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Speech
at opening of Third Session of Sixth Parliament of Zimbabwe
President
Robert Mugabe
July
24, 2007
ONCE again it
gives me great pleasure to address this august House on the occasion
of the opening of the Third Session of the Sixth Parliament of Zimbabwe.
This Session
begins against a backdrop of positive developments that have the
potential to make an indelible impact on the country’s socio-economic
landscape.
Internally,
the signing of the three sub-sector protocols symbolised an important
step towards the realisation of the Social Contract by the social
partners, a welcome development that indeed promises to usher in
a new era of mutual collaboration in addressing national challenges.
Indeed, "Putting Zimbabwe First", ahead of parochial partisan
interests, remains the best approach in seeking a turnaround to
our economy. In order to give relief to our people in the face of
astronomical rises in the prices of basic commodities, Government
has embarked on a price stabilisation exercise that seeks to return
prices to the pre-June 18 levels.
On the diplomatic
front, we are indeed gratified by some recent international developments
namely, the appointment of Zimbabwe to chair the United Nations
Commission for Sustainable Development; our election as Vice Chair
of Comesa in 2007, followed by our prospective hosting of the Summit
in 2008; and the fact of our representing the Eastern and Southern
African regions of the African Development Bank. These developments
vividly demonstrate the confidence of our African partners in our
country despite the hype of gloom and doom peddled by our Western
detractors and their allies. The world is growing opposed to a unipolar
world system that unashamedly tramples upon the rights of weaker
states while resorting to self-serving notions of democracy and
human rights as a veneer of legitimacy for their ill conduct.
It is for this
reason that we dearly cherish the bold stance by Sadc member states
in calling for the removal of the illegal sanctions imposed against
us and refusing to accept the hostile attitude of Britain and its
allies to Zimbabwe.
Madame President,
Mr Speaker Sir,
Our economy
continues to face adverse challenges emanating mainly from the illegal
sanctions and successive droughts whose effects in turn are, inter
alia, foreign currency shortages, and erratic energy and power supply
situations. In these circumstances, the inexplicable price and rent
hikes, which were apparently welcomed and encouraged by our regime-change
proponents compounded the situation further and thus invited Government
intervention.
Government,
however, remains committed to restoring price stability and normalcy
to the economy. To this end, following the passage of the National
Incomes and Pricing Commission Act by Parliament, focus is now
on expediting the operationalisation of the National Incomes and
Pricing Commission. Members of the Commission have already been
appointed, while work on the requisite statutory instruments is
being finalised. The Commission will carry out research, maintain
a comprehensive nationwide statistical database to be used in the
analysis of pricing and production costs across all sectors of the
economy; as well as developing pricing policy models, frameworks
and strategies, with the overall objective of harmonising incomes
and prices.
Madame President,
Mr Speaker Sir,
Agriculture
remains the fulcrum of our economic turnaround. This demands that
prime attention should be placed on maximising productivity in the
sector through mechanisation, irrigation development and enhanced
provision of technical and financial support. It is in pursuance
of this objective that Government has now embarked on an aggressive
five-year agricultural mechanisation programme. On 11 June 2007,
I commissioned the supply of over 925 tractors, 35 combine harvesters,
586 disc ploughs, 463 disc harrows, 70 vicon fertilizer spreaders,
241 boom sprayers and 71 planters all acquired at a total cost of
US$25 million. It was a historic event since it signalled the first
phase of our agricultural mechanisation programme. This programme,
together with Government’s ongoing dam construction and irrigation
development programmes, will indeed place our agrarian revolution
on a firm pedestal.
Furthermore,
a US$200 million Buyer’s Credit Loan Agreement between Government
and the Exim Bank of China, together with other internal initiatives
to enhance the capacity of the local fertilizer producers, has also
helped in improving stability in the supply of agricultural inputs
such as fertilizers and chemicals. Government will also continue
to offer technical and financial support to farmers through vehicles
such as the Reserve Bank’s Agricultural Sector Productivity
Enhancement Facility (ASPEF) and other possible support windows
in the financial institutions. With regard to livestock production,
Government, through the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe, has embarked on
a massive restocking exercise that will see the Ministry of Agriculture
and the central bank availing funding for the cattle-breeding programme
to increase the national herd by more than two million over the
next two to three years.
Madame President,
Mr Speaker Sir,
As a nation,
a vision serves as a compass and acts as a source of inspiration
in energising our medium-to-long-term development efforts. Accordingly,
after consultations with a broad spectrum of stakeholders, an updated
version of the Vision 2020 Document is now in place. Work will soon
commence to publicise and rally the national effort towards its
realisation. Also in this context, Government is working on the
Zimbabwe Economic Development Strategy, a medium-term development
programme to be implemented from 2008 to 2010. The programme’s
objective is to bring about sustainable and balanced economic growth.
This thrust should also benefit from ongoing consultations with
the Sadc team on its recommended package of measures to turn around
the economy.
To improve accountability
and enhance efficiency in the use of public resources by Government
ministries, the Public Finance Management Bill, and the Audit Bill,
which provides for the creation of an independent National Audit
Office in line with international best practice, will be brought
for consideration during this Session. Furthermore, the Sadc Finance
and Investment Protocol, which will foster harmonisation of the
financial and investment policies within the region, shall also
be brought to Parliament for ratification. Bilateral trade agreements
with Iran, Indonesia and Namibia will be signed during this Session,
while similar negotiations with Zambia and Angola are in progress.
Madame President,
Mr Speaker Sir,
The mining sector’s
profile as a growth node for the economy continues on an upward
trajectory. This further reinforces the need for the nation to assert
control over, and maximise benefits, from its mineral wealth. To
this end, therefore, and in the light of the discovery of the Marange
alluvial diamonds, a Bill to amend the Precious Stones Trade Act
[Chapter 21:06] together with the Mines and Minerals Amendment Bill,
shall be introduced during the Third Session. Furthermore, Parliament
will, during this Session, be requested to ratify the Association
of African Diamond Producing Countries (ADPA) Convention that was
signed on 4th November 2006 in Luanda by African Diamond Producing
Countries.
The Third Session
will also see the tabling in this House of the Electoral Laws Amendment
Bill which seeks to both amend the Zimbabwe
Electoral Commission Act [Chapter 2:12] and the Electoral
Act [Chapter 2:13], and to harmonise the two Acts and provide
for the manner of appointment of members of the Electoral Court,
as well as to transfer assets from the now defunct Electoral Supervisory
Commission to the new National Electoral Commission (NEC). This
amendment will be brought to Parliament soon in order to effect
changes before the 2008 elections and to allow time for interested
parties to fully appreciate and comprehend our electoral laws.
The current
Session will also witness the tabling of the 18th
Constitutional Amendment Bill that seeks to amend the country’s
Constitution to reduce the Presidential term from the current six
to five years; harmonise the Presidential, parliamentary and local
government elections; expand the membership of the House of Assembly
from the current 150 to 210; as well as expand and restructure the
membership of the Senate from the current 66 to 84, all with effect
from 2008. Harmonising the elections will reduce costs and enable
Government to focus more on development issues.
Madame President,
Mr Speaker Sir,
The transport
and communications sector, which is without doubt a vital artery
for the economy, has seen its efficient and effective operation
being seriously undermined by rampant thefts and vandalisation of
its infrastructure. Accordingly, the Railways (Amendment) Bill and
the Railways Regulatory Bill, aimed at curbing vandalism of railway
infrastructure, will be tabled during the Third Session. Vandalism
has not spared the power sector either, and this has resulted in
Zesa experiencing huge financial losses and the incessant disruption
of power supplies to many of its customers. In order to curb these
occurrences, a Bill to amend the Electricity Act [Chapter 13:19]
and provide for stiffer penalties shall be brought before this House
during this Session.
As part of the
local and global initiatives to guarantee sustainable management
of the environment, Government will, during this Session, table
before Parliament for ratification, the Sadc Protocol on Forestry;
the Sadc Protocol on Wildlife Conservation and Law Enforcement;
the Sadc Protocol on Fisheries; the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands;
and the Montreal and Beijing Amendments to the Montreal Protocol
on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer.
Madame President,
Mr Speaker Sir,
During the
Third Session, the National
Indigenisation and Empowerment Bill shall be tabled before this
House, while the Co-operatives Society Act of 1996 will be amended
to bring it into alignment with the revised policy on Co-operative
Societies approved in 2005. Pursuant to the need to uplift the standard
of life for our people in the rural areas, Government has embarked
on the construction and rehabilitation of houses, market stalls,
community centres, schools and rural health centres, community bakeries
and business shells, among other projects.
Madame President,
Mr Speaker Sir,
The country
continues to lose large numbers of skilled and experienced personnel.
To halt this unsavoury trend, Government will continue to review
salaries and to provide assistance in regard to housing and transport
for its workforce. In addition, action is already being taken to
operationalise the Skills Retention Fund, which should assist in
the retention of skills in critical shortage areas.
All is now
set for the introduction of the Cadetship Scheme in terms of which
assistance is to be given through the National Education and Training
Fund to Zimbabwean students willing to join the Public Service upon
completion of their training. Apart from helping to plug skill gaps
in ministries and departments, the scheme will also help to instil
in students the sacrosanct value of commitment to the service of
their country. I am pleased to note that the response has been overwhelming,
with not less than 20 000 applicants expected to be on the programme
when universities open in August this year.
During this
Third Session, the Education Act will be amended in order to bring
finality to the perennial problem of school fees determination,
while the Zimsec Act, the Sports and Recreation Commission Act,
and the National Arts Council of Zimbabwe Act shall be reviewed
to render them consistent with the current dispensation.
Government will this year present for adoption and ratification
by Parliament the African Youth Charter, which outlines the rights,
duties and responsibilities of State parties in addressing the economic,
social, educational, cultural and spiritual needs of the youth.
The National Youth Service Bill, which aims at upgrading the operations
and management of the National Youth Service Programme, will also
be presented before this Parliament.
Madame President,
Mr Speaker Sir,
It is sad to
note that old persons in our country are the only category of vulnerable
groups without legislation to cater for their welfare. Accordingly,
the Old Persons Bill, which caters for the well-being of old persons,
who, in most instances, look after grandchildren orphaned due to
the HIV/Aids pandemic and other causes, shall be tabled for consideration.
The HIV/Aids
pandemic, coupled with the ever-increasing cost of drugs, poses
a serious strain to the health delivery system. However, to date,
the rollout of the anti-retroviral treatment programme has reached
a satisfactory 62 000 persons against a target of 90 000 for 2006.
Government is continuing with efforts to attain the target of 120
000 persons by end of year.
While the level
of urban water-supply sources is generally satisfactory, the water
situation in some of our big cities, especially Harare and Bulawayo,
remains a cause for concern. I am pleased, however, that work on
the construction of the Mtshabezi pipeline, which should augment
water supply for Bulawayo, is soon to start, while work to boost
water abstraction from the Nyamandlovu Acquifer is already in progress.
With regard to Harare, the Zimbabwe National Water Authority (Zinwa),
has embarked on a programme to drastically reduce the loss of treated
water through the repair and refurbishment of the water reticulation
system. The long-to-medium-term solution, however, lies in expanding
the city’s water pumping capacity and the construction of
an additional water reservoir. In this regard, I am pleased to note
that construction of Kunzvi Dam is now soon to commence.
Madame President,
Mr Speaker Sir,
The issue of
corruption is no longer one of mere criminality, but has instead
become a fundamental moral question, requiring multi-faceted enforcement
interventions. Accordingly, as part of the efforts to combat this
scourge, courses on ethics and integrity shall be introduced throughout
the whole education system, with a view to inculcating honesty in
the citizens of the country. In addition, proposals to amend the
Prevention of Corruption Act [Chapter 9:22], as well as measures
to protect whistleblowers and other providers of information, vital
for combating economic crimes that threaten our existence as a nation,
shall be introduced during this Session.
In an effort
to prevent and combat transitionally organised crime, my Government
will bring to Parliament three additional protocols to the United
Nations Convention Against Transitional Organised Crime for ratification.
The first one is the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking
in Persons, especially women and children. The protocol seeks to
protect and assist the victims of such trafficking, while maintaining
full respect for their human rights. The other two are the Protocol
against the Smuggling of Migrants by Land, Sea and Air and another
Against the Illicit Manufacturing of and Trafficking in Firearms,
their parts and components, and ammunition. In addition, the Protocol
to the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights on the
Rights of Women in Africa will be brought for ratification during
this Session.
Madame President,
Mr Speaker Sir,
My Government
will also bring to Parliament two Sadc protocols for ratification.
The first of these is the Sadc Protocol on Extradition, which imposes
an obligation on State parties to extradite any person within their
jurisdiction wanted for prosecution or imposition or enforcement
of a sentence in the requesting State. The second is the Sadc Protocol
on the Facilitation of the Movement of People. The overall objective
of this protocol is the development of policies aimed at the progressive
elimination of obstacles to the movement of persons in the region.
Madame President,
Mr Speaker Sir,
On the international
front we continue to face hostility from Britain and some of her
Western allies. Our detractors have redoubled their efforts to achieve
illegal regime change in order to reverse our land reform programme.
The violence and other acts of lawlessness we have witnessed in
recent months, which were planned and executed in complicity with
certain Western powers, were meant to create mayhem and hence a
basis to place our country on the agenda of the United Nations Security
Council and the United Nations Human Rights Council.
We are pleased,
Madame President, Mr Speaker Sir, that the international community
saw through our detractors’ ploys and rejected the falsehoods
propagated by the Western media against Zimbabwe. Their failure
at both the Security Council and the Human Rights Council attests
to the fact that the situation in Zimbabwe is clearly not a threat
to regional, let alone international, peace and security. We, as
always, are grateful to our friends in Sadc, the African Union and
the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), for their principled and unwavering
stand in support of Zimbabwe in the face of efforts to abuse these
United Nations institutions.
Attempts to
manipulate and abuse the United Nations and its institutions by
our detractors serve only to reinforce the urgent need for the reform
of the United Nations, especially the Security Council, to make
it more accountable and democratic. An unreformed United Nations
will continue to serve the interests of the powerful few at the
expense of the majority, who are mainly developing countries.
Madame President,
Mr Speaker Sir,
We wish, once
again, to applaud our security forces for continuing to fulfil their
constitutional obligation of safeguarding the country’s territorial
integrity and sovereignty with distinction. It will also be remembered
that to further bolster the Defence Forces, Government recently
gazetted the Defence (War Veterans Reserve) Regulations 2007. These
regulations are meant to guide the conduct of those eligible war
veterans who decide to voluntarily join the War Veterans Reserve
Force.
In conclusion,
let me say your task as parliamentarians during this Session is
a mammoth one. It demands, as ever, sound and balanced application
of your minds on the mandate bestowed on you by the country’s
Constitution and indeed by the electorate out there. Ministries
and departments will rely heavily on this august body as they seek
guidance and power in implementing Government programmes in social,
economic, political, bilateral, multilateral, regional and international
matters. By putting Zimbabwe first, let us all shun retrogressive
and self-destructive tendencies and work tirelessly to see Zimbabwe
emerge as a strong, united, egalitarian and prosperous nation.
I wish you fruitful deliberations and have great pleasure in now
declaring this Third Session of the Sixth Parliament of Zimbabwe
officially open.
I thank you.
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