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SENATE HANSARD 11 JUNE 2025 Vol. 34 No. 53

PARLIAMENT OF ZIMBABWE

Wednesday, 11^th June, 2025

The Senate met at Half–past Two o’clock p.m.

PRAYERS

(THE HON PRESIDENT OF SENATE in the Chair)

ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE HON. PRESIDENT OF SENATE

ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH SERVICE

              THE HON. PRESIDENT OF SENATE: I have to remind the Senate that on Thursday, 12^th June, 2025 there will be a Roman Catholic Church service in Special Committee Room Number 1 at 1200 hours. All Hon. Senators are invited to attend.

MOTION

BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE

             THE MINISTER OF PROVINCIAL AFFAIRS AND DEVOLUTION FOR HARARE METROPOLITAN PROVINCE (HON. SEN. TAWENGWA): 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 ON THE 69^TH SESSION OF THE CONVENTION ON THE STATUS OF WOMEN (CSW 69) HELD IN NEW YORK CITY

         HON SEN. MBOHWA: I move the motion standing in my name that this House takes note of the Report on the 69^th Session of the Convention on the Status of Women (CSW 69) on the Review and Appraisal of the Implementation of the 1995 Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action and the Outcomes of the 23^rd Special Session of the General Assembly held from 10 to 21 March, 2025 at the United Nations Headquarters, New York City, United States of America.

              HON. SEN. SHIRI: I second.

       HON. SEN. MBOHWA:

1.0                   Introduction

Every year, the United Nations convenes the world’s largest annual conference on the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) at its headquarters in New York to discuss women's and girls' rights. The CSW sessions always creates an opportunity for Member States, civil society organisations and other stakeholders to engage in dialogue and review progress on the implementation of gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls across the globe. The conference was held from 10 to 21 March 2025 and marked the 69^th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW69). It was unique in that it focused on the review of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, originally adopted in 1995 at the Fourth World Conference on Women. Reflections were clear: ‘no nation has yet fully achieved gender equality’, hence the declaration that the promises made 30 years ago cannot wait any longer and can no longer be deferred.

2.0 Parliament of Zimbabwe Delegation

The President of the Senate and Patron of the Zimbabwe Women Parliamentary Caucus, Hon. Mabel M. Chinomona led the Parliament of Zimbabwe delegation comprising of the following Honourable Members; Hon. Maybe Mbohwa, Chairperson of the Zimbabwe Women’s Parliamentary Caucus, Hon. Otilia Sibanda, Vice Chairperson of the Zimbabwe Women’s Parliamentary Caucus, Hon. Getrude Mutandi, Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Women’s Affairs, Small and Medium Enterprise Development, Hon. Sisasenkosi Ndebele, Chairperson of the Thematic Committee on Gender and Development, Mr. Califinos Guvi, Director in the President of the Senate’s Office, Mr. Kumbirai Makamure, Protocol Officer, Mr. Mathew Chikuse, Aide to the President of the Senate’s Office, Ms. Wishes Chauke, Aide to the President of the Senate’s Office and Mrs Precious Mtetwa, Secretary to the delegation and

ZWPC Desk Officer.

3.0                  Theme and Objectives of the CSW 69

The CSW 69 Session’s main focus was on the review and appraisal of the implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action and the outcomes of the 23^rd special session of the General Assembly. The review included celebrations of the achievements already attained since the 1995 Beijing Declaration on gender equality and the empowerment of women. The conference also assessed the challenges that affected the implementation of the Beijing Declaration and encouraged Member States to strive towards its full realisation together with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

4.0     Meetings Attended and Key Outcomes from the Conference

The delegation participated in more than 15 meetings, including the CSW 69 official opening ceremony, an event which was always missed due to delays associated with travel logistics. In addition to the official meetings, the delegation also participated in side events, including the two events hosted by the Government of Zimbabwe through the Ministry of Women’s Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development (MWACSMED). These side events scheduled on the margins of the Official CSW meetings were organised and coordinated by various governments, intergovernmental organisations and civil society organisations. Below is the summary of key messages that came out of the official meetings and side events.

4.1     Official Opening Ceremony

The key highlight from the opening ceremony was a call for action for all Member States to reflect on the progress and setbacks since the landmark Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (BDPA) of 1995. The session served as both a celebration of achievements and a sobering reminder of the work that remains until the ‘future is equal.’ With global crises, economic inequalities and political challenges threatening hard-won gains, speakers urged governments, civil society and international organisations to translate commitments into measurable outcomes. While notable progress has been made concerning women’s involvement in decision-making spaces, participants noted with concern that the anticipated change has been too slow and remains fragile in the face of intersecting crises. In light of that, it was unanimously agreed that "the world must move beyond making promises and take decisive action to dismantle systemic barriers and ensure women’s equal rights are realised. ”

 

4.2  Adoption of a Political Declaration to Respect, Protect and Champion the Rights, Equality and Empowerment of Women and Girls

One key outcome worth noting was the adoption by consensus by the Member States, of the powerful political declaration to reaffirm their commitments to the full implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action of 1995. The declaration underscored the importance of eradicating poverty and violence against women in all its forms. It also emphasised the need to close the gender digital divide and called for renewed investment in gender statistics and data to drive informed policymaking, among others. The declaration also emphasised the need to integrate women’s voices and leadership into all stages of conflict prevention, peacebuilding, security and conflict resolution. Last but not least, the declaration also called for strengthened national systems, women’s machineries,and international mechanisms, including a revitalised Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), to accelerate gender equality efforts globally.

4.3  Zimbabwe Side Events

The MWACSMED had the opportunity to showcase what the Government has done to advance gender equality in Zimbabwe since the Beijing Declaration of 1995. Participants who spoke during the side events, included the President of the Senate, Hon. Chinomona who emphasised the importance of strengthening intergenerational dialogue to sustain the momentum to hand over the torch to the younger generation and strengthen gender institutions.

• The first side event centered on the theme, "Driving Intergenerational Dialogue: Bridging Generations and Building Alliances with the Private Sector to Uphold the Legacy of the 4^th World Conference on " Participants called upon the key stakeholders in Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment (GEWE) to collaborate and build alliances with the private sector in advancing gender equality. Male engagement and intergenerational dialogues were viewed as essential to sustain the gains already achieved since the Beijing Declaration. However, participants agreed that legislative and policy reforms remain critical in ensuring that women and girls break the glass ceiling.
• The second side event focused on the theme, “Accelerating the Beijing Declaration: Zimbabwe’s Institutional Mechanisms as Key Drivers of ” The event brought together key stakeholders that are pivotal in advancing the GEWE under the Zimbabwe Institutional Mechanism/ National Gender Machinery framework, namely the Parliament of Zimbabwe, the Public Service Commission, the Zimbabwe Gender Commission, the Ministry of Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion, Civil Society Organisations and the private sector. The discussion centered on the need to adequately fund the Gender Machinery so that they exercise their mandate effectively.

4.4     Southern Africa Development Community (SADC)/ African Union (AU) Meetings

The delegation participated in two side events hosted by the SADC/AU focusing on the following topics;

4.4.1           Addressing the gender digital divide in the era of Artificial Intelligence (AI)

The side event encouraged Member States to embrace AI and ensure that women and girls are not left behind. It was observed that AI is accelerating the digital divide in the workplace, education, politics and many other platforms, prejudicing women and girls, given that only 23% of women globally are employed in AI jobs. Emphasis was put on governments to create opportunities for the involvement of women in STEM education, curriculum reforms to embrace the use of AI and digitalisation of schools, capacity building, advocacy, development of laws and policies to support the use of AI and the promotion of women’s leadership in AI.

4.4.2           Taking stock of CSW resolution 60/2 on women, the Girl child and HIV/AIDs

This side event focused on reflections on assessing progress by SADC Member States in implementing the CSW Resolution on women, girls and HIV/AIDs, given that the region was and remains one of the hardest hit by HIV/AIDs. Concerns were raised on the alarming statistics whereby the disease is affecting adolescents aged between 10 and 24 years within Sub-Saharan Africa with over 60% of the infections being among young women and adolescent girls. Statistics show that about 45% of adolescent girls were mothers, while 10% of the adolescents were married off before the age of 15. Surprisingly, the rate of infections is decreasing for the elderly population above 35. It was recommended that Member States prioritise enhancing access to Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) services targeting the younger women and girls.

4.5     Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Meeting

The delegation attended the IPU meeting focusing on the role of Parliaments in legislating for women’s rights and resisting backlash. The meeting provided a platform to examine the role of parliaments in advancing the Beijing Declaration while being able to mobilise against backlash. Parliamentarians were urged to revive their commitment to the development, implementation and enforcement of policies and action plans to achieve gender equality. The participants noted that the fulfilment of women’s and girls’ rights and empowerment can best be achieved through legislation and shifting paradigms towards parity in decision-making. However, it was noted that not much progress can be registered without the involvement of the male counterparts.

4.6     Other Side Events Attended

The delegation participated in other side events hosted by countries within the African continent mostly, such as Botswana, Rwanda, South Africa, Morocco, Uganda and Malawi and intergovernmental organisations such as UN Women, UNFPA, and UNESCO. Topical issues that took centre stage during the two-week long conferences were on the following thematic areas;

4.6.1           Reflections on the Beijing Plus 30 Years, Progress and Achievements

The key point that emerged was that significant progress had been made since 1995 toward achieving Gender Equality and Women Empowerment (GEWE). However, momentum toward achieving GEWE has slowed since 2020. Member States were urged to move from commitment to real action to achieve parity in all spheres of the economy. Rwanda, Namibia, South Africa and Saudi Arabia were noted as countries with best practices in GEWE.

4.6.2           Gender Responsive Budgeting as Central in Advancing GEWE

While it was noted that many countries have suffered economic meltdowns since the COVID-19 era, Member States were encouraged to prioritise and allocate sufficient resources to support gender equality. A decreasing trend was observed towards funding programmes aimed at supporting gender equality initiatives, while more focus is on defence and security, with over USD2 trillion spent on the procurement of firearms. Thus, African governments were encouraged to be intentional and commit to funding gender equality programmes through domestic resource mobilisation.

4.6.3           The ILO Decent Work agenda, the care economy and social protection

The participants highlighted that women spend on average four hours and 25 minutes each day on unpaid care work, compared with an average of 1 hour and 23 minutes for men. In addition, an estimated 606 million working-age women are outside the workforce due to caring responsibilities and social reproduction. Thus, Members were urged to “rethink the care economy” by valuing unpaid care work in economic models and also investing in care services as part of essential public services and social protection arrangements. Therefore, the development of essential policies and legislation to support the decent work agenda remains critical.

4.6.4           Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights for Women and Girls

The meeting emphasised that States have obligations to respect, protect and fulfil rights related to women’s and girls’ sexual and reproductive health. Participants agreed that the current gender inequalities not only exacerbate the vulnerabilities of women and girls but also their access to SRHR facilities and services. In light of that, Parliamentarians were urged to promote gender-sensitive health, in particular, SRHR policies through their legislative mandates. One of the important roles of Parliament was to scale up financing to support SRHR services such as access to HIV/AIDs services, modern contraceptives, and family planning services, as well as strengthening data collection and accountability mechanisms.

4.6.5           Strengthening Intergenerational Dialogue and Mentorship Programmes for Young Women

Participants agreed that 30 years after Beijing, there is an urgent need to convene intergenerational dialogues and mentorship programmes to ensure that the veterans pass on the baton to the young women and girls so that they move forward with the Beijing agenda. Of major importance was to assess progress on what has worked and what needs to be changed, given the time that has passed since 1995. Of major importance are technological advancements, the advent of AI and generational differences, among others, which may impact implementation.

4.6.6  The Call to End Gender-Based Violence and for Member States within the African Union to Ratify the AU Convention on Ending Violence against Women and Girls

The meeting aimed at calling Member Countries to adopt and ratify the Convention as a commitment to ending violence against women and girls. The Convention was adopted during the 38^th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government in February 2025 in Ethiopia. The Convention encourages Member States to establish a comprehensive, legally binding framework for the prevention and elimination of, and effective response to all forms of violence against women and girls across Africa by;

1. Addressing the root causes and drivers of such violence,
2. Strengthening legal and institutional mechanisms, and

• Promoting a culture of respect for human rights, gender equality and the dignity of women and girls.

While the AU Member States have made significant progress in developing and implementing comprehensive legal, policy and institutional responses to violence against women and girls, it remains critical to accelerate action that encourages all sectors of society to participate actively in efforts to eradicate this scourge.

4.6.7           Financial Inclusion as Central to Women’s Economic Empowerment

Participants were clear that women play a pivotal role in national development. Hence, the path to greater women’s financial inclusion is dependent upon the creation of a more gender-inclusive financial system that addresses the specific demand and supply side barriers faced by women. These barriers ranged from the lack of assets for collateral to more structural constraints such as account opening requirements that disadvantage women. Therefore, providing low-income women with effective and affordable financial tools to save and borrow money, make and receive payments and manage risk is critical to both women’s empowerment and poverty reduction. Of major concern was the call for women to be involved in tenders and procurements, mining, manufacturing and many other opportunities on equal footing with men. Speakers agreed that there was a need to enhance policies and legislative frameworks which are pathways to promote women’s participation in economic development, particularly politics, peace and security and the climate change agenda, among others.

5.0     Key Observations and Recommendations

• It was important to move from promises to action by strengthening the institutions designed to advance women's and girls’ rights such as the responsible ministries, government agencies and Parliaments. Members can learn from progress already made in Rwanda, Namibia, South Africa, Australia and the United Arab Emirates, among others.

• National budgets remain the most important tool used by governments to advance women’s and girls’ Parliaments must ensure that adequate resources or specific budgets are set aside to support gender mainstreaming and budget votes such as education, health and social protection.
• The advancement of decent work in the care economy is not optional, but governments must work towards attaining this It is therefore imperative for governments to embrace the Decent Work Agenda 112 under the ILO, which is a landmark development in the care economy. Countries such as Ireland, Slovenia, Russia and Norway have come up with effective policies and laws on the care economy.
• That financial inclusion underpins women's economic empowerment, which is central to sustainable development and economic growth. Therefore, women must be trained in digital and financial literacy. Countries such as Tanzania, Qatar, Singapore, and Sweden have already made significant progress in the economic empowerment of women.
• 5 Members expressed concern over the decline in international aid from the developed world to support developing countries, particularly in It was crucial for African governments to be intentional in committing to funding gender equality programmes and to move away from over-reliance on the donor community.
• Artificial Intelligence is here to stay and Member Countries must move with the times in order not to exacerbate the gender digital gap. Members were urged to legislate and promote the use of AI in their countries and promote the participation of women across the board.
• Gender-based violence against women and girls remains one of the most brutal and abhorrent crimes in our Therefore, Parliament must support the ratification of the AU Convention on Ending Violence against Women and Girls, adopted by the AU Heads of State in February 2025.

 

Parliament of Zimbabwe Action Plan

 

Item	Action	Responsibility	Timeframe
1.	Parliament to continue to lobby for the advancement and fulfilment of the 50-50 Agenda in Parliament and beyond as stipulated in the Constitution	ZWPC1                 with Support from Parliament  and CSOs	On-going
2.	Parliament to ensure that the National Gender Machinery Framework/ Zimbabwe Institutional Mechanism is adequately funded to enable the key institutions to perform their respective mandates.	ZWPC PCWACSMED2 TCGD3	31      December 2025
3.	Capacitation of Female Parliamentarians on the Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)	ZWPC                   with support                 from Parliament and CSOs	31      December 2025
4.	Advocacy on scaling up funding to support Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights for women and Girls in Zimbabwe	ZWPC                   with support                 from Parliament and CSOs	31      December 2025
5.	Strengthening intergenerational dialogue and mentorship programmes for young women	ZWPC                   with support                 from Parliament and CSOs	On-Going
6.	Lobby for the adoption and ratification of the AU Convention on Ending Violence against Women and Girls as a commitment to ending violence against women and girls by the Zimbabwe Government	ZWPC PCWACSMED TCGD	On-Going
7.	Lobby for enhanced access to finances by women to support women’s economic empowerment	ZWPC	On-Going

 

Thank you Madam President.

         HON. SEN. SHIRI:  Thank you Madam President for the opportunity you have given me to second the motion on the 69^th Session for the Convention on the Status of Women held in New York.  It is such an honour and I would like to debate a topic that holds immense promise and transformative potential for women in Zimbabwe.  I want to buttress the point on the need to harness the use of Artificial Intelligence in support of the Women’s Economic Empowerment in Zimbabwe.

         Madam President, Artificial Intelligence has really changed things and it is very challenging right now.  I am hitting on a very important topic for an important demographic. Artificial Intelligence has also access to information and education.  Research has completely changed. Madam President, Artificial intelligence using our phones is very easy for us to also make research.  Women and persons with disabilities can access educational information in a format of their choice by asking much targeted questions from wherever they are and there will be no need for one to be competent in reading or writing. 

         Again, on financial literacy for grant proposals, for example during the weekend Madam President, we were trained by the Women’s Bank on how to do micro-loan applications.  Artificial Intelligence can help with preparing proposals for businesses and applications for finances.  Micro-loan applications may not have formal training in preparing financial statements, budgets or the format for a proposal.  Artificial Intelligence can generate a template and help applicants fill in the details to increase chances of funding. 

         Madam President, there is also access to health information.  Artificial Intelligence makes it easier to develop and scale tools for telemedicine which can be lifesaving when it comes to pregnancy risks and prenatal care.  There is also accessibility aides like persons with disabilities, we use assistive devices. Artificial Intelligence powers speech to text and text to speech can also help those with hearing and speech impairments. Madam President, Artificial Intelligence (AI), simultaneous gender equality and women's empowerment remain vital for Zimbabwe's sustainable development. When these two forces intersect, they can catalyse profound change, unlocking opportunities for women to participate fully in the economy, enhance their livelihoods and contribute to national progress. It is a fact that harnessing AI can help address complex issues that affect women, for example, they can improve agriculture, healthcare, education and financial services.

AI can be a game-changer for women in Zimbabwe, including women with disabilities. I am happy that during the 69^th Session of the CSW, there was a session urging Member States to urgently address the gender digital divide in the area of AI so that women and girls are not left behind.

Let me take again this opportunity to applaud the Parliament of Zimbabwe for taking the initial step in embracing AI in its work. I believe that AI can be a great move for women's economic empowerment in both urban and rural areas.

Hon. Senator Mbohwa highlighted that during the CSW meetings, there was a call for governments to digitalise and at the same time, ensure that women and girls are not left behind.

In developing countries like Zimbabwe, it is AI accelerating the digital divide in the workplace, education, politics and many other platforms. Hon. Senator Mbohwa also highlighted that only 23% of women globally are employed in AI jobs. This is saddening, given that women account for about 52% of our country. We are the majority amongst many other countries.

Additionally, women's participation in the ICT sector in Zimbabwe is even gloomier and worse for persons with disabilities. It is therefore important for the Government to create opportunities for the involvement of women in STEM education, undertake curriculum reforms and embrace the use of AI in digitalisation in schools.

 As Parliament, it is time we also develop laws and policies to support the use of AI and the promotion of women's leadership in AI. Zimbabwe is a pivotal moment in its economic journey. Women again constitute a significant portion of our workforce, particularly in sectors such as agriculture and small-scale enterprises. However, they often face numerous barriers, including limited access to resources, education and technology. Despite their resilience and entrepreneurial spirit, many women remain trapped in cycles of poverty. However, AI offers a pathway to change this narrative. AI can serve as an empowering force for women through enhancing financial inclusion, market access and networking.

Through leveraging AI, we can unlock new opportunities for women in the following ways. Enhancing productivity - AI can optimise agricultural practices, enabling women farmers to increase yields and access vital market information. As female parliamentarians, we can also be trained on how to use AI so that we can also do our research and raise motions in the Houses and even use it during campaigns. Access to markets, online platforms powered by AI can connect women entrepreneurs to broader markets, allowing them to sell their products beyond local boundaries. This is not only to increase their income, but also empowers them to become leaders in their communities.

Financial inclusion - AI driven financial services can provide women access to credit and financial planning tools by assessing credit worthiness through innovative data analysis and women can secure the funding needed to start and grow their businesses.

 Recommendations - Madam President, in light of that, I would like to mention that to maximise AI benefits for women's employment in Zimbabwe, the Government must invest in digital infrastructure and affordable internet access, promote STEM education and digital skills among women and girls. In order to benefit from the wave of new artificial tools, the Government should create AI education centres where women and persons with disabilities can also be taught to take advantage of it. We should encourage policies that support women's participation in digital economy and create grants that target women-run AI initiatives or projects that benefit women and persons with disabilities. Foster public-private partnerships to develop inclusive AI solutions and ensure ethical use of AI, safeguarding privacy and avoiding bias.

Madam President, as I conclude, let me hasten to urge our Government, the private sector and civil society to come together. We need policies that promote gender equality in technology and entrepreneurship by harnessing Artificial Intelligence thoughtfully and inclusively. We can build a future where every woman has the tools, opportunities and support to thrive. Parliament has already started work on this initiative. Let us commit ourselves to this vision where technology empowers women and women drive the future of our country, Zimbabwe. I thank you.

HON. SEN. MBOHWA: Thank you Madam President. I move that the debate do now adjourn.

HON. SEN. SHIRI: I second.

Motion put and agreed to.

Debate to resume: Thursday, 12^th June, 2025.

MOTION

DECLARATION OF A CULTURAL PUBLIC HOLIDAY

HON. SEN. CHIEF NECHOMBO: I move the motion standing in my name that this House—

RECOGNISING that culture promotes the preservation of traditional practices thereby enhancing the dignity of the people;

ALSO, RECOGNISING that culture is a catalyst of economic development, arts festivals music, the role of culture in driving economic development, as cultural industries such as arts, music, and tourism and create jobs for the citizens;

NOTING that culture further plays a major role in the preservation of our heritage, traditions, language and customs which are passed from generation to generation;

COGNISANT that every year on the 21st of May, UNESCO celebrates the World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development, highlighting not only the beauty of the world’s diverse cultures but also the intercultural dialogue which leads in peace and sustainable development;

DISTURBED that Zimbabwe currently does not have a dedicated day for celebrating its unique cultural diversity and the economic benefits derived from our cultural heritage;

NOW, THEREFORE, this House calls upon to—

(a)     dedicate a day  for the Ministry of Sport, Arts and Culture to be declared as a cultural public holiday;

(b)    cultural heritage raises public awareness campaigns on the importance of culture and the legacy emanating therefrom.

         HON. SEN. ZVIDZAI: I second.

HON. SEN. CHIEF NECHOMBO: Thank you Madam President. Before I move the motion, I would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge and appreciate the motion which was raised by our Hon. Senator. Gotora. It was important for the culture and the heritage, a motion which I would also like to associate myself with in moving my motion today Madam President. I want to compliment and I hope the motion will also concretise the motion which was moved by Hon. Senator Gotora on the need for our nation to position our culture and heritage.

As a responsible trustee and custodian of our African culture and heritage, I rise today with acute conscience and pain that to date, our culture remains in a persistent shadow of despair. As a direct descendant of our proud cultural legacy, I am stirred by the spirit of our forebearers, from the Great Zimbabwe, the Munhumutapa Empire, to the Khumalos, the Tangwena, Nehanda, Chaminuka and of course, many others. We remain indebted to the whispering spirit of our forebearers in a sense of urgency as tomorrow's toll, that there be the institutionalisation of a National Culture Day. – [HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear.]-

I do not speak as a loner voice nor about, but among others whose feet still carry the dust of the village path, one whose ears bear the whispers of our great mother's stories, one whose heart still bears and beats to the rhythm of the ancestral time. One without choice, but to deliver a sacred spiritual obligation.

Culture, Madam President, is the very foundation stones upon which civilisation builds its cathedral. Our culture is our life-giver, our comforter and our teacher. Culture is not a fossil preserved in a museum, it is a living house. To abandon it, is to orphan ourselves. Culture is not mere performance, it is breath, it is the silence in the sacred groove, the rhythm of the drum, the wisdom in proverbs. It is unhu, it is ubuntu - I am because we are. It is our identity, our history and our unifier. To lose our culture is to lose our being.

You will readily concur with me that if we are to pass on our culture to posterity, a child has to learn from seeing their mother and father reading about it, living it, explaining it, hence the need for a National Culture Day.

Now that the UNESCO Culture month has come and gone, what remains of us? We remain without our national culture day dedicated to honouring, celebrating and advancing our indigenous spiritual systems, traditions and creative expressions. If we are not vigilant, we risk cultural extinction, for we live in an acculturated universe and global cultural competition threatening our existence and if we do not dignify and glorify our own, we will be left with nothing to show. Thus, globalisation looms as both opportunity and threat.

Madam President, I speak not in isolation, but well awake to our neighbour South Africa, which celebrates its Heritage Day on 24th September, Ghana commemorating its own on 14th March, let alone Botswana, having the annual letter LETSATSI LA NGWAO cultural festival. I need not say anything more, as I go on and on, suffice to say, let us declare a Zimbabwe culture day, a day when the dust of great Zimbabwe rises in our footsteps.

When the Chibuku pot shares not only brew, but the truth when isitshikitsha rhythms, chikicha readings stir both the ground and the conscience, when the tsotsa dance of the Buja pierces the sky, and the Jerusarema-Mbende of Murehwa fills the air. Zimbabwe's cultural soul runs deep like the Zambezi, but we have not yet crowned it from the sacred resonance of the mbira, calling to the ancestors, to the wisdom of the Tonga, the Kalanga, the Shona, the Ndebele tongues, from the walls of the Great Zimbabwe to every philosophies of our people, we are the heirs to a powerful heritage that awaits awakening.

Let us not allow our culture to become a museum piece, let us live it, teach it and celebrate it. Some may ask, why dedicate a day to what already lives in us? I say to you, this day is but a mirror, a day of remembering and redefining, a day to teach our children the meanings of roora, mombe yeumai, dandabotso and the importance of the extended family, the importance of tete, sekuru, ambuya, muzukuru and so on.

Madam President, the world is watching. Will we lead or lose ourselves? Today's children know more of foreign streams than ancestral dreams, more of alien kings than the elders of their own streams. Our African culture now looks strange to them, while modernity is seen as normal. We must transcend the inferiority complex and stop being perpetual seekers of external validation. We must stop being consumers of other people's stories and become creators from our own soil, in our own voices. I say, let Bulawayo’s artisans rise, let Harare’s poets reclaim the skies; Let Mutare’s dancers shake the earth, let Binga's Tonga sing their worth.

I therefore propose Madam President, that the Government declare a day, a Zimbabwe Culture Day. The vibrant cultural events being organised nationwide by the Ministry of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage in partnership with the traditional leaders, artists, educators, and the civil society. The local authorities and traditional custodians, being resourced to host community celebrations, from storytelling and fashion to indigenous games and cuisine. That a cultural development fund be established to support rural tourism, creative industries and endangered languages.

Let this day be more than a performance, let it be a promise, a promise that will resurrect the nation's heartbeat. That will re-forge what history tried to erase, that will build a Zimbabwe that remembers itself. Let the record show, we did not let the libraries of our ancestors burn in silence. We rose with one accord and we remembered and from this day forward, Zimbabwe's soul has its own day. I so move. Thank you.

HON. SEN. ZVIDZAI:  Thank you Madam President, for the opportunity you have afforded me to contribute to this most important motion that has been moved by Hon. Senator Chief Nechombo. I am sure as Senate, we all agreed that not only has Hon. Senator Chief Nechombo moved a very critical motion but he has done that with irresistible eloquence. If eloquence alone was the basis for making sure that this motion be adopted and that the Executive moves further to declare a day in our calendar as National Culture and Heritage Day, indeed, we would need no further debate except to accede to the request by the Hon. Chief that this be done.

Madam President, it is also very interesting to note that the level of consciousness around issues of culture and heritage is soaring as measured by the several motions that we have begun to see in this Senate dealing with the need to find ourselves, to rediscover ourselves, and propel ourselves into the future based on our past, our identity and our own dignity.

 

In that respect, therefore, I would like to join Hon. Senator Chief Nechombo in thanking and appreciating the Hon. Senator who moved a motion which is very similar. We can do it so many times to make sure that we convincingly speak to the Executive so that with expedition, we could have a National Day of Culture and Heritage.

Mr. President of Senate Sir, important epochs in time need disruptive approaches that depart from the past and move into the now and the future.   I do agree with Hon. Senator Chief Nechombo in the way he has moved; this has been so disruptive, it is creating a move in our presence. I cannot say much more, I am in support of this.

I wish that all Members of this august Senate can join in supporting this motion and creating a movement that pushes for rediscovering ourselves and pushing for this desire. Indeed, most nations do have declared days of culture and heritage. As the Hon. Senator said in his motion, countries such as South Africa, Botswana, the U.S. and many other countries, observe this  culture and heritage day. By so doing,  we can regain our dignity, create a soul around our development matrix and move forth in unison, in harmony and totally united in purpose.

Mr. President of Senate, if it is allowed, I would also like to quickly go through a poem that I wrote last night in support of the eloquence that we have seen here. I checked in the book that guides our business, I did not see anything that objects to recitation or reading of a poem to reinforce the sonorous ideas that the Hon. Senator Chief has pronounced. If it is allowed, let me go ahead and say, Mr. President, I rise not to merely speak, but to summon memory, to awaken that which lies deep within our national soul. In the solemn sound of mbira, in the echo of ancestral drums, there resides a sacred wisdom bequeathed through generations, rooted in the soils of Zimbabwe and inscribed upon the stones of our ancient fortresses. Our totems, Mr. President of Senate, are not relics, they are living emblems of lineage and belonging. Our languages are not obsolete but vessels of thought, nuance and nationhood.

Our customs are not quaint, they are codes of dignity, discipline and mutual regard. Yet Hon. Members, as the tide of modernity advances, we risk abandoning these enduring pillars and exchanging the profound for the convenient and in so doing, we endanger the very essence of who we are. Development is not measured solely on concrete and currency, structures and money but in the continuity of culture, in the preservation of identity and in the transmission of values that give meaning to progress.

A nation that forgets itself, Mr. President of Senate Sir, no matter how tall it builds, erects fragile structures, void of spirit, is vulnerable to collapse. Let us, therefore, embrace cultural preservation not as a sentiment but as a strategic imperative. Let our schools teach our histories truthfully.

Let our policies protect indigenous knowledge systems. Let our economy harness the creative power of our artisans, our musicians, our healers and story tellers.

Let us fund our festivals, archive our languages and immortalise the lived wisdom of our ancestors. In doing so, we do not retreat into the past. We propel ourselves forward with purpose and soul. Zimbabwe’s renaissance must be rooted in the Zimbabwean reality. Who are we? Let culture not be the casualty of progress but its foundation. Let us remember a tree that forgets its roots cannot survive the storm.

I so move Mr. President, in the reverence of those who came before us and in responsibility to those who are yet to come. I submit.

 

THE HON. DEPUTY PRESIDENT OF SENATE: Thank you Hon. Senator Zvidzai. I can see that the fire which was started yesterday is continuing to burn today. The cultural depth in us is showing itself and it must continue to show itself.

HON. SEN. CHIEF NECHOMBO: I move that the debate do now adjourn.

HON. SEN. ZVIDZAI: I second.

Motion put and agreed to.

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

MOTION

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

Sixth Order read: Adjourned debate on motion on 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.

         Question again proposed.

HON. SEN. SIBANDA: Thank you Senate President. I want to thank the Hon. Senator who moved the motion, Hon. Senator Chief Siansali. We note that water is historically pivotal in our lives because everything else, we can survive without but we cannot survive without water. We have spoken about the shortage of water in different parts of the country and the report highlights Bulawayo, which is where I operate from as a Senator representing Bulawayo City. Bulawayo City is surrounded by many rivers that supply the city with water and we do not get that water which is a marvel.

There is Nyanguni and many dams like Mtshabezi and other dams which were supposed to provide water even when we were growing up, like Zambezi. The water project was supposed to provide water but we have not yet benefited from it. The project is just taking money from citizens and we are not realising anything from the project. Senate President, I believe that what has been raised through the report which was presented by Hon. Senator Chief Siansali and his colleagues is going to benefit Bulawayo. 

Mr. President, the city that we are talking about is a city that has hospitals where women go for their maternity healthcare. We need water in hospitals and hygiene in hospitals. When also looking at where healthcare workers live, it is important for people to have water. When we are seated in this august House discussing these issues, you would find that there are people who are employed to do these projects, like the Zambezi Water Project. Some people are pocketing money and this is bad. As leaders, we need to introspect, we need to look at the challenges that we are bringing upon the nation, the burdens that we are giving to the people and the money that we are taking away from them. Instead of the money benefiting people, you find a few individuals, one or two benefiting. When you look at the early stages of the project, the money was taken as tax from people’s salaries so that it is channelled to building dams.

Mr. President, I request that this report which was presented should not just be a report to be read without any action but it must cascade down to the people, like what you said yesterday that when these issues were discussed from last year, why is it that it is now coming to the people after a long time but there is need for action. I hope that this is going to be actioned.

There are some who sought alternative sources of water. Some would ride their bicycles, promoting the sourcing of water whether through dams and these are different strategies of assisting the Bulawayo community. Senate President, some are retrogressive, they are bringing us down like illegal miners who just mine, dig open pits and do not cover the pits which sometimes result in siltation of dams.  The law should apply to such activities because sometimes you would find that when we arrest such people, they are not prosecuted. You end up wondering whether these people are well-connected or not. Mr. President, my request is that we need to sit down with illegal miners who just dig pits in places where they are not supposed to do that. They need to be educated and need to understand the results because these issues come back to bite them. So, it is important to engage them so that they realise that these things are regressive and reverse the developments that might be happening in Bulawayo.

These projects need funding, they need money. People should be educated about such things. Senate President, Bulawayo and the surrounding dams, there are so many dams, so we are not supposed to be complaining of shortage of water as Bulawayo and even some areas like Matebeleland South, Matebeleland North and Midlands could be benefiting from these resources if they are used and managed properly.  

As Zimbabweans, we are people who have order, so we suffer because sometimes we have people who do not have order. We live without managing resources sustainably so it is important for us to utilise them sustainably because we might need them tomorrow. This report came to this House, it was accepted and I believe that things are going to be corrected. I also want to thank Senator Siansali and his Committee. Thank you very much Senate President.

HON. SEN. CHIEF SIANSALI: Mr. President, I move that the debate do now adjourn.

HON. SEN. MLOTSHWA: I second Mr. President.

Motion put and agreed to.

Debate to resume: Thursday, 12^th June, 2025.

MOTION

PRESERVATION OF INDIGENOUS CULTURE, CUSTOMS AND HERITAGE AS THE BEDROCK OF OUR NATIONAL IDENTITY

Seventh Order read: Adjourned debate on motion on the ever-increasing loss of our cultural value and norms.

Question again proposed.

HON. SEN. KABONDO: Thank you Mr. President, for giving me this opportunity to just appreciate the motion that was brought into this House by Hon. Senator Gotora. I was just discussing with Hon. Senator, he is saying in his motion when he debated, he covered almost everything. So, I will just try and do a repeat of what he said.

The adoption of a western lifestyle amongst the youth and its impact on traditional, cultural values and norms is catastrophic, Mr. President. Why do I say this? There is less identity that comes with the Westernisation. Cultural values are fundamental to a society. The moment these erode, a sense of disconnect from heritage and our national character becomes distinct. The differences in values and norms between the elder and the younger generation leads to conflict and a death of traditional and social structures.

Cultural norms often carry with them traditional knowledge, practices and wisdom. For example, the indigenous medicine because I think you will agree with me, most of us when we were growing up that is how we used to get cured, using the indigenous medicine which has become distinct now. Also, our farming techniques disappear because of this and the storytelling which is vital in enriching a nation. Their loss can mean the disappearance of valuable information.

Cultural values also impact on tourism which is good for the economy as people from other countries will come to explore and experience the different cultures in a country. If we are Westernised, that is compromised also. How then do we address these issues? There is need to promote cultural literacy, history and appreciation in schools, cultural preservation programmes, like the one that was mentioned by the Hon. Senator, the programme facilitated by the First Lady.

Since social media is the chief culprit in the erosion of our cultural values, the most effective way to fix this problem is also through media and arts by encouraging the creation of local content that reflects and celebrates indigenous cultures. Mr. President, there is a book entitled The River Between by the late Ngugi. In that book, there is a character, an old man called Cheke. When the settlers started coming to Kenya, he was a very strong traditionalist but he saw some good in sending his son to a mission. As he sent him off, he told him, go there, learn all the white man's ways but never follow his vices –[HON. SENATORS: Hear, hear.] -

So, I think it is our duty as parents, when we take them to school, it starts off with us. They should see us practicing our cultures so that when we sit them down and say, we are taking you to these schools to learn all the Western ways but never to forget where you come from. Maybe it could be a starting point. Thank you so much Mr. President.

         HON. SEN. BIMHA: Thank you Mr. President. I also want to thank Hon. Sen. Gotora for bringing up this very important motion which I think has also been very much supported through the other earlier motion by Hon. Sen. Chief Nechombo. I just want to add a few points that the whole issue of tampering with the culture of people was not accidental. It was a strategy – [HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear.] – It a strategy of supremacy that if people have a culture, they are united and believe in themselves and they are proud of themselves, you cannot colonise them. If you destroy their culture, they look upon you, they accept you as superior and they will accept whatever you are teaching them. This was not by accident. It was a design, designed to subjugate us and they succeeded as a result.  Now that we are independent, we should trace our way backwards. Try to pick up the pieces that we can still pick and knit them together so we regain and restore our pride again.

I was surprised some time when we were in South Africa and manning our Zimbabwean stand. There came some presidents from other countries. Normally, when you see them on official business, they speak their language and they have an interpreter. All along, I thought they cannot speak English because they always have an interpreter with them. However, I was surprised when they came to our stand, they were speaking in English.  What it meant is that when it comes to official languages as far as they are concerned, they speak their language. It is a demonstration, the pride that yes, I can speak English but I speak my language to demonstrate that I am now here. It is a pity that leaders like the late Mwalimu Nyerere tried to get us to come up with a language for Africa.  It is a pity that he did not succeed but we still have the remnants of that in the Swahili language.

Any attempt in the past by leaders to get us to have some sense of pride in us was destroyed. The assassination of Thomas Sankara is a case in point.  Again, because he was trying to come up with something that is indigenous. The attempt by the late Muammar Gaddafi towards the United States of Africa was the cause of his assassination as well. The list goes on and on that it was not by accident.

Therefore, it is incumbent upon us really to try and see what we can do while we still live so that we leave a proper heritage for our children. Mr. President, no wonder that in the world, most of the wars emanate from differences of religion because religion is part of culture. What then happened was that you cannot bring a new religion to a people and you do not take away the culture. What has happened was that there was this attempt to bring a new religion but at the same time, very difficult to take away culture completely. What you find is that people become confused. One foot in traditional culture, the other one in Christianity or any other religion for that matter.  What you find is that the same people, on Friday varikurova guva and on Sunday varimukati me misa - zvakaoma, some churches have attempted to blend, to sort of try to accept and respect that these people have their own religion. The best way is to blend rather than getting rid of what you believed in the past and you believe what I am telling you about. Some churches, as I said, have managed to blend the two so that at least it can assist people.

HON. SEN. MUPFUMIRA: Objection.

THE HON. DEPUTY PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE: There is no room for an objection. If you want to make a point of order, make a point of order but not an objection.

HON. SEN. MUPFUMIRA: My point of order is an objection to the use of the word ‘mass’. It relates to a particular religion. Thank you.

THE HON. DEPUTY PRESIDENT OF SENATE: Religion to a particular church, I think. Okay, Hon. Senator Bimha, you may withdraw that.

HON. SEN. BIMHA: I will gladly withdraw that Mr. President. The question then is, how far back do we go? Do we have to go back to where we were? Unfortunately, we were not allowed to develop in our own way. Every nation has to develop in their own way, at their own pace, to whatever level they will reach. It is difficult to go back and say, look we were at stage two, how do we go to stage five? However, it is important that if we put our heads together, we will find a way of us getting together to a point where our cultures can then be developed to a point that is acceptable. Admittedly, there are also aspects probably and that could be a subjective assessment. There could be aspects in our culture probably that do not accept the technology, the values and the modernity of today, which we may decide to put aside. Again, that has to come as a result of consensus, discussion and debate. There are also aspects, probably in other cultures, that we would want to adopt for purposes of going forward. However, that should be as a result of consensus and debate so that we all consider that is what we want.

I would like, once again, to thank the other contributors of this motion and I think we need to debate much. A lot of what we see today is as a result of the tampering with our culture in terms of music, arts, et cetera. I just wanted to add a few points on that side. I thank you.

         +HON. SEN. S. MOYO:  Thank you Mr. President Sir for giving me this opportunity to add my voice and contribute to the motion that was tabled by Hon. Sen. Gotora.  I note Hon. President Sir, that most of the issues had already been said.

         This important motion is because of who we are.  We are Africans and yet we do not know who we are.  It is very important that everyone knows where they come from basing on the African philosophy.  Madam President, if you are a person who does not know who you are, where you come from and where you are going then it becomes difficult in one’s life. 

         Madam President Ma’am, we are talking about an issue that was brought by our elders long back that taught us our culture, on how we grew up, on how we used to live and that as people, we know our culture.  It is a very important matter that we say every person, where they come from, their culture should be respected and that respect and dignity will make us follow what our elders, where our roots come from and that we should follow. What we call as in history, what our elders did long back that we should tell the folklore stories about how they used to live because we have children who should pursue their future so that they know where they come from and know how they should live.

         I will then look back, Madam President, that long back when we used to follow the culture, they were people like kings and  chiefs who were the ones who were looking up on how people used to live in their community, according to how they preserved their respect within their community. Nowadays, if we look at the hunger, we are facing starvation because we are running away from our culture.

Long back, the elders used to plan accordingly.  Before the rain season, they used to conduct rain ceremonies.  They used to know how to do these things.  They knew the exact dates to conduct the ceremonies and would act accordingly.  The current adoption of the western culture is disrupting our livelihoods.  When we were preparing for rain ceremonies, there were some places where we would go and seek for more ancestral guidance.  Some people were allowed to go to those certain places and those people would know how to communicate with the ancestors. They would dress accordingly and respectfully according to how the elders used to dress.

Right now, they do not know and this is why we are failing to get rains.  Who would know but the elders had other places, I am still on this issue of culture so that people know where they come from. For example, when a person was going to war, they used to prepare.  The parents would go under a tree and communicate with their ancestors for the protection of those going to war.  They believed in that because they had faith in their ancestors and the children or those going to war would come back alive.   

When the children grew up and were about to marry. Again, there are some rules to be observed. When marrying, they would leave something to their in-laws to show mutual respect that this person was married according to their culture.   Nowadays, they are no longer following the culture. Right now, children are just eloping or just pay whatever they have.  We are now following the western culture because we are no longer adhering to our old culture.

The Hon. Member who spoke before me alluded to this matter. He alluded that there are times that some people do not follow the culture but if we are in unison, there will be unity.  Right now, if you mention that we are acting this way on our side, we do not live on our own but we are helping our children to pursue and follow our culture. The Lord created people, for example in the Ndebele culture, if they are going to marry would sing. In the Shona culture as well, there are some other musical arts that they would sing when somebody is going to be married. There are things that they would do or give to their would-be in-laws.

There are also the Kalangas, where I come from.  We used to sing the ‘Hosanna' song and it would rain whenever we sang that song.   There are other things that would be given by their elders.  If those traditions were observed followed nowadays, there would be peace and unity. We do not know about these things, about money, like what is happening nowadays. We used to know that there was only food that was brought forward.

Right now, if you offer $10.00 to a young child, the child will complain and say that it is a small piece of cake, it is nothing. They would be expecting more money, like hundreds of millions or thousands.  Long back, if they were expecting a beast, they would know that respect.  Some people are now losing their culture.

Nowadays, they follow a culture, some other people go to the churches. There are times when I was reading about the history, they were saying that Mzilikazi, during the time when he was king, approached Lobengula and told him that some people would be coming from eMpumalanga in the company of a certain man with pink lips and the man would be offered a respectable place. Mzilikazi forewarned Lobengula not to close his eyes during prayer as the visitors would use the opportunity to select fertile lands for themselves.

 Indeed, as we know nowadays, we have been taught on how we should act accordingly but we are forgetting how we should act. The Hon. Senator raised an issue that some other countries speak in different languages. Here in Zimbabwe when you speak in your own mother language, you are viewed as a foreigner from another country. Even when you go to another place here in Zimbabwe and speak in Kalanga, you end up changing the language because that person will not be understanding the language. It is very important to understand our culture and where we are coming from.

If you go to China, they speak in Chinese language and that makes their economy grow. If you go to Russia - I have not seen President Putin speak in English. He speaks in his own language and that is why his economy is growing. Coming to Southern Africa, we are at forefront in terms of English speaking and that makes us lose our culture. We should look back so that we follow the history of our elders. If you look at the great Tshaka from ancient history, he followed his culture very well because he recognised his language as important. As Zimbabweans, we should look at how our elders used to live as one Senator said before.

If you listen to most of our radio stations, they are not following our culture as we used to know it back then. Right now, we are embracing the Eurocentric values in place of our own. I do not know how we are going to correct this. That is why I said we should look back and follow our cultural values so that we move forward as people with an identity.

HON. SEN. MATIBIRI:  I want to thank Hon. Senator Gotora for bringing this very motion. Allow me to appreciate the serious contributions that have been made in this House before on the same subject, notably from Hon Senator Chief Nechombo and the seconder Hon. Senator Zvidzai. The motion before this Senate is key. If we had our own way, we would vouch for it to have a life outside this Parliament so that a national discourse begins in earnest in an attempt to find ourselves.

I was asking myself so many questions when Hon. Members were making contributions as to how we ended up here. How did we end up talking about the need for us to rediscover ourselves? Hon Senator. Bimha answered that in earnest. We are not here by accident. Someone sat down somewhere and it was a precursor to the process of colonisation. If you want to colonise a people, dispossess them of their culture first. – [HON MEMBERS: Hear, hear.] - That then raises the most important question to say, is the liberation struggle over? We still have unfinished business of our struggle for liberation. There is need to promote a national consciousness so that we discover ourselves of who we are. The culture of a people defines them. It identifies them. It gives them pride. It is a source of inspiration but most importantly it is passed on from one generation to the other.

I will centre my contribution on what we can do to defend our culture and move forward as a people because I submit that unless we discover ourselves all our efforts are in vain. We will not get anywhere. We will be acting like the proverbial basket raTizirai, uku richirukwa uku richirudunurwa. Probating and reprobating at the same time.  I want to focus on three things. Three components of the culture of a people are carried and contained in language. The language of a people carries their identity. It carries their values. This is why it is very easy in a family conversation to talk about sex but you cannot do that in our indigenous language. Who can dare to do that, to use the word that stands for sex in the English language and throw it in a family discussion in our indigenous language? This is an important act which carries ubuntu. So, the subject of sex has been trivialised. It is something which we can do easily and then we can do it – [Laughter.] -  One day Madam President, I will move a motion in this House that we move away from using foreign language as a medium of instruction. As we communicate, we must also be carrying our ubuntu in the same language. 

On the issue of dress which this motion seeks to promote, we need to be identified by our national dress. The great play writer William Shakespeare in his book Hamlet the Prince of Denmark, says “the apparel oft proclaims the man”. We do not have to hear you, we will see and understand you in the manner in which you are dressed. If I were to ask this august Senate, what do we communicate by our dress as Zimbabweans? What are we communicating? If we were to be thrown in a group of people picked from different countries, would you identify a Zimbabwean? Do you know that you can identify a South African, a person from Swaziland but I bet you, you will struggle to identify a Zimbabwean? So, I want to lend my weight behind the need to promote a national dress. It is paramount. Madam President, I am urging this Senate to treat this motion with care.

Lastly, Madam President, I said the culture of the people is transmitted from one generation to the other. Through what is called socialisation and the family is an agent of socialisation, so are our schools. One day, Madam President, I was part of a team that was seeking to add our contributions to how we can reform the education system in Zimbabwe.

A prominent contributor in a session which we had with Parliament, then sitting in Harare, made a stunning revelation. He said, if what our schools are doing in terms of transmitting and safeguarding our culture is something that had been prescribed by a foreign power, I was going to declare that an act of war and to continue to preside over such a process is treasonous. That statement is stuck with me and I agree with it. Our schools must do everything possible to protect our culture and that must begin by a review of our language policy.   I so submit Madam President. Thank you.

*HON. SEN. TONGOGARA:  Thank you Madam President for according me this opportunity to add my voice on this important motion which was brought in by Hon. Senator Gotora. A lot has been said about what was happening in the olden days when he was presenting the motion.

Now, I think what is left are the mistakes that we made. It has been pointed out that we used to do this and that, people following their culture. We knew that when a child was born, he belonged to the community.

Everyone had to reprimand a child who was not behaving well. These days, Madam President, the challenge that we have is that we were colonised in the minds by the colonisers. Now, we have seen it. What should we do to rectify that so that we go back to our culture and heritage? Some are saying we should teach children at school. As parents, how much of culture do we know? Do we know that if a child brings homework from school, it is the onus of the parents to teach the child homework? If the parents are not well-mannered, how can they supervise their children while they are doing homework?

Long back, cancer was treated using traditional herbs but these days, people are being treated in the modern way. We should go back and use our traditional herbs. We had our spirit mediums and healers who used cure us. We should encourage them that they should come together and educate us on the herbs that were being used long back.

Madam President, the other reason is that our children have lost our culture. The parents are going abroad for greener pastures leaving children behind to stay on their own.  What do you want us to do with the children that are left behind? There are no morals. There is no one to reprimand them. They are just child-headed families and they are following the colonial culture. That is where the problem is and should be rectified so that we will be able to help these children. As parents, how can we be assisted?

Right now, the First Lady is trying to take us back to our tradition through a programme, Nhanga/Gota/Ixhiba, but can she do it alone? If she gathers a few people together, they are taught on how to do it. We should take this opportunity. If you look at that side, you will see that there are a lot of chiefs there because they are the custodians of our tradition. It requires that we put our heads together and come up with ways to teach the generality of Zimbabwe, starting with the parents.

How do we come in as parents because we are the causes of the moral decadence amongst our children? A long time ago, there was a television programme which was presented by Professor Mupepereki and his team. They would teach people on the Zimbabwean tradition. A lot of people did not want to miss that programme. That is where many people would learn our tradition.

In those programmes, issues of totems were discussed. I find that when it comes to totems, I think we are better off because people are proud of their totems. What is only left of our tradition is that of totems,  people are proud of their totems. The same way that we value our totems, I think is the same way that we should look after the other traditions.

Madam President, I want to touch on our languages. I want to thank the President and our Government because they realised that we have so many languages in our country. They have recognised the 16 official languages. I think that is an area that we need to really work on. If we visit the graveyards and even listen to these musicians – you will find that there will be a date of birth and a date of death. I think the inscriptions on the tombstones should be in the vernacular languages. If we start with that, we will be heading in the right direction of going back to our tradition.

However, we still have a long way to go and we need to put our heads together as the citizens and teach the whole country. We have a lot of mediums like televisions, radios, social media, et cetera.

Madam President, social media can be controlled because it is the number one culprit which is misleading our children and the parents. If you enter a house, you find the whole family seated and it is only the maid who will be doing the house chores because everyone will be on their phones. So, if we control social media by putting helpful things, I think it would go a long way.

I want to thank the 25^th May Day, also the culture month and there is a motion which has been tabled before the House that we should have a culture day which will be recognised in all the provinces so that people will gather and perform their traditions. I think if we can do that, as a nation, we will be heading in the right direction. You find that our dried vegetables are now being exhibited on national days. This helps because those outside the country are now aware that we have certain dishes in Zimbabwe.  We have seen the mistakes that we have made as a nation but we should come up with ways to rectify them so that we go back to our tradition which will make us true Zimbabweans. Madam President, I thank you.

*HON. SEN. ZINDI:  Thank you Madam President for according me this opportunity to add my voice on the motion before us. I want to thank Hon. Senator Gotora who is the mover of the motion. Madam President, coming to our tradition and culture, riding on what the other Members have debated on, that is what we call ubuntu.  For someone to be called a Zimbabwean, it starts on the culture and tradition.

What Hon. Senator Bimha said that when the colonisers came, making us slaves, they had a plan already, that is very true because the whites on their own write - if you can allow me to read a small portion, one justification that ‘European powers used to colonise and exploit Africa through the dissemination of Christian doctrine.  European nations such as Great Britain, France and Netherlands sought to educate and reform African Culture’. What really touched me is that the word ‘reform’ African culture, that is where I see us as Zimbabweans because we really changed the way we used to live.

I want to touch on the way we dress, food and also our language giving examples of other countries in Africa that stood firm in following their culture. Here in Zimbabwe, we fell deep into Christianity. Madam Speaker, still on that, let me touch on our food. If you go to West Africa or Eastern Africa, for example Senegal, Nigeria, Ghana, you have a feeling that you are enjoying their traditional food.  They will tell you how they harvest some of the vegetables from the forest but in Zimbabwe, we no longer have that.

Madam President, when I was growing up, we used to harvest mutsemwatsemwa from the forest. It is bitterish and in Zindi area, we also harvested mutapa.  It was very rich in iron but if I may ask if anyone knows mutsemwatsemwa or mutapa, no one knows about it. That was our food in Zimbabwe. I remember as I was growing up that when I come from the fields or school, grandmother Zindi would ask us to go and pound rapoko, prepare it and grind it. Madam President, today's children do not know how to prepare that mealie meal. Now, we admire other people's recipes like jollof rice.  They prepare cassava. They do a mixture of fish including catfish and everything. In West Africa, that is how they prepare their meals.

If you go to Mozambique, they eat cassava leaves. They pound them, cook and also the cassava roots are pounded there and then and they make sadza. All these foods have something to do with their culture and tradition. In Zimbabwe, we no longer have that. It is a troubling thing to me and Hon. Senator Gotora, by bringing this motion to this House, we should come up with ways. We should make sure that there is a law in place, that our children should know why small grain is good and healthy for them.

All those vegetables which I have talked about are medicinal. The white mealie-meal that we are using these days was not our staple food. We used small grains and that is what we used to make sadza. The maize was brought by the whites. They brought it as a feed for their animals. It was stock feed. They wanted to make us slaves, so they wanted to kill our culture. They brought maize and they wanted workers on their farms, then they made maize our staple food and we accepted it.

It is now our staple food, but that is not what we used to eat. We used to eat medicinal foods. When a child is born, for them to start eating porridge, in Manyika we say shupa. It was made up of different roots, which were soaked in water with some mealie-meal so that they would make porridge. That was the first porridge that they would eat. All that is no longer there. If you want to ask a child what shupa is, they do not know.

For those who were born long back, our immune system is very strong. That is what we are because we were given shupa. Our mothers would feed us by spitting food into our mouths. When the whites came, they said it was barbaric and we left it. Now, there are so many diseases including cancer. We can hear of young children suffering from cancer. We have Chem-Kids Wards and this cancer is caused by the type of foods that we are eating. The foods that we used to eat were medicinal.

On dressing, I will give examples from East and West Africa. You do not question whether you have come across a Senegalese, a Ghanaian or a Nigerian. You can just tell by their way of dressing, Malian or Chadian, by the way that they dress. When Zimbabweans go to meetings with other nations, we will be putting on our ties. Even in this House, that is the way we are dressed. I think we should remove this idea of wearing neckties. They are very uncomfortable and these neckties were brought by the colonisers. Why do they wear neckties? It is because where they come from, it is cold. So, they brought the idea of neckties and we embraced it.

I know that our culture is dynamic, depending with the time. We cannot go back to wearing nhembe. If I come here wearing those animal skins, people will think that I am mentally disturbed. That is what I am trying to say that we should look at the way that we dress in Zimbabwe. If we start here in this august House, that we have removed the idea of neckties, the children that are following us will know that surely, we should go back to our way of dressing. 

We want to see Hon. Senators in this House wearing the national dress, people coming up with different designs using our national fabric. When we attend conferences, we should be visible that Zimbabweans are there, like the example that I have given of West Africa and East Africa. You do not ask.

I want to move on to language. We think that speaking in English is a sign of intelligence. If you look at the countries that I have talked about, even in Mozambique, no, they speak Portuguese but it is not their language. Focusing on West Africa, you find that they speak their language.

THE TEMPORARY PRESIDENT OF SENATE (HON. SEN. DUBE): Hon. Senator Zindi, your time is up now, can you finish up?

HON. SEN. CHIEF CHARUMBIRA: Madam President, I move that we extend her time by 15 minutes.

THE HON. TEMPORARY PRESIDENT OF SENATE: No, we will extend it with five minutes.

*HON. SEN. ZINDI: Thank you Hon, Senator Chief Charumbira. You do not question if you are talking to someone from Western Africa because their accent will tell you that this one comes from West or East Africa.  In Zimbabwe, we think that English is a language that will make you feel and look intelligent. Even our pronunciation, we want to speak British English.  In West Africa, they are not shy, you can definitely tell that these are West Africans.  We look down upon ourselves because we have inferiority complex.  People look down upon our local television stations but we are buying films from Nigeria which are depicting their culture.

The issues of witchcraft are evil and are witnessed in their Nollywood movies.  The whites say we are barbarians but in the 16^th and 17^th centuries, they used to kill each other because of witchcraft.  They committed murder as well.  Thank you Madam President, for extending my time.

HON. SEN. GOTORA: Thank you Madam President, I move that the debate do now adjourn.

HON. SEN. TSOMONDO: I second.

Motion put and agreed to.

Debate to resume: Thursday, 11^th June, 2025.

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 Systems in Zimbabwe.

Question again proposed.

HON. SEN. NECHOMBO: Thank you Madam President, I rise to wind the motion, at the same time, express my profound sincere appreciation to Hon. Members who have contributed so robustly and passionately to this debate.  Your overwhelming support is a clear testament to our shared commitment to justice and the preservation of our cultural identity.  I also wish to acknowledge resoundingly the traditional court system from the public hearings to this Senate.  It is evident that our people value these courts as accessible, affordable and culturally ground institutions that bring justice closer to where they live.  We are equally encouraged that there be consensus in this Senate on the vital role these courts play in rural communities and on the urgent need to preserve and strengthen them. 

The recommendations of the Committee ranging from the capacity building and ethical oversight to gender inclusion and legislative reforms, have found wide arrangements and we now must ensure that they are translated to concrete action. 

To this end, allow me to express my appreciation to our estimated Hon. Members of the Thematic Committee on Culture and Heritage for their commitment and tireless effort to move around our nation in an effort to ensure that we continue to uphold our culture and heritage with unity of purpose. Let us move forward in safeguarding our traditions for the good of our nation.  Madam President, with those words, I move for the adoption of the motion.

Motion that this House considers and adopts the Report of the Thematic Committee on Culture and Heritage on the Traditional Court Systems in Zimbabwe, put and agreed to.

MOTION

LEGALISATION OF TERMINATION OF PREGNANCY

Nineth Order read: Adjourned debate on motion on access to safe legal abortion services.

Question again proposed.

HON. SEN. PHULU: Thank you Madam President, I rise today not simply to speak but in order to plead for the countless women and young girls whose cries echo in the silence of our outdated laws.  I commend Hon. Senator Chinyanga for her vital motion. Its urgency is the silence that we cannot and must not ignore.  I applaud her for bringing this crucial and timely motion before this Senate and for highlighting an issue that demands our immediate and earnest attention.  I know that debate has proceeded, it has taken many directions but there is the issue of harmful delays in essential termination of pregnancies where the women involved are entitled to those terminations in terms of the criteria laid out in the Act. Obviously, this is within the broader question of reproductive rights. It is a debate that affects countless women and the young across our nation.  The urgency of this matter cannot be overstated and I believe that the call to action as articulated in the original motion is both critical and long overdue.  However, I also believe that to truly address the core of the issue, we must ensure that our legal framework is clear in order to capture all the voices that we have been hearing here.

Precisely and in full alignment with our Constitution, this is why I proposed the amendments. The amendments recognise that Zimbabwe already has an existing Act.  The cry that was made by Hon. Senator Chinyanga, if you look at her motion, the paragraph was to say, let us have a law that regulates the termination of pregnancies, something which I proposed in my amendments that an Act already exists.  In line with Hon. Senator Chinyanga’s cry, let us examine that Act of Parliament. Let us see if it is fit for purpose. In view of the fact that this Act was enacted in 1978, does it accord with the 2013 Constitution, which we have put in place? Does it accord with all the rights that are afforded to women in those circumstances? Remember, we are talking about women who are entitled to terminate early for a variety of reasons - some of those unlawful sexual crimes that have taken place. Somebody has been raped. It is already permitted that we can address that. The legislation is cumbersome. The women involved never really get to get this done in time. This is what I will detail in my argument.

I really argue that the Termination of Pregnancies Act of 1978, [Chapter 15:10], is a relic of a different time. A time before our groundbreaking progress encapsulated in our 2013 Constitution. Members of this House have rightly pointed out during our debates that this law is now outdated in many respects. It is also inconsistent with some existing laws.  The current legislation has not been updated to reflect this. An example, the Act does not recognise marital rape. It excludes marital rape from its definition of unlawful sexual intercourse. This is just an example. This Parliament has already said in the Criminal Codification, which it passed in 2012, rape is rape, even in the context of a marriage. This is already within the definition of the crime. This Termination of Pregnancies Act, as it stands, conflicts with that Act. This is something which needs to be aligned or corrected. There are numerous occasions where these discrepancies are found in the Act. That misalignment needs to be corrected.

Therefore, the amendment is simply highlighting it to say, this is the reason why we need to deal with this Act. Moreover, the procedures for attending to victims of unlawful sexual intercourse are archaic and cumbersome. For example, the requirement that a magistrate must interrogate the woman concerned in Section 5 (4) not only re-traumatises the victims, but also runs counter to the victim-friendly approaches that our legal system has progressively adopted. We must modernise these procedures to ensure that victims are treated with dignity, compassion and respect, and that their rights are protected at every stage. This is the core despite the different directions of the debate. Our Constitution guarantees a right to dignity, yet Section 5 (4) which I have just mentioned forces a victim of rape, a woman shattered by violence to endure an interrogation by a magistrate. Imagine reliving this trauma, justifying her pain, just to access healthcare, her body and her soul desperately in need. This is not a procedure. It is in my submission, state-sanctioned re-traumatisation. Madam President, I submit it is barbaric and utterly contrary to the victim-friendly justice for which we strive.

Therefore, the amendment to the motion seeks to amend the Termination of Pregnancy Act, [Chapter 15:10], to align it with the constitution and other laws, or to consider a new comprehensive Bill. This is both prudent in my submission, and necessary, Madam President. It provides us with an opportunity to craft legislation that is current, humane and consistent with our constitutional values. Such legislation will also reduce instances of the miscarriages of justice which have been elucidated, highlighted and put before this House by various Members in their debates. This is not an abstract debate, Madam President. I submit it is about life, death, suffering, and fundamental justice. Every day, while we deliberate, women and girls are forced into shadows and raped. Desperate and terrified they have to seek recourse in laws that deny them dignity and safety.

One of the reasons for this law is that it is before our era.  It is before Independence. After Independence we need to craft laws that speak to our current issues of today. How many more must suffer, Madam President? Permanent scars of unlawful intercourse due to delays and ineptitude.  This ineptitude is promoted by the unclear and archaic procedures that are in the current Act. The status quo, Madam President, in our submission is not neutrality. We are not being neutral when we do nothing. It is complicity in a silent epidemic.

In conclusion, I urge all members to support this motion by Hon. Senator Chinyanga as amended. We owe it to the women of our country and the girls of our nation to ensure that our laws reflect the realities of today's society, protect their rights, promote justice and compassion. Let us pass this motion and take a decisive step towards a more equitable and progressive Zimbabwe. This outdated law is not just outdated in my submission, it is actively harmful. It traps women in cycles of violence and despair. It forces medical professionals into impossible ethical binds. It fosters a system where justice is miscarried as women and girls are denied access to termination of pregnancies that have been cruelly forced upon them.

Therefore, my amendment is not a delay. It is the essential path to meaningful and lasting change. We must either fundamentally amend the Termination of Pregnancy Act or rip out the cruel anachronisms and align it fully with the Constitution. Or maybe, Madam President, we must just craft a new and comprehensive bill that is modern, that reflects our nation's values in the 21st century, values of compassion, dignity, equality and justice. I must add, even now, in line with cultural practices that we have been talking about. One thing about ubuntu, Madam President, is that it is humane. It considers the suffering of women. It considers circumstances, obviously in terms of the current Act.

What is being asked for is not an opening up of abortion in a blanket way. We are saying we have a law. It permits abortion in certain circumstances. We are narrowing it down to only those circumstances which the law already recognises. Then we are saying, is it being done efficiently? Are the inefficiencies not harmful to the women? Should not the purpose of the Act be to prevent harm? Rather, should I say to prevent further harm because in many instances we are talking about women who are already harmed. We are talking about women, perhaps, even if they have not been raped whose life is under threat. So your life is under threat. How must the doctor decide? What must he do? Should he choose the baby? Should he choose the mother? We are saying let us polish up this legislation so that we thrust ourselves into the medical era of the 21^st century, in line with our ethos as a country, that we are leaving no one behind and that we are moving forward in terms of our vision as a nation. As the Hon. who moved this motion winds up, let us support her call. Let us support it resoundingly by supporting it as amended so that it captures with clarity what this House is asking for. I thank you Madam President.

         HON. SEN. MLOTSHWA: Thank you very much Madam President, for the recognition. I am thankful to Hon. Senator Chinyanga for this motion and to Hon. Senator Phulu for the amendment. It gives us a second bite of the cherry. It gives us more time to go into the issues that we want to deal with as a people, as a nation and as senators in Zimbabwe. Madam President, I stand today to second this vital motion presented by Hon. Senator Chinyanga who raised a motion on termination of pregnancy.

         Madam President, it cannot be disputed that it is important to align the termination of pregnancy, TOP Act, Chapter 15:10, with the Constitution and the United Nations Goal Number Three, which emphasises health and well-being. Furthermore, you will note that the TOP Act is a 1977 Rhodesian piece of legislation that was in use during the colonial era. We should, therefore, ask ourselves whether this law is relevant in modern-day Zimbabwe, also particularly due to the fact that we have a new Constitution in 2013.

This old Act provides that termination of pregnancy is permissible in cases where there has been rape, incest, foetal impairment and to save a woman's life. In terms of the Constitution of Zimbabwe 2013, Section 52 provides for the right to bodily and psychological integrity, including the right to make decisions concerning reproduction. Further, take note that Section 48.3 of the Constitution states an Act of Parliament must protect the lives of unborn children and that the Act must provide that pregnancy may be terminated in accordance with the law.

Therefore, Madam President, Hon. Members, the Constitution imposed a duty on us to introduce an Act to govern termination of pregnancy. It has been 12 years now since the promulgation of the Constitution and this has not yet been done. There is a need Madam President, for us as lawmakers to ensure that we make this act on top available as directed in the Constitution.

Madam President, I rise to support this motion on termination of pregnancy and the urgent need to have the old law repealed, it does not serve today's women or the girl child. Hon. Members, Madam President, I bring your attention to what is taking place in our rural areas, back streets and ghetto areas and other underserved areas in our country. The truth of the matter is that unlawful abortions are taking place each and every day and we know of certain mbuyas who carry out these procedures in our communities.

Not only are these abortions unsafe but they result in the death of many women and girls in Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe has one of the highest maternal mortality ratios in the world, according to UNICEF country office annual report of 2023, the maternal mortality ratio is estimated at 363 per 100,000 live births and under five mortality at 39.8 deaths per 1,000 live births, census 2022.

According to a report by the National Library of Medicine, in contrast to the global trend of reduction in maternal mortality over the past 25 years, Zimbabwe has experienced an increase in its maternal mortality ratio. Unsafe abortions are likely a contributing cause of maternal mortality in Zimbabwe. The major cause of unsafe abortions is mainly because of the restrictive laws in place of termination of pregnancy.

The Termination of Pregnancy Act Chapter 1510 of 1977 is highly restrictive as it limits bodily autonomy of women and girls. The truth is that unsafe abortions are happening in our country every day. This also means women are dying because of backstreet abortions, dangerous concoctions and the use of sharp objects and hangers.

This does not affect the rich and comfortable individuals since they can afford to fly to our neighbouring countries and access this. It affects the poor 17-year-old girl whose parents cannot afford access to abortion services in other countries. Madam President, Hon. Members, as I stand to support this motion, I bring to the attention of the House the procedural issues raised in the Termination of Pregnancy Act.

The bureaucratic process presents a major hurdle to those seeking for a lawful termination. You may all be aware of the case of Mapingure vs. the Minister of Home Affairs and others, CSC 22 of 2014. In that case, the Applicant was a victim of rape, immediately reported the matter to the police, sought an order for termination of pregnancy and was referred from one office to another including the doctors, police and prosecutors.

When she finally managed to obtain an order of termination of pregnancy, the procedure could not be carried out as the pregnancy had advanced and a safe abortion procedure could not be carried out. The process to obtain the order is just too long and bureaucratic. For example, there is a need to get approval from two medical doctors, and we have to ask ourselves whether this is practical in present-day Zimbabwe, where a number of qualified doctors are leaving the country in search of greener pastures. Are there two qualified doctors in Dotito, in Mbire, in Gokwe or in Madlambudzi?

The Act should not pose as a barrier to accessing termination. Therefore, I propose the repeal of the Act and the introduction of a new law that is relevant in modern-day Zimbabwe. Madam President, Hon. Members, a nation, cannot be a nation without caring and protecting its children. This is a quote from Nelson Mandela. I want to highlight that the situation on the ground is that we are exposing our children to death through backstreet abortion services. We cannot deny that our children, the Gen Z are indulging in sexual intercourse at very young ages.

These children cannot obtain family planning methods because our law restricts and requires the presence of a parent or a guardian, which we all know is impossible. These children end up getting pregnant and they drop out of school in order to take care of their children. The children are also vulnerable to the condition of the obstructive fistula which is an abnormal opening between the reproduction tract and the urinary tract or alimentary tract or both.

Typically, it develops after prolonged or obstructive labour. According to UNICEF and UNIFAB Zimbabwe, between 2019 and 2022, 358 and 400, adolescents aged between 10 and 19 registered for antennal care. Twenty-five per cent (25%) of maternal mortalities recorded during this period were among adolescents and young women below 24 years, 15% of girls married before the age of 15. Girls in poor communities are six times as likely to be married before the age of 18. One third of the maternal deaths are among adolescent girls. Therefore, a restriction on abortion is a direct violation of adolescent girl’s right to reproductive health care. We should let our children be children and insisting that they continue with pregnancies is clearly abuse of children and a burden of becoming a parent cannot be placed on them. We should appreciate that children are not mature enough to realise the consequences of their action. It is our duty to make laws that protect the best interests of all children. I propose that the grounds upon which termination can be sought must be expanded to include children below the age of 18 years.

In conclusion, Madam President, we need to ensure that we either repeal or amend the Termination of Pregnancy Act. It is simply now outdated and not in line with our Constitution or regional international instruments. The Act does not protect our children or other victims of sexual abuse. The administration process is just too long and complicated for the ordinary person and this should be reviewed. Women and girls have a right to bodily autonomy and integrity and our law should reflect this position. I strongly propose we prioritise the repeal or amendment of the Termination of Pregnancy Act. I thank you.

HON. SEN. TONGOGARA: Thank you Madam President for according me this opportunity to add my voice on this motion which was brought in by Hon. Senator Chinyanga. I think as a nation, we are failing because if you see that this Act is of 1978 and in 1978 most people were aged 21 years and some were still young, you find that when we got our independence, we did not look back to see if we were living according to our culture and tradition. Was there anything that was done and now the age of consent is 18 years but because of the issues that we were talking about, like of parents going abroad leaving children behind, the way that we used to live long back is now different. That is why we are in this mess that our children are now doing whatever they want. Then it ends up with our children not have family planning methods to avoid getting pregnant. They are now impregnating each other.  Then because of the absence of parents, they have no one to direct them and they end up aborting illegally and some end up losing their lives or get infections or diseases. The amendment is saying that the law is there but is the law being followed? That is where the challenge is.

We should look at the law that is there and make sure that it is amended. The age of majority is now 18 and there is no one to give direction to the children. We should look at the law that if it is amended, those who get pregnant because of rape should get quality health facilities. If a child is raped in Dotito or somewhere down there in the rural areas, can the health systems support and protect our children? Also, that if our children are raped and get unwanted pregnancy, they get help that they need so that the abortion is legalised. We have heard of the story of someone who ended up giving birth because of the bureaucrats of our institutions. We know that there are a number of laws in place but for them to be followed, there is a challenge. You hear that most of the laws are outdated and do not align to our Constitution because we do not have drafters.

I think as a nation, we should make sure that there are things that we value because our children are our inheritance. We should cherish them. If there are amendments that are made from the 1978 law, it should be expedited so that we protect our children. I really appreciate the amendment that abortion applies to anyone who gets pregnant but investigations are done so that if it is unlawful, it is not an open-door policy that anyone can abort.

However, as I have said before, we were debating on our culture and tradition.  That is the way we have messed as a nation because our children no longer have guardians to look after them. Madam President, I think this amendment is profound. It is very pertinent because it has to be aligned with our Constitution. Also, our health facilities should have a one stop centre so that if anyone comes across rape, they should quickly get help from one place so that we can go forward as a nation. Since we are talking about health but it also touches on Legal and Parliamentary Affairs because health institutions do not make laws and amendments. However, those from Legal and Parliamentary Affairs should put their heads together so that our children will be protected.

I want to support the amendment that has been put in place to help us and our children to live well without promoting disloyalty among our children. I want to thank you for according me this opportunity to add a few words. Thank you.

         *HON. SEN. CHINYANGA:  Madam President, I want to wind-up the debate. Madam President, I want to thank Hon. Senators who debated on my motion supporting me or amending, which has led us to these amendments. I want to move for the adoption of the motion, thank this House and plead with them to adopt the motion…

*HON. SEN. CHAPFUDZA:  On a point of order Madam President Ma’am.  My point of order is that we did not have enough time because these amendments were done hurriedly. Can we have more time because we did not look at the amendments? Can we be given time to consider whether we should support it or not?

THE TEMPORARY PRESIDENT OF SENATE (HON. SEN. DUBE):  Order, order, the Hon. Senator has moved for the adoption of the motion. You can proceed and finish Hon. Sen. Chinyanga so that we adopt.

HON. SEN. CHINYANGA:  I move that the motion be adopted with amendments.

Motion that this House-

NOTING with grave concern the alarming rate of unsafe and illegal abortions occurring across Zimbabwe, often putting the lives of women and young girls at risk;

RECOGNISING that the criminalisation of abortion has not deterred the practice but has instead driven this practice underground resulting in the unnecessary loss of life;

ACKNOWLEDGING that access to safe, legal abortion services is a fundamental reproductive right to young girls and women;

NOW, THEREFORE, calls upon the Ministry of Health and Child Care to:

1. a) Amend the Termination of Pregnancy Act [Chapter 15:10] enacted in 1978 to align it with the Constitution of Zimbabwe and to ensure that it is consistent with all other relevant laws;
2. b) To ensure that the procedures and facilities to enable victims of unlawful intercourse access the right to terminate a pregnancy expeditiously and in a victim friendly manner;
3. c) To ensure that all persons entitled to terminate pregnancies in terms of the Act have easy access to these services without unnecessary delays unduly arduous procedures; and
4. d) Alternatively, to repeal the Termination of Pregnancy Act [Chapter 15:10] enacted in 1978; and consider bringing a new Bill which is fully aligned to the Constitution of Zimbabwe (2013), put and agreed to.

On the motion of HON. SEN. MUZENDA, seconded by HON. SEN. GOTORA, the Senate adjourned at Twenty-Seven Minutes to Six o’clock p.m.