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SENATE HANSARD 26 FEBRUARY 2025 VOL 34 No. 28

PARLIAMENT OF ZIMBABWE

Wednesday, 26^th February, 2025

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

PRAYERS

(THE HON. PRESIDENT OF SENATE in the Chair)

ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE HON. PRESIDENT OF SENATE

ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH SERVICE

THE HON. PRESIDENT OF SENATE: I have to remind the Senate that on Thursday, 27^th February, 2025, there will be a Catholic Church Service in Special Committee Room Number 1 at 12 o’clock noon.  All Hon. Senators are invited to attend.

MOTION

REPORT OF THE ZIMBABWE GENDER COMMISSION FOR THE PERIOD 2023.

         First Order read: Adjourned debate on motion on the Report of the Zimbabwe Gender Commission for the period 2023.

         Question again proposed.

         HON. SEN. MOHADI: Thank you Madam President.   Allow me to just add my voice to this motion, which was presented by Hon. Minister Senator Mutsvangwa.

         Madam President, I rise to address the interlinked and urgent national issues that continue to undermine Zimbabwe’s democratic progress and social justice, the present stage of Gender-Based Violence and the alarming low political participation of women. 

         The Zimbabwe Gender Commission 2023 Annual Report has laid bare the systematic barriers, institutional failures and social injustices that prevent women from enjoying their constitutional rights to safety, dignity and equal political representation.

The report highlights that those cases of GBV, particularly sexual harassment and violence against women in elections, workplaces and institutions remain rampant. Sexual harassment remains a widespread issue, especially in workplaces, tertiary institutions and political spaces where power imbalances, institutional silence and lack of enforcement of policies continue to expose women and job insecurity, while in politics, female candidates are subjected to cyberbullying, verbal threats and even physical violence, thus discouraging them from actively participating in the electoral process. The absence of a dedicated Sexual Harassment Act and gaps in existing GBV-related legislation has left survivors vulnerable with no clear legal protection and delays in prosecuting perpetrators further emboldening offenders.

The undermining of survivors’ support services is another key concern. One-Stop Centres and Safe Shelters which play a critical role in rehabilitating survivors of GBV remain inaccessible to many victims, particularly in rural areas. Reports indicate that over 800 survivors sought shelter at Msasa’s urban Safe Shelter in 2023 alone, demonstrating the urgent need to expand support services.

Furthermore, economic dependence continues to trap many women in abusive relationships without access to financial safety nets or economic empowerment programmes. Many survivors are forced to endure violence due to lack of viable alternatives for survival.

Equally troubling is low participation of women in Zimbabwe politics. Despite national and international commitment to gender equality, women continue to face systematic barriers that prevent them from occupying leadership positions. The 2023 Harmonised Elections saw only 11% of National Assembly candidates and 15% of Local Government candidates being women, a clear indication of the obstacles they face. One of the most significant barriers was the exorbitant nomination fees, required Parliamentary candidates to pay USD1 000 and Presidential candidates USD 20 000.  These fees disproportionately excluded women, who already face economic marginalisation. Political parties also failed to uphold gender parity using the Women Quota System as an excuse to deny female candidates’ access to direct electoral seats.  The absence of a legal framework compelling political parties to field an equal number of male and female candidates further reinforces this inequality.

         Gender-Based Violence during elections remains a major deterrent for female participation.  The ZGC report documents numerous instances where women were harassed, threatened and bullied both online and offline, forcing many to withdraw from elections.  Without concrete legislative reforms and enforcement mechanisms, women will continue to be marginalised in politics, undermining Zimbabwe’s commitment to gender equality as enshrined in Sections 17, 56 and 80 of the Constitution. 

         To address these challenges, I propose several urgent interventions.  Firstly, Parliament must fast-track the enactment of a Sexual Harassment Act that criminalises sexual harassment in workplaces, learning institutions and public spaces with clear penalties and enforcement mechanisms.  Additionally, there is  need to amend the Electoral Act to introduce gender responsive reforms, including the requirement for political parties to field an equal number of male and female candidates.  Laws addressing violence against women in elections must also be strengthened to ensure swift prosecution of political violence perpetrators.

         Secondly, I call for increased budget allocations for gender equality programmes. Safe Shelters, One-Stop Centres and legal aid services for GBV survivors must be adequately funded to ensure victims receive psychosocial support, legal representation and economic rehabilitation.

         Thirdly, the justice system must be reformed to improve access to justice for GBV survivors.  GBV Fast-Track Courts should be introduced to expedite cases and ensure perpetrators face severe and deterrent penalties.  Law enforcement officers and the Judiciary must also be trained to handle GBV and sexual harassment cases sensitively and efficiently, reducing secondary victimisation of survivors.  

         Finally, women’s representation in politics must be actively promoted through legislative and policy interventions.  Nomination fees must be lowered for women, youth and persons with disabilities to remove financial barriers.  Political parties must be compelled to amend their constitutions to enforce a 50-50 gender parity requirement in candidate selection – [HON. SENATORS:  Hear, hear.] – Furthermore, the Government should introduce campaign financing and mentorship programmes to equip women with the necessary skills and resources to compete in elections. 

         Madam President, failure to act decisively on those issues will continue to rob Zimbabwe of the potential leadership and contributions of half of its population.  Gender equality is not a privilege nor a concession, it is a constitutional and moral obligation.  This House must stand firm in dismantling the barriers that keep women from political leadership and ensuring every woman and girl in Zimbabwe can live free from violence and discrimination.  I so move Madam President. 

         THE MINISTER OF VETERANS OF THE LIBERATON STRUGGLE AFFAIRS (HON. H. MOYO):  Madam President, I move that the debate do now adjourn.

         Motion put and agreed to.

         Debate to resume: Thursday, 27^th February, 2025.

MOTION

REPORT OF THE THEMATIC COMMITTEE ON CLIMATE CHANGE ON THE ENQUIRY INTO THE IMPACT OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON HUMAN-WILDLIFE CONFLICT

         HON. SEN. MUPFUMIRA:  I move the motion standing in my name that this House considers and adopts 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 (S.C. 26, 2024).

         HON. SEN. MOHADI:  I second.

         HON. SEN. MUPFUMIRA: Thank you Madam President I rise to present a report on the Thematic Committee on Climate Change on an enquiry into the impact of climate change on wildlife and human wildlife conflict induced at the climate change, subject to Standing Order Number 20. 

Human-wildlife conflict is a growing concern in Zimbabwe exacerbated by climate change. As temperatures rise, wildlife habitats are disrupted leading to increased encounters between humans and wildlife. Human wildlife conflict causes habitat fragmentation and loss, drought and water scarcity, crop destruction, destruction of trees, overgrasing and loss of human life.  It is against this background that the Committee resolved to undertake the visits to different National Parks and their bordering communities. The Committee therefore, visited the following- Gonarezhou National Park, Hwange National Park, Matetsi, Mabale and Malipati to appreciate the impact of climate change, the challenges faced by people leaving near national parks, and to verify on programmes done by Parks and Wildlife to support communities near national parks.  

The objectives of the fact-finding visits and community engagement were to; Assess the extent and impact of human-wildlife conflict resulting from climate change. Evaluate the effectiveness of measures implemented by the Parks and Wildlife Management Authority to mitigate the challenges posed by climate change on the wildlife sector. To engage with stakeholder, communities, gather information on human wildlife conflicts and policy gaps in addressing these challenges.

Methodology; The Committee received oral evidence from the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife (ZIMPARKS) on 20 May 2024 on the impact of climate change in exacerbating human-wildlife conflicts. The Committee received written submissions from ZIMPARKS on the measures being implemented to ameliorate the challenges posed by climate change to wild life and the programmes being implemented to support communities bordering the national parks. Subsequently, the Committee conducted fact-finding visits to Gonarezhou National Park and Hwange National Park and the following communities, Malipati, Matetsi and Mabale from 05 to 09 August 2024 to appreciate and verify the programmes implemented by ZIMPARKS in addressing climate change impact to both wildlife and people. 

Zimbabwe is a signatory to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). These conventions seek to protect and preserve wildlife and biodiversity sustainably. Concurrently, Zimbabwe is grappling with far-reaching consequences of climate change on its rich wildlife heritage and human co-existence. As the country strives to achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 13 (Climate Action), and 15 (Life on Land), it faces escalating human-wildlife conflicts (HWCs) induced by climate change. Rising temperatures, altered precipitation patterns and increased frequency of extreme weather events are disrupting ecosystems, forcing wildlife to encroach on human settlements and agricultural lands in search of food and water. This, in turn, is leading to conflicts between humans and wildlife, resulting in crop damage, property loss and even human injury and death of human beings. It is against this background that the Committee resolved to conduct an inquiry into the impact of climate change on wildlife and human wildlife conflicts.

The Committee noted that climate change, characterised by changing rainfall patterns, drought and heatwaves has significantly impacted wildlife and biodiversity in Zimbabwe's National Parks, including Gonarezhou and Hwange National Park. The following impacts of climate change on wildlife were noted:

The Committee noted that climate change has caused frequent droughts and reduced rainfall patterns. This has further caused water scarcity in Hwange and Gonarezhou National Park. This has resulted in wildlife competing for water. Consequently, large and powerful species, like elephants and lions, dominate water sources, depriving other animals of this precious resource. In Hwange National Park, the Committee found out that there are no perennial rivers to support the ecosystem. The Committee established that Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Authority constructed artificial water pools supplied with water from 130 boreholes. However, poor rainfall has resulted in reduced groundwater levels which is further threatening water supply from the boreholes.

In contrast, Gonarezhou National Park has perennial rivers that support wildlife, however, pools were silted due to floods and human activities upstream. Gonarezhou National Park is experiencing environmental degradation due to water pollution, resulting from human activities occurring upstream of the major perennial rivers that provide water to the park for instance ethanol reticulation, and stream bank cultivation. Moreover, excessive heat has caused evaporation and infiltration in these rivers. This has resulted in animal populations congregating in areas near water sources, causing further ecosystem degradation through overconsumption of plants species.

Excessive Destruction of Trees and Overgrazing; The Committee was informed that elephant’s numbers have exceeded the carrying capacity of both Hwange and Gonarezhou National Parks. The Committee noted that due to the overpopulation of elephants, certain plant species like mopane trees, grass and baobab trees are facing severe destruction due to over- consumption by elephants especially in areas which are close to water sources. In addition, shortened rainy seasons have also led to poor vegetation growth which leads to overgrazing and prompt animals to look for pastures outside the park where they encroach into human settlements.

Crop Destruction; Members of public from Matetsi, Mabale, and Malipati communities reported that they have a challenge of wild animals encroaching into their agricultural lands searching for food and water. The public and ZIMPARKS authorities attributed this to climate change as rising temperatures and low rainfall affected water source levels and growth of plants needed by animals for their survival.  Subsequently, as wild animals migrate in search of food and water they encroach into fields resulting in crop destruction. Communities reported that elephants, hippos and other wildlife raid fields, devouring valuable crops and have caused significant losses to farmers.  Moreover, crop destruction by wild animals exacerbates food insecurity, threatening the livelihoods of rural communities who rely on agriculture for survival.

Loss of Domestic Animals; The Committee was informed by local communities surrounding Hwange and Gonarezhou National Parks that as wildlife ventures out of protected areas in search of food and water due to the El Nino induced drought, they come into contact with domestic livestock leading to transmission of diseases such as foot-and-mouth, brucellosis, anthrax and rabies to livestock, resulting in significant economic losses for farmers. In addition, predators like lions, leopards and hyenas prey on livestock, causing financial losses and emotional distress for farmers. In Matetsi and Malipati, the Committee was informed that farmers had lost a significant number of livestock to lions and hyenas.

Loss of Human Life and Destruction of Properties; The Committee received reports of human deaths caused by wild animal attacks due to wildlife encroachment in human settlements. In Hwange district, animals like elephants, buffalos and hippos have been responsible for human deaths. Community members raised concerns that no compensation is provided to assist those injured or to compensate the families of the deceased.

Gonarezhou Trust stakeholder community engagement; The Committee found that the Gonarezhou Trust has played a crucial role in addressing human-wildlife conflict by linking the community to development partners like Kacholo Agro Company to Mabale Community.  This partnership has enabled community members to grow chili, a cash crop that has improved food security and provided a climate change drought mitigation measure through gardening. In addition, the chili residues are used to deter elephants from encroaching into communities.

In Malipati, the Committee noted a collaborative initiative done by ZIMPARKS to the community. The Committee witnessed the partnership of the Malipati Development Trust, Chikombedzi Rural District and the Manjinji-Bosman Project to establish a community solar-powered irrigation system. This project aims to mitigate drought effects and introduce sustainable agriculture technology.

Hunting Quotas; The Committee noted that ZIMPARKS has a tripartite hunting quota system, allowing communities surrounding national parks to benefit from hunting elephants and other animals.  In addition, the Committee found out that hunting quotas provide nutrition and income for communities.

Committee Observations; The Committee observed the following during the visits and public engagement.

Artificial Water Supply; The Committee observed that Hwange National Park depends on borehole water to support wild animals. Hwange National Park has 130 solar powered boreholes feeding water into different artificial pools. The Committee noted that in all the National Parks visited, the areas around the water sources had higher animal concentration including large elephant population. Moreover, these areas were severely overgrazed.

Collaring and Tracking; The Committee observed that ZIMPARKS authorities have put collars and trackers on elephants, lions, rhinos and vultures in both Gonarezhou and Hwange National Parks to monitor their movements and prevent encroachment into communities. The Committee ascertained that the most pressing challenge confronting ZIMPARKS in its wildlife management efforts, compounded by climate change, is the overpopulation of elephants. The current elephant population in Hwange and Gonarezhou National Parks exceeds the nation's carrying capacity by a factor of more than two. This escalation is primarily attributed to the constraints on elephant culling, necessitated by the CITES convention, which has limited the implementation of effective population management strategies.

Awareness and Capacitation; The Committee observed that ZIMPARKS authorities engages and educates communities on protective measures against wildlife, including reinforcement methods on their livestock pens to deter predators.

Green Energy Initiative; The Committee observed that both Hwange and Gonarezhou National Parks have adopted green energy initiatives, replacing fossil fuels with solar power to reduce emissions. The Committee witnessed two solar plants in Gonarezhou and solar boreholes with lithium battery backup in Hwange National Park.

Lack of tools of trade and operational vehicles; The Committee observed that Hwange National Park is hindered by a lack of operational vehicles, which impedes effective patrolling and response to reports of wild animals in adjacent communities such as Matetsi.

The Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Water, Fisheries and Rural Development should invest in developing and expanding irrigation infrastructure to support agricultural activities in communities surrounding national parks by 31 April 2025. The Ministry of Tourism and Hospitality Industry should come up with a compensatory policy for losses incurred due to human-wildlife conflict by 30 June 2025 that will be used by the ZIMPARKS authorities to assist people affected by wild animals.  The Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water, and Rural Development should engage in drilling boreholes for communities surrounding national parks to prevent people from sharing water sources with dangerous animals like Hippos and crocodiles by 30 September 2025.

At the 2025 CITES conference, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade should propose a motion, on behalf of the Southern African block, to reconsider the resumption of controlled elephant culling and trade. The Ministry of Tourism and Hospitality Industry through ZIMPARKS authorities should consider to raise the elephant quota per year from the current 3 to a minimum of 10 elephants per year for the communities core-existing with wild animals. Addressing human-wildlife conflict in the context of climate change requires a comprehensive approach that integrates ecological, social and economic considerations. By implementing the recommended strategies and strengthening collaborative efforts, Zimbabwe can work towards achieving a more sustainable and harmonious co-existence between its wildlife and local communities. I thank you.

         *HON. SEN. GOTORA: Thank you Mr. President Sir.  Let me start by thanking our Chair for that comprehensive report, which really captures everything that was said when we were gathering evidence.  It seems like she was recording using electronic devices.  Let me go to the challenges which pertain to human-wildlife conflict.  Firstly, as Black people in Southern Africa, we have a strong relationship with animals, that is why we have surnames and totems which are related to animals.  This is a way which relates and speaks to the relationship between animals and people.  The Ndlovus do not eat elephants, Sokos do not eat baboons and monkeys.  This is a relationship which has always been there.

         The challenges are now that the human population has grown significantly and we are now occupying areas where wildlife is supposed to be.  That is what the Hon. Chair was talking about, areas like Matetsi.  Due to the large population of people, people are now co-habiting with animals, so animals end up feeling that their spaces are being invaded and this leads to conflicts.  Secondly, there are so many people and with the poor rainfall patterns because of climate change, wildlife is not getting enough water for drinking in the bushes and forests.  So, it becomes a challenge when they come to communities in search of water.

         Thirdly, where there is supposed to be dense vegetation, so that our animals would graze and browse, people have occupied that space.  This is happening because of climate change, where you find that the proportion of wildlife to humans does not tally.  The other thing is that there are some wild fruits that are supposed to be eaten by wild animals that we are harvesting and selling, like matamba, mazhanje and other wild fruits.  So, we find that conflict because it is their food.  The other challenge is that God created animals with the natural process and places but now you find that people are poaching and hunting down these animals which are supposed to be eaten by lions.  Eventually, lions will end up coming to communities where people live to devour domestic animals.  So, there is no peace between wildlife and people.

         The other thing is that Zimparks, the custodians of our forests and animals are not capacitated.  They do not have enough resources to look after our wildlife in the bushes.  Even workers who intervene when there is a conflict between wildlife and the human beings, the reaction teams are not properly equipped.  Zimparks does not have enough arms, vehicles and money to buy all the necessities.  The other challenge is that we have International Geo-political Conventions, like CBD, CITES and Ramsar.  These conventions have rules which guide, sometimes which interfere with the human-wildlife interaction and this sometimes results in an over population of wildlife, which end up coming to communities where people live in search of water and food.  So, what do we do with such a situation?

         Firstly, I believe that we need to empower Zimparks with adequate utilities so that Zimparks would be able to look after wildlife.  They need cars and boats in areas like Kariba and Save.  They need equipment so that Zimparks would move around different parks to ensure that there is no human and wildlife interaction, where the wild animals come into communities and where human beings go to the parks to hunt or poach for wild animals.

         We also face a challenge as a nation, we do not have enough resources but we might have partnerships, like what was said by the mover of the motion.  For example, like what has happened at the Gonarezhou, we have a society which created the Gonarezhou Conservation Trust between Zimbabwe and Germany.  We have resources from such countries.  You would find that they do not want to give our Government money but when we work with them, things become different.  We have an International Fund for Animal Welfare. These organisations are coming and we need more who would work with us, who would capacitate us with resources like cars, guns and uniforms, even ecologists so that the human-wildlife conflict is resolved amicably.

         The conventions that I alluded to, like the Ramsar Convention, CITES and others have annotations which are done during conferences.  These annotations speak to what is supposed to be done to help people who live in different countries but without disturbing the existence of wildlife.  For example, in Zimbabwe, we have a lot of ivory and rhinoceros’ horns but as a nation, we need permission to use ivory tasks locally.  For example, in Nairobi, Kenya, there is a street in Nairobi, Kenya, which has ivory crafts and rhino horns.  This is what we are not allowed to sell internationally and we are not training our people so that we capacitate them on using these God-given resources, despite being restricted by international conventions.  So, we need to train our experts, who can use these internally, not externally.  Instead of exporting, because exporting is the issue; the rest of the world is saying that no one can say that wildlife is mine but wildlife belongs to everyone.  There is CITES and other conventions which speak to that.  So, because of that, this results in a situation where we are told that you cannot kill them.  When you hunt them down, those who do not have, what is going to them? What CITES prescribed to us as Zimbabwe in 1997 we were given four annotations which can be used in terms of culling of wildlife and in terms of alleviating human wildlife conflict and also to adapt to climate variations and climate change so that we will not find our wildlife without a proper habitable place and proper food. We have a lot of companies like the one that was alluded to by the Chairperson. Kacholo, is  a company which uses chillies to scare elephants because they are allergic to chillies. This will also solve human wildlife conflict. It is important for us to educate and train our people because it is inherent in our society as the black people who have traditional leaders even in this Senate who know that there are cultures for example you do not go to hunt and bring four rabbits in a day but you just take enough for consumption. You only hunt for what you want to eat but you cannot continue hunting even for what you do not need. Because of ignorance, people need to be educated and be taught about human wildlife conflict.

Wildlife is a big business because one elephant can give us millions of dollars through tourism – people would come to take photos and videos. This can help us in alleviating the human wildlife conflict. The people who are here, who went to this particular tour would testify that we need to have regular tours where we appreciate the human wildlife conflict. I thank you for this opportunity.

THE HON. DEPUTY PRESIDENT OF SENATE: Thank you very much Hon. Senator Gotora. It is my hope that the responsible Minister will be able to provide a comprehensive response to the issues which are being raised on this very important subject. It is not a secret that the elephants in Zimbabwe, Botswana and Namibia are now causing so much damage to the environment and increasing human wildlife conflict as a result of  overpopulation which we have and we need a solution. If we cannot get a solution from the international community, let us have some home-grown solutions. So, I hope the Minister will come and address this very important issue. Thank you for those who have debated.

^*HON. SEN. MBOHWA:  Thank you Mr. President for giving me this opportunity to add a few words to what has already been said by the previous speakers especially the Chairperson of the Committee who explained everything. She really captures it in a comprehensive manner, she did not leave anything and I appreciate the work of the Committee in terms of identifying the causes of human wildlife conflict.

Mr. President the situation is quite bad, there is no peace between human beings and wildlife. There is a Hon Member who said that these are our totems and we need to co-exist.  The outreach programme showed us that the drought that we are facing as a nation resulted in people ending up participating in artisanal mining. These were not given opportunity because of the rains to do their job hence they now face hunger. It is said that they are now moving around breaking people’s doors using machetes. This is because of climate change, they do not know that farming pays so they end up resorting to stealing. In the past, parks and our forests were quite a pride. Wild animals would consume wild fruits but because of climate change, this resulted in wildlife facing challenges of water and food. What they used to get from the parks is no longer there. Wildlife need water and they can get water from wherever they want without any restrictions. Sometimes this is a result of people who move to areas where wildlife live and end up farming thereby affecting the wildlife’s livelihoods.

We went to Manyene and we were told that there is a woman who was killed by a Buffalo. So, we said is there anything we can do about buffaloes and they said that they cannot be killed. If you call the ZimParks to attend to the buffalo which has killed a person, they will tell you that you are not allowed but they do not have resources to come to the community but we can deal with them in our own ways but we are not allowed and we can be arrested. We cannot kill them. This is quite worrying because it brings strife between wildlife and people. The people who co-habit with wildlife in these areas do not harvest anything from their farms because elephants would consume from their fields. They cannot stop elephants from grazing in their fields because this will lead to conflict.

 What worries me is that we got an explanation that we do not want a lot of water in parks because this will increase the population of elephants, so there should be limited water until we have a solution. If elephants have a conducive environment, then they procreate a lot. I said how come because we are told that they have doubled? There are other animals that we desire to multiply, can they suffer because of the population of elephants?  I do not know how Government is going to intervene and deal with this issue because these are our elephants. Can we not do anything about them?  Indeed, it is like having a father, mother, their children and grandchildren in the same room. The room will be small.

There are so many elephants here in Zimbabwe. Are there no ways we can use ivory tusks as Zimbabwe? Education 5.0 is critical. Can we use it to see how and what we can do about ivory tusks because we heard that there are so many of them and this is money? The money can even help in our hospitals. I asked and someone said your question is not clear. Why do we not just kill the elephants and take the food to the poor? I was told that when you kill an elephant, you will be arrested and it means jail term. This really pains me when such resources are in excess and we have a lot of elephants. Now other wild animals are suffering because of this.

Mr. President, indeed we want to farm but I believe that we must not tamper with our forests. You would find that there are streams known to always have water but now because of streambank cultivation and other forms of farming along the riverbanks, this is now affecting the flow of water from streams to rivers. Even in our big rivers which are supposed to have adequate water running through forests, now you would find that there is not much water and there is just mud. At times, there is just dry soil and river sand. I believe that streambank cultivation should be stopped. Our traditional leaders, working together with Government, should work on that. Maybe this would help us if it happens. I believe that the issue of value addition that was alluded to earlier should be done on the issue of these elephants.

Let me also repeat a question that I asked and people laughed that if they are so many, then they should just be killed so that we help the poor who need meat. Some are quite old. I believe that if they were people, they would say that we need to rest. Maybe, there should be a way of culling our elephants whilst we pile ivory tusks. Mr. President, there is a painful phenomenon where you find that communities will not benefit from their resources. Sometimes, you would find that money is not going back to communities. Sometimes it is taken by the council but those who suffer are the people who interact with wildlife daily.

We need laws which would ensure that communities will benefit from animals that are hunted from their areas. When there are accidents, they must get something to cushion them. For example, when you ask, you will find that someone might face a challenge or an accident and there is no compensation. The Zimbabwe National Parks would say that there is no budget for that. So, when communities are given the opportunity to partake in wealth that comes from wildlife, then they will be able to look after their relatives, even to attend to funerals, buying coffins and other necessities in their communities.  I just wanted to add these few words supporting my Chairperson.

*HON. SEN. MAVENYENGWA:  Thank you Mr. President of the Senate. Firstly, I would like to thank the Thematic Committee on Climate Change that visited the game parks and I saw it fit that I must add my voice to the report which has been presented to the august House. Wild animals are struggling to live in their designated areas because of hunger and lack of water. Mr. President Sir, wild animals are important in our daily lives. If I look at national parks, for example, Gonarezhou among others, we see that all the protected areas are important because as a country, we get local and foreign currency through tourists who visit these areas. Others are now engaging in tourism activities from foreign lands where they are doing hunting and some other people doing game viewing. These people are paying money which is being used for the development of our country.

Some of the tourists are engaging in activities such as hunting and they leave huge sums of money which is being used for the development of our country. You see there are areas like Gonarezhou where school children visit to see wild animals and learn a lot. These children are from infant level up to university level. As a country, we also get money from selling the products from wild animals such as hides among other things. Right now, I am mentioning the importance of wildlife which is pertinent for us as a country to take proper care of these animals.

Community members who live near game parks or protected areas must benefit from community share ownership trusts. When tourists come for hunting or view the wildlife, they must benefit from that money, through programmes such as provision of primary healthcare, drilling of boreholes, refurbishment or construction of roads. Although these wild animals are very important, I heard from the report that was presented in this Senate by Hon. Senator Mupfumira that people who are living near national parks, there is human-wildlife conflict, especially in the rainy season.  Wildlife will be invading homes and destroying crops. Wild animals can also destroy property, for example, elephants can pull down homesteads and people end up without shelter. 

         Wild animals can go to distant places to search for food.  Boundary fences are not being maintained.  When wildlife and livestock mix, diseases such as foot and mouth can spread.  Most livestock will die as a result of these infectious diseases. 

         Mr. President of Senate Sir, I heard the Chair saying that we are a member of CITES.  CITES banned us from selling elephant tusks and right now as a country, we have thousands of tonnes of elephant tusks but as a country, we are not benefiting because we are not allowed to sell them. I am imploring Government that if need be, the Government must cease to be a member so that we can sell our ivory tusks.  Most countries are eager to buy these ivory tusks from Zimbabwe but we are not allowed to sell these tusks.  There is shortage of food and water for our wildlife.  If we are allowed to sell our ivory, that money can be used to drill boreholes and construct small dams that wildlife can drink from.  This will also help in preventing human wildlife conflict. 

         Right now, as a country, we are not benefiting anything, we are just staying without any benefits.  We must come up with a solution to cease to be a member of CITES and sell our ivory.  We must engage experts and see the benefits of moving out of CITES as a country.  There is a Bill in the National Assembly, we are losing human lives and livestock due to wildlife. We must craft a law that says when a person is attacked by wildlife or their properties are destroyed, we must compensate those people.

         Wildlife like lions can destroy cattle for the villagers.  When the Bill comes to Senate, I really implore Hon. Senators to include the issues of compensation for those who are attacked, killed or those who have their livestock destroyed. Those people who stay near parks, the Government must work with community leaders so that they relocate people.  Farming land can be a challenge but people cannot continue to risk staying near national parks, this is very dangerous.  By this, we can preserve the lives of people and livestock.

         I also agree with you that when we have wounded this debate, we must invite the Hon. Minister to come and respond on this motion. Hon. Ministers must also attend Senate and answer questions on Thursdays when we have question time.  Most of the time we contribute meaningfully but Hon. Ministers do not attend question time or respond to our contributions on motions.  Right now, there was a debate going on about the elderly people and we held public hearings.  Now the motion is almost being wounnd up but the Hon. Minister has not come to give input on our contributions.  I do not know if Hon. Ministers have the opportunities to read our Hansard or we are just debating and our contributions are not being considered.  I am appealing to you Hon. President of Senate that our Hon. Ministers must come to this august Senate to respond to motions and questions. I thank you.

         +HON. SEN. NYATHI: Thank you Hon. President of Senate for giving me this opportunity, I want to thank Hon. Senator Mupfumira, the Chairperson, for the way she presented her motion because she did not leave out anything.  I just want to add my voice as I was part of the team that went round.  All the areas that were mentioned like Gonarezhou, Hwange National Park, Matetsu and Malipati are the areas that we visited.  What has been said already is what we have seen and what we are experiencing.

         Wildlife and human beings are facing different challenges like hunger and shortage of water.  In all the areas that we visited, there was no tree with leaves, there was no grass, it was just dust.  Wildlife is struggling to find water.  The National Parks employees must sink boreholes so that they provide drinking water to the wildlife but with the alarming numbers of our wildlife, it is quite difficult.  Most wildlife is not properly catered for because what makes them visit people’ homes is their proximity to the National Parks and hunger.  Most people were complaining that wildlife comes to their homes looking for food, which results in human and wild life conflict.  We were given the statistics of people who were injured and those who were killed by wild animals.

         Hon. President, when talking to communities, they really wanted a situation where those who are injured be compensated and those killed by wild animals their families be compensated also. We also concurred and agreed with the villagers that indeed when such damage has been done, then the communities should be compensated because they do not have an option.

During the season when they till their land, sometimes their crops are destroyed and they do not have an option. Whatever, they grow is consumed by wildlife, they do not harvest anything. We also noted Mr. President, that water is not there; we have said this earlier and if possible, there should be separate sources where people and wildlife can have water for drinking.

         We would want a situation where Government can assist but because of the laws, sanctions and different conventions, there is no way that we can export ivory tasks. We need to consider ways of dealing with this issue internally so that we can get money from the sale of ivory locally. This motion is quite important because people's lives depend on the coexistence. In farms wildlife is now extinct because of poaching. Government should find a way of enacting laws that prohibit the killing of wildlife because if this happens, it means that our children in the future, will not have access to such animals. They would not know what rabbits are including different other kinds of animals.

         In the past when we were growing up, we used to identify animals by their stool and we would know that this is an elephant or any other animal. These are the words I wanted to add to the motion Mr. President, as evidence that I was also on the Committee. I thank you, Mr. President.

         ^*HON. SEN. FANUEL:  Thank you Mr. President Sir, for awarding me this opportunity to debate on the motion raised by the Hon. Senator Mupfumira.  This motion is a very painful motion. 

         This wildlife is for all of us.  It started as an awareness for all of us to desist from killing wildlife but right now, wildlife is not being kept in protected areas.  They are moving from one point to another.  People are now being killed by wild animals whilst they are at their homes.  I am saying this because there is conflict between humans and wildlife.  Right now, a hospital was destroyed by monkeys. 

Yes, we are talking about elephants but there are monkeys that are destroying a clinic in Binga District.  Mr. President, I am Tonga, if I debate in Tonga, people say they do not understand my language. At the end of the day, I will speak in Chinese. Hence, bear with me my Shona is not perfect.

         I am saying, a health facility has already been destroyed by monkeys.  The Government have put in place infrastructure to make sure that when people are being treated at a health facility, they are given proper care.  Right now, Government is re-starting again the programme of making sure that they are refurbishing this health facility because it has been destroyed by monkeys. 

         There are expecting mothers who are staying at hospitals waiting for their delivery day but the baboons are taking away food from these mothers.  This is something we have seen   happening. I was once admitted at that hospital. Baboons are very clever. I was asleep whilst I was on drip, I could see the baboons entering the hospital. I asked myself if the nurses were seeing it but instead, they advised me to remain asleep and the baboons went to the next bed and opened the locker and took away the bread and drinks and all the food stuffs which were in the locker.

         It might seem as a joke but it is something that is happening. I informed my fellow patient who was on the next bed that a baboon had opened her locker and had taken away her food. I saw it fit to notify my bedmate so that she can know where her food had gone.  We must not focus on the conflicts of wildlife and human conflicts only looking at elephants. There is conflict with baboons and all other types of wildlife. 

         There is a person who was attacked by a hippopotamus.  Since the that day, we have not seen her up to date. There was also another human being who was attacked by a crocodile. Today is the fourth day but they have not seen the person.  They were looking for the person thinking that he had crossed to the other side but they did not see the person during the night and the following day as well and they ended up seeing the leg two days ago. 

         Mr. President, what my fellow Senators spoke about, indeed sanctions are there.  When the meat is processed following the loss, it should be sold at a low price so that this will benefit communities.   When it is sold, the money raised might help in building projects like schools because we talk about sanctions but what are we doing as a nation?  We also talk about an electric fence, there should be communication and communities should be told that an electric fence has been erected so that people will be cautious.  When one is affected by an electric fence, then that is something else because maybe they will be thieves. 

Mr. President, Government has given people inputs, when people have tilled their land, you would find wild animals getting into their fields and animals graze on their crops. This is happening and this is what I wanted to share.  Thank you very much Mr. President – [HON. SENATORS:  Hear, hear.]

THE TEMPORARY PRESIDENT OF SENATE (HON. SEN. KAMBIZI):  Thank you Hon. Senator for that good Shona.

+HON. SEN. RITTA NDLOVU:  Thank you Mr. President.  I want to start by thanking our Chairperson for that report.  Even though the report is quite sad, we have to talk about the situation of human- wildlife conflict.  I will just say a few words because a lot has been said.  I will talk about water, when we went into the communities, there was no water.  The Zimparks officials were saying that they do not want a lot of water because it will result in elephants breeding and there will be a lot of them. 

Mr. President, now that there is a lot of water, what is going to happen? The wildlife that we are talking about which is dangerous to human beings are elephants and elephants are not just dangerous to people, they are dangerous to other animals as well.  Elephants sometimes are bullies, they do not want to see other animals drinking water.  They must drink water until they are full then the other animals can have the water.  In Zimbabwe, it is not a marvel to have elephants because there are too many of them and they are dangerous to other animals and to people. 

Mr. President, let me add on to say that the Hon. Minister should come to the august House so that we can have a question and answer segment where we are going to ask the Hon. Minister regarding the situation of elephants.  They are quite many because of the rains that have come. So we are also going to ask about the human-wildlife conflict. 

Mr. President, I am going to talk about a security fence which is supposed to be erected around national parks and we were told that it is difficult to fence national parks because they are quite large.  I do not know how people will be protected if it is difficult for ZimParks to secure their parks as big as they are.  These are questions that the Hon. Minister should address so that people are protected because it is quite a big responsibility and the Zimparks officials said that they do not have the capacity. 

Mr. President, let me also talk about Sikabela in Victoria Falls where we went to visit and we thought we were empathising with the communities who are suffering from the conflict.  They stood up to say that they love their animals. They really care for them and I was asking myself how they are benefiting.  From my own point of view, I thought that the villagers were poaching maybe that is why they said that because poaching is illegal in Zimbabwe.  When we look at the population of wildlife in all the camps that we attended, you would find that most animals that you find are elephants.  Elephants cannot be poached easily unlike the rest of the animals. 

Government should ensure that wildlife is protected because it brings foreign currency through tourism.  They are part of our environment and heritage that was given to us by God.  I want to request  Government to assist communities who find their relatives being killed by elephants.  At the moment, they are not compensated and Zimparks sometimes is found intervening, assisting even though they are not supposed to intervene.  Sometimes the Zimparks have different challenges in terms of protecting people. 

I also believe that much has been said Mr. President.  I am a Member of the Committee and I was part of the delegation which went to investigate the human-wildlife conflict issue.  I thank you. 

         HON. SEN. KABONDO: Thank you Mr. President for giving me this chance to say out something about the animals. I have been listening to what was being debated and people kept saying people told us this, when they visited people said this. I stood up to tell them that I am one of those people who stays with animals because where I stay, it is in the national park. So, we literally share everything with animals, our water, our mangoes and our bananas. We do not plant bananas anymore because they look like the elephants’ favourite fruits, so they destroy them. We do not have fences because elephants destroy those fences when they come during the mango season. I heard Hon. Sen. Gotora saying some people have not seen elephants.

I do game viewing through my bedroom window because they come almost every night. So, we stay with them and it is not a good experience because the other time we had no power and we made fire outside. It was at around 5 p.m. and we had kids from two houses away from mine making noise. Elephants were passing by the road just next to me. They never did anything though; I do not know but I ran at a break neck speed - [Laughter.] - So, we are always on the alert. It is scary. At times it is exciting when you see them knowing that you are protected by the window or the wall but when you are outside, it is very scary.

It is not only the animals like what Hon. Senator Fanuel said but also the baboons and monkeys because we cannot plant anything. If you try to plant, they come and destroy everything. Monkeys are worse because you cannot even chase them. You can chase baboons but the monkeys go up the tree and by the time you turn to chase the other monkeys, other monkeys will be back again eating. So, you cannot plant anything. I also had an experience with the baboons because I made some maheu. I wanted the maheu to ferment, I put the container on top of my small car then the baboons came and opened that pot and drank from it. By the time I saw them through the window, everything was gone.

So, it is quite a challenge with us who stay there but then we love them, they are our animals. However, it is proving to be difficult, especially when there are no rains because our water comes from Chibi. We have boreholes there and elephants destroy those pipes when they have no water. So, you find that at times we go for two or three weeks without water. They will still be trying to fix because Chibi is also in the national park. So, it is really difficult for us. Those are some of the challenges that we have. We have difficulties with water and planting, we have to buy everything. There is an organisation called Painted Dogs. I want to mention this because of what they do to young people. It is an organisation that looks after the Painted Dogs. It is also called amaganyani. They always make sure that when kids are doing grade six or seven, they take them to their camp and teach them the importance of animals. That helped because my grandson, before he went to amaganyani, he would use a catapult for birds but when he went there, they were given some bangles and they were told that every time you want to shoot a bird, you look at the bird. It is a promise that you have made. That way kids grow up knowing the importance and the need to protect these animals and birds. I thank you.

HON. SEN. MATIBIRI: Thank you Mr. President for allowing me this opportunity to add my voice to this very important debate. This is probably the second report that we are receiving from Hon. Sen. Mupfumira. Last week she brought in another report related to their visit of the IPU to Azerbaijan and running within these two reports is the issue of climate change. This particular Thematic report is coming in consequence to a visit that was informed by human animal conflict, which conflict is coming because of changes in our climate patterns. The House must stand guided in respect of that, the human wildlife conflict is being driven by climate change.

A conflict involves two parties. As I was listening to debates being advanced by Hon. Senators here, it would seem the solutions were one sided. Surely, there were those who were proposing that we need to cull these animals, we need to do this and that. The most unfortunate part of our debate is that the animals themselves are not represented in this House. It would been good to hear their side of the story - [HON. MEMBERS: Hear, Hear.] - I will try as much as possible to give them a voice. This is a conflict arising out of climate change.

 I am happy Mr. President that Hon. Mupfumira went for this important meeting, part of the resolution was the launch of an IPU campaign, Parliament for Planet. If this Parliament does not take note of its responsibility to planet earth, then the conflict between human beings and animals is going to continue. In such a conflict, let me be very categorical Mr. President, human beings will lose. Human beings will lose because they do not know the life of the jungle. Animals are cut for the jungle and human beings are cut for this life. So, we will lose. Let me digress a bit Mr. President, during the Christmas break, closer to where I live, we lost a young girl to a snake bite, she was in form three, bitten by a rare snake but very dangerous.

 The most dangerous snake in African, the black mouthed mamba. In Shona we call it rovambira. This is a very dangerous snake. The Parks authorities who came to investigate this unfortunate tragedy also left some lessons for us, that it is rare for this kind of a snake to live close to human habitants. The question that still remains is how this dangerous snake got closer to human habitants. Climate change is an issue. These animals are saying human beings, you have destroyed our habitats, our food sources, rivers and caused siltation. [HON. SENATORS: Hear, hear] - you have destroyed our food so what do we do? We compete for what is there. We visit your homes and we destroy your own food and we even destroy your own lives if it comes to that. Part of the theme in the IPU Session talked about climate accountability and climate action. If we do not begin to act for planet earth this conflict is going to remain. If we are not going to be accountable to issues of climate change, this conflict is going to remain. I am challenging this, Parliament.

Mr. President I am also inspired by the campaign that Zimbabwe was part of. Our campaign against the scourge of HIV and AIDS. It was inspired by certain campaigns with a byline it begins with you. Zimbabwe today has scoured a milestone in our fight against HIV because we internalised this campaign to say the fight against HIV begins with me. It must also begin with this Parliament to act in our small community to preserve the planet earth so that we lessen the conflict between human being and animals. We must think globally but act locally. Thank you Mr. President.

*HON. SEN. MUZODA: Thank you Mr. President for according me this opportunity to add my voice on the issue of conflict between human and wildlife. Honestly speaking we do not own wildlife. If we owned wildlife, we could have been in good books with them but simply because the animals were created in their own way to live in the jungle, we have our own way which we were created and we build our homes. It will not surprise us that somebody has been killed by an elephant after invading its territory but it is quite a surprise to hear that somebody was killed by an elephant whilst in a street in Victoria Falls.

Mr. President Sir, I heard my fellow Members of Parliament saying we will be sanctioned if we chase away troublesome wildlife or even if we kill any animal which has killed a human being. If the wildlife discovers that one of their animals which has killed a human being is shot they will change their mind. The issue of climate change is not a big issue which caused us to have wildlife come closer to us because the areas where wildlife is habitant is very hot. I have never seen where there is a game park receiving vast amounts of rainfall. The issue of climate change is to safeguard wildlife and ensure that they stay far away from human beings.

We must not leave wildlife approaching closer to human beings simply because there is drought. It is not the first year we have experienced drought. Mr. President, also us as Zimbabweans let us maintain order. I must not go and ensure that I built my homestead near the Hwange National Park borders. I cannot be allocated a homestead closer to the lions’ den and admit to stay there. This country has few numbers of human beings of 15 to 16 million and the places that we occupy should tally with our numbers. We must try by all means to safeguard all those things which were created by the Almighty. Honestly if we encroach into the wildlife territory, disaster will start.

Also, we have some other animals like baboons, snakes and leopards, those ones they actually like to enjoy or feast on domestic animals. I once heard Hon. Gotora saying these monkeys and baboons rely on stealing our harvests. They come and destroy our crops. Mr. President Sir, according to my knowledge and according to what I studied as I grew up, honestly speaking, let us try our level best to safeguard our forests. It is very rare for a lion to breakout of its territory and approach human beings’ residents. Something must have happened. Let us safeguard those forests and wildlife. Let us avoid crying simply because we did not safeguard those forests that will then make those animals to go astray. We know other areas like Kariba and Victoria Falls were there is no security fence or boundary for wildlife and human beings. If we do not encroach into their territory, they will stay there. Those animals that we see loitering around in Victoria Falls, we are the ones who invited them by providing them with food.

 

         On elephants, you heard one of the Hon. Senators saying they actually like bananas.  It is very true, they like bananas.  If an elephant discovers that there is a banana plantation here, it will start to protect that area...

         A cellphone rang.

         THE HON. DEPUTY PRESIDENT OF SENATE: Put it on silent because it disturbs a Member who is debating.

         *HON. SEN. MUZODA: Thank you Mr. President.  I would like to conclude by giving a warning to us human beings in relation to human and wildlife relationship.  We would like to ask those who are in charge of safeguarding these forests, they have to respect the life of human beings.  Yes, wildlife is very important in our ecosystem but a human being is more important than any other living creature on earth.  Let us try our level best to safeguard our forests.  Let us try our best to safeguard our wildlife.  Simply because we do not want to cry and say climate change – yes we have drought and hunger but the areas where the wildlife is kept, those areas have never had a lot of grass without thorny bushes.  So, I would like to thank you for giving me this opportunity to say these few words.  Kindly allow and ensure that those people who are safeguarding the forests take care of human beings as well. 

         ^∞HON. SEN. MUPANDE: Thank you Madam President for giving me the opportunity to add my voice on this human and wildlife protection.  This wildlife is for all us.  The Almighty is the one who blessed us with this wildlife.  If we did not have this wildlife, this country would not be good to live in.  The challenge that we are facing is that this wildlife endangers our lives.  If our children go into the forests and happen to meet these animals, they would be in danger or even lose their lives.

         Prior, we used to like these animals because they would assist us in different ways.  For example, where I come from, we had a block where we used these horns to construct grinding meals.  Now, the challenge that we are facing is that these animals endanger our lives, we do not even go to herd cattle because we would be in danger if we happen to meet these animals.  I faced some challenges when the elephants came at my place and they took away all the food stocks in the house.  Those are the few words that I wanted to add.  I thank you.

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

         HON. SEN. GOTORA: I second.

         Motion put and agreed to.

         Debate to resume: Thursday, 27^th February, 2025.

MOTION

OVERHAUL OF DILAPIDATED STADIA

              HON. SEN. TSHABANGU: I move the motion standing in my name that this House –

DISTURBED by the deplorable sports infrastructure in the country;

CONCERNED that despite our concerted efforts to revive our stadia to meet international standards, the country still lags behind and no international matches can be hosted at all;

NOTING with dismay that the status quo has

resulted in our national teams playing their home matches in other countries resulting in heavy revenue losses thus compromising sports development and national pride; 

NOW THEREFORE, implores the Ministry of

Sports, Recreation, Arts and Culture to:

1. conduct a complete overhaul of our dilapidated

 stadia and to refurbish those currently in need of this exercise.

1. engage the Confederation of African Football to

 rescind their decision which has seen our football teams playing their home matches in other countries.

1. review and reform the National Sports Policy.

HON. SEN. PHULU:  I second.

HON. SEN. TSHABANGU: Thank you Madam

President.  Sport is a critical component in our society.  Sport is a unifier, it brings together ethnic, religious and political differences.  Sport brings marginalised communities and youths in the marginalised communities.  It also creates themes of development such as poverty and conflict resolutions.  Sports also creates legacies.  These are the three principles that I am going to present my motion on.

I rise today in this Chamber to address a matter of significance, of national concern, of the current state of sports in Zimbabwe, with particular focus on the troubling reality that our developed country does not have a single stadium approved by CAF, to host any international matches.  This has resulted in a situation where our national team ought to play their home games in foreign countries.  This issue extends beyond the realm of sports, affecting various factors of our national development and therefore warrants urgent attention and intervention.

         Our national team faces and struggles to find a suitable stadium to host CAF matches.  Zimbabwe Mighty Warriors, very soon will host COSAFA rivals in the second leg of the first round encounter of women AFCON Qualifiers.  The game will be played in Lucas Moripe Stadium in Pretoria, on 26^th February, 2025.  This is a stark reminder of our nation’s embarrassment.  We are forced to look for alternative venues in neighbouring countries giving our opponents an unfair advantage.  This is not just sports, it is the national pride issue.  How can as a nation, claim to be a proud, unified nation, when we cannot provide a basic infrastructure for our athletes?

Furthermore, the urgency of this matter as underscored by the fact Zimbabwe’s national team, the Warriors, last year, when they were preparing for a crucial 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Lesotho, regrettably due to the condemnation of our national facilities, the critical match was played again in South Africa at Orlando Stadium, rather than on our home soil. This has not only deprived our team of home advantage, but also highlights the dire need of us to address the infrastructure challenges.

 I may take you back again last year Madam President. Our beloved team club Dynamos exited the opportunity to qualify into the group stages of the CAF Confederation competition when they were beaten in Botswana. They bit Botswana in the first leg away from home and they went on to lose 1-0 in Botswana and they were beaten 3-1 on penalties, that gave an advantage to the Botswana team, deprived in a way and contributed to Dynamos losing on penalties, losing the potential of getting into the group stages matches where they were likely to get about USD400 000.

While I comment the efforts by the Government to upgrade our stadiums including installation of bucket seats, I express concern that the progress is very slow. The initial promise was to complete the upgrades by March in time of the African qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. However, despite this assurance, our national team games continue to be shifted to foreign stadiums. A case in point is the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Benin scheduled for Thursday, 21^st March, 2025 at the iconic Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban, South Africa.

This development is alarming and underscores an urgent need for accelerated action in order to resolve the impasse that we are currently facing. The slow pace of progress not only affects our national pride but also has severe consequences for our sports development, economy and society. It is imperative therefore that we prioritise completion of these upgrades to ensure our stadiums meet CAF standards.

Madam President, the inability to host international matches within our borders has significant political implications and ramifications. Sport has always been a powerful tool for fostering national pride and unity. When our national teams plays at home, they draw crowds form all corners of the country, creating a sense of belonging, a sense of ownership, a shared purpose among the citizens. However, the current situation erodes the fundamental unity as our people are deprived of the collective experience of supporting their teams on home soils.

Furthermore, Zimbabwe’s standing in international diplomacy is weakened. Hosting international events allows us to showcase our talent, our nation to the world fostering good will and strengthening diplomatic ties through sports. The absence of such opportunities diminishes our influence and visibility on the global stage.

Our country’s inability to host international sports events due to sub-standard stadiums has far reaching consequences. We are not only loosing revenue but also comprising the quality of sports development. The lack of investment in sports infrastructure is a missed opportunity, economic opportunity and economic growth. Hosting international events could generate significant revenue, create jobs and stimulate local economies. Local businesses, particularly those in the hospitality industry and service sectors missed out on significant revenue opportunities. Hotels, restaurants, transport services and other local business that will have benefited from the influx of fans and teams during these events are left without these vital economic boosts. Moreover, the Government loses potential income from gate receipts, taxes and other related economic activities.

The cost implications are not limited to lost revenue, there is also substantial burden of renting foreign stadiums, managing logistics of transporting teams and officials abroad. These expenses strain the already limited resources of our sports associations and diverts the funds that could otherwise be invested in developing our infrastructure.

The social impact of this issue can not be overstated, sports play a critical role in society serving as a unifying force and providing positive role models for our youths. The absence of international games on home soil diminishes the inspiration and motivation for our young aspiring athletes who are deprived of the opportunity to support their heroes in action. This lack of exposure can have long- term negative effects on the popularity and development of sports at grassroots level, leading to a potential decline in talent for future generations.

Madam President, it is ironic that many Zimbabweans are passionate sports enthusiasts eagerly following international leagues like the French Premier League, Laliga  and even engaging in betting. Yet, when it comes to supporting their own national teams, they are faced with harsh reality of subpar stadiums. How can we expect our citizens to take pride in their national teams when we cannot even provide a descent venue to host home matches? This can lead to a decline in national moral, weaken cultural, social fabric that binds us together as a nation. This does not only suppress the quality of sports development but also dampens the enthusiasm of our sports loving citizens.

Sport knows no tribe, sport knows no gender, sport knows no religion and sport knows no race or ethnicity. Madam President, the lack of CAF approved facilities is indicative of a broader issue of under investment in sports infrastructure. This problem extends beyond the physical condition of our stadiums. It includes the need to improve sports management systems and technological upgrades. Modern sports facilities require state-of-art technology to meet international standards, including advanced lightning systems, seating arrangements, security measures and broadcasting capabilities. The absence of such technology not only hinders our ability to host international events, but also limits the development of our sports industry as a whole.

To compete on a global stage, we must invest in the latest technologies that enhance the spectator experience, improve athlete performance and ensure safety and security of all participants. Madam President, the legal implications of not having CAF-approved stadiums are also concerning. There may be contractual obligations, legal ramifications, arising from our inability to host games as stipulated in international sports agreements.

These could include penalties, loss of hosting rights for future events or other legal actions taken by CAF and other governing bodies. Such challenges, Madam President, could further strain our sports associations, potentially lead to damage on our international stage. It is imperative that we address these legal issues by ensuring that our facilities meet the required standards and that we are fully compliant with all international regulations governing sports events.

However, I am optimistic about the Zimbabwean football. With the recent appointment or elections of ZIFA President Mr. Ngobile Magwizi and his leadership on 25^th January 2025, we will restore order and sanity in our football fraternity.  We hope it is a vote of confidence in the football fraternity because a major resounding victory of about 66 votes in 77 ballots cast is a huge vote of confidence. I urge the new ZIFA leadership to work closely with the Government and other stakeholders to expedite and upgrade our national stadiums and ensure Madam President that Zimbabwe regains its status to host international sports events.

Madam President, allow me, in light of the comprehensive analysis that I have presented, it is clear that the current state of sports infrastructure in Zimbabwe is a matter of national importance that requires immediate action. I therefore, through your permission, propose the following recommendations to address the critical issues:

1. The Government should urgently collaborate with relevant stakeholders, including the private sector, to rehabilitate and upgrade our stadiums to meet standards of CAF. This includes, addressing all structural, technological and regulatory requirements necessary to regain the CAF approval.
2. A comprehensive plan should be developed for the construction of maintenance of sports facilities across the country, ensuring that they meet international standards. This plan should include the development of the new stadiums and the modernisation of existing ones.
3. I encourage public-private partnership to fund and manage sports facilities, ensuring sustained investment and innovation in our sports infrastructure. The PPs can provide the necessary capital expertise to develop world-class facilities that benefit both public and private sectors.
4. A thorough review and reform of our national sports policy are necessary to prioritise infrastructure development, talent nurturing and international sports diplomacy.  This policy should include clear guidelines and objectives for the development of sports in Zimbabwe, with a focus on achieving international competitiveness.
5. The Government and relevant sports authorities should engage directly with CAF to understand the specific requirements and work closely with them to regain our status as a host nation for international matches. This engagement should be ongoing, ensuring that we remain compliant with all standards and are prepared to host future events.
6. Madam President Ma’am, it is our collective responsibility to ensure that Zimbabwe returns to its rightful place on the international sports stage. The benefits of doing so extends far beyond the realm of sports; they impact our economy, our society, our international standing and our future generations. I urge this House to support this motion and take the necessary steps to restore pride in Zimbabwean sports and by extension in our nation. I thank you.

HON. SEN. PHULU: Thank you Madam President. I stand today to second this vital motion presented by Hon. Senator Tshabangu. We find ourselves at a time of urgent reflection regarding our sport infrastructure. It is imperative that we address the serious concerns raised.  The deplorable state of our sports facilities as outlined by the mover of this motion is indeed very disappointing.  It is not merely an inconvenience, it is a dire disservice to our national identity and our athlete’s aspirations.

As you may recall and this has been explained by the mover of the motion, the Confederation of African Football recently condemned our National Sports Stadium.  A facility that has long been a symbol of our sporting potential. I cannot emphasise this more; I will reflect on my own experience, believe it or not. As a young student at Plumtree High School many years ago, I had the occasion of competing in many athletics competitions, where the ultimate goal was to go to the National Sports Stadium and compete there.  Indeed, I succeeded and I did compete there. It was a wonderful facility but for a young person, it is a thing to behold. It makes you have hope in your nation when we have such symbolic infrastructure.  I am now not dwelling on the aspect of the sport only but simply the national symbol. These are our national symbols and certainly we would want to urge Government to step up its efforts.  If ever they had allocated some amount towards this and if ever, they had made certain efforts towards redressing this situation, certainly, we would request that they double or triple those efforts.  These national symbols are being viewed by the world.

As the world weighs us on whatever scales they rate nations, these are some of the significant things that they look at. Madam President, this is why Government has built this Parliament where we are sitting right now.  It is not only as a building where we can run our business, yes, it is a good building, it has all the technologies allowing us to conduct our business, it was also built as a national symbol in mind.  That is why when you drive down the boulevard at the end, you will see the conical tower.  It is there as a symbol, someone, somewhere recognises that we need these symbols.  Right now, you are seated under our seal, it is our symbol. The National Sports Stadium, our national stadia and facilities are such symbols. I would urge every Member in this Senate to really rally behind this motion to ensure we take symbols seriously.

The ongoing renovations and the announcement of the collaboration between Zimbabwe and China to upgrade the National Sport Stadium are commendable steps and we must ask ourselves. However, why did it come to this? How did we let such a valuable and monumental symbol dilapidate to this extent?  Our national teams Madam President have been forced to play their home matches on foreign soil as we have heard.  A development that not only incurs heavy revenue losses but also compromises our national pride and the spirit of unity that sports itself can foster.  So here again, we see sports itself emerging as a national symbol.  Our football is a national symbol, it offers a platform for us to engage with the world, a matter that I will come to later in my debate.  Madam President, we have three major stadiums in our nation, the big ones with a capacity of above 10 000.  We have Barbourfields, a council run stadium, we have Rufaro Stadium another council run stadium and the National Sports Stadium being at the apex as the biggest one of them all with a capacity of up to 80 000.

However, with the National Sports Stadium current undergoing refurbishment, we are left with only those two Barbourfields and Rufaro.  But even these do not qualify to host these important matches.  We are left with a stark reality of only two functional stadiums which failed to meet the criteria that CAF wants.  The reality is inadequate for a nation that aspires to excel in sports, arts and entertainment.  It does not represent our achievements nor does it sufficiently cater for our needs. 

The time has come for us to invest significantly in flagship stadiums across all provinces.  It is not enough to focus solemnly on State owned venues.  We must create an environment where community teams and local organisations can access land and funding to construct their own facilities by reducing pressure on State owned stadiums.  We can supplement our needs and provide multiple venues in our nation for diverse activities.

It is not only about football; I think this case merely highlights a problem that has always been there.  These facilities do not only cater for football. If they are not good enough to host international football matches, they cannot be good enough to hold any other activities.  Certainly, the upgrade of these facilities would put the entire nation in a good state.  We must ensure that the State-owned stadia are designed to be multi-disciplinary, accommodating various sports and cultural events, thus fostering a more inclusive sporting culture.

We cannot ignore the significant population residing in rural areas.  Their involvement is vital for the holistic development of our nation’s sporting landscape. Stadiums must be accessible and designed with inclusivity in mind, even for people with disabilities Madam President.  This is the opportunity to upgrade and renovate the stadium and build new ones. We saw it in South Africa when there was the World Cup – they built a huge number of national stadiums. One of which is Moses Mabhida which my friend Hon. Tshabangu mentioned just now. We think that Zimbabwe cannot fail to build one or two in different provinces.

I hope that Hon. Members who debate this motion will emphasise and elucidate on these points. I do know, one or two are going to look particularly at how we could make it more inclusive for everybody. 

Statistics reveal that active participation in sports has a profound impact Madam President, on youth and community development.  However, a lack of adequate infrastructure translates to reduced engagement and this should worry us.  It means that the more that we rehabilitate our infrastructure, the more participation in engagement we will see.  This is a positive indicator which should really inspire anyone, spur anybody to really support this motion and its conclusions.

Madam President, in conclusion, I whole heartedly support this motion, imploring the Ministry of Sports, Recreation, Arts and Culture to conduct a complete overhaul of our sporting facilities. Noting here that this complete overhaul will truly show that we embody a spirit of inclusivity as I said before and remember that the mandate of the Second Republic is to ensure that no one is left behind.  We must act decisively and invest in sports infrastructure that reflects our aspirations and accommodate the diverse needs of our citizens.

In line with that mantra, our job as opposition is to monitor whether Government is actually living up to that mantra.  If Government makes a policy proposition, a statement of intention, certainly we would want to monitor whether they are actually not leaving anyone behind. Hence, the emphasis on our youth not being left behind, people who participate in sports not being left behind,  the rural folk not being left behind and the people with disabilities not being left behind. 

So far as we measure these Madam President, the state of our national stadium is an indictment on all of us which must be remedied at the earliest possible conclusion. 

It is a subject where we cannot come here and pontificate and shout and point fingers and blame.  It is a subject where we want to urge every Zimbabwean to hold hands and move forward together – [HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear.] - I would urge therefore this entire Parliament, to come together and support this motion. After the motion goes through, we must find a mechanism of following up to ensure that at the end of the day, we will see significant progress where one day all of us will be invited.

Madam President, as the leader of this Republic, perhaps, cast a ribbon somewhere signifying that we have taken steps towards realisation of the dream of the goals that I have just painted.

Let us work together to ensure that our national teams can take to the field at home surrounded by their supporters, not in foreign lands as mentioned by the mover of the motion.  Together we can pave way for a brighter, more inclusive sporting future for all Zimbabweans. I thank you Madam President.

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

         HON. SEN. PHULU: I second.

         Motion put and agreed to.

         Debate to resume: Thursday, 27^th February, 2025.

         On the motion of HON. SEN. MUZENDA, seconded by HON. SEN. GOTORA the Senate adjourned at Sixteen Minutes past Five o’clock p.m. until Thursday, 27^th February, 2025.