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SENATE HANSARD 13 MAY 2025 Vol. 34 No. 46
PARLIAMENT OF ZIMBABWE
Tuesday, 13th May, 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
MENTAL HEALTH PRESENTATIONS
THE HON. PRESIDENT OF SENATE: I have to inform the Senate that the Medical Aid Society, PSMAS, will be conducting a presentation of mental health in the Multiple-Purpose Hall to Members and all staff of Parliament, irrespective of whether they are members of the society or not, tomorrow 14 and 15 May 2025, in the Multiple-Purpose Hall from 10 o'clock to 11 o'clock hours. PSMAS will thereafter, from 11 o’clock to 3 o’clock hours on both days conduct a free general health and cancer screening to members of the society.
MOTION
BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE
THE MINISTER OF PROVINCIAL AFFAIRS AND DEVOLUTION FOR HARARE METROPOLITAN (HON. SEN. TAWENGWA): I move that Orders of the Day, Numbers 1 and 2 be stood over until the rest of the Orders of the Day have been disposed of.
Motion put and agreed to.
MOTION
CONDOLENCES ON THE DEATH OF FORMER DEPUTY PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE HON. CHEN CHENHAMO CHAKEZHA CHIMUTENGWENDE
Third Order read: Adjourned debate on motion on the Condolences on the death of former Deputy President of the Senate Hon. Chen Chenhamo Chakezha Chimutengwende.
Question again proposed.
HON. SEN. MUZENDA: I move that the debate do now adjourn.
HON. SEN. GOTORA: I second.
Motion put and agreed to.
Debate to resume: Wednesday, 14th May, 2025.
MOTION
CONGRATULARY MESSAGE TO HON. KIRSTY COVENTRY ON APPOINTMENT TO IOC PRESIDENCY
Fourth Order read: Adjourned debate on motion on the congratulatory message to the former Hon. Minister Kirsty Coventry on her election to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Presidency in Greece.
Question again proposed.
HON. SEN. MATIBIRI: I move that the debate do now adjourn.
HON. SEN. MDHLURI: I second.
Motion put and agreed to.
Debate to resume: Wednesday, 14th May, 2025
MOTION
REPORT OF THE THEMATIC COMMITTEE ON CULTURE AND HERITAGE ON THE TRADITIONAL COURT SYSTEMS IN ZIMBABWE
Fifth 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. MUZODA: Thank you Madam President for awarding me this opportunity to add my voice on the motion which was brought into this august House by Hon. Senator Chikukwa. I want to thank the mover of this motion because I am one of the people who went out with the Committee doing the research and verification visits on our traditional courts and how they are handling the cases in these traditional courts. I do not have much to say but I just want to emphasise what other Hon. Members alluded to concerning what we found out on how the cases are handled in these courts, where we are coming from, where we are today and where we are going.
Madam President, from what I observed and what l heard when we were doing the visits, clearly showed me that the issue of handling cases at the traditional courts which include our chiefs, the headmen and the village heads, all the traditional leadership where people stay, it is going down in terms of standards because there seems to be a conflict which is there on our traditional laws and the Constitution, to the extent that people are no longer respecting our chiefs which we have in our respective areas. People do not respect the chiefs because they now go to the courts which are different from their traditional leadership courts.
If we had talked about the issue on the way the cases are handled without looking at our traditional way of living, the setup since long back, we must also look at our way of living during pre-colonial times before the colonisers came into the country and changed a lot of things in our lives. Our history clearly states that people were living together and they were united, they were living in love and they were under the leadership of their chiefs. They all managed to listen to their traditional way of praying which include the ancestors and the masvikiro.
When the colonialists came, they put a lot of changes in our way of living, even in our laws. They really emulated our way of living and they saw that if they did not change anything, they were not going to fit in our society, hence they moved for a lot of change. I believe that we must go and look at the root cause so that we can able to cure all the symptoms which are happening right now. We must look at the root cause until today to the extent of what caused us to disrespect our chiefs who we have in this august House, including those who are outside.
When we did the verification visit concerning the issue of handling of issues in our different areas, it clearly showed that from the headman, village head up to the chief, there is no decent respect which is accorded to the chiefs and these traditional leaders. It is causing a lot of disharmony. The way people contributed clearly showed that if a person is found wanting on the wrong side of the law including burning someone's garden, if the issue has been sent to the village head, the village head is told that the person is expected to face the full wrath of the law.
The person can speak whatever he or she wants and the person will be saying, can we go to the Magistrate Court to resolve our issue? It seems as if there is a conflict of power between those who are following the laws in terms of the Constitution and the chiefs who are expected to maintain peace and order in their respective areas. There is no harmony.
We are proposing that the traditional leaders and the Constitutional Court must work hand in glove and the chiefs must be given power to make sure that they are the ones who hand over the cases to the Magistrate Courts. For example, there is an issue of infidelity where someone is found in a compromising position with someone's wife. Some people choose to go to the Magistrate Court because they go there and pay a small fine. For example, USD20, but when that same case is now handled at a traditional court, the person is expected to pay a beast.
May we allow the chiefs to look over their respective areas and the cases that are happening in their areas? Right now, even if someone kills a person, the person prefers to go to the Magistrate Court. When we come back, the family of the person who committed the crime becomes an avenging spirit, probably in a period of less than a year. In our culture, we know that a person cannot be killed for nothing. The person is going to avenge his or her death.
So, go to our ancestors to address the issue. Our elders said that for you to appease the avenging spirit, you must meet the demands of the avenging spirit and the relatives of the deceased. If the person is now being handed over to the prison, it is now another issue. The issue must be first addressed by the chief. In the areas where our chiefs live, they are the ones who are responsible for making sure that all the traditional protocols are being followed. They are the ones who are also responsible for all the areas and they know all the sacred places in their areas.
The issue of overpowering the chiefs on different cases, especially those which include the death of a person, make sure these cases are addressed by the chiefs first before they are handed to the Magistrate Court, especially when there is disagreement on the issue of solving the case. I also suggest that as a country, we put our heads together and solve the issues and we retain the deserving power to the chiefs so that they can address the issues the traditional way? They should resolve all the problems from the root cause.
We are not denying the involvement and the betterment of the Constitution in its use in our areas. We have the Constitution which we have written on our own, but its origin is something which we have copied from other countries. We have seen from way back when the chiefs were ruling clad in sheep hides. We used to know that they have got their courts where they are addressing the issues. These traditional courts really brought peace, tranquility, understanding and unity between people.
Madam President, may the traditional courts and the modern courts, the magistrate courts, the supreme courts and all other courts work hand in glove so that we know our history for the betterment of our country. If you go to other countries, for example when you love your daughter, I must expect at least twenty beasts and above.
Our culture is very important and it is very good. Our norms and ways of living are excellent. If you look at the people who are doing their way of life who are going forward, it is not people who were born in the 70s but in the 50s going back. These people lived long and they had a good way of living because they followed our culture. There are many issues which happened in our country, which have happened in every area and all those issues were resolved at the highest chiefs' level. When we elevated these issues from the chiefs to our modern courts, these issues were not solved properly.
Madam President, we agree that we are blacks and Zimbabweans, may we revert to our traditional way of living? When we were moving around, we heard that we may need to look into the issue of the traditional courts and whether we should include women at our traditional courts so that if the case involves a woman, it is difficult for a man to really interpret what a woman feels. May we include women in our traditional court, so that it helps women and our country to move forward in development and be equal, leaving no place and no one behind.
We can have a homestead where a male figure would have died but there are only females. In our culture, there was no opportunity for a female to be given a chieftainship but today, we are saying that a woman is the one who is responsible for knowing the cultural background, the norms and values which must be followed in that family but not a grandchild who is supposed to be given that position. Hence, we are saying that we may increase the number of women in our traditional courts.
In conclusion, Madam President, another concern that was raised is the way the chiefs are treated when they are giving laws of the dos and don’ts of their area. People now are no longer following the laws and respecting even sacred areas which were forbidden by the chiefs. May you allow the chiefs to deal with these culprits? If the case is sent to the magistrate courts, it must be referred back to the traditional courts if the issue has something to do with tradition so that people know the importance of keeping our culture and following all the norms as Africans. Madam President, you know very well that our ancestors kept us. You came from the liberation struggle and you want our country to go back to its state where chiefs and traditional courts were respected. We are not removing the modern courts but our lives start from where we are.
If we look at what the chiefs do, some of us saw the liberation struggle when we were young. Some of the things we have seen, if we think about them, I become scared. Madam President, you as an individual, you should know. There was a war that happened at Geranenzara. You know the war of Geranenzara when we were fighting with the colonialists, the whites. In our culture, our ancestors are very important. What I saw that day is something that I have not seen since that day. I do not know, may be because there is no war but the war began at 11mid-morning and by 1300 hours, all the people were now filled with the spirit mediums and telling people to put their weapons down; we are fighting on our own. I am almost 55 and I have not seen a bird called Chapungu but I saw that bird in 1978. There were many different types of birds in the air and the helicopters and aeroplanes fell. If you heard someone saying I shot the aeroplanes, that person would be lying but those aeroplanes were dealt with by the birds. May our chiefs be installed according to their areas, their bloodline and their position. Thank you.
THE HON. PRESIDENT OF SENATE: Thank you Hon. Senator, you mentioned pertinent points.
HON. SEN. SHIRI: Thank you Madam President, for giving me this opportunity to add my voice to the issue of chiefs. I believe that chiefs are not voted to be kings, as our Constitution does. The chiefs are there considering that you are from the chieftainship. Like what I am, I am a princess from the Masunda family, from Zvishavane. The issue of chieftainship and chiefs, I really take it into consideration. It is very pertinent to me moving around the country, taking into consideration the issue of disability. The chiefs help me ferry the disabled to different meeting points. Chiefs are very important. The chiefs are the ones who know all the people in their areas and that is why I am working with the chiefs, checking in their registers if they know the vulnerable and those with disabilities in their areas. Chiefs are the ones who treat all people equally without selecting them. We see that every area with a chiefs is an area with peace, development, tranquilly and unity.
I also want to thank the chiefs for the very pertinent jobs they are doing in their areas. I went to go Gokwe under Chief Chireya and saw that they are doing a lot of things like educating people in their area, forming trusts and organisations to help the disabled. It shows that there is a lot of transformation and the chiefs are taking their jobs in a modern way. The chiefs also play a pertinent role in strengthening our culture and norms. Our culture is very significant, it does not look down upon anyone. When we were growing up, we used to respect everyone despite their cultural background but nowadays children only respect their biological parents. Kids are now involved or engaging in a lot of illicit activities because they only respect their biological parents. They no longer respect each and every elder in their area and this is causing a lot of problems.
Chiefs ensure a lot of good jobs, for example, the Zunde Ramambo Isiphala seNkosi is another role which has been played by the chiefs working together with Social Welfare. Some chiefs put aside some food to give to the vulnerable in different areas. When I was also in Gokwe, I saw that chiefs also built houses for those with disabilities. All these things are a clear indication that the chiefs are doing a very pertinent job. I am looking at the constituency of people whom I am representing. I have done awareness with women's rights and other organisations. The chief also indicated that those who laugh or look down upon those who are disabled are going to cause a lot of disharmony to their whole family.
If the chiefs continue with this mantra, it clearly shows that it is going to impact positively and all people really showed that they were listening properly to the chiefs although the human rights that were there, they were putting on additions. The chief also mentioned that there is another family that was laughing at someone who had albinism but that family was also blessed with 10 albinos. The chief was clearly showing that we must not laugh at those who are disadvantaged.
Chiefs nowadays days are working to make sure that they remove that stigma. There was a broadcast on social media when a woman killed her disabled child and she ended up killing herself. I am also coming back to the chiefs and encouraging them to teach all the programmes of awareness on those with disabilities.
We do not want to hear issues of a girl child being used to pay the avenging spirits considering where we are as a country, our Constitution and our understanding of the importance of a girl child. Also taking into consideration how the headmen, the provincial council, the chiefs who are nominated or voted to come here into the Senate, it shows that as a country, we respect our traditional leaders.
On the issue of the chiefs' advisors, may we include another number of women so that the issues of women are addressed properly. I saw that it is very important, under the mantra of His Excellency, Dr. Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa, of leaving no place and no one behind. It means that even your subjects which help you, you must have someone with a disability who sits on your court. You might also face another case of someone who is deaf. I also appealed to those who teach Sign Language, can we have a workshop with the chiefs and those who are handling the issues of people with disabilities, especially the deaf so that we can understand if the issues are being raised by the chiefs, people follow properly because the chiefs are the most respected people out there, even on our way of living? Even His Excellency, Dr. Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa is the chief respecter of our traditional leaders, which indicates that our tradition is very important. As august Members of Parliament, we do respect our chiefs.
We know that when we come to you, you protect us. When we come to you chiefs, you cover us under your wings without selecting. With these few words, chiefs are saying no to issues of rape, looking down upon others, stigma, issues of denigrating the disabled and even those who want to get married when they have disabilities, they are not allowed and some of them are engaging in activities which put down other spirits.
A person must not be looked down upon or abused by a condition he or she did not apply for. In our way of living, we know that we do have our chiefs before going to our Members of Parliament, our chiefs in our different areas. We want to thank you for protecting our culture, for protecting our ways of living, for protecting our tradition. Although there are a lot of things, when young children engage in drug and substance abuse, we encourage chiefs to remain resilient, teaching people to be united. If we continue working together, we can have development. When we travel and go to different areas, we feel proud of our country.
As Zimbabweans, we are proud of our country. If you go out there, just mentioning the name Zimbabwe, you see that many people want to come closer to you. You end up fleeing from people because our culture and our way of living, we are known worldwide that we are not people who are too forward but we are people who are humble, respected and hard-working. We are not people who are involved in violence, stealing and all other bad activities.
I also want to encourage the Government to build these courts properly so that when people get married, the chiefs are given the power of attorney to sign marriage certificates. May the power of the chiefs be elevated so that they can serve their areas and also be given their deserved power, working hand in glove with our modern-day courts?
Madam President, thank you for awarding me this opportunity to add my voice to say we respect you our chiefs and we love you. We encourage you to continue to live and keep our dynasties in order and to see that the issue of chieftainship is not being taken from outside.
Can we continue to keep our families intact so that our chiefs continue to be respected? I thank you Madam President.
∞HON. SEN. FANUEL: I thank you Mr. President for this opportunity to add my voice to the motion. I want to speak on the issue of the law. Citizens of Zimbabwe should respect the law because power is vested in the village head to lead with authority. The disputes should first be reported to the village head but nowadays citizens are no longer respecting the village courts. The chief is the one who has more authority or power to head the people and the village heads. The citizens are now not reporting the issues to the chiefs or village heads hence a person bypasses a village head or a chief, he/she should be charged with contempt for not showing respect to the village heads or chiefs.
Some village matters are being directly taken to the Magistrate Courts where they do not know exactly how the issue would have started. We travelled to the northern and southern parts of Zimbabwe with the Culture and Heritage Committee and the visits focused on that people should be dignified in the way they present themselves. In some other instances, you find that the chiefs or village heads play around with young people and sometimes the village head would be dancing in bars, hence if a matter is then reported to him, the public would not take him seriously in solving the disputes.
The village heads or chiefs should conduct themselves with dignity in public. If you are a chief and people greet you casually saying hi, hi and bho bho, for example, you should be respected and people should greet you well. If you are a chief, you should also respond very well and be well-presented and people will reciprocate. Some people should just not hold their waist when greeting their chiefs. If one is charged and told to compensate with goats, it is very fair because someone would have done something wrong. If there is a change in law, they should make awareness campaigns so that people know their culture and know how they should present themselves.
Additionally, when we were visiting these places, the people said that they would not respect to the village head and would rather go to the courts because they have money. Right now, there is a law that people are using cellphones unknowingly, can be arrested and will not know whether they have committed an offence or not. This law is not good. People will not be united with this law. The chiefs are doing a sterling job in their capacity.
We want to thank the Government and His Excellency that the law now recognises women to be traditional chiefs. We witnessed that when a chief passes away, they will check in the family hierarchy and they will notice that there is a lady who would have been elected to be a traditional chief. We thank the Government and His Excellency that as women, we should also be accorded positions even in the village, whether to be a village head or a traditional chief. The day before yesterday we had Mother's Day and they were saying every woman is capable of being given an administration post.
Mr. President, we thank the Committee, when we travelled, we heard that if there is a traditional chief, there should also be a traditional woman. They say that a woman can also assist in this village. The Government is allowing that even if it's a village head or traditional chief, women can also fit into that post and we should not be selective. We say that women should also find positions to be traditional chiefs or village heads. I thank you Mr. President.
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, 14th May, 2025.
MOTION
CONSTRUCTION OF DAMS AND WATER STORAGE FACILITIES
Sixth Order read: Adjourned debate on motion on climate change mitigation.
Question again proposed.
HON. SEN. TSOMONDO: Thank you Mr. President, for allowing me to rise and support a motion which was raised by Hon. Senator Mavenyengwa. Zimbabwe's climate change response must be anchored in both mitigation and adaptation strategies with commitment from civil society, international partners and the relevant ministries which are: Ministry of Lands, Agriculture and Rural Resettlement. The Ministry of Environment, including also the overseeing agencies, departments like ZIMPARKS, EMA, Forestry Commission and Meteorological Services Department will provide a resilient and climate-smart Zimbabwe. I appeal that the Ministry of Agriculture should engage and encourage farmers towards smart agriculture, promoting drought-resistant crops and short-term seed variety while encouraging the Presidential Tree-Planting Day to increase food security and improve livelihood in rural and urban areas.
Mr. President, importantly, the use of renewable energy can limit pollution which is the leading cause of climate change. As I appeal to the Ministry of Energy to carry on with the rural electrification, to reduce the use of fossil fuels, the responsible ministries should spread awareness and engage communities through workshops for climate change education and the consequences of climate change impacts on a local and global scale. Adding on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs should advocate for international partnership with the outside world so that exchange visits are carried out for capacity building. The country may acquire expertise and may tally with international standards as a way to approach this issue of climate change that is slowly affecting the world.
Mr. President, I appeal to the Ministry of Environment, Climate and Wildlife to update climate-related policies and strengthen institutional coordination, including overseeing agencies and departments such as EMA, ZIMPARKS and the Forestry Commission to mention a few, is going to be vital for effective implementation, monitoring and access to international climate finance. It is important to know that these ministries responsible for climate issues should have their budgets reviewed upwards to capacitate them in their role of mitigating climate change. I therefore believe that climate change will still pose a threat to this country's socio-economic development, especially in sectors like agriculture, water resources and public health. However, a well-structured and multi-faceted approach offers hope for a sustainable future, whilst safeguarding our environment and our people. Thank you Mr. President.
HON. SEN. ZVIDZAI: Thank you Mr. President, for allowing me this opportunity to briefly contribute to this important motion moved by Hon. Senator Mavenyengwa. When you live certain experiences, you are the best person to talk about the challenges of that nature and proffering or inviting solutions for such a problem. Hon. Senator Mavenyengwa comes from Zaka and I come from Bikita, we are neighbours. Zaka is known for being very hot, inotonzi Zaka rinopisa. The truth is that Zaka is a very hot place, it lies in a very hot region of our country…
THE HON. DEPUTY PRESIDENT OF SENATE: Hon. Senator Zvidzai, zvinonzi Zaka rinopisa, Bikita makomo.
HON. SEN. ZVIDZAI: Absolutely true, Mr. President and thank you for the correction. Also, a deep knowledge of where the two of us come from. When Hon. Senator Mavenyengwa brings such a motion here, it is out of deep knowledge. It is out of an understanding of the ravaging effects of climate change. It is not something that he dreams about or perhaps got told about it is something he knows. I do appreciate his emphasis. If you look at the motion, it is very pregnant with solutions to the extent that shouldthe relevant ministry listens, I think we will get a lot of distance around mitigation and adaptability for climate change. Indeed, most appreciated. As he aptly puts it, the periods of droughts are more frequent now. Not only are they more frequent, the severity is much high. You know the scale of severity is out there through the roof. This demands ourselves as this august House to put our total thoughts to it as it does, so that Government can be informed, persuaded and shoved on to implement some of the suggestions that are proffered by the mover of the motion.
Mr. President, there is strong emphasis on building resilience as a way of adapting to important climate change. Some of the issues around building resilience are there as he puts it, the harvesting of water, the building of dams and innovation around methods to reduce the amount of water required for irrigation. That is your drip irrigation as opposed to flood irrigation which would just empty Lake Mutirikwi overnight. Again, we do appreciate it. Issues of resilience also get into other areas, including areas of crop re-engineering so that the crops that we deploy in different regions are suited for those regions. Nonetheless, even before we get to crop engineering, we must be thinking of how to get people aware that there is always some more suitable crop for their area. For example, people in Zaka should pursue finger millet, sorghum and sugar cane as opposed to the fashion of going for maize. I think it would help a lot in terms of food security and nutrition for the Zakarians if the Hon. Senator kept moving more forcefully when he gets back to the constituents. Mr. President, when I talk about crop re-engineering, this is an area which is an area of controversy. It deals with modifying the genetics of some crops so that they are resistant to certain difficulties so that in spite of the adversities of climate change, we can still have an organism that can survive at a higher temperature.
This might not look fashionable but in this country, we are all so much under crop re-engineering. I think it is an area that we need to look at so that we do not keep mourning and crying about food insecurity and about accepting help in the manner of GMO foods anywhere. That is another possible area that needs the nation to sit and debate and see the advantages of crop re-engineering and the disadvantages and see whether it might not be important to find a middle-of-the-road position so that people do not starve.
Mr. President, similarly with livestock, we again need to go back to basics and rear the hard types of cattle that will resist bad temperatures, little rains, et cetera. Mr. President, there is also another concept of harvesting not fallen rains but harvesting the atmosphere and using the water for irrigation because out there in the atmosphere, there is always a lot of water that can be forced to condense and irrigate Pfumvunza - sized plots.
Mr. President, I think if we looked thoroughly and did all these, we will be mitigating the effects of drought. This current year, what we have experienced in terms of rains is the positive side of things, of climate change, a lot of rains and if you take an opportunity to go out in the villages in most of this country, including even in areas where it is impossible to traditionally get anything in the manner of agricultural produce, this year is a very good year.
There is maize galore throughout the country, there is rapoko galore throughout the country, sorghum throughout the country, basically everything, everything awash in this country. The challenge is, that these harvests are going to waste. We were taught in the Bible by Joseph to introduce the issue of parastatals and grain silos.
I am aware the President launched AI-managed silos in Kwekwe last week, which is something that we should applaud but what is required in addition to that is AI-transported materials so that we can get all the maize in Gokwe to the nearest silos. We can get all the maize in Mashonaland West, Mashonaland Central, Masvingo to silos including everywhere. Let us make sure that we collect all these materials for we never know there will be seven good years and perhaps seven bad years as dreamt by Pharaoh so many years ago, which led to the idea of parastatals and silos. Mr. President, if you go today to Manoti in Gokwe, you will find that the maize is going to waste. What is the readiness of the GMB to mop up all these resources and keep them and mitigate the possibility of drought next year? If we get drought next year and if we have got two, or three million tonnes of cereals in our GMBs, it means we could go another two, three years and we will not cry as much. This is just a very simple mechanism to mitigate against climate change.
We should ensure that farmers are excited to bring their materials to the GMB, paid in good time, catalyse further deliveries and be comfortable in the next two, three years, even if we will not get good rains. Mr. President, with this submission, let me thank Hon. Sen. Mavenyengwa again. Thank you Mr. President – [HON. SENATORS: Hear, hear.] -
*HON. SEN. CHIEF CHARUMBIRA: Thank you very much Honourable President for giving me this opportunity. I got into the Senate whilst this important issue was under discussion. You spoke about different technologies like smart agriculture, which includes the crops that we cultivate and which we anticipate will give us a bounty harvest. I thank Hon. Senator Mavenyengwa for moving this motion.
Mr. President, today is Tuesday, the day before yesterday on the same issue, I was having discussions with some people and then the field worker came. The Agritex officer had a new uniform. Then we said, this is a new uniform. He said that the issue of climate change - the issue that sometimes we have variations of seasons, rains might not come properly. Then he said last year 2024 when inputs were being distributed, I told you about this, the issue of just focusing on maize is not right. I told you that you should consider sunflower and other small grains and I also said that the Government was going to distribute different seeds. So after saying that, the Agritex officer said that people do not believe in that. When the truck came with inputs, people gathered and they discovered that there was sunflower, the extension worker said that people were disheartened. They were saying how come there is only sunflower? Hon. President this is the issue. We have an issue of climate change which relates to what is happening. So, we need to adapt as a people and even our farmers need to adapt. This is quite a critical issue and people do not want to adapt but they understand and accept that there is climate change.
When they are given advice that talks of small grains, they resist. This is what prompted me to stand up to say that after discussing this in this chamber, we need programmes as Parliamentarians. Even when we conclude discussing this motion, we need more time and what do we do as leaders about this issue? As Senators, it is easy to talk, it is good to talk in workshops internationally. It is quite interesting but things are going bad. So, what are the practical steps? What actions can we take? What action plan? I do not know the Committee which is tasked with this issue.
I do not know whether it is the Committee of Food and Security. This issue should be tackled and we need funding. I know that the funds will be availed for such a discourse. We need such a discourse even in different environments. Then we can come back to this august House after going to the arid areas to discuss these issues and we can take positive action. I thank you Hon. President.
HON. SEN. MAVENYENGWA: I move that the debate do now adjourn.
HON. SEN. GOTORA: I second.
Motion put and agreed to.
Debate to resume: Wednesday, 14th May, 2025.
MOTION
LEGALISATION OF TERMINATION OF PREGNANCY
Seventh Order read: Adjourned debate on motion on access to safe legal abortion services.
Question again proposed.
*HON. SEN. CHIEF. CHARUMBIRA: Thank you Hon. President but I thank you because the Hon. Senator is around. Firstly, let me say that we do not want this issue. We do not want to hear about this and that is why I stood up. I wanted really to stand up to discuss this, it is very un-African. We can rejoice about this and do different things, embrace different cultures in Denmark, Canada and other countries. They have their own cultures but we cannot copy other cultures. Otherwise we will dilute and lose our own culture as black people. I have seen my fellow colleagues in this august House.
Let me say that when we bring this Bill Senator, we are going to stand up. We are going to oppose it so that it fails. We cannot allow abortion and I know international laws. I know that abortion is allowed in other countries and in other circumstances. Only in those circumstances that we can understand the fact that everyone can have abortion, we cannot accept that as black people. People getting pregnant and aborting just making an adult decision that is not acceptable.
It cannot be associated with the black people but for other people for the whites, that is something else because they have a lot of things that they are doing that are part of their culture, which is not good for our culture. If it was allowed to discuss the same motion, I would repeat when the House is full. We have to look at whether it is possible to come back to discuss again. I cannot stand as Chief Charumbira , even as a Senator because the people sent me to represent them here and I cannot support abortion. The Hon. Senator who moved the motion is a good friend of mine but I want to say that I do not support this.
THE TEMPORARY PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE (HON. SEN. KAMBIZI): Hon. Chief, may you address the Chair?
*HON. SEN. CHIEF. CHARUMBIRA: Sorry, I had forgotten the rules that govern Parliament. Hon. President, I am saying that if such a Bill were to be brought into the august House for amendment, then we are going to stand and oppose that Bill. Please think twice before bringing such a Bill to this august House, we will be against that. They will really see that this is an issue that affects our culture.
We do not just debate issues, this is not right. We cannot in this august House and in this country, support abortion or the issue of people just falling pregnant, aborting at any time and under any circumstances because I looked at this motion and the motion was just open for everybody. It did not spell out different circumstances. So, as a Chief why will I be in this august House to support such things? I want to say that 18 Chiefs will be against this. Then we will add on other people and they will join us. They will take our side from the different political parties to support that we do not want abortion.
Even when they say that the President should go to Brazil, I will not go there. I will come here to vote against abortion because this is quite important for us. I thank you, Hon. President.
*THE TEMPORARY PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE Thank you Hon. Senator Chief Charumbira. It is unfortunate that you will not debate twice. You have debated and it has been captured.
HON. SEN. FANUEL: Thank you for giving me this opportunity to debate. I know that people are used to hearing me debating in Tonga, otherwise I have got a lot of languages that l speak. That is why last time I said I would speak in Chinese, which most of you cannot speak. – [Laughter.]- Today, I am going to speak in Nyanja. Sorry Mr. President, I will try to speak in English.
As a God-fearing person, I am not even happy to stand debating on this motion. As Senators, the whole nation is looking at us. There was a motion on the death penalty and people were happy when we said no to that. I remember by then, it was former President R. G. Mugabe when he talked about this and I quote; “Madzimai baranai muwande vana ndokuti tiwane kubatsirikana, tiwane vanhu vachasimudzira nyika yedu.”
So, when we support this motion, it means we want death and we will be supporting prostitution as Hon. Senators. If we support this motion, we are causing death to all our children, old people and women because they will be prostituting. If a man wants a child, you find a woman who is going to abort because we have made the law ourselves. I think let us stand for the nation. I am not forcing you but we will not support this as women. We are the ones who are going to allow this and the men because they are hearing about this, will tell you as a woman and say, I love you but can you abort?
You do not know that behind aborting there is death because it is done physically. Aborting is done in many ways and there are some tablets that are used for that. If you go to rural areas, they will give you something very difficult to swallow and you are forced to drink it, yet you will be drinking poison. By so doing, you are damaging your body. Why should that be done when you do not know what God has given you? Sometimes you are given only one child and you will cry until you die.
A woman will end up saying, but I could have my child and it will now be your own secret. The next thing is that they report the person who gave them medication to abort, be it a nurse, but that is not allowed. Our Constitution does not allow us to abort. Everyone is waiting for this Parliament as Hon. Senators, to talk about it. I, as Rebecca Fanuel, cannot allow it. My church, even my Bishop Nehemiah Mutendi was talking about this last week and he was saying no to abortion.
We need to love and feel pity for each other, not because someone is married to a man who is not productive. There are some men who are just men but they are good at bearing children. There are some men who do that and this is why former President R. G. Mugabe said, baranai. If you feel pity for that woman, help her with pampers, they are cheap and then she goes on. Maybe you want to kill someone who is going to do something good in life.
Some men go to traditional healers and give their women traditional medication to take in order to abort and they say so because they say we are poor. We want women to go out there and tell them that once they do that, they will go to jail. Once your man does that, report him. We have got a tollfree number for Amai. We have to tell the world that such a man should go to jail. So, I am saying it is not healthy for me to talk about this. Thank you.
HON. SEN. CHINYANGA: I move that the debate do now adjourn.
HON. SEN. MOHADI: I second.
Motion put and agreed to.
Debate to resume: Wednesday, 14th May, 2025.
MOTION
REPORT OF THE THEMATIC COMMITTEE ON CLIMATE CHANGE ON THE ENQUIRY INTO THE IMPACT OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON HUMAN-WILDLIFE CONFLICT
Eighth Order read: Adjourned debate on motion on the Report of the Thematic Committee on Climate Change on the enquiry into the impact of Climate Change on Human-Wildlife Conflict.
Question again proposed.
HON. SEN. MUZENDA: I move that the debate do now adjourn.
HON. SEN. GOTORA: I second.
Motion put and agreed to.
Debate to resume: Wednesday, 14th May, 2025.
MOTOIN
OVERHAUL OF DILAPIDATED STADIA
Nineth Order read: Adjourned debate on motion on the deplorable sports infrastructure in the country.
Question again proposed:
HON. SEN. MATIBIRI: Thank you Mr. President for giving me the opportunity to add my voice to this important motion that was brought by Hon. Senator. Tshabangu on the deplorable state of our sports infrastructure in this country. Allow me to refresh this House in terms of what this motion sought to achieve, so that I position my submissions accurately. The motion raised a concern about the deplorable state of sports infrastructure in this country which is common cause. It further notes that there have been efforts Mr. President, to address this problem but these efforts are lagging. Madam President, the House will remember that a few days ago we saw a delegation that was touring the National Sports Stadium, one of our sports facilities in this country and we were told that renovations to this stadium so that it meets international standards are at an advanced stage. I do not know what that means when we continue to play our games outside the country.
The motion further noted with dismay that our beloved national teams in football continue to play their games outside the country because our stadiums still do not meet the standards that are required for international matches. Management of these sports facilities is under the Ministry of Sport, Arts, Youth and Recreation. Allow me to spotlight the importance of sports to a nation like Zimbabwe but before that, let me dwell on what we are losing as a country because of the nature of our sports facilities. This is not only peculiar to our football stadiums. It is not only the National Sports Stadium and Rufaro Sports Stadium that stand dissolute, our swimming facilities are nowhere near the required standards for the international event. So are our rugby fields and various other sporting facilities.
It is often said that a healthy nation is a productive nation. When our youth are not able to utilise our sporting facilities, the reality is that we are producing a nation of lazy people who are not athletes and agile. What is the reality in economic terms, in social and political terms of our loss? We played the Mighty Cameroon outside Zimbabwe and the reports that came from there said multitudes followed to watch their beloved player, Andre Onana, who is a goalkeeper for Manchester United. People flew from all over to watch this game. What does that mean in economic terms? Unaware of coming to Zimbabwe.
First, Zimbabweans themselves would be up close and personal with their soccer idols. That is very important. It will inspire our younger generations. We have missed out on that. Consider also the plight of vendors who sell their wares within and outside the sports stadium facilities. They make money and from an economic point of view, running dilapidated sports facilities, it does not make sense. It plays havoc with our vision to make this country an Upper-Middle-Income Society by 2030. We approve and reprobate at the same time. If we raise our sports facilities to international standards, the likelihood that we will host international events, not only soccer but other events, is very high. That is the reality of what is called sports tourism. Zimbabwe is missing out on that.
Madam President, from this side, we are sworn to be an alternative voice to those who are in power. Why are we where we are? Allow me to refer to a presentation that I saw on Twitter only yesterday. It was a presentation from the past Chair of the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission, Justice Loice Matanda-Moyo, when she was lamenting that corruption is costing Zimbabwe USD1.8 billion annually, for me this is why we are where we are. This is why our stadium, our sports facilities, are in such a sorry state. We know that in the past budget, a 10% tax was levied on winnings from sports betting houses. One hopes that this money is going to be administered adequately so that our desire to be an Upper-Middle-Income Society by 2030 reflects on our sports facilities.
There is also an element of what is called sports diplomacy. Two days ago, we were in Mutare, exposed to what is called sports diplomacy. How honestly do we present Zimbabwe in terms of who we are, our culture, languages, arts and what we stand for, if our sports facilities are not able to host international events and showcase what we stand for, even the food that we offer?
THE TEMPORARY PRESIDENT OF SENATE (HON. A. DUBE): Order, order, Hon. Senator! Members are not sworn to be the alternative voice to those in power but to uphold the Constitution and to uphold all other laws of the country.
HON. SEN. MATIBIRI: Thank you Madam President.
THE TEMPORARY PRESIDENT OF SENATE: Can you withdraw that statement?
HON. SEN. MATIBIRI: I withdraw that statement. Allow me Madam President, now to address the sports policy, because it is our sports policy that speaks to what is supposed to happen with these facilities.
THE TEMPORARY PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE: I think you are left with a few minutes. You can proceed, but you are left with only five minutes.
HON. SEN. MATIBIRI: Thank you Madam President. Our sporting facilities are in a deplorable state and this is unacceptable to all of us. The point I raised is, let us do everything in our power to make sure that we return this country to its former glory in terms of participation in sporting disciplines. That way, everybody wins. I thank you.
HON. SEN. MDHLURI: I move that the debate do now adjourn.
HON. SEN. MATIBIRI: I second.
Motion put and agreed to.
Debate to resume: Wednesday, 14th May 2025.
MOTION
RECAPITALISATION OF PUBLIC HEALTHCARE INSTITUTIONS
Tenth Order read: Adjourned debate on motion on the state of the health care system in the country.
Question again proposed.
HON. SEN. MDHLURI: I move that the debate do now adjourn.
HON. SEN. ZVIDZAI: I second.
Motion put and agreed to.
Debate to resume: Wednesday, 14th May 2025.
MOTION
SUPPORT FOR LIVESTOCK FARMERS THROUGH PROVISION OF SUPPLEMENTARY STOCK FEEDS AND VACCINES
Eleventh Order read: Adjourned debated on motion on the importance of livestock production in Zimbabwe.
Question again proposed.
HON. SEN. MOHADI: Thank you Madam President for giving me this opportunity to make my final words to this motion which is very important indeed because when we talk about livestock, we are talking about people's lives and people's recognition. If you are a man and you do not have cattle, you are not regarded as a man because you have nothing to show as a man. Madam President, some issues were raised. I even wanted the Minister to come and be part of us so that he could respond to these issues unfortunately, it could not happen that way.
There was an issue for us as a country, if we look at our deadline for raising 11 million herds in Zimbabwe which is 2030, we found that we need to take into consideration the things that are needed. It was raised by Members here that we should concentrate on artificial insemination so that we produce quality breeds and also produce cattle that are almost pedigrees in our life so that we do not have too many abortions on cattle and the life of the cattle has to be looked into. It was also raised that we should raise fodder crops so that during times of hunger, we should supplement our cattle or during the dry seasons like August going upwards, we find that our cattle do not have sufficient grazing. I can give it as an example, the people in Masvingo at Mwenezi, whereby have got big fields of fodder crops, people even go and buy that fodder crop from them and feed their cattle.
The other issue that was raised was the reserved grazing land which they term as A3s. Some farmers group themselves and reserve certain land where cattle are not there during the summer season. They are only taken there during the dry period so that they can complement their food. Madam President, lastly, let me say, that this motion was debated by so many people, I cannot count them but it was debated. I just want to thank them all for the work well done. It should continue to be like that, not only to this motion but any other motions we have to debate because that is our duty when we are here in this august House. So we should see ourselves debating. We should also go for research because it is not just a matter of debating. We ought to have facts and figures if we want our country to go forward if we want to meet the 2030 agenda of raising over a million heads. With these few words Madam President, I would like to thank you. I therefore move for the adoption of this motion.
Motion that this House;
MINDFUL that livestock production is the cornerstone of economic development particularly in rural areas where animals are used for draught power; DISTURBED by the massive decline in the national herd within the last ten years hence the need to resuscitate this critical sector;
COGNISANT that livestock production faces numerous challenges albeit the immense potential that it has in terms of contributing towards our Gross Domestic Product through employment creation, and industrial development which can earn the much-needed foreign currency from the export of livestock products;
NOW, THEREFORE, recommends that the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Water, Fisheries and Rural Development: a) continuously supports Livestock farmers through the provision of supplementary stock feeds and vaccines; b) expands and rolls out artificial insemination programmes countrywide. c) engages law enforcement agents to continuously monitor the movement of livestock from one province to the other so as to curb stock theft cases and the spreading of diseases, put and agreed to.
On the motion of HON. SEN. MUZENDA, seconded by HON. SEN. GOTORA, the Senate adjourned at Twenty Minutes past Four o’clock p.m.