- Version
- Download 23
- File Size 324.26 KB
- File Count 1
- Create Date June 10, 2025
- Last Updated June 10, 2025
SENATE HANSARD 10 JUNE 2025 Vol. 34 No. 52
PARLIAMENT OF ZIMBABWE
Tuesday, 10th June, 2025
The Senate met at Half-past Two o’clock p.m.
PRAYERS
(THE HON. DEPUTY PRESIDENT OF SENATE in the Chair)
ANNOUNCEMENTS BY THE HON. DEPUTY PRESIDENT OF SENATE
NON-ADVERSE REPORT RECEIVED FROM THE PARLIAMENTARY LEGAL COMMITTEE
THE. HON. DEPUTY PRESIDENT OF SENATE: I would like to inform the Senate that I have received a Non-Adverse Report from the Parliamentary Legal Committee on Statutory Instrument Numbers 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44 and 44A gazetted during the month of April, 2025.
ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH SERVICE
THE. HON. DEPUTY PRESIDENT OF SENATE: I would like to inform the House that there will be a Roman Catholic Church Service on Thursday, 12th June 2025 at 1200 hours in Special Committee Room No. 1.
SWITCHING OFF OF CELLPHONES
THE. HON. DEPUTY PRESIDENT OF SENATE: I would like to remind Hon. Senators to put your gadgets on silent or better still switch them off so that you do not disturb the business of the House.
MOTION
BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE
THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF VETERANS OF THE LIBERATION STRUGGLE AFFAIRS (HON. SEN. H. MOYO): I move that Orders of the Day, Numbers 1 to 3 on today’s Order Paper be stood over until the rest of the Orders of the Day have been disposed of.
Motion put and agreed to.
MOTION
REPORT OF THE JOINT PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT, PUBLIC WORKS AND NATIONAL HOUSING AND THE THEMATIC COMMITTEE ON SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS
HON SEN. CHIEF SIANSALI: I move the motion standing in my name that this House considers and adopts the Report of the Joint Portfolio Committee on Local Government, Public Works and National Housing and the Thematic Committee on Sustainable Development Goals on the state of water supply in Bulawayo.
HON. SEN. MHLOTSWA: I second.
HON. SEN. CHIEF SIANSALI:
1.0 INTRODUCTION
Bulawayo City Council has been facing perennial challenges in water supply for over two decades, a situation that has grossly undermined the right to access water by its residents as enshrined in section 77(a) of the Constitution of Zimbabwe, which explicitly states that “every person has the right to safe, clean and potable water”. The year 2024 has been particularly different, with a cocktail of environmental factors which include the debilitating effects of the 2023 to 2024 El Niño induced drought being felt across the country. These environmental factors position Bulawayo City Council’s water supply situation in a dire and precarious position that needs immediate attention and renewed impetus toward finding lasting solutions. It was in light of this that the Joint Portfolio Committee on Local Government Public Works and National Housing and the Thematic Committee on Sustainable Development Goals conducted an enquiry into the state of water supply in Bulawayo to understand the gravity of the situation and ascertain the depth and magnitude of the Government’s thrust towards addressing the water supply problem in Bulawayo.
2.0 OBJECTIVES
- a) To assess the situation at the water supply sources of Bulawayo City Council.
- b) To assess the current water management strategies being implemented by the City of Bulawayo and gather public views and expectations on the water supply situation.
- c) To verify the progress made in the construction of the Gwayi - Shangani Dam and the pipeline project.
- d) To have an appreciation of the Government’s efforts towards addressing the water supply challenges in Bulawayo.
- e) To come up with stakeholder-informed recommendations that will address the water supply challenges in Bulawayo.
3.0 METHODOLOGY
Pursuant to its oversight role over the Executive, the Joint Portfolio Committee on Local Government and the Thematic Committee on Sustainable Development Goals received oral evidence from the Ministry of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing where key issues on water supply in Bulawayo were discussed. It is from the oral evidence meeting that the Joint Committee resolved to conduct verification visits and public hearings to have an in-depth understanding of the water supply situation in Bulawayo. From the 23rd to the 25th of September 2024, public hearings and verification visits were conducted at Bulawayo City Hall and Cowdray Park, while verification visits were conducted at Umzingwane Dam, Upper and Lower Ncema Dams, Nyamandlovu Aquifers and at the Gwayi-Shangani Dam Project. The oral evidence received from the different stakeholders and the verification visits provided enough information to come up with a comprehensive report on the state of the water supply in Bulawayo.
4.0 COMMITTEE FINDINGS
4.1 Submissions from the Public regarding the water situation in Bulawayo
The views of residents in Bulawayo regarding the water situation were marked by concern and desperation. With over 1 million residents facing acute water stress, the city’s water crisis has become a pressing issue. Outlined below are the perspectives that were aired by the residents of Bulawayo during public hearing sessions.
- Frustrations with water rationing
The people indicated that the 120-hour water-rationing strategy introduced by Bulawayo City Council in December 2023 has not alleviated the water crisis in Bulawayo but has led to widespread frustration among the residents.
- Aging infrastructure
The majority of residents put their blame on the city’s aging water infrastructure which has thus resulted in over 48% of water sources being non-revenue, a scenario which has further exacerbated the water shortage.
iii. Demand for Action
The residents of Bulawayo urged the Government and the Bulawayo City leaders to take bold and immediate action to address this water crisis, including investing in new water sources and infrastructure.
- Health Concern
The residents highlighted that the water scarcity has compromised their health, with increased risks of water-borne diseases particularly in high-density suburbs.
4.2 Current State of Water Resources.
The Committee established that Bulawayo City Council faces a significant water supply deficit, with a daily demand of 165 mega litres against a current supply capacity of 120 mega litres. The city's water is sourced from five dams, as well as the Nyamandlovu Aquifer and Epping Forest boreholes.
During its visit to three key dams, Umzingwane, Lower Ncema, and Upper Ncema Dams, the Committee observed a concerning situation. Umzingwane Dam was decommissioned in November 2023, while Upper Ncema and Lower Ncema are set to be decommissioned on September 28 and November 30, 2024, respectively. These decommissioned dams will leave Bulawayo City Council solely dependent on Umtshabezi, Insiza, and Inyakuni Dams, alongside the Nyamandlovu and Epping Forest boreholes. As of September 2024, the available water levels in the city’s dams were as follows:
Daily Abstraction Capacity (Mega Litres Per Day)
The situation underscores the urgency of implementing sustainable water management strategies to avert a worsening water crisis in Bulawayo.
4.2.1 Umzingwane Dam
The Committee observed that Umzingwane Dam was at a critical stage, having been decommissioned in November 2023, with water levels dropping to below 2.2% (dead water level). During its visit, the Committee noted that the dam’s existing pumps manufactured in the 1960s were outdated and inefficient. To address this, the City is installing two new pumps, each with a capacity of 21 mega litres, a significant improvement over the old pumps which could only manage 16 mega litres. This upgrade will enhance water supply to the Ncema Water Treatment Plant.
Umzingwane Dam, a key water source owned by the Bulawayo City Council, has also been earmarked for a pipeline duplication project aimed at linking it to Umtshabezi Dam. The 42-kilometre pipeline will enable the transfer of raw water from Umtshabezi, which is managed by the Zimbabwe National Water Authority (ZINWA) to Umzingwane. The project, currently at the tendering stage, has received an allocation of USD 14 million from the Ministry of Finance, Economic Development, and Investment Promotion, though the funds are yet to be disbursed.
The pipeline system will utilise gravitational flow when Umzingwane Dam is at 50% capacity, directing water into the Ncema Water Treatment Plant. However, once levels fall below 50%, pumps will be required to maintain the flow. Despite these improvements, the Committee noted that Umzingwane Dam remains under constant threat from illegal mining activities in its upstream catchment area, which disrupts tributaries and reduces water inflows during the rainy season.
4.2.2 Upper Ncema and Lower Ncema Dams
The Committee found out that Upper Ncema Dam had 3.4% usable water for abstraction and set for decommissioning on 28 September 2024. The dam typically supports Lower Ncema during the dry season and had to be prematurely reopened in August 2024 to supply Lower Ncema due to the severe drought conditions. The decommissioning of Upper Ncema will further worsen Bulawayo's water supply challenges, which will prompt the city council to increase water shedding from 120 hours to 130 hours per week. The adjustment will in essence make the residents receive water for less than two days per week, further intensifying the water crisis in the city. The Committee found out that Lower Ncema Dam was approximately at 18.5% capacity as of September 2024, receiving water from Upper Ncema Dam (decommissioned 28 September 2024) before it gravitates to the Ncema Water Treatment Plant. It was projected to be decommissioned on the 30th of November 2024, which will further exacerbate Bulawayo's already critical water situation. As of present, the dam supplies 35 mega litres of water per day, playing a vital role in the city's water supply.
4.2.3 Nyamandlovu Aquifer
The Committee gathered that the aquifer was established during the 1991-92 drought season as an emergency measure to supply water to the City of Bulawayo. It was developed alongside the Rochester Water System, with a design capacity to deliver 18 mega litres of water per day. The aquifer consists of 40 installed boreholes, of which only 23 are currently operational, representing 58% of its total capacity. However, out of the 23 functional boreholes, six have been rendered inactive due to vandalism, primarily from stolen electrical transformer cables. Due to vandalism, only 17 boreholes were fully operational within the Rochester system. The boreholes were sunk 200 meters apart. The Rochester Pumping Station is equipped with two storage tanks, each with a capacity of 2,880 cubic metres, from which water is pumped to supply the City of Bulawayo. The Committee found out that the City was only receiving on average 10 megalitres of water per day, way below the aquifer’s current potential supply capacity of 18 megalitres per day. Vandalism of infrastructure was identified as the chief culprit on the reduced water supply capacity in Nyamandlovu and Epping Forest.
4.2.4 Current Status of the National Zambezi Water Project (NZWP)
The Committee visited the National Zambezi Water Project (NMZWP) in Matabeleland North Hwange District, which encompasses four separate projects consisting of dam construction, the construction of a 252 km pipeline to Bulawayo, construction of a 122 km pipeline from Zambezi joining the pipeline from the dam and the water treatment plant in Bulawayo’s Cowdray Park area. The project was being implemented by China Water and Electric Corp under ZINWA’s charge. The Committee gathered that the project was still at dam wall construction level which was at 39 metres out of the 72 metres as of September 2024. This project is epitomised as the panacea to permanently addressing Bulawayo’s Gwayi- Shangani Dam forms the first phase of the NMZWP followed by the pipeline and in its totality represents a viable long-term solution to Bulawayo’s water problems.
4.2.5 The Gwayi-Shangani Dam Project
The Committee established that the Gwayi–Shangani Dam project consists of four key components:
- Construction of a roller-compacted concrete gravity arch dam
- Development of a 10-megawatt power station
- Construction of the Gwayi–Shangani pipeline
- Development of the 122 km Zambezi pipeline
Once completed, the dam will stand at 72 meters high with a crest length of 361.24 meters and a gross reservoir capacity of 691 million megalitres.
Initially planned for completion in three and a half years after its launch in 2003, the project has now stretched over 21 years, reaching only 70.2% completion. The prolonged delays were largely due to financial constraints. However, with adequate funding, the dam and the initial pump station to Bulawayo could be completed within 18 months.
The Gwayi–Shangani Dam is expected to supply 220 megalitres of water daily to Bulawayo— far exceeding the city's current 165 megalitre daily demand—making it a game-changer in addressing Bulawayo’s water crisis. The Committee noted that USD84 million is required to complete the dam wall and 18 months would be needed to finalise the entire project, assuming all necessary conditions remain stable.
Despite its immense benefits for Bulawayo and Matabeleland North, the project poses a significant social challenge, as it will result in the displacement of communities in Binga and Hwange districts. The Committee emphasised the need for proper planning, resettlement strategies and fair compensation to mitigate the negative impact on affected communities.
It was further established that the second phase of the project will be a 252km pipeline designed to pass alongside the Rochester System in Nyamandlovu for easy management. The contracts were already awarded to 12 contractors in March of 2022, with each contractor expected to complete 21km of the pipeline. The project stands at 15 % of completion due to financial challenges. The pipeline all in all requires USD684 million excluding the Water Treatment Plant.
4.2.6 The Mini-Hydro Power Station
The dam has a hydro power station with an installed capacity of 10 megawatts, which will be used to pump water through booster stations to be constructed along the pipeline. The project currently stands at 41% of completion and requires only six months to be completed subject to the availability of resources to finish the civil works and installation. The Committee gathered that the power station required USD18million for it to be completed. The completion of the Gwayi-Shangani pipeline, Mini hydropower station and the dam wall will be followed by the 122km Zambezi Pipeline Project which will from the Zambezi River to the pipeline from Gwayi-Shangani. The project is expected to start as soon as the whole system starts working and is a long-term measure and part of the broader plan for the National Zambezi Water Project. 4.2.7 Government funding towards the Gwayi-Shangani Project in 2024.
As of 30 September 2024, Treasury had availed USD8 million towards the National Matabeleland Zambezi Water Project (NMZWP) project and the money was channeled mainly towards the construction of the hydropower station. The dam wall construction was paused because the roller compacted technology used in the dam construction requires continuous construction until the dam wall is finished. This allocation is a drop in the ocean to the required financial injection of USD84 million to finish the dam wall through using the roller compacted technology. It is critical at this juncture for the USD84 million to be released in the 2025 financial year to gather momentum towards and create impetus towards completing the monumental Gwayi Shangani Project.
4.3 Water Management Measures in Bulawayo
4.3.1 Water Shedding
The Committee established that Bulawayo City Council has implemented stringent water conservation measures, including a 40% reduction in the Reduced Free Water Allocation, cutting it from 5,000 litres to 3,000 litres per month, with excess usage charged at USD4.13 per kilolitre.
The City of Bulawayo had implemented revised water allocations across different residential and commercial categories in response to diminishing dam levels. High-density suburbs were now allocated 350 litres of water per day, while low-density suburbs received 550 litres daily. Residents living in flats with individual metres had seen their daily allocation reduced from 400 litres to 300 litres. For multi-purpose buildings with bulk meters, water provision had been adjusted to 60% of their average consumption recorded over the six months ending March 2024. Residential areas relying on bulk meters had also been affected, with daily allocations cut by 10% to 60% depending on their December 2023 average consumption. In peri-urban areas such as Esigodini, Matopos, Imbizo Barracks, Sigola and Duncan villages, allocations had been slightly reduced from 75% to 70% of their average usage for the six months ending December 2023. Additionally, all new water connections to vacant stands and areas located outside Bulawayo had been suspended until further notice.
These conservation efforts underpin Bulawayo’s water-shedding regime, which began in 2022 following the 2021-2022 rainfall season, which left dam levels at 58.49%. Water shedding continued into 2023, maintaining the same dam levels after the 2022-2023 rainfall season. However, the 2023-2024 El Niño-induced drought further reduced dam levels to 41.02%, necessitating an extended 120-hour water-shedding cycle from December 2023.
During the shedding period, the city’s target water consumption was 120 ML/day, compared to the unrestricted 180 ML/day. However, despite strict conservation measures, the average daily system input volume is 107 ML/day, while daily consumption stands at 113.9 ML/day, creating an imbalance that leads to frequent water supply disruptions. This ongoing crisis has further strained relations between the citycouncil and residents, exacerbating frustrations over access to water.
4.3.2 Water-Shedding Effects
The Committee found out that despite the determined effort to converse the scarce water resource, the water-shedding programme has increased the frequency of water pipe bursts. The frequent opening and closing of water pipes due to water shedding can lead to increased pipe bursts, shortening the valve and pipe lifespan and causing significant non-revenue water losses, reduce flows, sedimentation and ultimately undermining the flow of water to reach the beneficiaries across suburbs of Bulawayo. It was further gathered that sewer surges were now a frequent feature caused by water shedding, pressure fluctuations caused and hydraulic surges in sewer systems. This unforeseen calamity was potentially damaging pipes and infrastructure and increasing the frequency of conducting sewer maintenance with the little resources that the city has. Due to increased demand in the water supply system, some areas fail to receive water due to water pressure issues and the limited hours given to each water opening shift of less than less than 48 hours.
4.3.3 Water Supply Inventions
The water supply situation in Bulawayo has invigorated the city to come up with water supply inventions in the short term to ease the water supply dilemma. The Committee gathered that borehole rehabilitation and maintenance was once of the key strategies spearheaded by the City. Bulawayo has a total 419 community boreholes, with 43 currently non-functional. Through a multi-sectorial approach, donor support has been instrumental in conducting borehole rehabilitation. The Committee found out that in June 2024, UNICEF, in partnership with Africa Ahead, rehabilitated 12 boreholes, and 31/35 boreholes were rehabilitated under the SIDA-ACF program. The Committee gathered that Water Kiosk Distribution and a fleet of water bowsers were strategies currently in place to sooth the water supply predicament across communities in Bulawayo, a total of 23 community kiosks and 22 institutional kiosks were playing a phenomenal role in providing the precious liquid to patched residents of Bulawayo. A total of seven bowsers were supplying water to clinics in Bulawayo, four of which were being outsourced
4.3.4 The Proposed Glass Block Dam as A Medium-Term Water Supply Solution
The proposed dam will be located in Matabeleland South within the Umzingwane Catchment Area. The Glass Block will have the capacity to supply the city with 70 mega litres per day. The construction of the dam will be privately funded by a consortium including AFDB, Afreximbank and other consortium partners. The estimated cost of constructing the Glass Block Dam is USD 126 million. The Local Authority will enter into a water purchase agreement with ZINWA for a 25year period. However, the cost of supplying water, according to the feasibility studies is estimated at USD0.90 per mega litre as compared to the current average of USD0.33 per mega litre. The dam wall will be owned by the City of Bulawayo whereas the Dam will belong to ZINWA in accordance with the Water Act. The Glass Block Dam is presumed to ease pressure from the government coffers and give the government breathing space to focus on the demanding Gwayi-Shangani Project. The dam is viewed as a medium-term measure as it requires a relatively shorter time to complete, requires less financial resources, less power needs and does not have engineering complexities as compared to the Gwayi-Shangani Water Project whose pipeline project needs about USD648million.
5.0 COMMITTEE’S OBSERVATIONS
5.1 Status of Water Rationing and Management
The Committee noted with concern the disparity between supply and demand for water and as a result residents are short changed. Bowsers can play a critical role in supplying residential areas affected by pressure decrease in water supply.
5.2 Upstream Alluvial River Bed Gold Panning
The Committee observed that the City of Bulawayo is currently facing a severe shortage of raw water, which is being exacerbated by increased rampant illegal gold panning in the city’s Umzingwane Dam catchment area. This has disrupted the natural flow of water, as much of it becomes trapped in mining trenches. It becomes a fundamental endeavour for all responsible authorities to address the disaster that has been brought by illegal gold panning along river basins, especially along Umzingwane River. While the Committee takes cognisance of the August 2024 directive banning all riverbed alluvial mining, significant and deliberate efforts to enforce the ban need to be taken to protect the precious water basins.
5.3 The Glass Block Dam Debate
The Committee established that the proposed construction of the Glass Block Dam was a noble initiative to address the Bulawayo water crisis in the medium term. However, the astronomical charge of water proposed by the Glass block consortium of USD0.99 cents per megalitre will have a catastrophic impact on the water billing system of Bulawayo, causing severe overcharges on the end users. Although the Committee gathered that the consortium was working around the modalities of reducing the USD0.99 cents charge per megalitre of water to USD0.50 per megalitre, the USD0.50 is still too high compared to the current USD0.33 cents per megalitre charged by ZINWA. It is imperative that the arrangement of the water service charge be significantly revised before making any headway towards giving the project the green light. Water is a basic human right and should not be commercialised in any way whatsoever to the detriment of its access by the citizenry.
5.4 Unclaimed Water at Khami Dam
The Committee established that the decommissioned Khami Dam situated in the Western area of Bulawayo, although polluted from wastewater contamination bears a significant potential of addressing the water challenge through instituting technology for claiming the wastewater for domestic consumption. Reclaiming wastewater for domestic use is an economically viable option to aid Bulawayo in addressing the water crisis in the short to medium term. The Committee observes that countries such as Namibia’s Windhoek City have been utilising waste water recycling for domestic consumption. Windhoek has been transforming wastewater into potable water for 50 years. Since 2002, the city has been providing 35% of the drinking water for nearly 400,000 inhabitants. It is critical to start thinking about water recycling in times of crisis such as the one facing the City of Bulawayo.
6.0 RECOMMENDATIONS
6.1 Bulawayo City Council through a well-coordinated multi-stakeholder approach involving farming communities in Nyamandlovu, , Bulawayo City Council security personnel and the Zimbabwe Republic Police, must ensure the safety and protection of transformers pumping borehole water within the Nyamandlovu Aquifer area by 31 July 2025.
6.2 The Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Water, Climate, Fisheries and Rural Development through its parastatal ZINWA must repair and rehabilitate all the damaged boreholes and replace the transformer and power lines destroyed by vandalism at the Epping and Nyamandlovu Aquifer by 30 August 2025.
6.3 Bulawayo City Council should strengthen its revenue collection efforts on water tariffs and sewer and ring fence such revenue for repairs and maintenance of the water reticulation system and sewage infrastructure to reduce non- revenue water losses by 31 December 2025.
6.4 Bulawayo City Council must introduce smart metering for accurate billing as well as curbing non-revenue water losses through the rehabilitation of the leaks within its water networks such as the Magwegwe Reservoir by 30 June 2025.
6.5 The Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Water, Fisheries and Rural Resettlements must consider the proposed construction of the Glasgow Dam as a medium-term measure to address Bulawayo’s water crisis by 31 December 2025, while the city awaits the commissioning of the Gwayi-Shangani Dam.
6.6 The Ministry of Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion must ensure timely release of funds by to support ongoing works at Gwayi-Shangani by end of 2nd Quarter 2025.
6.7 Bulawayo City Council must explore the viability and feasibility of utilising waste water from the Aiselby Waste Water Treatment Plant and the water at the decommissioned Khami Dam for domestic consumption by 31 December 2025.
6.8 The Ministry of Local Government and Public Works in conjunction with the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Rural Development, Climate and Fisheries must facilitate the procurement of 10 water bowsers for Bulawayo City Council by 30 August 2025.
6.9 The Ministry of Mines and Mining Development, the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Water, Fisheries and Rural Resettlements and Ministry of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage must enforce the August 2024 ban on all alluvial river-bed gold mining along Umzingwane River by 31 December 2025.
6.11 Compensation modalities for soon-to-be displaced people in Binga and Hwange districts (Lubimbi and Lusulu) and others within the dam catchment area must be expedited well ahead of time to allow for easier consultations, relocation and compensation modalities to preserve the livelihoods of the soon to be affected. This must be completed by 31 December 2025.
7.0 CONCLUSION
The imperative for addressing Bulawayo's water supply challenges with deliberate and focused efforts cannot be overstated. As the industrial hub and city of national commercial activities and the route to Zimbabwe from a number of Southern African countries, Bulawayo plays a pivotal role in advancing the National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1 and 2) and ultimately achieving Vision 2030 of attaining upper-middle-income economy. Tackling the longstanding issues of water supply is long overdue. The implementation of these proffered recommendations by the Committee must be met with an equally enthusiastic response from key stakeholders and Government agencies. Together, we can catalyse a transformation that revitalises BCC into a beacon of progress and prosperity, embodying the essence of an upper middle-income society fit for a City of Kings and Queens. I thank you.
THE HON. DEPUTY PRESIDENT OF SENATE: Thank you Hon. Sen. Chief Siansali. When was this inquiry conducted?
HON. SEN. CHIEF SIANSALI: Last year Mr. President.
THE HON. DEPUTY PRESIDENT OF SENATE: In 2024?
HON. SEN. CHIEF SIANSALI: Yes.
THE HON. DEPUTY PRESIDENT OF SENATE: So why was the report not presented last year?
HON. SEN. CHIEF SIANSALI: I suppose due diligence was still being done within the secretariat.
THE HON. DEPUTY PRESIDENT OF SENATE: Parliament secretariat?
HON. SEN. CHIEF SIANSALI: Indeed Mr. President.
THE HON. DEPUTY PRESIDENT OF SENATE: I do not consider it to be due diligence. I think it was outright negligence. This report should have been presented last year and the Deputy Clerk responsible for this should correct this. It is a very important issue which you have just tabled. Water is a right and we have got NDS 1. NDS 1 cannot be achieved if Bulawayo, for example, is left behind. It is supposed to be the industrial hub of this country. This situation needs to be corrected.
HON. SEN. MLOTSHWA: Thank you Mr. President and I would like to thank Hon. Senator Chief Siansali for reading the comprehensive report from our Committee on SDGs and the Committee on Local Government. Mr. President, as the chief was reading the report, I felt really inadequate to debate the report but I would just have to lend my support and to just add a few points of what I also observed as I was touring with the Committee. Mr. President, I rise to lend my strong support to the comprehensive report presented by Hon. Senator Chief Siansali, the Chairperson of the Committee on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The report vividly captures the grave water crisis facing Bulawayo, a city that is the economic heartbeat of our nation and a vital link in our national development. As we deliberate on sustainable solutions, I wish to draw attention to a crucial point raised in the report regarding the sources of water from Matabeleland South, particularly the dams that I feel are being underutilised, such as Mtshabezi Dam. After the rainfall, the dams in Umzingwane did not produce the amount of water that we expected. They did not harness the amount of water that we expected. I think all the dams in Umzingwane harnessed about 36% of the water and Mtshabezi was at 100%, but it is underutilised.
I think that is a low-hanging fruit for the City of Bulawayo. If a pipeline was in Mtshabezi Dam to provide Bulawayo with water, including the dam in Insiza, it was also at 100% and still underutilised, not only for Bulawayo, but for the locals in Matabeleland South. It has been noted and rightly so that the dams in Matabeleland South have historically struggled to operate at capacity.
Many of them are either decommissioned or operating below optimal levels. This situation has for a long time limited the potential of these water sources to serve both local communities and urban centres like Bulawayo. During the dry season, we saw that Matabeleland South was losing a lot of cattle because of lack of water. The water that already exists in places like Mtshabezi and in Insiza and Inyankuni, we expect that the local communities should benefit from that water and have a water source for their cattle.
However, among these sources, Mtshabezi stands out as a low-hanging fruit, an asset with substantial capacity that remains underexploited. With its notable capacity and strategic location, Mtshabezi Dam could serve as an immediate and effective stopgap measure to alleviate Bulawayo's water wars while we wait for the full realisation of the Zambezi water project.
The strategic importance of Mtshabezi Dam cannot be overstated. It offers a ready resource that with some infrastructural investment, can significantly boost Bulawayo's water supply in the short to medium term. This approach aligns with the principles of effective resource utilisation and pragmatic planning using what we have rather than waiting indefinitely for distant projects.
Furthermore, I wish to emphasise that the dams in Matabeleland South are being underutilised, not only in terms of their capacity but also in terms of serving the local authorities and communities they are meant to support. This underutilisation represents a missed opportunity for our region's development and resilience.
In conclusion, I call on our colleagues, Government agencies and stakeholders to prioritise the assessment and enhancement of Mtshabezi Dam’s capacity. This could serve as a vital interim measure, what I term a low hanging fruit, to ensure that residents access reliable water while we continue to work on long-term sustainable solutions, like Gwayi-Shangani, the Zambezi Water Project.
Let us act decisively, harnessing our existing resources to serve the needs of our people and demonstrate our commitment to sustainable development and a right to safe and clean water for all. I thank you Mr. President.
+HON. RITTA. NDLOVU: Thank you Mr. President, for affording me this opportunity to talk about the water problems faced by people in Bulawayo. I would also like to thank the Committee chaired by Chief Siansali and the findings that they came up with from their investigations of the people of Bulawayo. I would also like to buttress what we have said, that it is not proper because this motion was moved sometime last year and the report has only been brought to the Senate this year.
I remember that I brought up a motion sometime last year about water problems in Bulawayo but nothing was done. We can talk about long-term solutions, we can talk about Gwai-Shangai Dam or what the council is doing but the people who live in Bulawayo are the ones who are facing that problem. I do not think there is anyone from Bulawayo who cannot talk about water problems Mr. President.
As I speak, we have not had tap water for three solid weeks and now, we were told that it is a pipe burst; we have been promised every now and again that there will be water the following week. Even yesterday, we were told that we would be getting water within seven days. No-one knows the problems that are faced by people in Bulawayo concerning water.
Also, when we look at the Committee's report, it is like there is a difference in how people get water. There are the Eastern suburbs and the Western suburbs. Most of us live in the Western suburbs where the African locations are but the Eastern suburb is where the former whites used to live.
Those who live in the Eastern suburbs get more water than us but we are the majority and we are the ones who get less. We are the people who face water rationing. We get water once a week but in the Eastern suburbs, they can only go for a day without water and when that happens, they are assured that they will get water the following day. So, there is no fair distribution of water in Bulawayo.
I would also like to talk about the kiosks. They said City Council is going to supply kiosks with water but they did not state the quantity of water. Maybe a kiosk will have about 10 000 litres of water but how many people get water? I live where there is a kiosk but if there is water, I only get 40 litres, that is two buckets of water per week. So, you can see that there is really water problem in Bulawayo. You do not even know where people get water for their everyday use.
When people talk, you just listen and do nothing because you do not know the problems that they are facing. Even when the bowsers are brought, people end up fighting because they will be without water for a long time. To alleviate the problems, the council has so many plans to supply water to the people.
I do not know why those plans are not being approved. The Bulawayo City Council is really trying to come up with plans; most of the times they call us when doing their plans and alert us. When those plans are brought to the Government, all their efforts go down the drain and this hurts the people who live in Bulawayo.
On the issue of boreholes, surely, is it good for a town to be turned into a rural area; even people in the rural areas are now drilling boreholes at their homes. If you go to Bulawayo, you will find that people are spending the whole day at the boreholes or carrying buckets because the people will fetch water in the morning and in the evening. Which shows that there is no improvement for people who are in town. We used to think that people in town get water from the tap but we did not know that they were carrying buckets of water on their heads from boreholes. It is my request to the Minister to come and tell us what exactly is happening. We are worried about the water-borne diseases that are there and now we are told that they are trying to treat sewer water from Khami. People in Bulawayo do not want to hear about Khami water being treated, they want safe and pure water.
It is my request through you Mr. President, that the Ministry should really consider the water situation in Bulawayo. I am now old, but when In my teenage years, in Bulawayo, they used to talk about the Zambezi Water Project; I even contributed 50 cents but nothing has been done even up to now. I am now old and nothing is being done. This should not be a talk show that the water problem in Bulawayo is being looked into. If you go to Bulawayo right now Mr. President, you will feel sorry seeing people at the boreholes. If you get up in the morning, there are long queues. You will be in the queue the whole day or you do not sleep at night waiting in the queues. People in the rural areas are now getting water from taps but in Bulawayo, we cannot get water from the taps.
As you have already pointed out, this report was brought too late. What I would like to say is that the situation as of last year, which is in the report, has already worsened. The Minister should look at the report and do something about the water problem in Bulawayo. I thank you.
HON. SEN CHIEF SIANSALI: Mr. President, I move that the debate do now adjourn.
HON. SEN. MLOTSHWA: I second.
Motion put and agreed to.
Debate to resume: Wednesday, 11th June, 2025.
MOTION
PRESERVATION OF INDIGENOUS CULTURE, CUSTOMS AND HERITAGE AS THE BEDROCK OF OUR NATIONAL IDENTITY
HON. SEN. GOTORA: Thank you Mr. President. I move the motion standing in my name that this House -
CONCERNED by the ever-increasing loss of our cultural values and norms due to the rapid adoption of Western lifestyles, particularly among the youths;
DISTURBED by the influence of social media and other digital platforms, which, while providing fast communication, are often abused to disseminate content that undermines traditional values, dignity and identity as Zimbabweans;
ACKNOWLEDGING the transformative power of technology and digital media when used responsibly to promote and preserve cultural heritage;
APPRECIATING the commendable efforts of the First Lady, Her Excellency Dr. Auxillia Mnangagwa, through cultural initiatives such as the Gota/Nhanga/Ixhiba programme, the Traditional Cook-Out Competitions, the promotion of the national dress and many other heritage-based interventions that seek to restore pride in Zimbabwean identity;
NOTING WITH pride that the Government of Zimbabwe has declared the month of May 2025 as the official National Culture Month to be commemorated in Chiredzi, Masvingo Province, as we celebrate our diverse and rich cultural heritage;
NOW, THEREFORE, this House resolves to:
- a) Urge all Zimbabweans to actively promote, protect and preserve our indigenous culture, customs and heritage as the bedrock of our national identity;
- b) Encourage responsible use of technology and social media to champion and celebrate Zimbabwean culture, language, traditional music and folklore;
- c) Applaud and fully support the cultural revival programmes spearheaded by the First Lady, especially Gota/Nhanga/Ixhiba, traditional culinary arts and the national dress initiative;
- d) Call upon all Members of Parliament and citizens to proudly wear traditional attire on 25 May 2025 in honour of Traditional Day and to adopt the noble recommendation by His Excellency the President, Dr. E. D. Mnangagwa, to wear traditional fabric once every week as a visible expression of national pride and unity.
HON. SEN. MAVENYENGWA: I second.
HON. SEN. GOTORA: I rise to move this motion following what the President did in Chiredzi last week. We must realise who we are and what makes us. We need to ask ourselves what culture is. The debate is about culture. What is culture? Culture describes the common beliefs, values and social interactions within a society. A society, therefore, refers to a community of people living in the same area, who share the same way of life. Zimbabwe’s diverse cultures are shared by various ethnic groups and historical influences are rich in tradition, art, music and dance.
These cultures are important for preserving Zimbabwe’s heritage, promoting unity and fostering a sense of a unique identity. Zimbabwe has some very small ethnic groups who are the Varemba, the black Jews of Zimbabwe. Some people call them Vamwenye and others call them Mashavi, mainly from Mberengwa but also found in very small populations in Gutu, Wedza, Chiredzi, Buhera and the Vadoma of Chief Chapoto area in Mbire District. We also have the Khoisan people in Tsholotsho. Both have a hunter-gatherer culture. They also, like the Varemba, have a sexual initiation and male circumcision culture for boys and virginity testing for girls. They also only marry within their tribe.
This also applies to the Shangani people in Chiredzi and Chipinge.
Mr. President, in bigger ethnic groups, culture is generally in those smaller groups and is defined by the following attributes:
The first one is language. Any nation or society that is not proud of its language is a dead nation. We can use other people’s languages but we must never allow ourselves to be used by other people’s languages. The Roman Empire was a big empire, Hon. President Sir and they used a language called Latin. They were not proud of their language and Latin became a dead language. When I went to school, I was able to speak in Latin because I studied Latin. I do not remember one single word of Latin now because it is a dead language. So, if we do not become proud of our language, it will become a dead language.
The second issue that makes a culture strong is food. This is where the cook-out competitions by Her Excellency are a very important reminder of what it is that we should eat. We should be eating our sadza from zviyo, mhunga and of course from the American maize. Mapfunde can be eaten with a variety of meats, vegetables, fish, mopani worms, peanut butter, derere, ishwa and much more or dried meat and vegetables, mufushwa. Also Mr. President, we have things like nhopi, rupiza, mutakura, maheu, seven brew and magada as drinks after eating the above sadza. The First Lady has done wonders here because for the first time, the seven-days brew was made in France just two weeks ago. I could see the people who were gathered in France enjoying the seven-days brew. Yet today as the owners of the seven-days brew, we no longer partake in that brew but we are now busy drinking the killer brews that are dangerous for our health.
The next thing that makes culture for our people is our customs. Our customs range from marital, burial practices, respect for elders and a strong connection to ancestral spirits. Mr. President Sir, ten years ago, I went to Beitbridge when I was donating something. I did not realise that there was a culture that we must continue maintaining today. When they want to show that they have appreciated what you have done, they will extend their right hand and then put their left arm under this [Hon. Member showing how it is done] to show that they are real people who appreciate the culture of their area. So, the customs must be kept only by us.
The other thing is communal gatherings and traditional ceremonies like kurova guva and things like carrying kaleva axes on top of their heads. When I first went to Binga, I was afraid of meeting women in Binga. Almost every woman had a kaleva on top of their head, which means they were keeping their culture.
The next thing which I found in Binga, which I still admire today, is the ndombolo smoking by women. Today, it is like a shame for our people to be seen smoking ndombolo. Yet it is something that enhances the thinking of our people. It was not done for no reason. It had a reason.
The next thing Mr. President is beliefs. The traditional African beliefs and practices are a result of where we came from. There is a widespread belief that the spirits of our ancestors, vadzimu, continue to exist and I strongly believe that they still do exist. So, it is now becoming taboo or an embarrassing thing for people to talk of their vadzimu and yet this is who we are. The culture of respecting the dead, our vadzimu, should keep us going. Even during the war, it was led by spirit mediums. Some people may agree and others may not agree but I know what was happening during the war.
The next thing Mr. President, are the rituals. As a people, we had rituals that we conducted for various reasons. These include the mabira ceremony, a community gathering to honour ancestors such as kurova guva. At the installation of chiefs, there were lots of rituals that were done that strengthened our traditional leaders but today, because of religion, we have thrown away some of those rituals, which made our chiefs strong.
The next thing Mr. President said were the beliefs. What did we believe in as a people? Beliefs are a mixture of traditional Christian, Hindu and Muslim practices. We need to choose which beliefs we must move with. Are they Christian beliefs? Are they Hindu beliefs? If so, what benefits accrue from those beliefs? These beliefs strengthened our culture and made us who we are today.
The other thing Mr. President said is our attitudes. Cultural attitudes encompass the shared beliefs, values and customs of a society that influences individual behaviour and perceptions. If you do not have cultural attitudes, the way you behave is like a foreigner in your own country.
Mr. President, the next one that makes our culture strong is music and dance. Africans, Zimbabweans in particular, have unique dances that are not found anywhere else. The first music is the mbira music. The mbira music originated from the Mutapa Empire and this is what made us a strong empire.
The next one Mr. President, is Mbende Jerusalem, originating from Uzumba by Douglas Vambe and was recognised by UNESCO as the only intangible cultural heritage of humanity in 2005. This is the only African dance and music that has been given that honour by UNESCO but we are now becoming afraid or shy to use that dance. We have itshikitsha Mr. President. If you see the people who dance isitshikitsha, you can actually read the rhythmic movement of their bodies. That to me Mr. President, demonstrated the energetic way that we should maintain instead of going to gyms. These people had their gyms in the village but we have now forgotten about it.
We have ingquzu Mr. President. We have tsotsa and again, another very beautiful dance in Zimbabwe, ngoma buntibe in Binga in which everyone is a participant in that dance. Everyone is an instrument player in that dance. You did not need to practice it. You can just join and enjoy yourself. Again, that kind of dance strengthens our bodies because the movements that the people do in that dance just make your body strong. As a result, that is strengthening our culture.
The next one Mr. President is faith and religion. A blend of monotheism and veneration of ancestors. As we were making a culture, there were things that we were doing that made our ancestors closer to us and we were closer to them. As a result, the history of this part of the world called Zimbabwe is that in some cases, you could have free food. You could tell the rain to come and it would come. You could tell a lot of things that became mysterious but only because of the faith and the religions that we had.
Mr. President, the next one is behaviour. Strongly influenced by cultural values, beliefs and social structures, emphasising family, respect and the importance of ancestors around patriarchal customs like the issue of polygamy and that of extended family. As you were in that kind of a marriage, everybody was amai, everybody was umama, everybody was mukoma, everybody was sisi, ubhudi because this is our culture, not today when we are now calling cousin number three, cousin number four, that destroys our culture.
The next thing Mr. President said is the issue of dressing. Even though Zimbabwe today after colonisation does not have what we may call our own cultural dress, we do not have it because of colonisation. Unfortunately, Mr. President, the late Enias Chigwedere tried to bring it back when he was Minister of Education and Culture but may his soul rest in peace. He tried as much as he could to bring it back so that we could have a dress that was uniquely Zimbabwean to suit our culture but for some unknown reason, it did not succeed. However, let me pay homage to the First Lady, Amai Auxillia Mnangagwa. She has tried, even though the piece of cloth we are using is not a dress but still, there is something that we can identify with. So, in that respect, she is bringing us again back to our culture – [HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear.] - and I say kudos to her.
The next thing Mr. President said is arts and sports. If you go to zoos in Europe or in America, you see art from this part of the world. What we sell at USD1 here will be sold overseas at USD100 because of its uniqueness. That kind of art is very close to or in fact epitomises our culture and we should today be proud of the art that we have. As far as I am concerned, if you go to Tengenenge, Chapungu or the cultural centre in Bulawayo, you will be proud of what you see there. It will show you what culture we had as a people but unfortunately Mr. President, we seem to have become more Christianised than more Zimbabweanised. I urge us all to go back to where we came from.
The next thing Mr. President, is the type of dwellings that we had. You could actually tell that this house, thatched on pole and dagger, was done by this tribe and the houses were just beautiful. They were just nice. They either are warm during the winter or cool during the summer, a special type of housing that we had. However, again we have for some unknown reason, thrown it away, which means throwing it away with our culture.
The next thing Mr. President Sir is the issue of sports. We have unique sports in this part of the country or the world. This includes tsoro, nhodo, raka raka and horikotyo which can be developed in national competitions and we can beat other countries in those types of sports. Unfortunately, we think it is backward.
With the above components that make up culture, Zimbabwe's rich and diverse culture shaped by traditions passed down through generations, is crucial for maintaining a sense of identity and community as well as fostering a unique artistic expression. This culture encompasses various customs, rituals, beliefs and deeply rooted in the country's history and influence. Respect and politeness are important ingredients of the Zimbabwean culture. Greetings hold a special place plus a very warm and respectful mhoroi, kaziwai, salibonani, mapona and so on, is commonly used when meeting someone, especially when you meet elders. In public transport, the young stood to give elders a seat as a sign of respect. What a culture! A firm handshake and a friendly smile are considered customary. It is also customary to use appropriate titles like baba when you meet elders, sekuru, amai, ambuya, mukoma, mukwasha, ambuya, when talking to elders to show respect and what a culture we should go back to.
Zimbabweans also place great importance on family and community bonds. Extended families often live together and support one another, thus emphasising the communal nature of our society. Elders are highly respected and consulted on important matters. Family gatherings, celebrations and traditional ceremonies are key aspects of our culture. In some families and communities, connection with ancestral spirits still reigns supreme, which means they are keeping our culture.
Finally, Mr. President, I can go on and on, but let me stop here because there is more to talk about in our culture. I submit. Thank you.
THE HON. DEPUTY PRESIDENT OF SENATE: Two very good motions today. Hon. Senator Chief Siansali's motion was late but very topical and Hon. Senator Gotora's motion, was us trying to rediscover ourselves.
HON. SEN. MAVENYENGWA: Thank you Mr. President of the Senate, for the opportunity to add my voice to this very important motion by Hon. Senator Gotora. Firstly, I would want to thank Hon. Senator Gotora for bringing the motion on the preservation of our culture as a nation. There must come a time when a nation must look back and see whether what they are doing promotes their culture or preserves what their ancestors who started this and discovered this nation, whether what we are doing today, there is anything to identify ourselves as Zimbabwean people. We are Zimbabweans not just because we share a flag or an anthem. We are Zimbabweans because we share a soul, a sacred ancestry, a spiritual rhythm, a cultural code written not in books but in the stories of our grandfathers and our grandmothers, the wisdom of our totems, the taste of our traditional dishes and the dignity of our values.
We find ourselves today in a perilous cultural moment. Our young people who should be the next custodians of our heritage are being swept away by a tidal wave of imported cultures and digital distractions. The smartphones which we are now using today have replaced the fireplace gatherings. The TikTok dance which we now witness has also replaced dances like the Jerusarema and others. Our national fabric, once tightly woven by traditions, is fraying under the weight of modern mimicry. Yes, we celebrate innovation and global engagement which has been brought by the coming in of technology. However, let us be clear, modernity must not mean cultural inertia. We cannot afford to forget who we are in our pursuit of what we are becoming. Yes, we want technology to come and assist us but let us remember that our culture is also very important to us as a nation.
The Constitution of Zimbabwe in Section 16 is unequivocal.
It commands us to preserve and promote our culture and heritage, that is Section 16 of our Constitution. This is not a sentimental request; it is a national duty. It is a duty that every one of us should promote and preserve our culture. Our culture is our moral compass, our glue as a people. A nation that forsakes its cultural heritage loses more than its past - it compromises its future.
Madam President, in line with Vision 2030, we are working towards building a prosperous and empowered upper-middle-income society. However, let me submit Madam President, that empowerment without identity is hollow. Prosperity without purpose is dangerous. We must never grow economically while shrinking our culture.
It is for this reason that the declaration of May 2025 as a National Culture Month is not only timely but transformational. It is an assertion that culture is not the antithesis of development. It is development. Furthermore, it is our bridge between the past and the future.
Madam President, in this noble journey, we salute Her Excellency, the First Lady, Dr. Auxillia Mnangagwa, whose tireless work through the Gota/Nhanga/Ixhiba Programme - [HON. SENATORS: Ixhiba!] - the traditional cook-out competitions and the national dress initiative, has reignited a cultural renaissance. In remote villages and urban centres alike, girls are being taught how to cook traditional meals with pride and boys are learning, not only how to work the land but how to honour their ancestors. A national dress has also emerged, not just as a fabric but as a flag of identity to try and identify ourselves with the national dress wherever we go, even outside our country.
Madam President, through the lens of NDS 1 and the forthcoming NDS 2, which is about to come now, the government clearly acknowledges culture as a cross-cutting pillar. Cultural industries, film, fashion, crafts and music can be engines of employment, tourism and innovation. Let us invest in them, not as relics of a bygone era but as cornerstones of a forward-looking Zimbabwe.
Madam President, we must start with the child. Our curriculum should ensure that every pupil leaves school, not only literate in science and mathematics but should also be fluent in their mother tongue or mother language, knowledgeable in their totem and respectful to their elders and tradition. We need more lessons on Ubuntu/hunhu on the moral teachings of folklores like vana tsuro nagudo, zvatainzwa vana mbuya nanasekuru vachitidzidzisa by the fireplace.
Let us urge the Ministry of Information Communication Technology, Postal and Courier Services, to collaborate with the National Archives to digitise our oral history, music, dances and proverbs. Imagine a mobile app that teaches Karanga riddles, Ndebele proverbs, Manyika and Shangani dances. Let the world learn from us. They should see it on the internet not through stereotypes but through our own digital voice and the Korekore.
Madam President, from the stone carver in Guruve to the mbira player in Mhondoro, our artists are not entertainers, rather they are cultural ambassadors. They are ambassadors of culture. They market our culture to other nations. We must increase access to grants, spaces for exhibitions and international platforms that promote Zimbabwean creativity.
Madam President, every province must hold Culture Weeks, led by traditional leaders and involving our youth. Let the elders speak and the youth listen. Let us bring back nhimbes, the communal gatherings which we used to do before, where generations meet to sow and reap, not only crops but wisdom.
Madam President, we support the call by His Excellency the President, for Zimbabweans to wear traditional attire every week. However, this must be institutionalised in Parliament, Government offices, media houses and schools. – [HON. SENATORS: Inaudible interjections.] - Yes, it should be institutionalised.
Further, our chiefs, headmen and spirit mediums remain the moral backbone of our nation. Their roles must be safeguarded, respected and resourced. Let us consult them not only during ceremonies but in policymaking. We need to consult our traditional leaders even when making policies. Development must begin where culture lives and that is in the village, that is where we should start our development.
Madam President, we are the children of Mbuya Nehanda, of Sekuru Kaguvi, of the Great Zimbabwe builders. Their blood flows in us all. Their legacy beckons us. Shall we let it die under the weight of foreign mimicry and cultural neglect or shall we rise proudly rooted and dignified, respecting our own culture?
Let this motion not gather dust in the Hansard. Let it ignite school projects, community festivals, online campaigns, cultural start-ups and intergenerational conversations. Let it awaken in every Zimbabwean, that hunger to know yourself, to honour your past and to shape the future.
Madam President, a Zimbabwe without culture is a Zimbabwe without a soul but a Zimbabwe that celebrates its culture is a Zimbabwe that will stand tall on the global stage, not as a copy of others but as an original of its own making. I thank you Madam President. – [HON. SENATORS: Hear, hear.] –
HON. SEN. GOTORA: Thank you Madam President. I was expecting you to call me to adjourn the debate because this debate requires a lot of thinking. I move that the debate do now adjourn.
HON. SEN. MAVENYENGWA: I second Madam President.
Motion put and agreed to.
Debate to resume: Wednesday, 11th June, 2025.
MOTION
BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE
THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF THE VETERANS OF THE LIBERATION STRUGGLE AFFAIRS (HON. SEN. H. MOYO): I move that Orders of the Day, Numbers 6 to 9 on today’s Order Paper be stood over until Order of the Day Number 10 has been disposed of.
Motion put and agreed to.
MOTION
LEGALISATION OF TERMINATION OF PREGNANCY
Tenth Order read: Adjourned debate on motion on access to safe legal abortion services.
Question again proposed.
HON. SEN. PHULU: I rise to seek leave to propose an amendment to the motion moved by Hon. Senator Chinyanga, seconded by Hon. Senator Rungani on termination of pregnancies which is on today’s Order Paper.
THE TEMPORARY PRESIDENT OF SENATE (HON. SEN. A. DUBE): May I draw the attention of the Senate that the amendment that has been proposed by Hon. Senator. Phulu complies with the provisions of Standing Order No. 98 of the Senate relating to amendments to motions. Hon. Senators who have already debated this motion may also debate the amendment proposed by Hon. Senator Phulu. The full amendment will appear on tomorrow Order Paper for the Senate.
HON. SEN. PHULU: May I reserve my right to speak to the amendment tomorrow?
HON. SEN. CHINYANGA: I move that the debate do now adjourn.
HON. SEN. TSOMONDO: I second.
Motion put and agreed to.
Debate to resume: Wednesday, 11th June, 2025.
MOTION
CONDOLENCES ON THE DEATH OF FORMER DEPUTY PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE HON. CHEN CHENHAMO CHAKEZHA CHIMUTENGWENDE
Sixth Order read: Adjourned debate on motion on the sudden death on the former Deputy President of Senate, Hon. Chen Chenhamo Chakezha Chimutengwende.
Question again proposed.
*HON. SEN. TONGOGARA: Thank you Madam President for giving met this opportunity to close my debate which is a motion which I brought to this august House pertaining to the late Deputy President of Senate Cde. Chen Chenhamo Chakezha Chimutengwende. I want to thank Hon. Senators who stood up to support the good works that were done by the late Hon. Senator when he was still alive and still in this august House.
There is this common saying which says that good works follow you even after death. I want to urge Hon. Senators to emulate the late Hon. Member to take his life as an example of what we should do. We are working for our families, we are working for our nation and our contribution as we do the different responsibilities that we might have seem insignificant but those who see appreciate that this is good and this person is working hard. We talked about the good deeds in this House that would have been left as a legacy of good works.
I want to conclude by saying that we want to thank the Chimutengwende family which gave birth to such an illustrious son who served the nation with fortitude. I want to say may God comfort the family that was left behind because we know the good works that the Hon. Senator used to do. To the wife and family, I want to say may the Lord comfort them.
I want to take this opportunity to say, may this motion be accepted that this House:-
Expresses its profound sorrow on the sudden death of the former Deputy President of the Senate Hon. Chen. Chenhamo Chakezha Chimutengwende on the 16th of January 2025 and places on record its appreciation of the services which the late Deputy President of the Senate rendered to Parliament and the Nation; and
Resolves that its deepest sympathy be conveyed to Amai Chimutengwende and the family of the late former Senator.
Motion put and agreed to.
MOTION
CONGRATULARY MESSAGE TO HON. KIRSTY COVENTRY ON APPOINTMENT TO IOC PRESIDENCY
Seventh Order read: Adjourned debate on motion on the congratulatory message to the former Hon Minister Kirsty Coventry on her election to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Presidency in Greece.
Question again proposed.
*HON. SEN. CHAKABUKA: Thank you Mr. President for giving me this opportunity. I want to thank the Hon. Members who contributed to my debate and who added value to it. A good thing should be appreciated. We saw this happening when Hon. Kirsty Coventry was promoted to a higher position. This indicates that it is the upliftment of not just the family but also Zimbabwe as a nation. Therefore, I want to thank Hon. Members for the debate towards this motion and I appreciate that because we need to support each other. Mr. President, I would like to close this motion with these few words. I move that the motion be adopted.
Motion that this House:
FULLY EMBRACING the great achievement of our Minister of Sports, Recreation, Arts and Culture, Hon. Kirsty Coventry on her overwhelming election to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Presidency on 20 March 2025 in Greece;
ENTHUSED by this momentous and historic achievement where Hon. Kirsty Coventry becomes the Youngest African Woman ever to hold the prestigious position of IOC Presidency;
ALSO COGNISANT of the hard work that culminated in achieving this unprecedented achievement which will serve to inspire the girl child the world-over and in particular, here at home where the sky is the limit for the girl child;
NOW, THEREFORE, resolves that Senate expresses its profound gratitude and congratulatory message to Hon. Kirsty Coventry, her family and the nation at large, put and agreed to.
MOTION
REPORT OF THE THEMATIC COMMITTEE ON CULTURE AND HERITAGE ON THE TRADITIONAL COURT SYSTEMS IN ZIMBABWE
Eighth Order read: Adjourned debate on motion on the Report of the Thematic Committee on Culture and Heritage on the Traditional Court System in Zimbabwe.
Question again proposed.
HON. SEN. GOTORA: Madam President, the Chief is not in but I seconded the motion and I move that the debate do now adjourn.
HON. SEN. ZVIDZAI: I second.
Motion put and agreed to.
Debate to resume: Wednesday, 25th June, 2025.
MOTION
CONSTRUCTION OF DAMS AND WATER STORAGE FACILITIES
Ninth Order read: Adjourned debate on motion on Climate Change Mitigation.
Question again proposed.
*HON. SEN. MAVENYENGWA: Thank you Madam President. I rise to thank all the Hon. Senators who debated this motion, which is quite important. The motion to do with climate change looks at what we could do as a nation. I believe that even when the ministry officials read the Hansard and when they look at the contributions that were made by the Hon. Senators, this would add value even to the Ministry and the contributions are going to ensure food security. This is going to allow us to solve a number of problems even as we face water challenges and in different situations even if there is drought. I believe that all the issues that were raised during the deliberations are quite important and helpful. I move that the motion be adopted.
Motion that this House:
NOTING the erratic rainfall patterns due to climate change, resulting in reliance on rain fed agriculture being unsustainable and unpredictable;
DEEPLY CONCERNED that the frequency and severity of droughts continues to threaten food security, agricultural sustainability and rural livelihoods in Zimbabwe;
ACKNOWLEDGING that climate change mitigation requires pro-active strategies, including large-scale irrigation expansion and enhanced water resource management to ensure all-year-round agricultural production;
NOW, THEREFORE, urges the Government to:
- expedite the construction of additional dams and water storage facilities as a national climate adaptation strategy to mitigate the adverse effects of drought;
- accelerate the establishment and modernisation of irrigation schemes to ensure the stability of food production;
- conduct a nationwide assessment to identify and allocate sufficient land for largescale irrigation to boost national food security;
- strengthen policies that promote climate-smart agriculture, including the adoption of advanced irrigation technologies, water-efficient farming methods and renewable energy solutions for agricultural sustainability; and ensure increased budgetary allocations and investment in agricultural infrastructure, put and agreed to.
HON. SEN. ZINDI: Madam President, on a point of national interest. I just want to find out whether the ministers responsible for the motions that are being wound have respondedton those motions as they are being wound. If not, what can we do so they can take Members’ motions seriously as they are raising pertinent issues in these motions? I thank you.
THE TEMPORARY PRESIDENT OF SENATE (HON. SEN. DUBE): Thank you Hon. Senator. I think it is true. We will make a follow up on those ministers. I think everyone knows and they all know about it as we always talk about it. Thank you very much.
MOTION
PRESIDENTIAL SPEECH: DEBATE ON ADDRESS
Eleventh Order read: Adjourned debate on motion in reply to the Presidential Speech.
Question again proposed.
HON. SEN. GOTORA: Thank you Madam President. I move that debate do now adjourn.
HON. SEN. MOHADI: I second.
Motion put and agreed to.
Debate to resume: Wednesday, 11th June, 2025.
On the motion of THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF VETERANS OF THE LIBERATION STRUGGLE AFFAIRS (HON. H. MOYO), the House adjourned at Twenty-Eight Minutes past Four o’clock p. m.