• Version
• Download 71
• File Size 315.58 KB
• File Count 1
• Create Date May 22, 2025
• Last Updated May 22, 2025

NATIONAL ASSEMBLY HANSARD 22 MAY 2025 Vol. 51 No. 51

PARLIAMENT OF ZIMBABWE

Thursday, 22^nd May, 2025

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

PRAYERS

(THE ACTING SPEAKER in the Chair)

ANNOUNCEMENTS BY THE ACTING SPEAKER

PETITION RECEIVED FROM RUSAPE BUSINESS CONSORTIUM

         THE ACTING SPEAKER (HON. J. TSHUMA):  I have to inform the House that Parliament received a petition from the Rusape Business Consortium, beseeching Parliament to investigate the awarding of a tender to Huntspine Enterprises Pvt. Ltd and its alleged failure to comply with the procurement legislation. The petition was deemed inadmissible as the prayer is outside the mandate of Parliament.

APPOINTMENT TO COMMITTEES

THE ACTING SPEAKER: I also have to inform the House of the appointment of the following Members to serve on Parliamentary Committees. Hon. Tawomhera will serve on the Portfolio Committee on Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare and the Local Government, Public Works and National Housing. Hon. Mugwadi will serve on the Parliamentary Legal Committee.

MOTION

BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE

HON. KAMBUZUMA:  Good afternoon Mr. Speaker Sir. I move that Orders of the Day Numbers 1 to 32 on today’s Order Paper be stood over until Order of the Day Number 33 has been disposed of.

HON. NYANDORO:  I second. 

Motion put and agreed to.

 HON. KARIMATSENGA-NYAMUPINGA:  On a point of order Mr. Speaker, I had registered that I have a point of interest.

THE ACTING SPEAKER: We have passed that already, unfortunately Hon. Nyamupinga, I do not have any such notes from your Whips.

MOTION

IMPLEMENTATION OF A COMPREHENSIVE SIGN LANGUAGE POLICY ACROSS ALL PUBLIC HEALTHCARE FACILITIES

         Thirty-Third Order read:  Adjourned debate on motion on challenges affecting the deaf community due to lack of sign language interpretation services in country’s facilities.

         HON. KARIMATSEMA-NYAMUPINGA:  Mr. Speaker, I was not paying attention, I was quite disturbed because the point of order I had is very important for women. Now I am lost and I do not know where I am. 

THE ACTING SPEAKER: I know you are an Hon. Member who can pick yourself up, so pick yourself up and start debating.

HON. KARIMATSENGA-NYAMUPINGA: Thank you very much Mr. Speaker. Before I go to my debate, I just wanted to say that women who are affected by obstetric fistula are very important in this country and tomorrow is International Day for Women with obstetric fistula. Mr. Speaker, I will go to my debate.

Mr. Speaker, the issue of sign language is very important to this country. Mr. Speaker, is this where I am? Am I correct?

THE ACTING SPEAKER:   Hon. Nyamupinga, we are speaking about the challenges affecting the deaf community due to lack of sign language, so you are correct.

HON. KARIMATSENGA-NYAMUPINGA:  Thank you Mr. Speaker.  The deaf community is facing quite a lot of challenges because of the lack of sign language in this country. I know others have mentioned a few challenges that are being faced by deaf people or those who have hearing challenges. Mr. Speaker, I will go on to issues of communication. Mr. Speaker Sir, without communication, deaf people or deaf patients cannot accurately describe their symptoms, leading to misdiagnosis or delayed treatment. Treatment non-adherence; deaf people sometimes do not hear because of lack of sign language. They do not get exactly what is the prescription or how it should be taken and they end up sometimes not taking the medicine correctly as prescribed. Lack of understanding of medical instruction results in patients not following prescribed treatments, medication regimes and post-operative care is a challenge to patients who are deaf because of lack of sign language.

Mr. Speaker Sir, issues of informed consent, deaf patients may not fully comprehend the risks and benefits of medical procedures, comprising their ability to provide informed consent. There is also limited health literacy due to communication barriers. Deaf individuals often have limited access to health information, resulting in lower health literacy. There are also increased health disparities, delayed or avoided care. Frustration and fear of miscommunication can lead deaf individuals to delay or avoid seeking necessary medical care. There are also poor health outcomes. Communication barriers contribute to poor management of chronic conditions and increased risk complications -chronic conditions like those who are affected with cancer and other diseases that they had to live with within their lives.

There is also a mental health impact. The stress and isolation caused by communication barriers can negatively impact mental health. Most people tend to shun deaf people and it is so stressful in their lives, within their families, communities and workplaces. Sometimes they can see that these people are talking about them and do not hear what they are saying. People just laugh off, leave and they are stressed thinking what others would be saying about them. They would ask themselves; what have I done wrong? What is it all about? So, it is very important to have sign language spread in all departments and even at the family level.

The issue of safety and security concerns are worrisome to the deaf community. In emergent situations, the inability to communicate effectively can have life-threatening consequences. That is, a lack of communication during hospital stays can lead to anxiety, confusion, and a sense of vulnerability. Misunderstandings about medication instructions can result in dangerous medication errors. The issue of social and emotional impact on the deaf community; the feelings of isolation, which I earlier talked about, I would want to add something else again Mr. Speaker.

The inability to communicate with the healthcare providers can lead to feelings of isolation and exclusion because sometimes they walk into a clinic or a hospital and the nurse knows very well that this person is deaf. She is communicating with her signs that this deaf person does not even know or understand. In the end, even the nurse can get angry and say, why are you not listening? Can you not hear what I am saying? When they know the person cannot hear, the nurse is frustrated because she cannot communicate. The patient is also frustrated because she cannot hear what the service provider is trying to tell her.

On the issue of loss of trust, repeated experiences of miscommunication can erode trust in the healthcare system. Reduced quality of life, the overall impact of these challenges can significantly reduce the quality of life for deaf individuals. In essence, the lack of sign language interpreters in the healthcare settings denies deaf individuals their fundamental right to accessible and equitable healthcare. It creates a situation where they are unable to fully participate in their own healthcare, leading to significant health risks and disparities.

Mr. Speaker Sir, I also want to move to the courts. The lack of sign language in courts and education creates significant barriers for deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals, impacting their access to justice, education and overall inclusion in society. Problems in courts, delays and adjournment cases may be delayed or postponed due to the unavailability of sign language interpreters, leading to prolonged legal proceedings and increased costs. Miscommunication without proper interpretation, deaf individuals may struggle to understand court proceedings, potentially leading to miscarriages in justice.

Constitutional violations; deaf individuals may be held in jail or detention for longer periods than necessary due to the lack of interpreters raising concerns about their constitutional rights. There is limited access to justice. Deaf individuals may face challenges in understanding and participating in court proceedings, compromising ability to exercise their rights and receive fair treatment. There are also problems with education and academic opportunities. Deaf students may struggle to keep up with their peers due to inadequate sign language interpretation, hindering their academic development and future opportunities. Social isolation in the education sector; without access to sign language interpretation, deaf students may feel isolated or excluded from classroom discussions and activities.

There is inadequate support in education sector. Teachers and educators may lack the necessary training and resources to effectively support deaf students, further exacerbating the challenges they face. There is restricted career options for deaf community. Deaf individuals may face barriers in pursuing their chosen careers due to limited access to education and training.

Mr. Speaker Sir, even in sports, you find that if sports are being played and sometimes you are watching it on TV or you are listening to the commentator, there are also human beings who also like sports, but they do not hear anything. They find people jumping and laughing at what the commentator is saying, but they hardly hear anything. So, if they miss it with their eyes, they have lost the whole conversation. Even in the home setup where you have a family that has gone through sign language development, you find that it is very difficult for them to communicate correctly with their sibling who is deaf. It is quite a challenge that people are now creating their own sign languages.

         Sometimes you hear people saying if you just make a few signs, he or she understands. Sometimes what you think he or she is understanding, they might be missing what you want to communicate. I would want to urge the Government to include the issues of sign language from ECD up to the university level. Since we have already lagged behind, I do not think as Government when we attained our Independence, the Government knew that a lot of people had not gone through their education.

They introduced night schools where a lot of people were going, including those who participated in the war. Some benefitted through night school. I wanted to urge the Government that it is not too late to have night schools where we can go as parents of children and friends who cannot hear and the constituents. Right now, as MPs, we have a deaf community that voted for us but we cannot communicate with them. Sometimes it is very pitiful when they come to you and they want to hug you or they want to say something, and you do not understand anything.

Mr. Speaker Sir, two days ago, I had two children in my constituency who were being locked up and not going to school with others because they could not hear. Someone picked up his phone some three days ago and called me and he said they hear slightly because if you say something, they seem to be doing what you have said, but they do not hear to the full. I just said to him, take them with their parents to the nearest school and I want to talk to the headmaster.

I spoke to the headmaster of Chogugudza Primary School and he said Hon. Nyamupinga, we are enrolling them right away, but help us with hearing aids because the percentage of their hearing is not to the expected level. I would like to thank Hon. Gata. I spoke to her on Tuesday here in the House and she acted very fast. I was called around 9.00 p.m. with people from ZIMSEC when I was about to go to bed. They said we had booked for audiologist for these children. They are wanted on Tuesday next week so that they can assess and give them assistive devices.

They started school and I was at home yesterday. I received the material for the participation that they had done at school the whole day. Mr. Speaker, you do not want to know. Those people are very intelligent. We just had to facilitate that they access the learning institutions because especially the boy, he is doing extremely well. Even though he could not answer questions because they could not talk but from what he was writing, it showed that he understood what the teacher is saying and they were worth being sent to school.

So, I encourage the Zimbabwe community at large that we should not lock up persons with disabilities, mostly those who are deaf. They can really participate very well in school. As Members of Parliament, when you do your rallies in the constituencies, please keep on urging people with deaf children to send them to school. Something must be done and they can be somewhere in life if they go through school as well. The other solution that I had is that there is a need for increased funding. Government and institutions should allocate more resources to provide sign language, interpretation services to courts and education.

Training and Certification - sign language interpreters should receive comprehensive training and certification to ensure they possess the necessary skills and knowledge. There is also the issue of technology integration. Leveraging technology, such as video remote interpreting, can help bridge the gap in sign language interpretation services.

On policy reforms, Government should enact policies that promote equal access to justice and education for the deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals, including the provision of sign language interpretation services. The lack of sign language interpreters in health care services, I am also urging the Government to speedily make sure that they have trained those who deliver healthcare services to learn sign language like yesterday, because going into a hospital when you want to explain your pain and you cannot, because…

THE ACTING SPEAKER: Order Hon. Nyamupinga, you are left with five minutes. You can proceed.

HON. KARIMATSENGA-NYAMUPINGA: When they go into a hospital, and they cannot explain what is bothering them, it is not good for us as a country. I think we need to make sure that interpretation is in the hospitals, education, courts and it is everywhere because the issue of deafness is crosscutting. They have to access every department and every ministry. Once they get to those offices, straight away, the person who does interpretation must be called so that they get fair treatment wherever they go. You can imagine the struggle that deaf women go through at a home setup. It is very difficult. You also want to express your feelings, but you cannot because when the husband responds in whichever way, you cannot pick up the same fight with him. In the end, you lose quite a lot at home setup. I thank you.

THE ACTING SPEAKER: Thank you Hon. Nyamupinga. Yes indeed, it is a very worrying issue and thank you for going the extra mile for those children that you enrolled at Chogugudza Primary School. Well-done.

HON. MASVISVI: Thank you Hon. Speaker Sir and good afternoon. I rise to debate the motion brought to this House by Hon. Makope on challenges affecting the deaf community due to lack of sign language. This motion is advocating for the introduction of interpreter services for the deaf in Zimbabwe healthcare system. This is not just a matter of policy reform. It is a moral, legal and constitutional obligation. The right to healthcare is enshrined in our Constitution yet for the deaf, this right remains largely inaccessible due to communication barriers.  Hon. Speaker, Section 76 of the Constitution of Zimbabwe guarantees the right to healthcare for all, while Section 6 recognises sign language as an official language.  However, the absence of interpreter services in our hospitals effectively denies deaf individuals their right to access quality medical care.  Section 22 further emphasises the rights of persons with disabilities yet without interpreters, deaf patients struggle to communicate symptoms, understand diagnoses or consent to treatment.  This situation is unacceptable in a country committed to inclusivity.

Mr. Speaker Sir, this is not just a Zimbabwean issue, it is a global concern.  As a signatory to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights, Zimbabwe has pledged to eliminate barriers to healthcare access to people with disabilities.  Yet, we lag behind countries such as South Africa and Kenya, which have already implemented interpreter services in hospitals.

The statistics are alarming.  According to ZimStat, 11% of disabled persons in Zimbabwe have hearing impairments.  Without proper medical communication, they face misdiagnoses, delayed treatment, and substandard care.  The World Health Organisation (WHO) projects that by 2050, over 700 million people will need rehabilitative care for hearing loss.  Zimbabwe cannot afford to ignore this growing crisis. 

To address the gap, I strongly support the call for a National Sign Language Policy in healthcare by December 31^st. Every public hospital should have professional sign language interpreters.  Secondly, integration of Sign Language Training into the medical curriculum - Healthcare providers must be trained to communicate effectively with deaf patients.  Thirdly, increased budget allocation for interpreter services – The Ministry of Health must receive resources to employ and train sign language interpreters.  Fourthly, a comprehensive disability census – accurate data on persons with disabilities will help guide policy implementations.

Mr. Speaker Sir, healthcare should not be a privilege, it is a right for every Zimbabwean. Let us take decisive action to bridge the communication gap and ensure that deaf citizens receive the same quality of healthcare as everyone else.  I fully support the motion brought in this House by Hon. Makope. I thank you.

HON. DHANZI: Good afternoon Hon. Speaker, I rise to fully support the motion raised by Hon. Makope, which calls for the integration of interpreter services for the deaf in Zimbabwe’s healthcare system.  The principles of inclusivity, dignity and accessibility must not remain abstract ideals, they must translate into actionable policies that improve the lives of all Zimbabweans including the deaf community, bearing the sentiments of His Excellency, Dr. E. D. Mnangagwa at the back of our heads of living no one and no place behind.

Mr. Speaker, as representatives of the people, we must recognise that access to healthcare is a fundamental human right enshrined in Section 76 of our Constitution. It explicitly guarantees every citizen the right to basic health-care, while Section 22 calls upon the State to take appropriate measures to address the need of persons with disabilities.  Yet in practice, the deaf community remains marginalised with our health sector facing systematic barriers that undermine this constitutional promise. 

It is unacceptable that in 2025 a deaf patient can walk into a hospital in Zimbabwe and struggle to communicate with a healthcare provider.  This communication gap not only compromises their right to healthcare but also increases the risk of misdiagnosis, improper treatment and sub-standard medical care.

We cannot, as a nation, continue to overlook this glaring of unfairness.  Mr. Speaker Sir, this issue at hand is not simply about language, it is about justice, equality and the protection of human rights.  The absence of sign language interpreters in our hospitals is an institutional gap that isolate an entire segment of our population from an essential medical service. 

It lets down our own national values and international commitments including the Sustainable Development Goal 3 which aims to ensure healthy lives and well-being for all.  I further submit that this issue requires urgent legislative and policy intervention.  We must move beyond and ensure that interpreter services become a permanent feature in all healthcare institutions across Zimbabwe.  To achieve this, I second the National Sign Language Policy for health-care.  Zimbabwe needs a legally binding policy that mandates sign language accessibility in all hospitals, clinics and public health facilities.

This only should make it compulsory for healthcare institutions to provide trained medical interpreters either in person or via video remote interpreting services.  Other African Nations such as South African and Kenya have already taken steps in this direction and Zimbabwe must follow suit. 

Furthermore, it is imperative that all medical and nursing schools incorporate sign language training into their curriculum.  Doctors, nurses and frontline health workers must have at least basic competence in medical sign language to ensure that no patient is left unheard in moments of medical urgency.  Training programmes must also emphasise cultural competence ensuring that healthcare providers understand the unique challenges faced by the community.

Another key initiative is to create a centralised database of accredited sign language interpreters to ensure standardisation and professionalism in the Ministry of Health and Childcare.  This database should be accessible to all hospitals and clinics allowing healthcare providers to quickly identify and call upon professional interpreters when needed.  Without financial commitment, this initiative will remain just another discussion.  I call upon the Government to allocate a dedicated budget for disability-inclusive healthcare services within the Ministry of Health and Childcare.  Funds must be channeled towards interpreters’ salaries, training programmes and assistive technologies such as a mobile interpretation application to support realtime communication between and deaf patients.

Mr. Speaker, deaf Zimbabweans are not second-class citizens and their access to health should not be a privilege, it is their right.  Let us take a stand for a healthcare system that is truly inclusive where every Zimbabwean regardless of their hearing ability receives dignified, respectful and medical care. I so submit.

         HON.  TOBAIWA: Good afternoon Mr. Speaker.  Allow me to add my voice to this motion to incorporate sign language interpretation services in medical training across Zimbabwe. Access to healthcare is a fundamental right, yet thousands of hearing-impaired citizens face severe communication barriers when seeking medical assistance. This results in misdiagnosis, poor treatment outcomes and a general feeling of exclusion from essential health services. Deaf patients often rely on written notes or family members for communication, which can lead to misunderstandings and poor health outcomes. They desire accessible healthcare information in sign language. Deaf patients often feel anxious about engaging with healthcare services due to previous experience with poor communication leading to barrier fatigue and low expectations.

It is therefore imperative that we introduce sign language as a core component of the medical training of doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals. By so doing, we will ensure that with improved patient-doctor communication, deaf and hard-of-hearing patients will be able to express their symptoms effectively and receive accurate treatment. The language deprivation;more than 90% of deaf children are born to hearing parents but only a small fraction of these parents learn enough sign language for meaningful conversation, leading to widespread language deprivation. Early childhood development; there is language marginalisation in early childhood development. Education hinders deaf learners' development policies, emphasising the need for inclusive teaching and learning.

Reduced healthcare; inequalities mean no Zimbabwean should be denied proper healthcare due to language barriers. Compliance with disability rights laws; as a nation, we must uphold the rights enshrined in our Constitution and the international disability convention. A more inclusive health sector training of medical personnel in sign language fosters inclusion, making our healthcare service accessible to all. I call upon this House to support the establishment of policies that mandate the integration of sign language in medical training institutions and encourage hospitals to qualify sign language interpreters. Also, we must increase funding for deaf services and allocate more resources to support deaf services, including sign language interpretation education in communities.

We must also raise awareness about deaf issues, organising awareness campaigns to educate the public about deaf culture, sign language and the challenges faced by the deaf communities.  We must support the deaf employment initiative and implement initiatives to promote the workers’ opportunities for deaf individuals, including vocational training and job placement programmes. Also, we must develop sign language policies, develop and implement policies that recognise and promote the use of sign language education in healthcare and in all sectors. Let us ensure that no citizen is left behind when it comes to access to quality healthcare. Also, let us make sure that as Hon. Members, we support and push to increase the budget for the disability community. I so submit.

+HON. M. NKOMO: Hon. Speaker, regarding the issue that Hon. Makope moved, please allow me to add my voice on the issue of the deaf. Some are born deaf and some become deaf as time goes on. In the rural areas, it is quite a challenge because some do not have access to education facilities because there are no special needs teachers. In the communities they come from, sometimes there is no proper sign language. They communicate using hand signals and eyes. It is difficult for them to get jobs. Deaf people are abused time and again. These people lack schools and education in their local areas because they are not there. We request that the Government provide places where the deaf can be institutionalised so that they receive specialised education. There must be schools for the deaf in different communities. Also, we propose that their education should be subsidised and they must be integrated into communities so that they can communicate with other people in their own language. I thank you.

HON. KANGAUSARU: Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir.  I rise today not merely as a legislator, but as a voice for the voiceless. To support this transformative motion on interpreter service for Zimbabwe’s deaf community in healthcare system. I wish to present the economic care, examine successful international models and propose concrete implementation mechanisms that will make this vision a reality. Mr. Speaker Sir, denying health care access to our deaf community is not just morally wrong, it is economically wasteful. The World Bank estimates that disability exclusion costs developing nations between three to seven percent of their GDP annually. Mr. Speaker Sir, in the Zimbabwe context, this translates to approximately 400 to 900 million in lost economic productivity each year.

Consider the stark reality where a deaf person cannot access preventative healthcare due to communication barriers, minor treatment condition escalates to expensive maintenance interventions. The Ministry of Finance should view enterprise service not as an expenditure but as a strategic investment yielding measurable returns through reduced healthcare costs, increased productivity and enhanced tax revenue from the economic activity of deaf citizens.

Research from the Australia Institute of Health and Welfare demonstrates that every dollar invested in disability-inclusive healthcare, generated US$4.20 in economic return through improved health outcomes and workforce participation. Zimbabwe cannot afford to waste this human capital. Mr. Speaker, furthermore, Sweden’s healthcare system provides the gold standard for death accessibility. Under the Patient Safety Act of 2010, all health facilities must provide qualified interpreters within thirty minutes of request. This is funded through a national insurance scheme where the state reimburses 100% of the interpretation cost.

Furthermore, Mr. Speaker, Sweden's success metrics are telling 94%of their patient reports certification with healthcare communication compared to 34% percent before the program implemented. More critically, medical errors rates among deaf patients dropped by 67% percent while preventative utilisation increased by 89%.

Mr. Speaker, New Zealand's innovative approach addresses our shared challenge of saving our rural population. Their National Deaf Health Strategy a hub-and-spoke model combining on-site interpreters in major hospitals with a real-time video remote interpreting (VRI) for rural clinics. This hybrid system ensures that a deaf farmer in rural Manicaland or in Mashonaland, Hurungwe can access the same quality interpretation as someone in Harare. Further, Brazil's “Libras in Health” program mandate that all medical schools include 40 hours of Brazilian sign language training in their curriculum.

Additionally, Mr. Speaker, all public hospitals must have at least one staff member fluent in sign language per shift. This dual approach, professional interpreters plus sign health workers create redundant communication pathways. Brazil reports a 78% reduction in medical malpractice claims involved deaf patients since implementation.

Mr. Speaker, the European Court of Human Rights in the case of Glor versus Swaziland, Switzerland in 02/2009, established that communication accessibility in healthcare constitutes a fundamental right aspect of the right to life under Article 2 of the European Convention. The court ruled that their positive obligations to remove barriers preventing persons with disability from accessing lifesaving medical care.

Similarly, the US Court of Appeal in Loeffler versus Staten Island University Hospital (2014) held that healthcare institute receiving public funding must provide ‘effective communication’ with the deaf patients defining this communication as “effective as that provided to the hearing patients”. These precedents create binding international legal standards that Zimbabwe, as a signatory to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights must observe.

Moreover, Zimbabwe’s ratification of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities creates a binding obligation under Articles 25, which explicitly requires states to provide persons with disability with the same range, quality, and standard of free or affordable healthcare and programmes as provided to other persons, including the provision of health services needed by persons with disabilities specifically because of their disability. The Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in general comment number two, classifies that this includes “sign language interpretation and other forms of communication support”.

Hon. Speaker, while statistics and legal frameworks provide our foundation, the moral imperative transcends on technical consideration. This philosophy of Ubuntu teaches us that a person is a person through other persons. When we exclude our deaf brothers and sisters from the healthcare communication, we diminish our collective humanity.

         Every deaf child who struggles to understand a doctor's explanation of their treatment, every deaf mother who cannot advocate for a baby's needs in a men's maternal maternity ward, every deaf elder who suffers in silence because they cannot communicate their pain. These are not abstract policy changes. They are our fellow Zimbabweans whose dignity demands our immediate action.

Mr. Speaker, implementing comprehensive interpreter services positions Zimbabwe as a continental leader in disability rights. The African Union's Protocol to the charter to African Charter on Human and People's Rights on the Rights of Persons with a Disability calls for exactly such measures. Our success will inspire neighboring countries and attract international recognition, potentially qualifying Zimbabwe for additional development funds focused on inclusive health systems.

Hon. Members, we stand at a crossroads. We cannot continue allowing communication barriers to deny healthcare to thousands of our citizens, or we can act with the courage of our constitutional obligation demands. The legal framework exists. The international models prove feasibility. The moral imperative compels action. I therefore encourae this august House to anonymously support this motion and demand the relevant ministries to begin immediate implementation of interpreter service in our healthcare system.

Let history record that on this day, Zimbabwe chose inclusion over exclusion, accessibility over barriers and dignity for all over privilege for some. The deaf community has waited long enough, Mr. Speaker. Their silence must no longer be met with our inaction. Let us make Zimbabwe a nation where every citizen, regardless of their ability to hear, can access healthcare with full understanding, complete dignity and with absolute equality. I thank you. Twalumba. Tatenda.

         HON. L. NCUBE: Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir. Thank you for according me the opportunity to add my voice to the motion on challenges affecting the deaf community due to lack of sign language moved by Hon. Makope. The deaf community faces several challenges due to the lack of sign language, accessibility, making them vulnerable and appear like a discriminated constituency.

Communication Barriers/Limited Access to Information - deaf individuals may struggle to access information services or opportunities due to the communication barriers.

Difficulty with Written Communication - deaf individuals may prefer sign language over written communication which can lead to misunderstandings, miscommunication or misrepresentations.

Social and Economic Challenges - social isolation is very critical to somebody who is experiencing deaf challenges. Limited access to sign language interpreters or resources can lead to social isolation and feelings of exclusion.

Employment Barriers - deaf individuals may face challenges in the workplace due to communication barriers, limiting job opportunities and career advancement.

Education and Healthcare - limited access to education means somebody cannot participate fully in life. Deaf students may face challenges in accessing education due to lack of sign language interpreters or resources.

Healthcare Disparities - deaf individuals may experience healthcare disparities due to communication barriers leading to inadequate care or misdiagnosis.

Recommendations

I recommend that increased sign language accessibility should be provided in terms of sign language interpreters, resources and services can also help bridge the communication gap.

Promoting sign language education and awareness can help increase understanding and inclusion.

Leveraging technology such as video remote interpreting or sign language recognition software can improve accessibility. The President of this nation is on record saying no one should be left behind.

By addressing these challenges and promoting sign language, we can have everybody experiencing their life as every normal person in this country. Mr. Speaker Sir, I also concur with the recommendations of the mover of the motion.

I would read the recommendations and add a little bit of some substance into what the presenter has given. I also concur with the recommendations and advocate for implementation of a comprehensive sign language policy across all public health care facilities and this should be implemented as soon as the coming month, June 2025.

Incorporate sign language interpretation services in medical training programmes to mitigate communication challenges faced by the deaf community and their families.

Mr Speaker Sir we are a signatory to some human rights declarations. As a country, all persons should enjoy life while they live. We should be seen walking the talk as to be one of the best countries in being part of the global village. I so submit.

HON. MASUKU: Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir. The deaf community in Zimbabwe faces several challenges due to a lack of sign language accessibility including communication barriers, limited access to sign language interpreters and resources hinder effective communication.

Education and Employment - deaf individuals may face difficulties in education and employment due to lack of sign language support.

Information Access - deaf individuals may struggle to access information, news and public services due to lack of sign language interpretation. Mr. Speaker Sir, more has been said by Hon. Members. Addressing these challenges requires promoting sign language recognition. Recognising Zimbabwean sign language as an official language can help to increase accessibility.

Promoting Sign Language Education - offering sign language classes for hearing individuals can improve communication.

Increasing Interpreter Availability - training and deploying more sign language interpreters can enhance access to services.

Developing Sign Language Resources - creating sign language materials like dictionaries and educational resources can support deaf individuals. I support the motion which was raised by Hon. Makope. I thank you.

HON. MACHANGU: Good afternoon, Hon. Speaker Sir. I would like to add my voice to this motion raised by Hon. Makope that pertains to the challenges faced by the deaf community in our health facilities. There is a phrase that says, communication is not communication until it is decoded. It emphasises the idea of effective communication depending on the recipient's ability to understand and interpret the message being conveyed. Communication involves two main people, the decoder and the encoder, or the sender and the recipient. If it is in this situation that we are discussing, that the deaf community cannot convey messages or they cannot express themselves in whatever forums they are encountering, it means that we have a very serious challenge. The challenge that we have in Zimbabwe is our system does not allow or has not allowed for the training of every participant, especially in the health sector, to interpret the sign languages. Imagine you are sick, you go to a hospital, you are met by the nurses or whoever, the one that records temperature, the ones who check your BP and you are trying to convey that you are suffering from pneumonia or you have got abdominal pains.

It becomes very difficult for that person to really understand you and to understand even the way you are trying to express the pains you are having in your body. Therefore, the lack of sign language in health facilities contributes to challenges faced by the deaf community, which at the end of the day, will result in them receiving wrong diagnosis and wrong treatment, which is life-threatening and dangerous to humanity.

Mr Speaker Sir, I stand to affirm the motion.  Lack of sign language in health facilities faced by the deaf community is now approaching day by day in our society and causing harm. According to Section 6 of the Constitution, this section is the key provision that formally acknowledges Zimbabwe Sign Languages as an official language among the 16 languages that are recognised in Zimbabwe according to the Deaf Zimbabwe Trust, yet our preparedness is wanting.

We go to schools; deaf people have challenges because they lack the devices that can help them to communicate and be able to interact with other people in society. Mr Speaker Sir, the inability to hear or to speak does not equate to the inability to communicate but when the sign language and the interpreting in the primary mode of communication is silent and marginalising people, it becomes a scare. Mr Speaker Sir, in medical situations, clear communication should be the difference between life and death.  Doctors should be able to interpret and decode so that they are able to write a prescription so that the patient can be treated. It becomes a cycle but without that access, Zimbabwe is left wanting, thereby denying them the right to fairness to be cured is unfair and very dangerous.

Imagine you are suffering from malaria and you are given antibiotics due to the mere fact that the doctor could not understand you or because the doctor could not interpret or maybe it was because of the signs that you tried to employ during that diagnosis process, the doctor assumed that you are suffering from abnormal pains and then the doctor may interpret that you are coughing? Can you imagine?

Mr. Speaker Sir, I, therefore, implore the Government to start training everyone in the health sector to have a sign language course so that it will be easy to communicate with every sphere of people within the deaf community.  Can you imagine in schools, we talk of Education 5.0, we talk of Vision 2030?  Where are we in terms of the deaf community? Where are we in terms of sports for the deaf community? In other countries, they have what they call the Deaflympics. Are we as Zimbabwe in a stage or prepared already enough to participate in those forums?

Mr. Speaker Sir, there are so many disadvantages that have been

laid before, I shall not repeat them, but the challenge that we have is that we need to do something concerning the deaf community. They deserve the right to live like any other person, they deserve the right to be educated, they deserve the right to be heard, they deserve the right to be decoded and they also deserve the right to be cured like any other person.  I submit. 

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

HON. NYANDORO: I second, Mr. Speaker.

Motion put and agreed to.

Debate to resume: Tuesday, 10^th June, 2025.

MOTION

BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE

HON. KAMBUZUMA: Mr. Speaker Sir, I move that we revert to Order of the Day Number 17 on today’s Order Paper.

HON. NYANDORO: I second.

Motion put and agreed to.

MOTION

REPORT OF THE PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC SERVICE, LABOUR AND SOCIAL WELFARE ON THE THIRD QUARTER BUDGET PERFORMANCE REPORT FOR THE MINISTRY OF PUBLIC SERVICE, LABOUR AND SOCIAL WELFARE AND THE MINISTRY OF SKILLS AUDIT AND DEVELOPMENT

         HON. MALINGANISO:  Mr. Speaker Sir, I move the motion standing in my name that this House considers and adopts the Report of the Portfolio Committee on Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare on the Third Quarter Budget Performance Report for the Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare and the Ministry of Audit Skills and Development.

         HON. MAVHUDZI:  I second.

         HON. MALINGANISO:  Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir.  I rise to present a report of the Portfolio Committee on Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare on the first, second and third quarter reports for the year 2024.

Mr Speaker, may I start by underlining that in other jurisdictions, public service is a separate ministry, labour is another ministry and social development is another ministry. But here in Zimbabwe, it is a single entity whose mandate is to make certain that human life is bearable from womb to tomb.

1.0    Introduction

This report provides an analysis of the First, Second and Third Quarter Performance Reports for the two Ministries namely Public Service, Labour and Social Skills Audit and Development which fall under the purview of the Portfolio Committee on Public Service, Labour, and Social Welfare. It highlights key observations on the Ministries’ performance, budget utilisation, challenges faced, observations and recommendations for improvement.

The two Ministries should be commended for submitting statutory reports as stipulated by section 33(2) of Public Finance Management Act.  However, the two Ministries are encouraged to submit these reports within stipulated time frames.

• Observations
  • Macroeconomic and Fiscal Context

The introduction of the ZiG currency in April 2024 initially helped stabilise inflation, however, its significant depreciation by the end of the third quarter created economic uncertainties, making it challenging for the two Ministries to achieve their targeted goals. Additionally, the fluctuating value of the ZiG, coupled with Treasury’s failure to release adequate resources on time, further constrained the Ministries' ability to implement critical programmes effectively.

• Budget Performance for the Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare

Budget Performance of the Ministry’s Major Programmes

PROGRAM	ORIGINAL BUDGET		REVISED BUDGET	CUMULATIVE DISBURSEMENT	CUMULATIVE EXPENDITURE	EXPENDITURE AS A PERCENTAGE OF BUDGET
Policy & Admin		92.897 mil	89.411 mil	47.924 mil	34.196 mil	38%
Labour Admin		146.569 mil	537.253 mil	66.461 mil	33.163 mil	6%
Social Protection		2.032 billion	2.098 billion	721.974 million	171.900 million	35%
Total Ministry budget		2.353 billion	3.189 billion	906.253 million	297.151 million	13%

 

• By 30 September 2024, only 20% of the voted budget allocation had been committed, severely constraining programmes implementation. The Basic Education Assistance Module (BEAM) faced critical underfunding, with arrears accumulating to US$ 133 million with US$ 63 million carried over from 2023 for tuition and examination fees. There were also arrears amounting to US$ 70 million for fees covering the first, second, and third terms of 2024. Despite the continued enrolment of students and their participation in examinations, no funds had been disbursed for BEAM by the end of the third quarter, further exacerbating financial pressures on schools and compromising the programmes’ effectiveness.
• Achievement in Social Welfare Programmes

2.4.1 Despite challenges related to underfunding and the non-release of approved allocations, over 6.2 million food-insecure individuals received food assistance in response to the El Niño-induced drought. However, delayed Treasury disbursements led to transport arrears accumulating to ZWG 136 million, a figure that continued to rise due to the lack of requisite budgetary support. At times, transporters halted grain deliveries, disrupting food distribution and severely impacting vulnerable communities in urgent need of assistance. On a positive note, the Cash for Cereals programme for poor urban households commenced in October 2024, providing critical support to affected families although not all those in need benefitted.

2.4.2 One hundred and fifty assistive devices were procured and distributed to persons with disabilities and 3 712 beneficiaries received per capita grants.  The Ministry indicated that more could be done to increase the number of beneficiaries if approved funds are released by Treasury.

2.4.3 10,332 learners benefited from career fairs in Mashonaland Central and Matabeleland North. 

2.4.4 The Ministry has embraced inclusive approaches in all its programming.  In line with Zimbabwe’s ratification and domestication of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, the Ministry adopted disability budgeting to cater for the needs of persons with disabilities.

• Challenges Faced

2.5.1 The Ministry faced challenges in securing adequate funding for labour law capacity-building due to limited fiscal space. This lack of investment contributed to an increase in company retrenchments, as there were fewer resources to ensure compliance and to strengthen labour regulations.

2.5.2          High staff attrition and the failure to fill key vacancies severely impacted the Ministry’s ability to deliver services efficiently. This shortage of personnel resulted in delays and reduced effectiveness in implementing labour policies and programmes.

2.5.3 The National Employment Policy and Formalisation Strategy which is vital for improving the formalisation of the informal sector, remained unfunded. This lack of financial support hindered the Ministry’s efforts to create sustainable employment opportunities and promotion of economic formalisation.

2.5.4 In preparation for compliance with the International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS) by 31 December 2025, the Ministry successfully conducted training for 183 staff members. This initiative was crucial for improving financial management and ensuring adherence to international accounting standards.

• Recommendations for the Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare

3.1    Treasury must ensure predictable and timely disbursement of funds to prevent arrears, particularly in the BEAM programme and other social welfare initiatives, to safeguard the continuity and effectiveness of these critical support programs by end each quarter.

• Sufficient funding should be allocated to key social protection programmes, including food assistance and healthcare support, to mitigate malnutrition, reduce poverty, and enhance the well-being of vulnerable communities in the 2026 National Budget.
• The Ministry should strengthen financial planning and forecasting mechanisms to align budget allocations with real-time needs by 30 December 2025.
• Adoption of the IPSAS framework should be expedited to enhance financial transparency and accountability by 30 December 2025.

4.0    Budget Performance for the Ministry of Skills Audit and Development

4.1    This Ministry plays a crucial role in identifying and developing skills that contribute to socio-economic transformation. It collaborates with educational institutions to enhance skills in entrepreneurship, psychomotor competencies, and industry-related expertise. The Ministry’s following four departments are instrumental in shaping policies that drive national skills development and need adequate budgetary support:

• Skills Audit Department
• Technical and Vocational Skills Department
• Rural and Digital Skills Department
• Skills Development Department

4.2    Budget Utilisation

PROGRAM	REVISED BUDGET (ZiG)	CUMULATIVE EXPENDITURE	EXPENDITURE AS A PERCENTAGE OF REVISED BUDGET
Policy & Admin	34.007.592	8.777.245	25.81%
Skills Audit	28.443.199	4.709.480	16.56%
Total Ministry budget	62.450.791	13.486.725	21.60%

 

     As indicated in the programme, by the end of the third quarter, the Ministry’s budget utilisation stood at 21.60%. Programme 1: Policy and Administration had utilised 25.81%, while Programme 2: Skills Audit recorded a utilisation rate of 16.56%. The low expenditure was primarily due to the non-release of allocated funds, which hindered the effective implementation of planned programmes.

4.3    Major Achievements

4.3.1 The Ministry conducted a comprehensive evaluation of national scholarships to assess their alignment with the country’s critical skills needs. The resulting report provided valuable insights into whether the scholarships were effectively addressing skills gaps in key economic sectors. The findings helped to refine scholarship programmes to ensure they contribute meaningfully to Zimbabwe’s socio-economic development.

4.3.2 A nationwide Skills Needs Assessment in the mining sector was undertaken. The assessment revealed substantial gaps in STEM-related fields, particularly in automation, digitalisation and advanced mining technologies. These findings underscored the urgent need for targeted training and capacity-building initiatives to equip the workforce with relevant skills for the evolving mining industry.

4.3.3 To promote skills development, the Ministry engaged in extensive awareness campaigns through media platforms and exhibitions. These initiatives successfully highlighted the importance of skills development in national economic growth and encouraged more individuals, especially youth, to pursue careers aligned with Zimbabwe’s industrial and technological needs.

4.3.4 A benchmarking visit to Malaysia provided the Ministry with valuable insights into international best practices in skills development. The visit facilitated knowledge exchange on effective policies, curriculum design and industry collaboration strategies that have contributed to Malaysia’s success in building a skilled workforce. Lessons from this visit are expected to inform Zimbabwe’s approach to enhancing its human capital development strategies.

4.3.5 The Ministry surpassed its targets in the recruitment and training of personnel thereby enhancing institutional capacity to execute skills audit and development programs. The increased workforce is expected to improve program implementation, monitoring and evaluation, ensuring that national skills development objectives are met.

4.3.6 As part of efforts to enhance mobility and operational efficiency, the Ministry successfully procured 15 vehicles. These will facilitate fieldwork for skills assessments, training programmes, and monitoring of skills development initiatives nationwide.  Top of FormBottom of Form

5.0       Challenges Faced

5.1    The Ministry highlighted that the slow release of funds, coupled with delays in recruiting technical staff by the Public Service Commission, hampered progress in developing a comprehensive national skills profile. As a result, critical assessments and policy formulation were delayed. The Ministry implored the Committee to lobby for additional resources to expedite the recruitment of skilled personnel.

5.2    Budgetary limitations restricted the Ministry’s ability to conduct comprehensive skills assessments across various sectors. The lack of adequate funding has hindered efforts to identify and address critical skills gaps effectively.

5.3    Insufficient financial resources also affected the Ministry’s ability to carry out effective communication and advocacy campaigns. This has limited public awareness and engagement in national skills development initiatives.

5.4 The transition from RTGS to ZiG created significant disruptions in payment processing, affecting the Ministry’s ability to settle financial obligations on time. These challenges delayed program implementation and service delivery.

5.5    The migration to the e-Government Procurement (EGP) system resulted in delays in procurement processes. The system’s implementation has led to retendering and prolonged waiting periods thereby slowing down the acquisition of essential equipment and resources.

6.0          Recommendations

6.1    Treasury should ensure the timely release of allocated funds to enable the Ministry to achieve its targets, particularly in implementing critical programmes such as the Skills Audit, which requires adequate funding to assess and address the country’s skills gaps effectively by end of each quarter.

6.2 The Public Service Commission should expedite recruitment of key technical staff considering that the Ministry is fairly new and mandated to identify and develop requisite skills and competencies by 30 December 2025.

6.3 The Ministry should establish a scholarship tracking system to conduct regular tracer studies, ensuring that beneficiaries contribute to addressing national skills gaps by 30 September 2025.

6.4 Treasury should provide adequate funding for comprehensive skills assessments across key economic sectors, particularly in STEM, automation and digitalisation in the 2026 National Budget.

6.5 The Ministry should strengthen internal capacity by reducing reliance on external consultants and investing in the recruitment and training of in-house technical experts by 30 December 2025. 

7. Conclusion

The Ministry has demonstrated resilience in implementing its mandate despite fiscal constraints. However, addressing the highlighted challenges, particularly predictable budgetary allocations and improved resource management, is crucial to achieving the vision of decent work and sustainable social protection by 2030. The Government must take proactive steps to provide financial stability and institutional capacity to enhance social welfare outcomes. I thank you.

         HON. MAVHUDZI:  Thank you Madam Speaker, good afternoon. Thank you Madam Speaker for allowing me this opportunity to also add my voice to the report that has been put on the table by the Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare.  Madam Speaker, this report speaks to the first, second and third quarter performances of two Ministries that is the Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare as well as Skills, Audit and Development. These two Ministries Madam Speaker are critical to the socio-economic development of this country. As such, due attention needs to be apportioned to them to facilitate their success.

One fundamental observation Madam Speaker from the report is the issue of late submission of the quarterly reports by the line Ministries. Madam Speaker, this culture is fast becoming a cancer and indeed worrisome. Most line Ministries, including the aforementioned Ministries have a tendency to submit reports late.  This stifles the oversight and budget-shaking role of Parliament. Another worrying phenomenon Madam Speaker, which if left unchecked, will become an albatross to the operational programmes of the entire Executive, are the delays associated with Treasury funds disbursement. The delay in disbursements by the Treasury constrains programme implementation, particularly in the two-line Ministries mentioned above.

Of particular note and very concerning is the budget utilisation of the Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare. The report notes that there were only allowed to access 18% of the budgeted funds. Out of the reviewed budget allocation of 3.1 billion, the Ministry only managed to access 297 million.  This has negatively affected otherwise noble programmes, such as the BEAM programme. During the period under review, BEAM had accumulated areas of USD133 million. This is an astronomical figure which is critically unsustainable.

Observations from the report also suggest that the Ministry of Skills, Audit and Development suffered the same fate. The Ministry was allocated 62 million ZiG during the budget session but it only managed to acquire 13.4 billion ZiG, which also constrained its various programmes. Madam Speaker, it is imperative that Treasury prioritises the release of funds to these Ministries as they form the backbone of the nation states social development agenda. I so submit, thank you Madam Speaker.

+HON. MUJEYI: Thank you Madam Speaker. Good afternoon, Madam Speaker.  I also want to add one or two words concerning this report which was brought by the Hon. Chair, Hon. Mangaliso. It is very true Hon. Speaker, that delay in the disbursement of funds causes the Ministry to face some challenges.  The Ministry requested the funds but the delay in the release caused a delay in project completion.  For instance, if we look at the BEAM, the delay in funding BEAM causes some challenges. As we hear, they are in arrears of about 135 million and this is a lot of money.

If there is a delay in the release of funds, there is a delay in completing the projects.  If you look at BEAM again, there are about 70 million ZiG from the first term to the second term and third term.  It has failed to release this money from 2024.  The delay in the release of BEAM funds compromises the running of the Ministry. If you look at the programmes for social welfare and the failed delay in paying for transport, they face these challenges in paying for transport to take food to the rural areas.  They face some challenges in taking the food to give to the people in rural areas.  Programmes for social welfare in urban areas were only given once in October 2024 and no other funds were released.  It will be difficult for the Ministry to complete the projects.

Government should release funds timeously and efficiently so that the Ministry does not face challenges.  The Ministry is the one which runs most of the programmes across the country, hence the delay in release of these funds creates problems for this country. As the President said, no one should be left behind, the delay in the release of funds compromises the attainment of Vision 2030.  Treasury should release the funds timeously and urgently because the Ministry is the backbone of this country. I thank you, Hon. Member.

+HON. S. MAHLANGU: Thank you for giving me this opportunity. I want to thank the Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare, Hon. D. Malinganiso. As we moved around with the Committee, some of the schools were telling us that they last got the money for BEAM in 2022. This is a challenge for the schools to continue with progress. The funds that the Government pays for the school fees, they do not care whether the money has not been paid timeously, they want that money all at once. It makes it difficult for the schools when they do not have the money. That money ends up catering for affiliation and this takes the schools backwards for them to develop.

When children open schools, some of the schools ask them to buy some textbooks for domestic use, for cleaning toilets and also to pay for utilities for sports. The children fail to cater for that because the Government will have failed to release funds timeously. At hospitals, there is AMTO, which also gets money from Social Welfare. It also becomes very difficult for patients to be treated because AMTO will not have been paid. That patient would not be given adequate medicine because of a lack of payment to AMTO.

We are requesting the Ministry of Finance that during the budget period, the funds should be released timeously so that the Ministries will complete their projects and use that money timeously and they will be able to write their reports in time. The delay in releasing the reports is due to insufficient funds. I thank you Madam Speaker Ma’am

*HON. MAPIKI:  Thank you Madam Speaker for giving me this opportunity to add a few words to the issue affecting the Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare and Education. The issue regarding the late payment of BEAM fees is affecting children who are going to school. The money for those who are vulnerable and destitute is delayed and this has affected those who are going to school. When only a few students are paying fees, this affects schools because at the end of the day, we have compromised standards of education.

Some students will not be paying their school fees and what have you. The issue in other countries is that you would find that school fees are channelled to projects, whether it is gardening, poultry and other projects which multiplies money belonging to the schools. For example, in Rwanda and other countries, the standard of their education is rising because there is a revolving fund in every school which is used for developmental projects. This, in turn, brings more money to the school and it will culminate in development through buildings.

I believe that in our education, the issue of heritage is quite important and there are some issues that should reflect development, for example, Manicaland where the pass rate is quite pleasing and there are schools that are performing well. The issue of the thrust in Mutare where you find ECD children being taught different skills and when they go to grade one, you would find that they will be performing like grade three pupils.

When there are funds from the Government, you would find that it affects positively the performance of students. There is the issue of food that is given to vulnerable pupils. The challenges that are faced by the Ministry reflect a situation where money is paid in bits and pieces and the Ministry would be found to be employing people who are qualified. Sometimes you would find that the collection of names through creation of a database is not done in a diligent manner.

Councillors and MPs sometimes face a challenge in terms of providing transport for the beneficiaries. So, the Ministry of Finance should look into this issue so that the issue is addressed. The issue of transportation of food; most transporters cannot afford to transport food because sometimes they are not paid their monies for transporting that food. At times they have to deal with repairs and other costs.

So, they end up avoiding transportation of food. Then this results in a situation where councillors and MPs generate funds through the pulling of resources for transportation. Sometimes people from Rushinga and other areas might not have a dollar to contribute. So, to ask people to contribute is quite a challenge and by so doing, I want to urge the Ministry to provide resources.

The Ministry is responsible for people's livelihoods in rural areas. On the issue of skills audit, this is a new Ministry I believe and it is a Ministry which must have qualified staff. This is the Ministry that we expect that in Zimbabwe, it must have a database of different experts. There are some experts being taught about artificial intelligence in the morning. There are some people who can assemble excavators, service them and repair them in rural areas but there is no database of such people who have such skills in rural areas. It is important to empower the Ministry with funds so that they can have outreach programmes to collect information that will assist them because they are a lot of qualified and experienced people who are not in the database or who are not known.  There are people like Daniel Chingoma who could assemble a helicopter, we have such innovators and this is very retrogressive. 

The issue of artificial intelligence is quite important, there are some people who will be labouring because they do not know there is what is called artificial intelligence.  As Zimbabwe, we need to identify such people as soccer players, film producers and others.  They are some who are in rural areas and are not known but with great skills.  When you go to beer halls, you can discover that they are talented people.  If they get an education, they will be able to market their skills.  There is a need for funding of such people and they must be funded timeously.  I want to thank the Committee; they are doing a good job and I want to encourage them to continue doing that.  The Chairperson is quite young and he is doing a sterling job.

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

HON. M. S. DUBE:  I second.

Motion put and agreed to.

Debate to resume: Tuesday, 10^th June, 2025.

On the motion of HON. TOGAREPI, seconded by HON. M. S. DUBE, the House adjourned at Seven Minutes Past Four o’clock p.m. until Tuesday, 10^th June, 2025.