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SENATE HANSARD 25 MARCH 2025 Vol. 34 No. 36
PARLIAMENT OF ZIMBABWE
Tuesday, 25th March, 2025
The Senate met at Half-past Two o’clock p.m.
PRAYERS
(THE HON. DEPUTY PRESIDENT OF SENATE in the Chair)
ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE HON. DEPUTY PRESIDENT OF SENATE
CONGRATULATORY MESSAGE TO HON. DR. KIRSTY COVENTRY ON BECOMING THE 10TH PRESIDENT OF THE INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE
THE HON. DEPUTY PRESIDENT OF SENATE: Before I recognise the Deputy Minister Headman Moyo, I am sure you all join me in congratulating one of our own, Hon. Dr. Kirsty Coventry, in being elected the President of the IOC. – [HON. SENATORS: Hear, hear.]
MOTION
BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE
THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF VETERANS OF THE LIBERATION STRUGGLE AFFAIRS (HON. SEN. H. MOYO): I move that Order of the Day, Number 1 be stood over until the rest of the Orders of the Day have been disposed of.
Motion put and agreed to.
MOTION
REPORT OF THE ZIMBABWE GENDER COMMISSION FOR THE PERIOD 2023
Second Order read: Adjourned debate on motion on the Report of the Zimbabwe Gender Commission for the period 2023.
Question again proposed.
HON. SEN. CHAPFUDZA: Thank you Mr. President for giving me this opportunity that I also debate the report that was presented by the Zimbabwe Gender Commission for the year 2023. I would also like to thank the Gender Commission for acting according to our Constitution, Section 323, that every Commission should submit a report to Parliament so that we debate upon it and see how things are moving or working out throughout our beloved country. I read through the report and there were a lot of things which were outlined in the report about gender issues. Mr. President, throughout the Gender Commission Report, there was a small inclination towards supporting women like feminism rather than making it a balanced report that looks at the equality of men and women. If you go through the report, you see a lot of places that are talking about women and also leaving out men. So, I would like to urge the Commission that in the next annual report, they should balance it to equality.
The Commissioners are balanced in terms of equality about gender but its operation workforce in the Commission is distributed at 56 being female and 44 being male. When we look at it, we are looking at an organisation, a Commission which is going out preaching equality that we should have equal opportunities for men and women in places of authority in organisations where they are employing. They should have a policy of employing women and men equally in terms of the ratio but before going any further, we are seeing the Commission mandated to do that work. It is not following what is really required of the mandate to which it wants other organisations to follow, that we should have 50-50 equality at workplaces. The Gender Commission itself is not following that. It has 56 being females. The gender equality is not about propelling women then treading upon men but it should be an equality organisation, a Commission that seeks men and women to be equal in terms of positions of authority in organisations. It seems like it is now leaving men behind. The issue of feminism, like there are injustices on campaigning for women. It is not about equity but it is about equality that we should be treated equally and also be considered on positions of authority equally.
There are issues that are raised which, when you look at them are sometimes in contradiction with our cultures. We have got a culture which we also want to preserve as much as we also want to move with international standards. So, there should be a balance whenever approaching this issue of gender equality. We can raise issues like the issue of masculinity, which says men are more powerful not in terms of oppressing women. If we go to manual jobs like maybe offloading bags of cement, inasmuch as we love our women to be there but we should protect them, we cannot just kill them by employing them to such jobs which we really know that by nature, they are not prepared to carry out those jobs. So, we should have a balance when we look at gender equality.
We have got the army. Those people have a lot of rigorous training, which if you say to women, we want to have 50-50, they will complain and say, no, exclude us from those positions. Why? It is because of their nature. So, inasmuch as we want equality, we should weigh and see how we can make things function in order to protect even our women. We love women so much but when considering other jobs, it is so difficult.
When this report was presented, it was during election time of 2023. Generally, we know that women are more than men in terms of numbers. So, we expected a lot of women to be in positions of authority but I do not even answer why we assume those positions because by nature, when we are talking of their numbers, if they could just vote in line that we want to elect a female President, we want to elect a female councillor, a female MP, by now we could be talking about maybe 80% or 20% in terms of ratio, men being less but I do not know the reason why. Maybe they do not like to get into positions of authority but whenever we look at even our structure, the Government structure, Mr. President, I looked at the slide which is on number 20 on the structure of our Government, we have one President who is male and two Deputy Presidents who are male again.
Then we go to Ministers. On ministers - the ratio of ministers, we have got seven women and 19 men to make them 26. Deputy Ministers, we have got seven women, nine men to make them 16. Permanent Secretaries, we have got six women and 20 men. Provincial Affairs and Devolution Ministers, we have got four women and six men. Then when we go to Permanent Secretaries for Provincial Affairs, we have got two women and eight men.
This structure shows that as a country, we are not serious in terms of gender equality. This is just a matter of taking it to ourselves that we want gender balance. Then we just balance the ministers. If it is 26, 13-13, it is as simple as that. As leaders, we should go and practice what we preach. Private organisations also look at the Government structure and ask why you are forcing us to employ women at an equal level with men whilst in Government, you are not practicing it. So, we should go and practice outside what we preach. Like in the Senate, excluding the chiefs, we know that it is 50-50 because the selection allows that.
The Commission also highlighted the issue of female chiefs. They highlighted the issue of Matabeleland South, where a female chief was elected into the Chief's Council. They applauded that but they think that number should increase because totally we have got six female chiefs in Zimbabwe. They said in the next election, in the Council of Chiefs, all women should be included so that this issue of gender shows them some seriousness in terms of gender equality.
No one should be left behind when we are talking about gender equality. If here in the Senate we manage to do 50-50, let the National Assembly do so and also in the Government because they are the leaders and should lead by example. We need a female Deputy President, the same with ministers. The appointing authority should consider gender equality because this is what we are moving with. They have appointed the Gender Commission to see to it that gender equality is observed. Let them observe it themselves.
There are a lot of issues. There is the issue of media coverage. Whenever it is exercising its duties, media should talk of these issues of gender equality, promoting both men and women. There are issues that were highlighted in the Commission's report of sexual harassment. There is a lot of sexual harassment in our country.
They also highlight the issue of females who put on revealing clothes, miniskirts and short dresses, which put men under pressure and end up being perpetrators. Women of Zimbabwe should also dress properly so that we do not put men under pressure. If we practice that, you will see that there will be a reduction in terms of sexual harassment.
They also highlighted the issue of sexual harassment at workplaces. They gave examples of the issue of a case study of Pick and Pay, National Handling Services and also ZBC. It was highlighted there that in ZBC, there was an issue of sexual harassment. Nobody would think that ZBC can be included in such things because we are seeing them as broadcasters. There should be stiffer penalties to perpetrators of sexual harassment.
There is an issue of, they wrote it as child marriages, maybe we can correct it to child sexual abuse. I think when you get into marriage, you should have consent. A child cannot have consent. So on the issue of child sexual abuse, they highlighted that some of the issues are covered up by perpetrators offering to pay lobola for a 14 year old girl child. That cannot be allowed. It is illegal. There is an organisation which I heard saying, regai dzive shiri. We should protect our children until they reach the age of consent so that they can get into marriage.
We have seen our Commission moving throughout the country and at major events exhibiting what it stands for. They were present at the ZITF, they were also present at the Victoria Falls exhibition and at the Midlands Agricultural Show. I think the issue of Gender-Based Violence should be treated with care and should be an issue of importance. It is not good and it is not healthy for the development of our country. We should shun that. It is my advice to all perpetrators of Gender-Based Violence that the law should take its course not looking at who or what position you are occupying. We should live in a free Zimbabwe where women will be free to participate in positions of authority at work without fearing anything. Thank you Mr. President for allowing me to air my view on this subject.
THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF VETERANS OF THE LIBERATION STRUGGLE AFFAIRS (HON. SEN. H. MOYO): Mr. President, I do move for the adjournment of the debate.
Motion put and agreed to.
Debate to resume: Wednesday, 26th March, 2025.
MOTION
CONDOLENCES ON THE DEATH OF FORMER DEPUTY PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE HON. CHEN. CHENHAMO CHAKEZHA CHIMUTENGWENDE
Third Order read. Adjourn debate on motion on the sudden death of the former Deputy President of the Senate, Hon. Chen Chenhamo Chakezha Chimutengwende.
Question again proposed.
*HON. SEN. CHIEF CHARUMBIRA: Thank you Mr. President. We are still mourning Hon. Sen. Chimutengwende for the works that he did, which was the doing of God. If possible, we would ask for more days for him. Hon. Sen. Chimutengwende held several ministerial positions and rose into this Senate House. I had a chance to work with him in the Pan-African Parliament as one of the five delegates of the Pan-African Parliament. He was a Minister and he rose through to become a Senator. It was a pleasure working with him in Parliament and he was one of the Members of the delegation with the Pan-African Parliament (PAP).
I will dwell much on issues of PAP. There are some who ask how Hon. Senator Chimutengwende is and I advise them that he is late. He is remembered in the PAP as one of the Members from the Zimbabwe Parliament who worked with others peacefully and in harmony. As you know, PAP is comprised of people from various backgrounds. There are people from Spanish background, the White and the Indian background but he would relate with them all without any problem. Everyone liked him, he shared his wisdom with everyone. He once narrated what happened back in 1962 when we were still under the Rhodesian colonial regime, when we were trying to fight for our freedom.
He once went to Somalia. He was an author of a newspaper that was read across the world educating people that they were leaders like Kwame Nkrumah and he went to the United Kingdom where he met another Member of Parliament who narrated that they were once together. He also went to Angola and also narrated on the Angolan independent issues. These are issues of the liberation struggle. There are people who really worked for our liberation. He narrated that they suffered a lot. He said he once went to Angola and this was done so that he could gain passage to the United Kingdom. He added on and said that when he went to Angola, he met fellow African men who would assist him in travelling to the United Kingdom.
He said that when he arrived in Angola, he failed to locate the fellow African man and he had to stay there without money. He spent two days there and a stranger asked him about his purpose of being in Angola and he narrated to him that he wanted to travel to the United Kingdom. The stranger bought him a ticket and he proceeded with his journey. In all this, the objective was to discuss about the future of Africa. He was someone who always said that Africa should always be ahead. Up to the present date, he is one comrade who is recognised by the entire nation, including all Members of Parliament because he always advocated for the development of Zimbabwe and the entire African continent.
Out of all the Members of Parliament who were part of the delegation, he is the most celebrated Member. With our elder Chimutengwende, people gathered around listening to his advice and stories on how he worked around tirelessly to bring about independence and liberation to the African continent with other African leaders. He would narrate on issues of nationalism and the armed struggle. Above all, he did not mention these issues so that people would recognise him as an important figure. Regardless of the fact that he had his bottle of wine, he would continue to speak in a sober manner with scores of people listening to his stories. Even at his traditional court, people would gather. He was a great man. May his soul rest in peace.
+HON. SEN. NYATHI: Thank you for the opportunity that you have given me. I would want to add my voice in a few words on our late hero, Hon. Senator Chimutengwende. I recognise Hon. Senator Chimutengwende as someone who would help us. He would come whilst we were still in our youth. He was a father with love and very humble. We really need people like him in our lives. Even though he is late, we remember him a lot. The previous speakers have narrated a lot about his character. Some of them come from where he originated and others are from the provinces he visited. He was someone who united people and who did not discriminate. With these few words, may his soul rest in peace. -[HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear.]-
^HON. SEN. MALULEKE: Thank you Mr. President for according me this opportunity to add my voice on the issue of Hon. Chen Chimutengwende. I also want to thank Hon. Tongogara for raising this important motion. We worked with him very well. He always greeted us first, even though he was older than us. He was a hard worker dedicated at working for his country. Hon. Chimutengwende taught us a lot and he was a humble man. At some point, we were all seated when he arrived, we offered him a seat but he refused. As the august House and the nation at large, we lost a gallant cadre who was dedicated. At some point, he was the Deputy President of the Senate. Cde Chimutengwende was a good person even at parties he used to encourage us to be active by opening the dance floor. He used to give us courage, hope and confidence. He was a loving man, there is nothing we can do, may his soul rest in peace. Thank you.
*HON. SEN. MAKAMBA: Thank you Mr. President Sir for giving me this opportunity to debate on the late Hon. Chen. Chimutengwende. Some people may want to know where the name ‘Chen’ came from. It is a short-cut of Chenhamo Chakezha Chimutengwende. Many people would say Cde. Chen, we asked him how that name came about and he said it came about in 1963 when he was in Ghana training for the liberation struggle. Many people did not know that the late Hon. Chimutengwende was an ex-combatant, just like what Chief Charumbira said. He was very humble but he is one of those people who left this country at a very young age to go and fight for the liberation struggle.
He said he was trained by a Chinese person and it was difficult for him to call him Chenhamo. So, they agreed that you are now Chen. That is where that name came from. That is the name that became popular. Cde. Chimutengwende became the chairman of ZANU PF, the ruling party in Mashonaland Central Province, when there was chaos among leaders; you know those things that happen in politics. Now, when Cde Chimutengwende became chairman, he addressed all those issues and encouraged us all to work together because development only comes after unity. He was selected for the second time. He is one of the very few people who were elected chairman of the party twice. He was also an author. He wrote more than 20 books and some other publications. Like what the chief said, he was writing for other countries. He was a Pan-Africanist through and through. He would be invited to other countries, the world over and he would speak about how blacks can develop and how discrimination can end. He loved peace and uniting people, everywhere where he went. When he became Minister of Telecommunications, which was the time when we were looking at introducing mobile phones and Cde. Chimutengwende gave the way forward and we are agreed. The Act was enacted to allow the cellphones that you see working today. Cde Chimutengwende loved people in this country and he loved blacks the world over. Many people in this country loved him, especially some of us who worked with him in Mashonaland Central Province. I thank you.
+HON. SEN. M. NDLOVU: Thank you Hon. President of the Senate, for according me this opportunity to add my voice to the debate on Hon. Chen. Chimutengwende. When we were coming from somewhere, we went straight to his home. He killed a goat for us and he said I want you to eat it all. We ate but we could not finish it. So, he asked us to carry some to our homes. He was a generous man, that is why everyone speaks well about him. God takes the good. When he was the Vice President of this House, he loved us all. He was an intelligent person. Even for us from Matabeleland region we cannot fail to talk about him. He would visit Matabeleland South or anywhere in Matabeleland. He liked us and he went for the liberation struggle with us, he would ask, such beautiful girls why did you go to the war for? Why would you go to the struggle as beautiful as you are? I thank you.
^^HON. SEN. MOHADI: Thank you Mr. President of the Senate for this opportunity awarded to me to say a few words. I would like to talk about the then Vice President of the Senate, the late Hon. Sen. Chakezha Chimutengwende. During his time in this august House, we used to work together when he was Deputy President of the Senate and I used to be on the Chairperson’s Panel. We found him here and he groomed us.
He was a humble person and he liked to train those who came after him. He was not jealous and wanted everyone he worked with to understand his works. I remember at some point when we went to Mutare for a workshop for Presiding Officers and their panel, when we got there with Hon. Senator Chimutengwende, he was a person who liked joking with people. He used to dance a lot, especially dancing to soft music. We would really enjoy being with him.
He was so humble despite him being in a higher position. He would get to your level, spend the day with him and work together with him. I do not have much to say about him because the previous speakers said a lot about him. He liked everyone. Therefore, with these few words, allow me to say we will continue to remember him, because we worked so well with him. May his soul rest in peace.
HON. SEN. SIBANDA: Thank you Mr. President Sir. I would like to thank the mover of this motion. I would have loved to debate this motion when it was still hot but unfortunately, the day when I stood up to debate, I was not recognised. But still, I have got a few words to say about the late Hon. Senator Chen Chenhamo Chakezha Tichaguta Chimutenengwende. I remember this jovial late Senator who was a very kind and a respectable man. I remember about a few months ago, my friend was asking me where he was because he was a figure to be noticed, especially during some national gatherings in Bulawayo. I would like to say that he was a man of fun, a man who used to love fun.
I remember the other time when I was a member of the Press Club in the mid-90s, when he was a Minister of Information, he visited us in Bulawayo. After that, we always looked forward to his visit because of the way he treated us and the way he entertained us. Hon. President, that man loved his fun. This other day, I went to listen to a jazz session. When the session was playing and people were seated, he just stood up and danced. You know, everyone just stood up because they knew that the next thing that was coming was a dance.
The man could dance. He was a fun-loving man. He was a sociable man. He was dedicated to his job and I guess when he was chosen to be the President of the Senate, he really stood up for his job and he was really worthy to be the President of the Senate. May his dear soul rest in peace. We wish we could have people like him around because he was a very sociable man. He did not even choose the people to associate with. Thank you Mr. President.
HON. SEN. TONGOGARA: I move that the debate do now adjourn.
HON. SEN. MOHADI: I second.
Motion put and agreed to.
Debate to resume: Wednesday, 26th March, 2025.
MOTION
CONSTRUCTION OF DAMS AND WATER STORAGE FACILITIES
Fourth Order read: Adjourned debate on motion on climate change mitigation.
HON. SEN. TONGOGARA: I move that the debate do now adjourn.
HON. SEN. MOHADI: I second.
Motion put and agreed to.
Debate to resume: Wednesday, 26th March, 2025.
MOTION
LEGALISATION OF TERMINATION OF PREGNANCY
Fifth Order read: Adjourned debate on motion on access to safe legal abortion services.
HON. SEN. MUZODA: Thank you Mr. President for giving me the opportunity to debate on this motion that speaks about pregnancy and being able to be assisted to abort legally so that they do not lose their lives in the process. Mr. President, I want to speak looking at the way we live and our culture. I am not sure which words I will use so that you understand me as Senate because it is very difficult to talk about killing stillborn babies. According to our culture, we do not kill.
Why do we not follow our culture from the past? Not to kill and respect life. It is good for those who may see this in their lives when they face such difficult times but the God that we worship as we start this session is not happy with any person who kills.
I remember in the Bible, there was a man who lost a brother and he inherited his brother's wife. Mr. President, because he did not want to impregnate his late brother's wife since he was not going to be able to justify that, he decided to interrupt the ejaculation. God was angry and he killed him. So, Mr. President, that shows that God does not want anything that goes into the tummy to die and he also does not want coitus interruption. When God creates us, he says we should propagate. We come up with our laws and try to justify and comfort ourselves but God does not want that.
Mr. President, pregnancy cannot be terminated. We may go back to the Bible, there are children that were not wanted before they were born. There are some that were attempted to be aborted before they were born but they were blessed by God. When they walked on this earth, they were blessed. Moses is the one that we always talk about, who delivered Israelites from Egypt although he did not take them to the promised land. He was very popular so much that if only he had been aborted, who was going to have that courage? In addition, Mr. President, God chose Moses that he would speak to him and the two of them would understand each other. Nobody else was chosen by God to speak to God face to face except Moses. If Moses had died, today we would not be having this history of Israelites. So sometimes, what we may look down upon and try to destroy may become the most important thing tomorrow.
Mr. President, sometimes that pregnancy will be of a doctor who assists people in the future but we abort. Maybe the pregnancy is of a future president and we abort. Mr. President, I do not agree with what was put in the motion but it does not mean that those who may want to do it should not because when we live in this world, we talk of rights, it is their right but let us go back to our humanity.
Where we come from in the rural areas, Mr. President, it was taboo. It used to be done by school-going girls who would abort but if they were caught - I remember my cousin, my aunt's daughter dropped the child soon after giving birth but the mother knew that she was pregnant and she failed to protect the child. The case was taken to the chief, not to the police but it was later taken to the police.
Mr. President, they were charged three cattle because they were told tht killing was not allowed and it is taboo in our culture. Let us remember why we were put in this world. What does the Bible say, the one we read every day? I do not have much words because it is very difficult for me to debate on killing because in this country, in this House, we rejected the death sentence.
Mr. President, nobody agreed that the death sentence must not be abolished, so why do you want to kill those who have not been born yet? I thank you Mr. President, for these few words. I was really afraid of speaking further because it really disturbs me. I cannot live where killing prevails – [HON. SENATORS: Hear, hear.] -
THE HON. DEPUTY PRESIDENT OF SENATE: Thank you Hon. Senator Muzoda. I did not know Hon. Senator Muzoda is so well-read in the Bible. You could be a lecturer in theology somewhere.
^^HON. SEN. MOHADI: Thank you Mr. President for the opportunity awarded to me to say a few words. I would like to thank Hon. Senator Chinyanga who brought this motion to this august House. I think all of us, when we came into this House, took oath in this august House, holding on to a Bible which meant that we all agreed to everything in the Bible.
Mr. President, if we look at the Ten Commandments, the first commandment, if it is not the second, says “do not kill”. I then do not understand why in this House, as the Senate, we brought this motion which says let us kill. Where does it come from? If I remember quite well, apart from the Bible, on the commandment which says do not kill, if we go to our country's Constitution, it says everyone has got the right to life, including the unborn child and they have a right to live. So where do we get this idea of wanting to kill?
Mr. President, going forward, still if our Constitution continued to say only those who would have committed murder should be killed, it was going to be difficult for us. We had to end up abolishing that one. Still on this, we have come here and just some few months after the abolishment, we came back into this House to say we want unborn babies to be killed, really? For us to abolish the death sentence, it was because those who were on the death row had no one to kill them. Therefore, if we are to say we want to kill, I then get surprised. Are we prepared to kill? Who is going to kill for us and who is going to kill these unborn babies?
My fellow colleagues, there is no-one seated in this august House who does not have a grandchild; we all have a grandchild. I do not think all of us who have grandchildren know their fathers but they are surviving. It is disheartening that we continue to say we want to kill. In my own view, if we were to vote, I do not think you would see my vote. You will get my vote because in my opinion, when I am holding this Bible, it is written ‘do not kill’.
I am a Christian and I think three quarters of us in here all go to church. I do not know which church allows one to kill because if we were to say, let us allow one to kill legally this unborn child, we know there is this issue which we are using to justify this, the issue of rape. Yes, I agree with the issue of saying there is rape but our law is saying, let us not encourage such exercises as killing. Let us find another way of handling these issues, not to kill.
I once heard one previous debater saying in South Africa, there is a law which says let us allow legal abortion. We do not adopt what is happening in other countries. We formulate our own policies. If we are to copy from other countries, let us copy the good. At times we get people who can get two to three pregnancies because they want to continue to enjoy life. They will always be terminating all these pregnancies. Can this be life? How would one feel, especially for us women? Can we really allow each one of us to kill? I do not think so.
As I conclude, let me say we need to find something to help us. On children that are raped, the current law should be more powerful and enforce stiffer penalties to those who commit rape by giving the rapists stiffer penalties, for example, a cattle rustler is given nine years per cow. Therefore, let us enforce stiffer penalties to rapists so that we deter such actions in our society. As I conclude, if there is one or other people who think these people are born out of fathers that they do not know, they are not welcome in their families, let them be born and I will look after them. The same children with fathers that are not known have a right to survive. With these few words, I thank you.
HON. SEN. TONGOGARA: I move that the debate do now adjourn.
HON. SEN. MOHADI: I second.
Motion put and agreed to.
Debate to resume: Wednesday, 26th March, 2025.
MOTION
REPORT OF THE THEMATIC COMMITTEE ON CLIMATE CHANGE ON THE ENQUIRY INTO THE IMPACT OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON HUMAN-WILDLIFE CONFLICT
Sixth 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 induced by Climate Change in 2024.
Question again proposed.
HON. SEN. TONGOGARA: I move that the debate do now adjourn.
HON. SEN. MOHADI: I second.
Motion put and agreed to.
Debate to resume: Wednesday, 26th March, 2025.
MOTION
OVERHAUL OF DILAPIDATED STADIA
Seventh Order read: Adjourned debate on motion on the deplorable sports infrastructure in the country.
Question again proposed.
HON. SEN. CHAPFUDZA: I move that the debate do now adjourn.
HON. SEN. KABONDO: I second.
Motion put and agreed to.
Debate to resume: Wednesday, 26th March, 2025.
MOTION
RECAPITALISATION OF PUBLIC HEALTHCARE INSTITUTIONS
Eighth Order read. Adjourn debate on motion on the state of the health care system in the country.
Question again proposed.
HON. SEN. KABONDO: Thank you Mr. President. I am sorry I took long in standing up. I am not exactly small and this chair is smallish, so standing up is a struggle for me. I want to thank you for giving me this opportunity to say out just one or two things on the state of our health service provisions.
The President of this country, His Excellency, said the job of the opposition is to criticise so that they, as the ruling party, can correct their mistakes. I am really sorry if I am going to hurt someone's feelings but I will only be doing what the President said we should do.
I want to do a bit of criticism on the state of service provisions. I feel it deserves a very strong condemnation. I am trying to get a word. Unfortunately, this is my third language. A word that can describe how I feel about the state in which service provisions is. It is unacceptable and I think the Greeks would call it capos because it is really bad.
When we were growing up, our parents never used to buy any cough mixture. When we were at primary school during wintertime, when you had a cough, you would just go to the clinic. They would tell you for the next coming five days, you will be coming here in the morning first thing before you go to class. Those small containers which they would put cough mixtures in, you would queue up when the nurse came and opened, you just get there. You are given those small measured cough mixtures and you drink and run to school. That was the health system that we grew up knowing.
We are only getting to appreciate it now because it is no longer there. I have an 87-year-old mother and I thank God for the gift of life but I worry because she takes blood pressure tablets. The simple ordinary HCT is not in the clinics. I understand our clinics are primary healthcare systems. Honestly, paracetamol, HCT and cough mixtures are primary healthcare things that need to be there in those clinics. Two weeks ago, I drove from here to Binga and back because my mother’s tablets were finished and those tablets only cost a dollar, it cost me a round trip from here to Binga and back because there is no pharmacy where my mother stays. She stays in the rural areas and the clinic does not have those tablets. The tablets that I had bought were finished.
It is something that really touches me when I talk about it because it is cheap medication that we buy for a dollar but it is not in the clinics. You get to my home clinic and they cannot even give you paracetamol. They will just prescribe and tell you there is a man who stays at some village there who sells tablets that he buys from Zambia and brings them here and we have to go and buy from him. Tablets that we do not know how they are transported but we just have to buy and use them.
That is the first thing.
Then the second thing that touches me is what happens in these hospitals. I was talking about the primary healthcare. Now I want to talk about the hospitals. My father died of prostate cancer but that was in 2002. The healthcare system was still bearable because we managed to take him to Mater dei Hospital and he was operated though he later on died due to old age. Then I have a sister who had a brain tumour. I am sorry if I become emotional about this. She used to work for the Railways of Zimbabwe for thirty-five years and when she was diagnosed with that, the medical aid could no longer cover her operation. We ended up taking her to a Government Hospital, which is Mpilo. What experience did we have in Mpilo? The doctor responsible also had a surgery. You take your patient to Mpilo and he was telling us to bring her after every two weeks until someone told us that what you need to do is go to his private surgery.
That is the only time that he would be able to admit her into the hospital because the bills were for him.
We did that but it was after I think six weeks of being pushed from pillar to post. When we went to his surgery, he smiled and said, I knew you were going to come here. To me, that was like someone playing with other people's lives. He told us what he wanted, the charges for the operations. We literally bought everything, including the gauze that they use when they are operating, to mop the blood. It was not there. We bought everything. There is some mud-like substance that when they open their skull, they have to put. It is like plaster and some pins. We had to buy those things.
Unfortunately, we could not even get them from this country. I had to go to Zambia and look for those things for that operation to be done. This brings me to say, you know, it looks like today, everyone has gone biblical. The Israelites, when they were in the desert, because of the problems they were encountering, they said to Moses, we would rather have you take us back to Pharaoh where we could eat and drink instead of you bringing us here to die in the desert. I talked about the cough mixture that we used to have. What can be done? Please do not push us into saying this because you then say because they are the opposition that is why they are saying it. We do not want to be pushed up to the extent where we say, Rhodesia was better because we could get medication. May something be done because it is painful to watch someone die?
You know, when we went to that doctor, he billed us an amount that he wanted which we did not even have. We had to look for money and they were racing against time. Fine, he did that operation but it never worked. If the Government had been in a position to have everything in place, that operation could have been done in time. Maybe it would be a different story today. So, the Israelites, I will repeat, said to Moses, we would rather go back to is to Egypt. At least we could eat and drink. Thank you Mr. President.
+HON. SEN. MLILO: Thank you Mr. President for giving me this opportunity for me to add my voice on the motion that was tabled by Hon. S. Moyo. I am very emotional and sad Mr. President Sir. When talking about our Government Hospitals where we are supposed to get medical help. It is no longer a place where you get medical help but it is a death point. Even for a child, when you say you want to take them to a hospital, they will prefer not to be taken to a hospital for they know that once you go to a hospital, it is more like going to a deathbed.
For us to understand what I am referring to, our medical hospitals are supposed to be a place where you get medical help but once you get into an ambulance and taken to a hospital, it is a deathbed. Even if it is not a severe or critical medical condition that you will be going through, every time you are taken to a hospital, it is more like being taken to a deathbed. Long back when you went to hospitals, you would be given paracetamol but now most of the times when you go to a hospital, you are referred to a pharmacist to go and buy medication.
It is our request that Government should look into health conditions and medical assistance in hospitals. This is across the country. These days when you get a fracture, whether you have a fracture in your hand or leg, you will not be assisted. They used to put plaster but nowadays there is an iron bar that they have to put. I have experienced those fractures most of the times and not at any given point when there was an iron rod that was put. Most of the times they would put a plaster but the iron rod that they have to put most of the times, you cannot even get it. You will be referred to another doctor where you will get that iron rod. Mr. President Sir, it is my plea that the Government should look into this, especially on our medical facilities.
The Minister of Health, I am not sure whether he has told the hospitals and have a look at what exactly is happening. I am also a member of the HIV and AIDS Committee. In my view, why can we not have the Minister tour Government hospitals together with the Committee, especially at the referral hospitals. I am referring to hospitals such as Mpilo. It saves most of the people from Matebeleland South. Why can the Minister not have a tour of such hospitals? There are no hospital beds. All patients end up being put on the floor. They end up sleeping on the floor. Maternity ward is the same. No medical beds at all. Someone after delivering has to sit on the floor and hold a newborn child on the floor. It is our plea that the Minister or the Government should take this seriously and tour the hospitals. If it means having the President touring the hospitals, I think maybe that is what will make him come to reality with what is happening.
Hospitals are places where one is supposed to get medical help, but most of the times it is a death bed. I have my child who was not feeling well, who was expecting. When I spoke to her that I needed to take her to hospital, she completely refused because she was saying going to a hospital is more like going to a death bed. I had to take her to a private surgery which was very expensive. Just to be attended, consultation fee is not less than $100. Most people are now viewing hospitals as death beds. It is my plea that the Government should intervene and tour the hospitals so that they can have the reality of what is happening. I thank you.
*HON. SEN. KUPFUMA: Thank you Mr. President for giving me this opportunity to add on to this debate. A lot has been said so far. I think the health sector, indeed we need help from God. Things are not good in the hospitals, especially in the rural areas where somebody will be unemployed. If you come across a situation where somebody falls sick, it is a very desperate situation. Considering that most of the people in this country are not formally employed in a household, maybe one will be formally employed and some are vegetable vendors and they are called breadwinners.
If they face problems or sometimes if you were to hear that your brother or sister was hit by a car, they are taken to a hospital, there are no beds, there are no bandages, there is no medicine, there are no services, they require money and that person will be in a desperate situation. They cannot assist you without money and yet those are the people that we expect to vote for us. If you become elected as a Minister after elections, if you are not voted for, you cannot become a Minister, an MP or a Senator. So, those people are very important to us. Losing any of those people's lives means we also lose votes. Indeed, if only the Government can consider that.
There are some people living with HIV, some of them are pregnant. Right now, looking at the issue of USAID, President Donald Trump withdrew help that was being rendered to various international countries and organisations. There are some who live on ART and suddenly the donations were cut. So, if nothing is done to alleviate that situation for them to be able to access ARVs, what is going to happen? It means we are going to lose a lot of lives. There will be a lot of spread of HIV through some of the people, especially those who may not have protection. They are going to give birth to HIV positive babies who will die and those pregnant women who will be HIV positive will also die.
So, we are going to face a lot of problems in the country. The Minister of Health indeed must help us on this problem. I thank you Mr. President.
HON. SEN. S. MOYO: I move that the debate do now adjourn.
HON. SEN. MDHLURI: I second Mr. President.
Motion put and agreed to.
Debate to resume: Wednesday, 26th March, 2025.
MOTION
SUPPORT FOR LIVESTOCK FARMERS THROUGH PROVISION OF SUPPLEMENTARY STOCK FEEDS AND VACCINES
Nineth Order read: Adjourned debate on motion on the importance of livestock production in Zimbabwe.
Question again proposed.
HON. SEN. ZVIDZAI: Thank you Mr. President. I would like to add a few facts to the motion that was brought to the House by Hon. Senator Mohadi, on the importance of livestock in this country. I listened carefully when colleagues debated this motion and concluded that there are two clear divisions on the importance of livestock. One is the intangible benefits or the intangible importance of livestock production. The other is the tangible side, which is the economic benefits to the nation.
Let me talk to the issue of intangible benefits, the benefits that humans get by just having a reasonable herd of cattle. As blacks, we say basically that mombes are so important in the lives of Africans. It defines our culture. You know, culturally, once you have got a reasonable herd of cattle, you have got a very good standing in the community. You are confident, you are healthier and you are proud because of that. Those are the intangible benefits.
There are even more salient benefits to issues of livestock and how they are the glue of the family unit in the traditional sense. Once you have got your livestock, the family is glued together because there is now capacity to make sure that there is food on the table. There is capacity to make sure that there is school fees for the children. There is capacity to provide for the family. Interestingly in our cultural setting, to provide draught power, even to those who may not have, makes you more important than others. So, it does build the family unit and it continues to build communities. It builds a Zimbabwe that we can be proud of. Zimbabwe, the basic unit, the family unit, displays good citizenship. So that is the intangible salient benefits of livestock.
Then we have got the economic side of the problem at a macro level. The salient issues talk more to issues of micro, the family level, the village and the community at large. Now, let me get to the crux of the matter around the contribution of livestock to the macro-economics of a nation. A bit of statistics, the livestock market is growing meteorically. At the moment, I think we speak about a global contribution to global economy of about 1.3 trillion or upwards. That is what livestock can contribute to the global economy. As well, there is an available market for our cattle. As Zimbabwe, we have the right weather, very sweet grass for livestock and we know we used to be champions. In fact, we used to be one of the best in supplying sweet beef to the EU. If we pursued that market to improve our market share on the 1.3 trillion market, certainly this would contribute very magically to the GDP of this country.
In fact, livestock contributes about 35 to 40 percent of the contribution of agriculture to the economy of this country. Zimbabwe is an agricultural economy and 40 percent of that is livestock. That lays bare the importance of livestock to the economy of this country, to the well-being of our nation, to our aspirations to become a middle-income economy as driven partially by the livestock market. There could be no further emphasis on the importance of livestock to the economy of this country, to the well-being of the people of Zimbabwe, to the continued pride of this nation but what could be done to ensure that we recapture the markets and we grow the markets and penetrate the 1.3 trillion market so that we have got a reasonable share of that market?
The beef market, the livestock market, is very severely affected by issues of diseases. Right now, we must all understand that of the 5.5 million cattle that we have, the majority is farmed by the small-scale sector, the rural sector. One communal farmer has one cattle and the other has two. That adds up to your big number, the 5.5 million or so. However, we are saddled with January disease which wipes out thousands of our cattle and there is just something about cattle that I sometimes do not understand in this nation.
A person could have a hundred-plus cattle and they die of January disease because we are not keeping them checked when you could sell maybe two and save the rest. What I am trying to get to is that there is need for serious education around animal health. There is serious need to have as many people at village level teaching people just like we have got health workers. Let us have animal health workers at the village level so that we do not lose this very important asset which is lost with no care at all. Mr. President, I talked about January disease, anthrax and we are talking about the conflict between humans and wildlife vis-à-vis the resettlement programme. A very important programme which opened up neighbouring rural areas to infection of cattle, they could be buffalos and other animals. You have got foot and mouth disease which is affecting the quality of our beef and our capacity to penetrate the export market.
Disease extension services, village level animal health workers so that we can keep this important asset Mr. President. But there is also an additional issue around extension services. If you go to the rural areas, you find, if you know, I was in Buhera the other time and there is a family which was mocked as Masungembudzi. Their cattle have gone so small that when they plough, it looks like they are ploughing using goats.
We need to educate the people on the genetics of these animals you know, avoiding inbreeding so that we can keep participating in this market. Mr. President, my few recommendations are that we need to make sure that we deal with the issues of conflict between humans and their domestic animals and wildlife. Make sure that we do not spread foot and mouth. Importantly as well, what drives production is market. Where I come from, there are people called magombiro. These are people who go to buy livestock from the farmers. A reasonable sized ox, if there is a threat of drought, could be bought for USD 50-USD100. This is because there is no market at local level. My proposal is that we develop a market at local level for the beef that people produce.
I have heard a lot of things about the presidential input scheme. I think it is very important to introduce a presidential livestock market at the local level so that the residents can clean up if there are no markets, create the market, buy the cattle and store them for future use so that the farmer can get value for money for their work in producing the cattle. Going biblical, Genesis 41, Pharaoh and Joseph and the invention of parastatals. That is where it began. In good times, the parastatals always buy the produce for the next season because you always get periodical problems. Let us create a clear parastatal.
Yes, the bigger one, the CSC has failed but we can create micro-parastatals at the village level and community level to benefit the people. Driven deliberately by a presidential scheme, I am sure it will be good for the people. Mr. President, I also suggest that we improve the genetics of the cattle by regularly infusing into the heads that we have at the local level with new bulls maybe again through a presidential scheme or some scheme so that we keep improving or at least keep the standards of our breeds, standards big enough to be meaningful when we go to the markets.
Lastly, we need to deliberately always be working on improving the quality of the cattle through knowledge around animal health and animal nutrition. You see some very thin cattle with some counting that they have cattle because of lack of knowledge. I submit therefore, Mr. President that the importance of this motion cannot be overestimated, cannot be overemphasised, that cattle is life, particularly for the rural person. I would like to conclude by thanking Senator Mohadi for bringing forth this motion and I am sure the people at home in Matabeleland South and in Beitbridge will appreciate this because kholomo ndivhuttogwa. Thank you.
HON. SEN. ZINDI: Thank you Mr. President. I also rise to contribute to this important motion moved by Hon. Senator Mohadi. I am not going to talk much but perhaps to ride on Senator Zvidzai's contribution that provoked me in regard to what I have witnessed and what I am experiencing as a farmer. Talking about increasing the numbers of our inkomo or cattle in our midst, there is need for artificial insemination in addition to the natural mating of the cattle using the bulls. Artificial insemination can be aided by remedies such as estrumate that can allow a cow or a heifer to come on hit within 72 hours and with artificial insemination, you can then immediately inseminate that cattle.
Once inseminated, you are assured. The good thing about artificial insemination as well is that you can be specific in terms of the breed that you want. If you want them to come out all as females in order for you to grow your head, there is what they call sexed semen, which is particularly selected as females that will bring out females. If I may explain in a layman's language.
This is not anything that is unachievable. It is achievable. With my little experience and some documentaries that I have been watching, Colombians are doing it and they do not have degrees. We are talking of just a peasant on his piece of land or a plot who has that knowledge in terms of how to artificially inseminate cattle and the whole process. It can be done Mr. President.
Further to that, there is also the process of extracting semen from the bulls. I am talking of a peasant farmer whom I have witnessed personally in Colombia and in Brazil because those two countries also do cattle production. They do extraction or milking of semen from bulls which they will store where it is supposed to be stored so that it will remain active. They have all the facilities and they sell that semen, so one is just into production of semen. That is another form of farming other than having to be a cattle breeder. They sell to those who would want to go into big-time cattle production and this can be done. They are doing it because their Government is facilitating.
Mr. President, obviously I do not want to believe that the equipment they are using is Brazilian, one way or the other it is imported or perhaps is in the process. Mr. President, if they are not manufacturing their own equipment, they started by importing which we can also do as Zimbabweans but being facilitated by the Government. They have the right policies in place that are creating an enabling environment to allow people to grow and this can be done.
I have seen just an old man doing it and this practice is being passed on to generations and generations on that plot. They will be telling you, it started off with my grandparent and my grandparent passed it on to my father and my father has passed it on to me and so on, it goes on and on. I was so inspired when I was talking to this other lady on my flight from Colombia. She told me that she is a cattle breeder and she was telling me about Brazil. She was travelling there, following up on her records in terms of how much meat she had shipped to that city. She was just going to collect a cheque and then I got interested to know more.
Mr. President, she has got horses, she does the milking of semen herself and that is when she was telling me of knowledge being passed from generation to generation. I am saying based on that, we can also do it but the most important key to open up that opportunity with the Government facilitating is we should have policies that will allow us as farmers, not only as farmers even other entrepreneurs who would like to import just semen and sell it to farmers and sell it to those who would like to go into huge cattle production. That is an opportunity for self-employment and that is how I see it.
Mr. President, let us talk about the equipment. You would have already opened another opportunity for those because that equipment would like to be serviced. It requires spares. You would have already opened another opportunity for economic empowerment for those individuals who are entrepreneurial to set up business in terms of after-sales service of such equipment.
Mr. President, this will enable people to remain sustainable in that area of semen production business. In addition to that, our local cattle commonly known as hard mashona is such an important breed. The other day I was watching a video shot in the States, where they were saying this is gold referring to the hard mashona imported from Zimbabwe. It is now like on trial or pilot project for various reasons. It is disease-resistant and also with the improvement of genetics, it becomes a huge cow. They say the meat is sweet, soft and tender. Now, if America is now importing, taking our own hard mashona which we are almost saying is like a goat in terms of size but here it has been improved genetically. We can do that ourselves. The only facilitator is the Government through the Ministry of Lands who should put policies in place to allow entrepreneurs, to allow farmers to venture into such projects – [HON. SENATORS; Hear, hear.] - We hear at every seminar that farming is a business. Yes, it is a business but this is the business that I am talking about and it should be done now.
It is not just about a hoe, tilling the land and it ends there, no. It should actually be developed further for any other person to have an opportunity in the whole value chain, of farming at different levels, suppliers of equipment, whatever and each one gets an opportunity.
Mr. President, let us talk about pastures. In addition to good cattle breeding, we need good pastures and we can do it because we have the water. We now have the climate change challenges and pastures are important. We need to grow these on our farms.
It is again an opportunity for entrepreneurs, even those who are not into farming in terms of cattle production. There can be individuals who can get an opportunity just to do pastures and sell the fodder to farmers. The other day I was watching a video from Kenya where they are doing pastures just as a form of...
An Hon. Senator having approached the Chair
THE TEMPORARY PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE: (HON. SEN. CHIEF MTSHANE-KHUMALO): Order! I am sorry for interrupting you. Can you proceed?
HON. SEN. ZINDI: It looks like I am very unfortunate today because I am being interrupted. Thank you Mr. President. I was talking about creating opportunities not for cattle farming production but for entrepreneurs who can actually go into pasture production that can then be sold to those who are into cattle production. I was just on the matter to say a video shot in Kenya that I was watching the other day, where individuals who are entrepreneurial have got an opportunity of fodder production, trying to beat the climate change challenges we are faced with currently – that is the chain and opportunities that can be exploited by citizens.
Again, if I go back to my issue, the Government is facilitating. We do not have the seed for pasture production. Let the Government come up with policies that will allow people to import the seed in order for individuals to engage into pasture production. I can name a few companies in Zimbabwe right now who are into seed selling for pastures. There is Select Seed and Easy Seed. Those are the only two that I know of who sell various lucerne, brachiaria and sunn hemp. It is all imported mainly from Australia and Brazil.
There is a lot of other people who can engage into that business and we can talk of ease of doing business. Currently, we have two of these I have mentioned. Why? Perhaps it is because of the laws that regulate that area or that industry or that particular area. If we create policies, we come up with policies that are facilitating the ease of doing business. We would have more and the seed would even become cheaper because there would be more people supplying that seed, that is business that we are talking about. Farming is a business.
Mr. President, we are talking about what Hon. Zvidzai has alluded to in terms of diseases. I want to say that the January disease has become so common now. When we went into farming or at the time of land reform, there was not much talk about Johne’s disease. In my opinion, through the Ministry of Lands, why do we not come up with a policy that can package all the matters to do with cattle production, diseases, artificial insemination and fodder production?
The advantages of spraying your cattle if you are an individual farmer in the communal areas, we come up with that kind of ideas through our headmen or kraal heads. An Agritex officer is not expected to do any production or any work. I do not know how you call it in other areas but we call it Chisi when people are not working in their fields or anything, they are not allowed to, traditionally and culturally. People gather at sabhuku’s residence. The Agritex officer comes there, teaches what I have mentioned in terms of artificial insemination.
We get the right person at the University of Zimbabwe. We do have the vet doctors who are training there. They do all this artificial insemination. I know CUT is doing artificial insemination there. They send those individuals on arranged dates and teach people how to do artificial insemination. I am saying so because I have made reference earlier of just an old man who is not even educated in Colombia or in Brazil who does his own artificial insemination. These seminars, short programmes and short trainings will help to increase or to up our numbers.
In addition to what I have said, law enforcement destroys us Mr. President. Irene Zindi is busy and she cannot sleep making sure that she has increased her herd, the remedies, labour force and paying as an investment. A cattle rustler comes and steals 10 or 20 animals in one night, carries the meat to Harare in a Toyota or Honda Fit. There is a readily available market. Sadza is now cooked everywhere and the police themselves go and buy that sadza at a dollar when they do not even know the source of the meat they are eating.
I am actually advocating for our police to really enforce the laws that control movement of beef or carcass which is slaughtered. They should enforce those laws. Anybody found transporting carcasses should actually be arrested because there are particular vans that should transport meat into cities. Those cooking from all over even in First Street, you can go and buy a plate of sadza today as we speak. They should actually be questioned as to where they would have obtained the meat from.
Let us go back to the old days Mr. President. These days we now hear people being affected by cancer. You know what is happening? The January disease that we are talking about is treated by butachem. Butachem is carcinogenic. If you eat meat that has been treated with Butachem…
THE TEMPORARY PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE: Order Hon. Senator Zind! You are left with five minutes.
HON. SEN. ZINDI: Thank you Mr. President. I am almost done. If you eat meat from a cow treated with butachem, you are likely to be affected by cancer and this is why cancer has become so common. With all these sadza cooking places all over, a farmer would not like to lose so he or she will just sell a dead cow as a result of JD which will not have recovered from butachem. That meat is what we are seeing being sold on the streets at a dollar per plate of sadza. So, enforcement is lacking. I plead with our police to enforce and regulate as it was before in terms of the source of meat and the movement of meat from the farms into the cities.
Finally, I would like to go back to the issue of coming up with facilitating policies through the Ministry. We should be allowed to import all those other things that I have mentioned, in particular, the seed for pastures, the genetics in order to improve our cattle and necessary equipment for artificial insemination at affordable rates so as to be able to grow this cattle industry if at all we are concerned and if we at all consider that farming is a business and not just about a hoe and tilling the land. No, it goes further than that. I thank you.
HON. SEN. MOHADI. I move that the debate be now adjourned.
HON. SEN. TONGOGARA: I second.
Motion put and agreed to.
Debate to resume: Wednesday, 26th March, 2025.
On the motion of HON. SEN. TONGOGARA, seconded by HON. SEN. MOHADI, the Senate adjourned at Sixteen Minutes to Five o’clock p.m.