Local Government we must not allow people to continue building near our roads because this will cause accidents as this will also cause people to avoid tollgates.  I thank you.

HON. DHLIWAYO: Thank you Hon. Speaker, my question is directed to the Minister of Public Service if he is around.  I would want to applaud His Excellency for putting in place a legislative framework that will ensure devolution of economic activities and opportunities country wide.  This is also realised when there are vacancies that arise within Government departments.  Whilst there is a fair share of these vacancies at the provincial level when it comes to district level and maybe at constituency levels, there seems to be a challenge.  What is Government policy with regard to ensuring that there is an equitable apportionment of those job vacancies especially in the Health Department, Education and the security sector? I thank you.

          THE MINISTER OF HOME AFFAIRS AND CULTURAL HERITAGE (HON. KAZEMBE): Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir.  I would like to thank the Hon. Member. Mr. Speaker, I did not get the question because it was more explanatory and the question came right at the end. If the Hon. Member does not mind, can go straight to the question so that I can try and give a proper answer. I thank you.

         THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER (HON. J. TSHUMA): Hon.  Dhliwayo would you mind to probably summarise it?

         HON. DHLIWAYO: Hon. Speaker, my question relates to how job vacancies that arise within Government institutions say teaching posts, nursing posts and in some security sectors are apportioned at district and constituency levels provided that spaces allow the vacancies that are available permits that sharing. What is the Government’s position with regard to that?

         HON.  KAZEMBE: I suspect I have understood the question. The way I understood the question is that the Hon. Member wants to understand the Government policy with regard to the fair distribution of vacancies countrywide. I thought vacancies arise as per need on the ground.  A vacancy that arises in Mashonaland Central will be filled accordingly, it cannot be redistributed to another province because the vacancy is in Mashonaland Central.  Vacancies that arise in Matabeleland North, for example, will be filled there.  Maybe the Member of Parliament also wants to know how people are recruited from various provinces. 

As far as the Government is concerned, recruitment has also been devolved for example the police and the army, recruitments are done in various provinces.  Each province is given a quota.  I know for example in the police, each province is given 200 or 500 and even in the nursing field because the Hon. Members also mentioned the Ministry of Health.  Nurses are recruited from various provinces.  Each province is given a quota so that way Government ensures that there is equitable recruitment from across provinces in the country.  I hope I have attempted to answer the question.

         Questions Without Notice were interrupted by the TEMPORARY SPEAKER in terms of Standing Order Number 68.

ORAL ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS WITH NOTICE

PARTICIPATION BY HWANGE RURAL DISTRICT COUNCILLORS FROM HWANGE CONCESSION AREAS

1. HON. MAKUMIRE asked the Minister of Local Government and Public Works to clarify the rationale behind the participation by Hwange Rural District Councillors from the Hwange Concession areas given that they fall outside the local board's jurisdiction.

THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER: Yes, I saw the notice. I will indulge you. The Hon. Minister of Local Government is not here nor the Deputy. Questions 1 to 11 are deferred.

         HON. MUSHORIWA: On a point of order Mr. Speaker Sir.

         THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER: Point of order Hon. Mushoriwa.

         HON. MUSHORIWA: Mr. Speaker Sir, some Members of Parliament may not be in Parliament not because of their liking but because they are on other parliamentary business.  I think it is not fair to them to have those questions being submitted by the Minister because Parliament is failing to manage the programmes.  If a Member is on another Committee, surely he cannot be punished for his questions to be answered in his absence.

THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER: Hon. Mushoriwa, you are a seasoned Member of Parliament and you know the procedures of doing this. I just indulged Hon. Makumire’s questions because there was a notice to that effect to say Hon. Madzivanyika was going to stand in for him.  Please let us follow the normal procedures. Your point of order does not arise anymore – [HON. MUSHORIWA: No, but the reason why we are raising this is we need it to be minuted]- Hon Mushoriwa, please take your seat. I have answered you and I have given you a live example of what happened today. Question 1 was asked by Hon. Makumire but he sought permission to have Hon. Madzivanyika stand in for him and we granted that.  So what else do you want? Please take your seat, please take your seat.

REHABILITATION OF INYATHI ROAD

14 HON. MAKUMIRE asked the Minister of Transport and Infrastructural Development on the Government plans for the rehabilitation of Inyati Road which was under the Emergency Road Rehabilitation Programme for the past four years.

THE MINISTER OF TRANSPORT AND INFRASTRUCTURAL DEVELOPMENT (HON. MHONA): Thank you Hon. Speaker. Let me thank Hon. Makumire for the very important question alluding to the rehabilitation of Inyathi Road.  Mr. Speaker Sir, Inyathi Road is the main road leading to Chiredzi Town branching from Ngundu–Tanganda Highway passing through the city centre to Hippo Valley Estates. In 2021, a contract was awarded to a contractor but was terminated before completion in 2022. The contractor cited delayed payments by the client as reasons for the mutual termination. At the time of contract termination, 2.2 km was primed and the remainder was left at base 1 level. Stones were put on the primed section to barricade it from motorists but due to the period that has lapsed since 2022, impatient motorists have driven over the stones and damaged the primed section.

A tender was flighted in 2024 to engage another contractor. Unfortunately, when the evaluations were submitted to SPOC for review, the successful bidder’s price was adjudged to be on the higher side.  The works are earmarked for tender with the advert expected to be flighted by May this month. The scope of works will also include a section of Chitsanga Road. To complement the works being done by Department of Roads, Chiredzi Town Council has also flighted a tender for 0.5km of the Inyathi Road. The tender closed on 22 April 2025 and is being processed for an award to be issued soon.  The works will see reconstruction on sections where the bases cannot be salvaged and re-seal being done on the sections that do not require reconstruction. The drainage system will also be attended given that the road drains into Chiredzi City’s surface and underground drainage network. I thank you.

HON. MADZIVANYIKA: I want to thank the Minister for the response. However, my supplementary question is the Minister has alluded to the fact that a second tender of 2024 was declined by SPOC on the basis that the price was unreasonably high. Is there no standard procedure in terms of valuations, particularly to say per km the standard range of price for the upgrade of our roads must be this much?  Why did SPOC come with the conclusion that this is unreasonably high? Do we not have a standard?

HON. MHONA: Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir. Let me also thank the Hon. Member for that very follow-up question which is very important.  Indeed, we have engineer estimates which we work with and normally if one varies with that engineer’s estimates, then definitely it will be declined by SPOC. So, the idea of SPOC as an oversight committee that then superintends over tenders,  I am sure in terms of procedure that is proper so that we have another section taking charge of other tender applications. I do agree with Hon. Madzivanyika that yes, we need to have a standard platform to make sure that as we adjudicate, we base on that one. I thank you.

CONSTRUCTION OF THE BRIDGE CONNECTING CHIREDZI CENTRAL TO CHIREDZI SOUTH

15. HON. MAKUMIRE asked the Minister of Transport and Infrastructural Development to update the House on the Government's plans to construct the bridge connecting Chiredzi Central to Chiredzi South, in view of the recent destruction of the Chilonga Causeway in March 2025 and the collapse of Chipinda Bridge in February 2000.

THE MINISTER OF TRANSPORT AND INFRASTRUCTURAL DEVELOPMENT (HON. MHONA): It is important to point out that bridge projects are special by their nature and that they involve a number of processes in planning and design stages. In this particular case of the design of the bridge connecting Chiredzi Central and Chiredzi South, the site selection process had to be carried out a number of times as the soils in the area were not strong enough to support the loads that would be coming from the proposed bridge. Due to the fact that this process involves both topographical and geotechnical surveys to be carried out before the actual design of river works, substructures and superstructures can be embarked on it. It has taken some time for this project to be implemented.

However, a site of 5km kilometers downstream from the causeway has been identified but will require the power foundations and the length of the bridge will be 500 meters. Detailed designs of the superstructures are at an advanced stage and will be complete by mid-June 2025. Thereafter, the bills of quantities and engineers' estimate or budget will be prepared due to limited internal capacity to undertake detailed foundation, which is the substructure designs by the Department of Roads, which is in the process of retooling or its soil testing laboratories. The tender for the construction of this bridge will be scoped to include substructure design and construction, working on similar costs for the 60-meter-long Musitwe Bridge under construction at a cost of USD8,600,000. The projected cost of the new Chilonga Bridge is USD72,000,000 and will be included in the work programme and budget for 2026. Thank you.

HON. MADZIVANYIKA: Thank you Hon. Minister for the response. However, looking at the strategic nature of this bridge Hon. Minister, can you consider this bridge for a PPP arrangement looking at the specific issue that you have raised that the bridge could be about 500 meters and it will require USD72,000,000 to complete, which might be budgeted in the 2026 national budget, which might be too long looking at the strategic nature of this bridge? Is it possible Hon. Minister to consider a PPP arrangement to ensure that the construction of this bridge is expedited?

HON. MHONA: Indeed, I want to concur with Honourable Madzivanyika that it is very important in terms of his suggestion but we also need to take cognisance of the fact that when it comes to PPP, we are talking of a business sense at the end of the day for any investor. So, any investor will go through that feasibility and be in a position to recoup that investment. So, in this particular case, where you see how the Government coming in, it means we might not be having an appetite for investors in that particular or they will be factoring in the time that they will take to have a return on investment.

However, Hon. Speaker, we have actually done, as we speak in terms of the new site where we are talking of the five kilometers from where it is now, which is a major milestone as we speak because this bridge has been on the cards for some time. I am happy that now we have got a solution. As I indicated, the type of soil was problematic in the region and finding that section was quite problematic as well. So, I am happy that now with this kind of a plan in place, we are now in a position to start this new bridge. I do concur where a feasibility study is advocating for a PPP, you will find the Ministry taking that trajectory.

RECONSTRUCTION OF THE BHILA BRIDGE IN BINGA SOUTH CONSTITUENCY

16. HON. M. C. SIBANDA asked the Minister of Transport and Infrastructural Development to inform the House when the Bhila Bridge in Binga South Constituency, which was swept away by floods in 2021 will be reconstructed.

THE MINISTER OF TRANSPORT AND INFRASTRUCTURAL DEVELOPMENT (HON. MHONA): Bhila Bridge is actually a three by 900-millimeter barrel culvert crossing where in 2021, flash floods caused extensive damage to the structure that could not cope with the increased volume of water. The culvert approaches were also damaged due to the change in river cost attributed to geomorphic changes. The proposed solution is to increase the number of culverts to five on either side or carry out river training works downstream to redirect the river.  The approaches will have to be increased to a hundred metres.

The estimated cost of this intervention is in the region of

USD300 000. CMED were approached in 2023 to do the works. However, this did not materialise due to limited resources and competing priorities, this project could not be accommodated in the 2025 budget. However, Department of Road is exploring other strategies of implementing this project and will be approaching RIDA and the local authorities for assistance under the annual ZINARA budget under the Emergency Road Rehabilitation Programme 2. Thank you.

THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER: We will suspend Questions

No. 17 and 18 now because, you see Hon. Mushoriwa what we were talking about. Hon. Ndebele wrote to us asking for a suspension for his questions and we are doing that. So, Parliamentary Procedures are there to guide us so that perform our duty as Parliament in a very amicable way.

         HON. MUSHORIWA: You do not want me to respond.

THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER: No, I did not want you to respond. I just wanted you to know.

REHABILITATION OF ROADS IN KADOMA CENTRAL CONSTITUENCY

25. HON. MAMBIPIRI asked the Minister of Transport and Infrastructural Development to inform the House if there are plans in place to complete the rehabilitation of the following roads in Kadoma Central Constituency which were under the Emergency Road Rehabilitation Programme for the past four years; Mafuta –Marandu, Parirenyatwa road, Westview road, Leonard Mayenge, Kirk street and Leopold Takawira.

         THE MINISTER OF TRANSPORT AND INFRASTRUCTURAL DEVELOPMENT (HON. MHONA): Thank you Mr Speaker Sir and let me also thank my brother Hon. Mambipiri for that very important question to ask the Minister to appraise the House if there are plans in place to complete the rehabilitation of the following roads in Kadoma Central Constituency. Marandu which is 1.1km, Buffalo 2.3km, Kik 3km, Rhodes 6.4km long in total and were taken over by the Emergency Road Rehabilitation Programme II.

The rehabilitation of the roads started on the 19^th of April 2022 by contractors Nondo Holdings. About 4.2km of base 1 and 2 was completed together with priming of 2.2. Outstanding works were the construction of 2.2km base 1 and the surfacing of the whole 6.4km. The project stalled due to late payments of outstanding interim payment certificates where the contractor eventually moved off-site. With regards to Westview, also known as Nyambo Road and Parirenyatwa Roads totalling 4.1km were taken over by the Emergency Road Rehabilitation Programme II. The rehabilitation again started in April 2022 and 4.1 of subgrade and base 2 construction were completed together with the construction of 10 culverts. Outstanding works were the construction of 4.1km of base 1 and surfacing of 4.1km. The project once again stalled due to late payments. Leopold Takawira is being maintained by Kadoma City Council 2.6km of the road should be re-gravelled and to date, only 0.6km has been done leaving 2km where only spot damping of gravel was done. The outstanding portion should be completed by the 25^th  of May 2025 which is this weekend. The Leonard Manyenge Road is 0.8km in length and the rehabilitation started in 2021 by Release Power and contracted by Kadoma City Council. The contractor completed 0.8km subgrade and 0.4km base 1. The contractor moved off-site citing delays of payments of work done. Thank you, Mr. Speaker Sir.

HON. MAMBIPIRI: My question to the Minister is, why do you start work on these roads when we are not certain about our budget? Most of the reasons that we have been given is due to late payments. The contractors have been going off-site due to late payments. Is it not proper that you first sit down secure the budgets, then start the work rather than just going on to the ground start the work rendering the roads unusable then abandoning the projects altogether?

HON. MHONA: Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir and indeed it is a very important follow-up question. The Hon. Member if you  listened when I was saying the Emergency Road Rehabilitation Programme II was trying to  mitigate issues to do with failure to pay the IPCs and indeed this is what we will be working on if you would relate to these roads which fall under the purview of local authorities. Therefore, the Ministry would come just to try and support and make sure that we complete those outstanding works. I do agree that for planning purposes, any project you would need to embark on, it is proper to know if you have adequate resources to complete it.

I want to support and also to be in sync with Hon. Member that yes, when we start a project, we must finish. It also comes back again to this august House. As much as we also do our budgetary processes, we also need to factor in such stalled projects so that we complete such projects with speed. Thank you.

INFORMATION ON MINING COMPANIES PLOUGHING BACK TO COMMUNITIES

46. HON. PINDUKA asked the Minister of Mines and Mining Development to inform the house on what the Ministry is doing to ensure that mining companies which extract mineral resources plough back to the respective local communities for example as is the case with Eureka Gold Mine in Guruve.

THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF MINES AND MINING DEVELOPMENT (HON. KAMBAMURA): Thank you, Hon. Pinduka and thank you Mr. Speaker. The Ministry of Mines and Mining Development in Zimbabwe is actively enhancing mechanisms to ensure mining companies contribute meaningfully to local communities where they operate in as exemplified by the Eureka Gold Mine in Gurwe. The current legislation actually makes community corporate social responsibility voluntary. It means that the miner voluntarily contribute to CSR. However, there is a current legislation framework that is [Chapter 21:05] which is coming. This new registration or bill will actually make CSR compulsory. The bill proposes to introduce a binding CSR obligation. For example, key provisions will include that conditional mining title companies will be required to submit and implement approved CSR plans as a condition for obtaining or renewing mining licences. There is what we call the CDA, that is the Community Development Agreement. Mining firms will have to negotiate and formalise agreements with local authorities to fund projects aligned with their needs. For example, the community might want clinics, schools, employment opportunities. There is need for transparency and accountability by the miner and need to be a regular reporting corporate social responsibility expenditures and these will be enforced.

Mr. Speaker Sir Eureka Mine, has actually been working very well on voluntary initiatives. Since 1921, they have spent a total of USD831,000 on CSR and they have spent this money on drilling 22 solar-powered boreholes. They have done construction of Muroiwa dip. They have rehabilitated a road at Mucheriwa, which is eight (8) kilometres.  They donated books to several schools. Furthermore, they have donated furniture, chairs and actually paid school fees for 30 vulnerable and disadvantaged children.

         They constructed two classroom blocks at Muroiwa Primary School and donated to the DD’s boardroom by buying furniture for the boardroom. They donated 240 blankets and linen to Guruve District Hospital and have been donating fuel to various stakeholders in Guruve and Mashonaland Central Province.  In addition, they fenced Chief Chipuriro’s Cultural Heritage Centre and relocated 29 families that were affected by the mining.

         On a regular basis, they have been giving school prizes. In fact, Eureka Mine has been doing a wonderful job on a voluntary basis. I thank you Mr. Speaker Sir.

         HON. MALINGANISO:  Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir. My follow-up question to the Hon. Minister is, in the absence of legislation for corporate social responsibility, what is the Ministry doing to make certain that localities where minerals are being extracted also benefit because in various places, you see that these minerals are being extracted and nothing is being left behind? I thank you Mr. Speaker Sir.

         HON. DR. MAKWIRANZOU:  Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir. Since currently CSR is voluntary, the Ministry has been encouraging both miners and investors to voluntarily assist the community.  In some cases, the Member of Parliament has been doing very well in trying to negotiate with the miners.  Thank you Mr. Speaker.

HON. MATEWU:  Thank you very much Mr. Speaker Sir.  It is not enough to say that the Ministry is encouraging companies.

Let us consider those who are mining gold, where there is gold and the community is wallowing in poverty, whilst the Public Entities Corporate Governance Act does not make it mandatory for companies to practice corporate social responsibility, it is incumbent upon the Ministry. So, my question now is, when are we going to see a Statutory Instrument from the Ministry, that will direct all the mining companies to give a certain percentage of their profits from their ore or whatever they are making to the communities so that they do not wallow in poverty while there is gold where their communities are stationed? Thank you Mr. Speaker.

THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER (HON. J. TSHUMA): Hon. Matewu, I thought there was a motion already in the House to that effect of the Community Share Ownership Scheme, which is supposed to be addressing that.  Let us indulge the Hon. Deputy Minister.

HON. HAMAUSWA:  On a point of order Mr. Speaker Sir.  I am raising a point of order on the issue you have just raised, that there was a motion. I wanted to know from the Ministry, when they are going to respond to that motion since it was adopted by Parliament.  It is a burning issue, considering that our resources are depleting and we continue to have questions on something that was presented as a motion.  Is it not the time now for the Ministry to give us a clear roadmap towards making sure that the people benefit from our natural resources? Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir.

THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER:  Thank you Hon. Hamauswa.  Actually, the motion is still under debate.  It was being debated even yesterday. So, it has not come to conclusion as yet but let me indulge the Deputy Minister of Mines and Mining Development.

THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF MINES AND MINING DEVELOPMENT RESPONSIBLE FOR OIL AND GAS RESEARCH AND OTHER STRATEGIC MINERALS EXPLORATION (HON. DR. MAKWIRANZOU):  Thank you Hon. Speaker Sir.  Indeed, it is under debate. You may remember there was a previous Statutory Instrument that stated that it would be 1%, that 1% would be used in those areas where mining is happening. It is under debate now and the proposal is to raise it to 2%. So, I am sure that the Statutory Instrument will come out very soon.  Thank you Hon. Speaker. – [HON. MUSHORIWA:  Supplementary!] –

THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER:  Yes, last supplementary. HON. MUSHORIWA:  Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir.  Mr.

Speaker Sir, the Hon. Speaker mentioned that there is a Bill that is being crafted.  I wanted to find out whether that Bill is under the Ministry of Mines and Mineral Development or is the Bill coming under the Ministry of Industry and Commerce.

I needed to find out because you will recall that we used to have the Community Share Ownership Scheme which was removed under the indigenous law.  Then we got an empowerment desk under the Ministry of Industry and Commerce.  So, I needed to find out how this Bill that you are talking about is being crafted and in which department.

Secondly, tied to that is that during the budget it was agreed that it was going to be 2%.  I want to find out why we have not yet implemented that when this august House passed that during the budget debate.

HON. DR. MAKWIRANZOU:  Thank you Hon. Speaker. The Bill we are talking about is [Chapter 21:05].  So, it is the Mining and Minerals Development Bill.  As my colleague previously stated, we hope that it will be gazetted soon. It had been sent for gazetting but there were a few typos and the Attorney General’s Office is correcting those typos and the Bill will be gazetted.

         Regarding the Industry and Commerce Bill that you are talking about, I am afraid that I am not aware of what is happening there. The CSR, yes indeed, it might come under commerce and industry but in our Bill, we also talk about it. Thank you.

CONNECTION OF SCHOOLS IN GURUVE RURAL DISTRICT TO THE NATIONAL GRID

51. HON. PINDUKA asked the Minister of Energy and Power Development to inform the House when Nyagumbo, Kadzimwenje, Vira Gezi and Mushongahande Primary schools in Guruve Rural District Council will be connected to the national grid.

         THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF ENERGY AND POWER DEVELOPMENT (HON. SIMBANEGAVI):  I want to thank the Hon. Member for the question.  Allow me Mr Speaker Sir, to respond as follows.

         Nyagumbo Primary School was electrified on 16^th August, 2016. However, it could be an issue of internal wiring and service connection that has not been done.  The Rural Electrification Fund will investigate and assist with internal wiring and service connection by end of June this year, if that is the case.

The Hon. Member can go and confirm what the issue is with Nyagumbo since it has already been electrified to see what challenges are occurring there.

Kadzimwenje Primary School was electrified on 8^th April, 2014 and was connected. The line later developed a fault which ZETDC has promised to attend to at the earliest possible date. Kadzimwenje Secondary School could have been recently built since it was not in existence when the primary school was electrified. It will however, be electrified in 2026 once the backbone line fault is rectified.

Vira Gezi Secondary School was electrified on 31^st March 2023. REF will do internal wiring and connect the school by end of June this year. The Primary School of Vira Gezi was electrified on 31^st August 2015. However, the transformer was subsequently vandalised and ZETDC is working towards replacing it. Please note that previously, REF would bring power infrastructure to the doorstep of every institution and the institution will be responsible for its internal wiring.  It was observed that some institutions were failing to do the internal wiring for a long time, leading to a change in policy. REF is now doing the internal wiring for the Admin Block and Computer Lab so that the institutions immediately begin to make use of electricity. However, for any subsequent wiring, the school would have to do it for themselves. Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir.

THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER (HON. J. TSHUMA): Questions 55 and 56 will be deferred because the Minister of Lands and Agriculture is not in the House.

COMPENSATION OF PENSIONERS AND RETRENCHEES FROM DAVID WHITEHEAD

57. HON. MAMBIRIPIRI asked the Minister of Industry and Commerce to update the House on the plans to fully compensate pensioners and retrenchees from David Whitehead and to apprise the House on the status of the 156 workers who were requested to wait for the arrival of a new investor some 15 years ago.

THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF INDUSTRY AND COMMERCE (HON. MODI):  Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir. Allow me to thank Hon. Mambipiri for asking an important question regarding the compensation of the pensioners and retrenched workers from David Whitehead Textile Limited as well as the status of the 156 workers who had been advised to wait for the arrival of the new investor. I am pleased to report that David Whitehead Textiles exited judicial management in April 2022 following the successful intervention of Agri Value Chain Zimbabwe (AVCZ), the new investor who came on board. This marked a significant milestone as it involved a comprehensive process of rehabilitation and restructuring overseen by the courts and judicial managers.

The process of coming out of judicial management included the following steps:

Finalisation of the company’s financial restructuring plan, which addressed outstanding debts and liabilities.

Court approval of the plan confirmed that the company was viable and ready to resume independent operations.

Settlement and clearance of all pending obligations ensuring that there are no arrears or outstanding amounts owed to creditors, including pensioners and retrenched workers.

Mr. Speaker Sir, the company diligently ensured that all dues were fully paid and I am happy to confirm that there are no pending arrears related to pensioners or retrenched workers from David Whitehead at this point. The company now stands on a stable footing, fully rehabilitated and equipped to meet its ongoing obligations.

Regarding the 156 workers advised to await a new investor, I am pleased to inform the House that all their entitlements and prospects have been duly clarified. Should any individual feel overlooked or neglected, they are encouraged to approach the company directly to assert their rights or to seek the Ministry’s assistance in resolving the matter.

In conclusion, our Government remains committed to safeguarding workers’ rights and ensuring that all stakeholders receive what is due. We will continue to monitor the company’s progress and work towards policies that prevent similar challenges in the future. I thank you.

HON. MAMBIPIRI:  Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir. What we have, which we seek the Hon. Minister to address is the desperate situation where at David Whitehead in Kadoma, more than fifteen years ago, some workers were retrenched and some were due for their pensions. With the assurances and assistance from the Government, those retrenched workers have been waiting. Fifteen years is a very long time. Some of them now are sick, some are dying without having received any of their compensation.

Also, of particular interest are the 156 who were not retrenched. They are not pensioners but were told to wait for a new investor. That new investor came as the Minister said in 2022 and is operating fully in Kadoma as I speak but has not taken on board those people. He has not paid them their terminal benefits. They are still waiting and looking up to the Government because the Government was the underwriter when the negotiations were taking place.

I want to ask the Minister what they are going to do in order to make sure that those who were entrenched are eventually paid and those of the 156 are either taken back, given their positions at work or they are paid their terminal benefits. I thank you.

HON. MODI:  Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir. First of all, I would like to point out that matter is a labour matter. The Ministry do not have anything to do with that labour issue. However, in in my response, I did mention that if they have anything, think that they are neglected or they are overlooked, please they can come to the Ministry or they can go direct to the company. We are ready to assist them. Thank you.

THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER:  Question 58 by Hon. Mhangwa was already answered. You can check in the Hansard.

HON. ENG. MHANGWA:  When was it answered?

THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER: Just check with the Hansard. I am not quite sure about the dates.

HON. ENG. MHANGWA:  I am religiously here every Wednesday, it was not answered.

THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER:  Well, it was answered.

STATISTICS OF GIRLS WHO DROPPED FROM PRIMARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOL DUE TO PREGNANCY 2024

59. HON. MUROMBEDZI asked the Minister of Primary and Secondary Education to update the House on the 2024 statistics on girls who dropped from both primary and secondary school in 2024 due to Pregnancy and aggregate them according to age, districts and provinces.

         THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF PRIMARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION (HON. GATA): Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir. Thank you Hon. Murombedzi for making this request. The following information relates to the statistics of girls who dropped out of primary and secondary school due to pregnancy. The age groups at primary level, grade ones, grade twos…

         HON. MUROMBEDZI: On a point of order Mr. Speaker. I would like to request Hon. Minister probably to just give us the province statistics in this House and then they can submit the other details to the Hansard Office. Probably, the statistics for primary at province level and then the statistics for secondary level at the province. We will get the rest of the details from the Hansard Office.

         THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER: Hon. Deputy Minister, are you comfortable with that?

         THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF PRIMARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION (HON. GATA): Yes.

         THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER: Please go ahead.

         HON. GATA: Thank you. I will start with Bulawayo Province. Secondary school, we do have 45 and primary school we do have two. Harare province, secondary school we have 157 and primary we have 3. Manicaland, we have 454 secondary school and 15 primary school. Mashonaland central, secondary school 454 and the primary level we have 16. Mashonaland East, secondary school we have 499 and the primary school we have 10. Mashonaland West, we have 459 and have 18 in primary school. Masvingo, we have 390 …

         HON. MALINGANISO: On a point of order Mr. Speaker. This question was responded to, same statistics as well.

         THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER (HON. J. TSHUMA): I did not get that kind of information. Let me allow the Hon. Minister to continue.

         HON. GATA: Thank you. Matabeleland North, we have 297 secondary school and 6 in primary school. Matabeleland South, we have 245 secondary school and have two in primary school. Midlands, we have 302. That gives us the total for the girls in all ten provinces. So, the total number of girls  dropped out in primary school due to pregnancy is 109. The total number of girls who dropped out in secondary schools due to pregnancy is 3 324. Thank you.

         HON. MUROMBEDZI: Thank you very much Hon. Speaker. It cannot be business as usual in this House when we have these high figures who are dropping out of school. Therefore, my question to the Hon. Minister is, what is the whole of Government approach that is being done to ensure that we are keeping these girls in school? Most importantly, what is the whole of Government approach to ensure that these girls who are being impregnated, most of them if you want to check, are under age.

Are there any arrests that are being done and it is good that we have got the Hon. Minister of Home Affairs here, probably they can juxtapose the questions to each other so that we get the Government approach to this problem that we have on early pregnancies since we have got an issue of rape in these under age pregnancies. Thank you.

         THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER: Hon. Minister, this question, like what Hon. Malinganiso raised, are you sure it was never answered before?

         THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF PRIMARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION (HON. GATA): Yes Mr. Speaker Sir. It is a similar question but different. The statistics last time were the whole dropouts with all causes. These are specifically for pregnant girls.

         THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER:  In that case, you may go ahead and respond to the supplementary question.

         HON. GATA: Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir. The Hon. Member has asked and raised a very concerning matter on our girls. The rate of pregnancy is high. I will give you the reasons. First and foremost, I think it is because we are now properly recording the numbers and the awareness has increased. So, people are coming forward with them. They are more open so that they can be recorded. It is not really that they are going high but it has been like that for a while not particularly that they are going up every day. It is just because we have improved in taking down the details.

         However, I am not denying that the numbers are high of our young girls going into marriages and getting pregnant. The Ministry has done so many initiatives. If I may with your permission Mr. Speaker Sir give you an experience of what happened when we do our joint monitoring across our nation in all ten provinces. In this particular case, I was the one with the team with partners. This is the UNDP, the Child Protection Unit and the President's Office, the Teachers Union and staff from office.

         We visited a school in Manicaland. Upon asking because while we were doing monitoring and evaluation, we asked the school headmaster to give us statistics if there were any dropouts at the school. He mentioned that he had two girls, 13-year-olds who dropped out because they were pregnant. We probed because in our Ministry, it is a policy that we are taking those girls into the school arena even if they are pregnant. They have to carry on with their education. The law will take its course on the side but our children have to go back to school.

         The headmaster said, yes I did, the Guidance and Counselling Department, we went to the family and asked them to bring back the girl and they said no. We thought there was not much effort in there.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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T                                 t515525                                21^st May 2025

the next morning, we went to the family to confront them. I was part of the entourage that went there. We went to negotiate for our 13-year-old to come back to school. The question that they asked me is, we said we do not want her to go back to school, if you keep on insisting, are you the one who is going to marry her? We want our daughter to go and get married. If you keep on insisting that she comes back into the school system, are you going to marry her? What I am trying to bring about is we need community. We need the support of everybody, the MPs who are in here, so that for us to reduce this number of marriages and pregnancies, we have to work together as a community. We have to advocate for our girls, all of us in here. That is number one.

The Ministry's efforts that we are doing as our teachers have gone for training, around 40,000 teachers, including specialist teachers to address the issue of early marriage and teen pregnancies in schools. We also have engaged in integrated community service fairs through the outreach programme that we have done. We are also into training of Child Protection Committees in our schools. This is when you see the awareness has been raised, even the reporting has now increased. They are now reporting.  They are also assisting with the stigma to cope at school and community level. We are also doing group sessions with the pupils in our schools on how to support girls who have dropped out of school. We have developed a life skills handbook, Fit for Life, that empowers people with life skills to prevent issues of teen pregnancies and early marriages.

We also have radio sessions on 11 radio stations to discuss issues to do with teen pregnancies and early marriages. We also have our Secretary's Circular, Number 18 of 28, that encourages continuation with education. Like I said, we have peer educators to address issues in our schools. We have also established a toll-free number 317, for reporting any cases of stigma to teen mothers. We have also created a chat board which will help children discuss issues of violence, teenage pregnancies, early marriages and other issues affecting them. We have also distributed Bluetooth speakers in schools to play recorded radio lessons on guidance and counselling. The Ministry really is trying to mitigate this and reduce this number. The Hon. Member has also gone to ask if these perpetrators are getting arrested. We work as a whole of Government. We do have our VHU's, the friendly unit that we work with and we also notify the police whenever we have a teen pregnancy and then they will take it up from there. This matter is really not up to the Ministry only but it is up to all of us to work efficiently and cooperatively.

         Questions With Notice were interrupted by THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER in terms of Standing Order, Number 68.

HON. MAPIKI: I move that we extend with 10 minutes.

HON. NYABANI: I second.

Motion put and agreed to.

HON. P. ZHOU: Thank you Hon. Speaker. I want to thank the Minister for a detailed answer but I have a question. What percentage now of the girls who have been impregnated who come back to school after giving birth or having married off early, what percentage is that? Thank you.

HON. GATA: Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir.  We have readmitted girls into our schools. For marriage, out of the 3,433, we have readmitted 467 into the school system. On the pregnant girls, we have admitted 710 back into the schools. Thank you.

THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER (HON. J. TSHUMA): Thank you very much Hon. Deputy Minister. I must say that I must commend you for the passion that you have shown on this subject. – [HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear.] - It is very rare to get the pam-pams coming from the left side. So well done.

         HON. MUGWADI:  Hon Speaker Sir, I rise again on a point of privilege. I have been scrolling, on 8th of May, I had two questions. One to the Minister of Higher and Tertiary Education and another to the Minister of National Housing. One was answered and the second one which you claim to have been answered was taken down together with the one that was answered without it being answered. I went to journals on 14^th May. I wrote them an email on 14^th May to reinstate that question because it was not answered. I went physically on the 15^th May…

         THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER (HON. J. TSHUMA): Hon. Mugwadi can you please approach the Chair?

         Hon. Mugwadi approaches the Chair.

WRITTEN SUBMISSIONS TO QUESTIONS WITH NOTICE

REHABILITATION OF THE BULAWAYO-VICTORIA FALLS ROAD

 

12. HON. V. MOYO asked the Minister of Transport and Infrastructural -Development to update the House on the progress made towards rehabilitation of the Bulawayo-Victoria Falls Road.

THE MINISTER OF TRANSPORT AND INFRASTRUCTURAL DEVELOPMENT (HON. MHONA): The Bulawayo-Victoria Falls Road is a major trunk road, which provides access to one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World and UNESCO World Heritage Site, the majestic Mosi-oa-Tunya (Victoria Fallsa0. It links countries north of Zimbabwe, namely Zambia, Tanzania and the Democratic Republic of Congo to the ports of South Africa.

Indeed, the road condition has deteriorated over the past few years as the road has exceeded its design life and due to increased loading. As a result of the high investment required to rehabilitate and upgrade the road to international standards, Bitumen World was contracted in 2023 to attend to critical sections, about 60kkm under the ERRP2 Programme and pothole patching of the rest of the road from Beitbridge to Victoria Falls.

To ensure sustainable navigability of the toad in the foreseeable future of or about seven years, the Ministry is in the process of procuring the services of other contractors to work on the Bulawayo-Victoria Falls section of the road, still within the emergency road rehabilitation framework. We hope that these emergency works by the additional contractors will be completed in 10 months. For the long term, the Ministry anticipates robust road works all the way form Beitbridge to Vic Falls in the fashion of the Beitbridge -Harare with a 20-year design life. In that vein, in October 2024, the Ministry got a cabinet approval for a partnership between the Ministry and Bitumen World to finance, upgrade and maintain the Beitbridge- Bulawayo- Victoria Falls Road through a PPP arrangement. To date, the partnership is working on the feasibility studies for the road with the view that Bitumen World commences works on the Beitbridge – Bulawayo stretch.

REHABILITATION AND MAINTENANCE OF THE ROAD FROM CHISUMA TURN OFF TO BATOKA AND JAMBEZI

13. HON. V. MOYO: asked the Minister of Transport and Infrastructural Development to inform the House when the Government will commence the rehabilitation and maintenance of the road from Chisuma turn off to Batoka and Jambezi.

THE MINISTER OF TRANSPORT AND INFRASTRUCTURAL DEVELOPMENT (HON. MHONA): The Chisuma turn off is 12km before Victoria Falls town, off the Bulawayo -Victoria Falls highway. It is a gravel road that stretches for 10km up to the intersection with Hwange – Dete road. Due to the poor state of the road, Safari operators have offered to partner with the Department of roads to re-gravel and regrade the first 26km of this road which serves the majority of the safari operations and activities and resources are in the process of being mobilised.

The department of Roads has plans to undertake maintenance grading of the remainder of the road in the 3^rd quarter of the year drawing form routine maintenance disbursements from ZINARA.

CONSTRUCTION OF RUMBLE STRIPS IN KUWADZANA 7

19. HON. MANANZVA: asked the Minister of Transport and Infrastructural Development to inform the House whether the Government has plans to construct rumble strips to slow down traffic approaching intersections at Thuli Service Station in Kuwadzana 7, Kuwadzana Extension and Whitehouse along Bulawayo Road, in view of increasing fatal road accidents in these areas.

         THE MINISTER OF TRANSPORT AND INFRASTRUCTURAL DEVELOPMENT (HON. MHONA): It is true that there has been an increase in the number of fatal accidents at these intersections along the Harare- Bulawayo Road  and the following are immediate actions being taken by the Ministry;

1. Replacement and mounting of road signage to warn motorist approaching the intersection.
2. Mounting of temporary rumble strips and not humps as the road is a major highway.
3. Adjustments will be made at the intersections to prohibit right turns from Dzivarasekwa and Kuwadzana. Motorists from Dzivarasekwa will be directed to use the Kuwadzana roundabout to right whilst those form Kuwadzana will make use of 1^st street and enter into High-Glen Road before entering Bulawayo Road.
4. The two Traffic lights near Thuli service Station have been provided with a constant power supply form the service station to ensure they are both working even during periods of power outage and load shedding.

In the medium to long term, hybrid high mounted traffic lights that are powered by both conventional and a solar power will be erected at Kuwadzana and Whitehouse intersections. Further, there are plans to upgrade the intersections to grade separated junctions.

COMPLETION OF THE KIRKMAN-BULAWAYO AND SPIRTZKOP-BULAWAYO ROADS

20. 20. HON. MANANZVA: asked the Minister of Transport and Infrastructural Development to inform the House on when Kirkman to Bulawayo Road and Spitzkop to Bulawayo Road, will be completed.

THE MINISTER OF TRANSPORT AND INFRASTRUCTURAL DEVELOPMENT (HON. MHONA): The contract for the rehabilitation and reconstruction of the 12,5km stretch of the Solomon Mujuru (formerly Kirkman) drive to Bulawayo Road was awarded in 2023. To date, 6km of the road has been completed whilst 6,5km is outstanding at various levels of completion.

The contractor suspended works since going for annual shutdown at the end of last year and is waiting payment of certified works done to date. The road is included under the ERRP2 extended Programme that is waiting release of funds to complete this and other incomplete ERRP2 projects by end of 20206.

Spitzskop to Bulawayo Road is a Zvimba RDC Road where the Ministry was requested to lobby for funding in its budget. However, in 2025, due to limited budget allocation the road could not be included in the workplan before 2025 and will be included in the 20206 financial year. In the interim, the Ministry has engaged the RDC to undertake maintenance grading and spot ravelling drawing resources from their annual ZINARA allocation.  

REHABILITATION OF BULAWAYO-MAPHISA-TSHELANYEMBA ROAD

21. HON. BAJILA asked the Minister of Transport and Infrastructural Development to inform the House what plans Government has put in place to rehabilitate Bulawayo-Maphisa- Tshelanyemba Road.

THE MINISTER OF TRANSPORT AND INFRASTRUCTURAL DEVELOPMENT (HON. MHONA): The road from Bulawayo to Maphisa to Tshelanyemba is 150 km comprising of the following routes:

Bulawayo – Maphisa Road

The condition and planned action of this section is as follows:

0 – 45km peg: This is a wide surface mat that is generally in fair to good condition;

35 – 45km peg: This is a 6-metre-wide surface mat that is pothole ridden with broken edges and depressions. A tender was flighted in 2024 for the rehabilitation and widening of 10km. the contract was awarded recently and the contractor has commenced detour construction works. The contractor is expected to be completed by end of August 2025.

45 – 78 km peg:  This is a narrow surface mat in condition with potholes and edge breaks. Pothole patching is currently on-going using premix that was procured centrally. It should be points that the 45 – 60km peg section has a contractor whose contract prices that were on the higher end. The negotiation process is complete and once payment for works done is made, the contractor will resume works to rehabilitate and upgrade the road to wide surface mat.

78 – 98km peg: This is a 6m wide surfaced mat that is in bad condition and currently being patched. The rehabilitation and upgrade will be lobbied for in the budget for 2026.

98 – 114km peg:  This is a 7m wide section that reaches Maphisa Centre and is in fair condition. Resealing has been deferred to 2027 due to budget constraints and prioritisation of sections that are in a much worse condition.

Maphisa – Sun Yet Sen (114 – 146km)

As I alluded to when I responded to Hon. Ndebele with regards to this rod, this is a gravel road that is in very bad condition with motorists preferring to drive on the shoulders rather than the carriageway. 10km of re-gravelling and 20km of maintenance grading will be carried out in the second half of the year using resources from ZINARA.

Sun Yet Sen – Tshelanyemba (4km)- This is a gravel road off the road from Sun Yet Sen – St Joseph’s mission that is in poor condition. Due to the limited resources and focus on the section to St Joseph’s Mission, this road could not be accommodated in the maintenance budget for 2025. However, efforts are being made to engage the local authorities for assistance to carry out maintenance grading after independence venue road have been attended to.

COMPLETION OF MUCHEKE BRIDGE IN MASVINGO

22. HON. MURERI asked the Minister of Transport and Infrastructural Development to update the House on the projected timeline for the completion of the Mucheke Bridge in Masvingo Town.

THE MINISTER OF TRANSPORT AND INFRASTRUCTURAL DEVELOPMENT (HON. MHONA): Mucheke Bridge is a bridge that spans Mucheke River in Masvingo. It is a critical piece of infrastructure which serves as a vital link along the Harare-Beitbridge highway. Its strategic location facilitates the movement of goods and people both locally, daily in Masvingo town and regionally into neighbouring countries.

Currently, there is a single bridge in use and a new additional bridge is being constructed as part of the widening and upgrading of the Harare – Masvingo – Beitbridge Highway.

The Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development contracted Masimba Construction to undertake the bridge construction works as part of the road project and work began in April 2024.

The contractor is currently onsite with works going on and as of May 2025, progress on the main bridge has reached 60% completion.  The projected timeline for the completion of the Mucheke Bridge is 31 October, 2025.

CONSTRUCTION OF A BRIDGE IN NEKABANDAMA, HWANGE DISTRICT

23. HON. BONDA asked the Minister of Transport and Infrastructural Development to inform the House on the plans and steps being taken to construct a bridge in Nekabandama, Ward 12, Hwange District.

THE MINISTER OF TRANSPORT AND INFRASTRUCTURAL DEVELOPMENT (HON. MHONA): May the House be advised that the bridge in question is on the Nekabandama Road that branches off from the BulawayoVictoria-Falls highway. The road is of paramount importance as it is the only road for the Nekabandama community to the Primary and Secondary School and the rest of all commercial activities in Victoria Falls and Hwange towns.

         At the moment, the existing structure is a drift crossing on the Lukosi River, which usually experiences the flash floods that occur primarily due to the vast collection water catchment of the Hwange National Park that surrounds that entire area. The road is under the authority of the Rural Infrastructure Development Agency whom in their current existing Annual Procumbent Plan are engaged in the district on the Deka Bridge project and in the province, they are working on Upper Mbembesi, Upper Shangani-Nkayi, Lower Shangani-Nkayi Bridges. It is anticipated that RIDA will include this road under the ERRP2 Framework in the next funding circle.

CONSTRUCTION OF THE ROAD LINKING MASHOKO MISSION AND MASVINGO PROVINCIAL HOSPITAL

24. HON. MATARA asked the Minister of Transport and Infrastructural Development to inform the House whether there are plans in place to construct the road linking Mashoko Mission Hospital and Masvingo Provincial Hospital, given the importance of this road.

     THE MINISTER OF TRANSPORT AND INFRASTRUCTURAL DEVELOPMENT (HON. MHONA):  Mashoko Hospital in Masvingo Province is situated in Bikita District along Nandi-Matsvange Road.  There is no direct linking Mashoko hospital with Masvingo Hospital.  The roads linking Mashoko Hospital to Masvingo Provincial Hospital are Nandi-Matsvange (57km), Chikuku-Makuvaza (10km), Nyika-Zaka (20km) and Mutare-Masvingo (100km).

     Chikuku-Makuvaza and Nandi-Matsvange are gravel roads which were graded last year under the routine maintenance programme.  For the current year 2025 the roads have also been included on the routine maintenance plan and they will be graded and spot re-gravelling works will be conducted on washed away sections.  There are plans to upgrade the road from gravel roads to surfaced roads.  However, for the current year 2025, other major roads within the province have been given priority first, thus this road may be considered in the next budget circle.  The preferred roads which are within the current budget earmarked for rehabilitation are Chivhu-Gutu and Masvingo-Mutare Road.

Mutare-Masvingo is pothole free and current works on the road include bush clearing and grass cutting.  On Nyika-Zaka, pothole patching is currently at 87% and 2,6km is outstanding.

RE-GRAVELLING OF ROADS IN ZAKA NORTH CONSTITUENCY

26. HON MURAMBIWA asked the Minister of Transport and Infrastructural Development to inform the House when the following roads in Zaka North Constituency, which have become impassable, will be re-graveled. a) Chabata –Chivingwi Road b) Ndanga-Jichidza Road c) Jichidza-Veza Road d) Jichidza –Mageza Road e) Gumbo-Gundyana Road f) Chipinda-Padare Road g) Gumbo-Chigwagwa Road.

 

     THE MINISTER OF TRANSPORT AND INFRASTRUCTURAL DEVELOPMENT (HON. MHONA):  The roads which have been mentioned by the Hon. Member of Parliament fall under Masvingo Province and are managed by RIDA.

     The roads are all gravel roads and they connect the community to Jerera Growth Point and to the main highway that is Masvingo-Mutare Road.  The gravel roads required grading and spot re-gravelling to improve traffic ability.  Some of the roads require reconstruction of drainage structures.

     Of the seven mentioned roads two roads,  Ndanga-Jichidza and Jichidza-Mageza will be graded. The other remaining roads are included on the maintenance plan for the year 2025 and they are expected to be funded in the 3^rd quarter and 4^th quarter of the current year. I thank you.

REGULATION OF MINING ACTIVITIES BY SMALL-SCALE MINERS

47. HON. GUMEDE asked the minister of Mines and Mining Development to update the House on the measure the Ministry has put in place to regulate and monitor activities of artisanal and small-scale miners in view of the increase in cases of violence perpetrated by the machete wielding gangsters.

THE MINISTER OF MINES AND MINING DEVELOPMENT (HON. CHITANDO): The Ministry of Mines and Mining Development regulates and monitor activities as stipulated in the Mines and Minerals Act [Chapter 21:04] and allied regulations. Current measures in place include the following:

1. Monitoring and Surveillance – The Ministry of Mines and Mining Development through its inspectorate monitors and supervises operations of artisanal and small-scale mining operations. The Ministry decentralised to Provincial Offices and to districts in some provinces to ensure the Ministry inspectors are closer to mining operations.
2. Gold Mobilisation Exercises – The Ministry, together with relevant stakeholders conduct monitoring and surveillance of the gold sub-sector to ensure compliance to regulations and ensure delivery of gold to Fidelity Gold Refiners. The mobilisation blitz is conducted on a quarterly basis, with the latest one this year having been conducted from 6 to 14 May 2025. The stakeholders involved in each monitoring team include: Ministry of Mines and Mining Development, ZRP Minerals Flora and Fauna Unit, National Gold Mobilisation Technical Taskforce (NGMTT) and the Fidelity Gold Refiners.
3. Responsible Mining Audits – Since 2023, the Ministry is coordinating the Responsible Mining Audits across the entire country annually to ensure mining companies, individuals and entities conduct their mining operations in compliance with the country’s laws. Ministries, departments and Agencies involved in the audits include:
4. Ministry of Mines and Mining Development
5. Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development

• Ministry of Local Government and Public Works

1. Ministry of Energy and Power Development
2. Ministry of Environment, Climate, Tourism and Hospitality Industry
3. Ministry of Health and Child Welfare

• Ministry of Public Service Labour and Social Welfare
• Office of the President and Cabinet

1. Department of Immigration
2. Zimbabwe Revenue Authority
3. Environmental Management Agency and

• The Zimbabwe Republic Police.

The whole of Government approach ensures efficiency in the monitoring of mining activities. It has to be noted that artisanal and small-scale mining activities are also associated with criminal activities as highlighted by the Hon. Member. These happen at both registered and unregistered sites including the areas often referred to as “Hotspots” and “Gold Rushes” where illegal mining activities are rampant. In order to deal with these criminal elements, the Ministry collaborates with the national security agencies and the local JOC of the particular area to restore sanity and ensure the perpetrators are prosecuted.

SOLUTIONS FOR THE MULFUNCTIONING TRANSFORMERS INSTALLED IN LUVEVE

49. HON. BAJILA asked the Minister of Energy and Power Development to inform the House the solutions available for residents of Luveve 5, who fund raised USD30,000 to purchase transformers from ZESA but these transformers malfunctioned within a fortnight of installation.

THE MINISTER OF ENERGY AND POWER DEVELOPMENT (HON. J. MOYO): I want to thank the Hon. Member for the question. The Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company (ZETDC) Western Region clarifies that the two burnt ZENT transformers in Luveve 5 Suburb were not sold to clients. Instead, they were allocated through the standard distribution process from Head Office as part of routine deployments. The affected transformers, 2 x 200Kva 11/0.4kv, remain on ZETDC’s list of outstanding replacements and will be replaced upon allocation from Head Office.

Furthermore, these transformers were originally received from ZENT and allocated to clients free of charge under normal distribution from Demand Side Management (DSM). Given that they were installed within the last year, standard warranty provisions apply and appropriate action is being taken to facilitate their replacement or repair.

ZETDC is actively engaging relevant stakeholders to ensure a smooth resolution in line with established operational procedures. The status of the faulty transformers including whether they have been returned to ZENT is being in coordination with the responsible teams.

SETTING UP OF FILLING STATIONS IN RESIDENTIAL AREAS

50. HON.MURERI asked the Minister of Energy and Power Development to explain what Government Policy is regarding to the setting up of filling stations in residential areas.

THE MINISTER OF ENERGY AND POWER DEVELOPMENT (HON. J. MOYO): The establishment of service stations in urban areas is regulated by Part Five [Control of Development] of the Regional, Town and Country Planning Act [Chapter 29:12]. The Act is administered by the Minister of local Government and Public Works.

To construct a service station, an applicant must obtain a permit from the relevant local authority to use the land for that purpose. If the application aligns with the operative master plan or local plan, the local authority may grant a permit provided all other relevant requirements are met. In some cases, special consent from relevant stakeholders may be necessary for construction to take place.

While the Ministry of Energy and Power Development is not directly involved in the permitting process, local authorities may seek input from the Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority (ZERA). ZERA’s primary role is to license fuel retail facilities to operate and this is after they have obtained the necessary permits and licenses including local authority business permits, fire brigade, EMA licenses and construction has already taken place.

ZERA conducts inspections to ensure the facility can operate safely without endangering the public before issuing a license. If it is noted that the facility could pose a danger to the public, ZERA would require that the owners take measures to address that before a license can be issued. Monitoring of compliance to petroleum industry standards is conducted using standards and guidelines published by the Standards Association of Zimbabwe in consultation with relevant stakeholders. Licensing of fuel retail facilities is done in accordance with the Petroleum Act [Chapter 13:22].

The Ministry of Energy and Power Development is currently seeking legal means for ZERA to be involved right from the stage at which permission for siting a service is given. This is in light of the concerns that many stakeholders raised over the proliferation and location of service stations that have been constructed in recent years.

The idea is that service stations should be located in places that does not pose danger or other inconveniences to the public and that there needs to be given distance between service stations.

PROVISION OF DETAILS ON THE COMPENSATION OF VICTIMS OF ELECTROCUTION

52. HON. BONDA: To ask the Minister of Energy and Power Development to provide details on the compensation measures taken by ZESA for the families of youths who have been electrocuted, including the amounts paid and the criteria used to determine compensation.

I thank the Hon. Member for the question. Allow me Mr. Speaker Sir to respond as follows: The Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company (ZETDC) a subsidiary of ZESA Holdings, follows a structured and policy-driven procedure for compensating members of the public, including families of youths who suffer injury or death due to electrical accidents. When such an unfortunate incident occurs, ZETDC officials are required to notify the insurer and Head Office within 48 hours of learning about the event. An immediate investigation is conducted and a report is filed with the police if not already done by other parties. Affected families must submit a formal letter of claim which ZETDC acknowledges and forwards to its insurer along with all supporting documentation. These documents include a completed claim form, a detailed accident or engineering report, medical reports or bills for con-fatal injuries, the victim’s claim letter, the police report and a death certificate in the case of fatalities.

Once the insurer receives the claim, it takes over the assessment process, communities directly with the claimant and may appoint an independent assessor to further investigate the incident. ZETDC staff are expected to fully cooperate in this process. The final compensation amount is determined based on the merits of each case, the extent of injury or loss and the available policy limits. If the proposed settlement exceeds the limits of the insurance policy the insurer informs the Managing Director of ZETDC, who must seek a board resolution to approve payment of the excess amount. In the meantime, ZETDC may offer immediate assistance to affected families by covering urgent medical or funeral expenses on a “without prejudice” basis meaning these payment are made without admitting liability. These upfront costs are later recovered from the insurer during the claim process. The amounts paid in compensation are not fixed but vary depending on the specific circumstances of each case, supported evidence and policy guidelines. Compensation is awarded based on the presence of a formal claim verified police and medical reports, proof of related expenses and confirmation that the incident was linked to ZETDC infrastructure.

The compensation measures taken by ZESA for the families of the electrocuted youths from Hwange District, as detailed in the attached document are as follows: Victim 1 – Victory Shoko (deceased) burial and funeral expenses: ZESA paid ZiG 246,201.78 and USD 3,920.00. Compensation claim: A claim was lodged by Mr. Dickson Shoko on 17 March 2025. Insurance Offer: Cell Insurance offered USD15,000.00 as full and final settlement, which was accepted by Mr. Shoko on 7 May 2025. The payment will be made in Zimbabwe Gold (ZiG) using the prevailing RBZ exchange rate.

Victim 2 – Crown Mpala (Injured) Medical expenses: ZESA paid ZiG 156,400.26 and USD14.00 for his treatment. Compensation claim: The process has not yet begun, pending a written claim letter and final medical report with a disability percentage award. The family has been informed of their right to claim. Criteria for compensation, the compensation amount for Victory Shoko was determined by: Review of Similar Cases: The insurer considered previous liability cases with comparable circumstances decided in courts. Full and final settlement: The offer was intended to resolve the claim conclusively. Currency Conversion: The payout is to be made in ZiG based on the RBZ exchange rate at the time of payment. For Crown Mpala, compensation will likely depend on the severity of his injuries (disability percentage). Medical and rehabilitation costs. Legal and insurance assessments.

In conclusion, ZETDC and ZESA Holdings remain committed to compensation victims or their families in a timely and responsible manner, in accordance with internal policies, public liability insurance provisions and national laws. The utility continues to strengthen its safety procedures to reduce the occurrence of such tragedies in the future.

INFORMATION ON THE ROLE PLAYED BY ZIMBABWE MUSIC RIGHTS ASSOCIATION

54. HON BAJILA asked the Minister of Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture to inform the House the role played by the Zimbabwe Music Rights Association (ZIMURA) in arts and to explain the obligations of artists and promoters.

THE MINISTER OF SPORTS, RECREATION, ARTS AND CULTURE (HON. SANYATWE): ZIMURA is a private, member driven entity regulated by the Copyright and Neighbouring Rights Act [Chapter 26:05] (administered by the Companies and Intellectual Property Office of Zimbabwe – CIPZ) under the Ministry of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs. Consequently, matters pertaining to ZIMURA’s operational procedures and regulatory oversight fall under the purview of CIPZ. ZIMURA is a duly registered Collective Management Organisation (CMO). These are organisations that collect royalties on behalf of composers of music and remits the money to the right holders. Their main role is to collect royalties on behalf of composers and authors of music from various local rights users and also receive remittances from international CMOs then distribute those collections as royalties to composers as provided for in the Copyright and Neighbouring Rights Act.

As an entity operating in the arts space, the National Arts Council of Zimbabwe also has a keen interest in the operations of ZIMURA. CMOs are critical in the Intellectual Property Value chain as they monitor and ensure that artist’s copyrights are not being infringed upon and fair compensation is given to these composers when their work is used. Artists voluntarily register with a CMO and give then the right to collect royalties on behalf of the artists. The obligation of artists is that, if they are composers they can register with ZIMURA voluntarily and give them the mandate to collect royalties on their behalf from broadcasters who play their music, locally, regionally and internationally.

In the event that the artist is not a composer but plays cover versions or other people’s music or copyrights, that artist is supposed to obtain a license from ZIMURA, which gives him/her the permission to use other people’s copyrighted material. However, the norm in most countries is that the owner of a venue is the one who pays to a CMO the copyrights that artists will play at their venue.

IMPROVEMENT OF THE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT AT AIRPORT PRIMARY SCHOOL IN BULAWAYO NORTH

60. HON. GUMEDE asked the Minister of Primary and Secondary Education to inform the House of the measures the Ministry has put in place to improve the learning environment and provide decent infrastructure at Airport Primary School in Bulawayo North, in light of concerns raised by the community regarding overcrowding and inadequate facilities

         THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF PRIMARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION (HON. GATA): The Ministry notes that Airport Primary School currently accommodates 156 pupils comprising 73 boys and 83 girls, within six classrooms occupancy of 26 pupils per classroom, which is well within the Ministry’s recommended pupil – to classroom ratio of 40:1. While the school is not overcrowded in terms of classroom space, other challenges persist, such as inadequate sanitation facilities, reliance on a single Jojo tank for water supply and the absence of a perimeter fence which compromises safety and hygiene.

Engagement with Local Community.

The Ministry through the school administration has engaged extensively with the local community to address these issues. These consultations have resulted in a shared commitment to improve the learning environment and have culminated in several community driven initiatives, spearheaded by the School Development Committee (SDC).

Community Led Development Projects.

1. Identified Priorities:

Construction of secure perimeter fence,drilling and installation of a borehole for a consistent water supply, building modern toilets with running water and adding a new classroom block and an administration block.

2. To fund these priorities the community, under the guidance

of the SDC, has devised sustainable income generating projects including Poultry farming in partnership with Big Brother, a local organisation. Mushroom production for which staff members have already been trained.

3.Implementation Plan:

The first phase focuses on securing the school by fencing the premises, followed by the drilling of a borehole. The SDC also plans to acquire a fence-making machine using funds generated from the above-mentioned projects which will support the fencing project and future maintenance needs.

Role of the Responsible Authority:

While the Ministry is actively involved in supporting these initiatives, it is important to note that Airport Primary Schools falls under the responsible authority of Airport Company Zimbabwe (ACZ). ACZ has its own development plans for the school which align with the community’s efforts. The Ministry continues to collaborate with ACZ to ensure that these plans are effectively implemented to address the school’s needs.

Ministry’s Commitment:

         The Ministry commends the collaborative efforts between the school administration, the SDC and the local community. This partnership demonstrates the effectiveness of community engagement in addressing educational challenges. The Ministry will continue to provide technical guidance, monitor progress and facilitate the alignment of these initiatives with national educations standards.

Further updates on these projects will be shared with the House as they progress.

COMMISSIONING OF VEZA REGISTRY IN ZAKA NORTH CONSTITUENCY

65. HON. SAGANDIRA asked the Minister of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage to inform the House the Ministry’s plans regarding the Commissioning of Veza Registry in Ward 33 of Zaka North Constituency.

THE MINISTER OF HOME AFFAIRS AND CULTURAL HERITAGE (HON. KAZEMBE): Mr. Speaker Sir, Veza Sub-Office in Zaka District became operational on 10^th June, 2024, providing vital civil registration services including the issuance of birth certificates, death certificates and national identity documents.  The establishment of this sub-office was made possible through a collaborative effort between the local community and the current Member of Parliament for Zaka West Constituency, Honourable Murambiwa, utilising devolution funds. Since its opening, the sub-office has been actively serving residents, significantly improving access to civil registration services within the area.

MITIGATION OF LAND DEGRADATION DUE TO ILLEGAL GOLD MINING IN GWANDA NORTH

66. HON. SAGANDIRA asked the Minister of Information Communication Technological Postal and Courier Services to inform the House of the Ministry’s plans to facilitate network coverage in the following wards in Zaka North Constituency, Wards 2, 4, 5, 10 and 33.

THE MINISTER OF INFORMATION COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY, POSTAL AND COURIER SERVICES (HON. DR. MAVEERA):

Zaka North Network Coverage

• Ward 2 and Ward 4, are partly covered by the existing base station in Ndanga. Site surveys have been conducted in the area, and net One aims to provide additional service there in Q4 2025.
• Ward 5, is partly covered by the existing base station Nyika, located in the Bikita District. The target is to provide additional coverage by Q4 2026.
• Ward 10, the target is to provide services in the area by Q4 2025.
• Ward 33. We are unable to locate Ward 33 in Zaka North Constituency.

Conclusion

Operators plan to connect most underserved areas nationwide. However, the implementation of these plans has been hindered by funding limitations.

Question with Notice were interrupted by THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER in terms of Standing Order Number 68.

MINISTERIAL STATEMENT

EXHUMATION AND DECENT BURIALS OF HEROES AND HEROINES

         MINISTER OF HOME AFFAIRS AND CULTURAL HERITAGE (HON. KAZEMBE): Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir, for allowing me to respond to a petition from Hon. Parirenyatwa on exhumation and decent burials of heroes and heroines who perished during the liberation struggle. First of all, an issue pertaining to the state of external shrines, mostly in Zambia, Angola and Mozambique was raised. The Minister of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage admits that external shrines are indeed not in a good state. National Museum and Monuments of Zimbabwe was implementing the Liberation Heritage Management Programme. This programme includes rehabilitation and development of shrines at former revolutionary camps in Mozambique and Zambia.

The programme is now being extended to countries such as Angola, Tanzania and Botswana. National Museum and Monuments of Zimbabwe is overwhelmed by the task of maintaining the heritage sites, mainly due to resource constraints, be it financial, human or material. National Museums, through the Minister of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage, approached the President at one point of the Republic of Zimbabwe, His Excellency, Dr. E. D. Mnangagwa, in February 2024. We outlined the challenges that were being faced by the institution in implementing the Liberation Heritage Management Programme. The President directed the Treasury to assist the Ministry.

As of today, we are still engaging Treasury to try and get some allocation of resources. National Museums and Monuments of Zimbabwe is in liaison with the National Heritage Conservation Commission of Zambia to declare Zimbabwean shrines as national monuments under the Zambian laws. This will curtail the privatisation of our shrines because in that petition, it was mentioned that one of the shrines falls on a piece of land which has already been sold to a private player, private developer. So, we are working on that to try and reclaim that. The other issue that was raised was the state of provincial and district Heroes' Acres.

All ten provincial Heroes' Acres are secured and have attended custodians drawn from the Freedom Fighters Fraternity and are to some extent funded by the state to ensure basic maintenance is achieved. The issue of the fate of District Heroes' Acres ownership is not yet clarified because at the moment, it is under the Ministry of Local Government. All District Heroes' Acres are under the Ministry of Local Government through the DDC but discussions are that maybe they should be moved to the Ministry of Home Affairs so that they are maintained under the same programmes with which we are maintaining the other Heroes' Acres.

The shrines, as I said, are still in transition from Local Government Stewardship to National Museums and Monuments of Zimbabwe. Presently no official handover has been conducted. However, National Museums and Monuments of Zimbabwe has proactively applied to Treasury for an additional 63 custodians to take care of the 63 districts, to be employed at the district level to look after district Heroes' Acres among other duties. The request is yet to be honoured. The need for fencing and upgrading of the graves is noted as the best way of securing the sites. However, there is a need for budgetary support for the undertaking.

NMMZ is also in the process of mobilising resources to complement Government efforts. Treasury gave concurrence to the filling in of 20 critical posts, including the Marketing Manager's Post. If I can probably explain a bit on that, we noticed that we cannot over-rely on Treasury because there are a lot of competing demands and the cake is not that big, so we thought maybe if National Museums and Monuments could be allowed to have a department which is responsible for marketing because we do have a lot of assets throughout the country in the form of National Monuments, if they can be allowed to market some of those and look for partners that we can work with to try and improve these monuments and these sites.

That was granted, so we are just awaiting the official communication so that we can now have that department. The next issue that was raised was that of exhumations of the remains of veterans lying in different parts across Zimbabwe for decent burials. Some large-scale exhumations have already been undertaken at Chibondo, Mount Darwin, Matumba 6, Mutasa and Chiwere in Odzi, Mutare among others. Other identified sites earmarked for exhumation have not been funded to facilitate the requisite exhumations. Also, the draft exhumation policy has since been completed and that will pave the way for systematic identification, documentation and exhumations, reburials and resource mobilisation for the programme.

The Minister acknowledges the involvement, the critical and crucial involvement of all veterans for identification and documentation of all mass graves of the 2^nd Chimurenga. NMMZ prioritises exhumations and decent reburial of all mass graves resulting from 2^nd Chimurenga Conference. However, the institution is not adequately capacitated and financed for this mammoth task. The last one was an issue to do with the remains of the fallen heroes and heroines of the 1^st Chimurenga in United Kingdom museums. NMMZ and NAZ conducted fact-finding and benchmarking exercises in the UK and managed to identify skulls from Zimbabwe and the remains are in the British Natural History Museum.

The UK has since given green light for the repatriation and the Government of Zimbabwe is at an advanced stage with the repatriation preparations. Consultations are still ongoing on the actual dates and models operating for the repatriation. The Ministry of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage agrees with the Committee's observations and recommendations and reinforces the need for a dedicated budget for liberation heritage management. I so submit, Mr. Speaker Sir.

         On the Motion of THE MINISTER OF HOME AFFAIRS AND CULTURAL HERITAGE (HON. K. KAZEMBE), the House adjourned at Twenty Minutes to Six o`clock p.m.