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Zimbabwe
Parliament debate on Operation Murambatsvina
(Final)
Extracted
from Hansard Vol. 32, No. 12
Parliament of Zimbabwe
July 12, 2005
View
list of 2005 Zimbabwe Parliamentarians
Jump to contributions
by:
- MISS MPARIWA
- MR. MUSHORIWA
- MR. GONESE (call to vote)
MOTION
OPERATION
MURAMBATSVINA/RESTORE ORDER
Debate
continued from July 05, 2005
MISS
MPARIWA: I would like to thank my colleague Hon. Mushoriwa,
for having moved such a motion which concerns the rest of the nation
especially those in the urban areas. In my constituency, there is
untold suffering where women and children are sleeping outside because
there are no blankets and there are no homes - [HON. KANGAI:
Where are the blankets?] - Mr. Speaker, can I be protected
from the harassment from the other side.
We have another Darfur
in Zimbabwe. We have recklessness and we have the attitude of the
male colleagues which clearly demonstrate the lack of care pertaining
to humanity. I believe that Zimbabwe is a signatory to a number
of charters that affect the entire nation. A good example is the
buses that have been ferrying people to and from work during the
visit of the UN delegation. If you look at the situation yesterday,
it was back to what it used to be because the delegation left the
country. This shows how we can pretend that all is well.
I will quickly go and
talk about the situation at Caledonia Farm, which I had a chance
to visit last Friday. The situation is pathetic because there are
4 835 people in that camp and there are 200 school going children
that are being cared for by two voluntary females who are trying
to do hot sitting. They are not properly trained. If one goes in
to a toilet, there is a disinfectant which smells like dip, and
within three minutes of coming out, you start coughing. One wonders
how comfortable the people are with this smell.
Women who are pregnant
were last observed on the 26th of June by a doctor. There is a makeshift
clinic which is there manned by two old women and a male nurse.
I wonder how that male nurse can be of service to women. We have
witnessed three births under such conditions at Caledonia Farm.
If you look at the conditions
of the weather, it is on an uphill and there is a stream running
behind and the wind blows dust because before they were settled,
graders were sent to pull down some trees so much that you can smell
dust all over. The houses that they live in are made of poles and
plastic material. Sixteen families have not yet received plastic
which means that if they did not receive it by yesterday, they are
still sleeping in the open. I remember very well during the Smith
regime, there were some kinds of "keeps" that people
were put in. This is what is exactly happening at Caledonia Farm.
The food that is being
provided for the children leaves a lot to be desired and I appeal
to you Mr. Speaker Sir, to dispatch a delegation of Members of Parliament
to Caledonia Farm and let it also include Hon. Kangai because I
have been disgusted by his remarks - some children have dropped
from school and as a result, the enrolment in various areas where
the children were drawn from has dropped. It is this Government
Mr. Speaker, when they came to power in 1980, they called for education
for all by the year 2000, health for all by the year 2000 and housing
for all by the year 2000.
Now I wonder where the
Government has been when all these people were building the shacks,
the wooden houses and the illegal structures. It is the very government
that has been in power for the last 25 years.
ZANU PF took 25 years to destroy the economy and everything else.
Now, that they were voted into power on the 31st of March, they
thought they had been mandated to rebuild the economy - what
a disproportion.
On humanitarian grounds,
I call upon the government not to be shy of the poverty, hunger
and crisis of the economy and everything that we have in this country.
They should call for humanitarian assistance as a matter of urgency.
MR.
MUSHORIWA: I would like to thank the members of this Parliament
who stood to contribute to this important motion in regard to the
actions taken by the State with regard to the so called Murambatsvina.
Quite a number of hon. members both from the left and this side
and I think in general, all members seem to agree on one important
thing — the rights of every human being to exist or to live
on this planet or in this country I think everybody agrees that
it is a right of every human being to at least have accommodation.
There is no doubt that what has happened in the country, especially,
the urban areas in this mid-winter where thousands of people are
living outside their normal homes cannot be supported by anyone.
I think you appreciate judging by the reports that have been received
from newspapers and electronic media from wherever in the world,
quite a number of people have actually come in. They have actually
condemned the manner in which things have happened and how this
Murambatsvina was carried out.
The United Nations had
to send an envoy to come in to this country and even the African
Union sent a representative to come in to this country to check
and see what was happening. It is unfortunate, the AU representative
who came to this country could not carry his work or actually go
down and check to find the status and state upon which people are
actually living. I mean those people who have been displaced and
these require the attention of this House.
When the Hon. Minister
of Local Government stood up in this august House when he was giving
his Ministerial Statement in regard to this Operation Murambatsvina,
he mentioned quite a number of issues. One of the things which is
very clear is that there was no doubt in the manner in which he
presented his statement that the government of Zimbabwe had erred
in two major things. First, it was the International Conventions
which this Government of Zimbabwe is signatory to.
Also, that the government
has failed to follow the rule of law as enshrined n our Constitution
as well as the various pieces of legislation which have been passed
by this august House.
I will dwell
upon the International Conventions, which as a country, we have
actually violated. The Universal Declaration of Rights as well as
the African Charter on Human Rights, clearly stipulates that every
individual has a right to accommodation, right to shelter -
[HON.KANGAI: A right to shacks mhani.] What we have done
in the past two months is that we have destroyed the shelter of
many people. Ho. Kangai sits down there and he is probably coming
from a big house and God knows how many he has.
The very same thing you
a shack is a house to someone else and you will appreciate Hon.
Kangai that 80% of the people in this country are poor. Because
of that, the very shacks happen to be their homes and because of
that, they deserve to be treated as human beings and in a humanly
manner. The International Conventions, especially the general comments
in Article 4 of 1991, clearly stipulates the procedures which a
State has to undertake when they want to remove people or even if
they want to destroy the illegal structures, which is if there are
any illegal structures. There is need to consult the relevant people.
What has happened in this country is that it is clear there was
no consultation.
The Government unilaterally
just took an iron fist approach in dealing with homeless people.
It is also very clear
and no one will argue in this House that if it was a process of
the State wishing to remove the illegality in this country, the
dirt and all sorts of things that they have mentioned, there is
no doubt that if you go into the City of Harare or various growth
points today, where people have been affected, the amount of litter
which is there is unbelievable. It is certain that the government
could not have taken the police, the army and the CIO to do a job
of moving people out of where they were staying.
It is also very
cruel for any government which has been elected or which purports
to have been elected by people to move them in the middle of June/July
when temperatures are actually as low as two degrees during the
night.
The other aspect which
is also very important which the hon. Minister of Local Government
mentioned in response to Hon. Stevenson's questions who had
asked the Minister to provide details or minutes in which the City
of Harare Commission deliberated and resulted in the Operation Murambatsvina.
The Hon. Minister pointed out that this Murambatsvina issue was
something which was driven from the central government point of
view. In real fact, judging by some press reports, even the very
Minister did not even know some of the programmes relating to this
Murambatvina. He was only caught mid-way and you wonder why some
of the housing co-operatives which he sanctioned and commissioned
were bulldozed by the police.
The Urban Councils Act
and the Regional Town and Country Planning Act clearly stipulate
who is responsible for all this. It is the local authorities which
are given the powers to make sure that when they want to remove
the person, there are certain procedures which have to be followed.
It is clear that as a government, they failed to adhere to the simple
principles of the rule of law. Accordingly, that has actually had
a big impact into the welfare of people.
It is also important
to note that quite a number of people had been affected. If you
go into the schools, I have an example of a class which used to
have 45 pupils after this Operation Murambatsvina only 20 or so
remained in that class and the number of people who have actually
died due to pneumonia as a result of this act - [HON. MEMBERS:
Inaudible interjections]
MR. SPEAKER: Order.
MR. MUSHORIWA: It is
important to mention that in as much the hon. members can make as
much noise as they may want, it is important to note that almost
everyone was affected by this barbaric act. As representatives of
the people, as people who say that they were elected by the people
to represent their issues, it is important to stand up in this august
House and to unanimously agree that this operation - the manner
in which it was done, has caused more problems and it is in that
regard that we should send a clear message to the Executive.
I understand
going by the reports which we got from the press that the operation
is still continuing, notwithstanding the statement by Hon. Chombo
two weeks ago that 90% of the work had been done. Let me reiterate
that as hon. members, we should stand up and send a message to the
Executive, that what has happened is not proper and we should accordingly
condemn this act which has resulted in the demolition of people's
homes. I am therefore requesting all Hon. members who were elected
by the people to this august up and a show a common position in
sympathy to the suffering masses of this country and in that regard
I move for the adoption of this motion.
MR.
GONESE: Divide the House.
Bells rung.
House divided.
AYES:
33 - Bhebhe A, Biti T, Chamisa N, Chebundo B, Chibaya A, Chimanikire
G, Chimbaira G, Coltart D, Gonese I. T, Gwetu M, Khumalo N.M, Khupe
T, Madzore P, Malinga A. M, Mashakada T, Matamisa E.E, Matutu T,
Mdlongwa E, Mguni N, Mhashu F, Misihairabwi-Mushonga P, Mkosi E.T.M,
Mpariwa P, Mungofa P.T, Mushoriwa E, Mutsekwa G, Ndlovu M.M, Shoko
G.M, Sibanda G.J, Sibindi T, Sikhala J, Stevenson G.B, Zwizwai M.
Tellers: I.T Gonese and
T. Khupe.
NOES:
54 - Bushu S Chief, Chandengenda D.J, Charumbira Chief F.Z,
Chapfika D, Chidarikire F.E, Chikomba L, Chinamasa P.A, Chiota P.C,
Chininga E.T.C, Chipanga T.S, Dandawa Chief T.M, Dausi-Gwachiwa
C, Gumbo J.M, Kadzima P, Kanga K.M, Kanzama F, Kasikuwere S, Katsande
A, Kaukonde R.J, Mabika Chief J, Machirori S, Madubeko J, Madzongwe
E, Mahofa S.B, Makova C.W, Malaba Chief C.N, Malisa Chief C, Maluleke
T.H, Marumahoko R, Matiza B.J, Matonga B, Matshalaga O, Mathuthu
T, Mawere M, Maziriri E, Mudzimurema Chief P.M, Mugabe L, Mugabe
S, Muguti E, Mupukuta L, Mushore L, Musa, Mutiwekuziwa K.K, Mutomba
W, Muzembi W, Porusingazi E, Pote C.N, Rusere T, Satiya C, Shana
Chief N.Z.J, Shumba I.M, Undenge S, Zhuwao P, Zinyemba N.
Tellers: JM Gumbo and
CM Pote
Motion put and negatived.
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