Address by His Excellency the President Comrade R. G. Mugabe on the occasion of the opening of the fourth session of the fifth parliament of Zimbabwe Tuesday, 22nd July 2003

TMr. Speaker,
Honourable Members of Parliament,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Comrades and Friends.

I welcome you all to the Fourth Session of the Fifth Parliament of Zimbabwe.

The Fourth Session takes place against the background of the historic Summit of the continental African Union(AU), the second such Summit since the launch of the AU. We are happy that through the successive efforts of their Excellencies Presidents Thabo Mbeki of South Africa and Joaquim Chissano of Mozambique, our region has played a leadership role in the transformative stage of our continental body which is now poised to play a crucial part in defending African interests globally. The Second Summit convened in the sister Republic of Mozambique and equipped the African Union with the protocols and organs necessary for the execution of our collective vision and goals on the Continent. Africa is ready for a new partnership predicted on her people’s collective ingenuity, resourcefulness and markets

Here in Zimbabwe, we feel happy and humbled to have been unanimously chosen to represent our Southern African region, in the capacity of deputy chairman of the African Union. We pledge our full effort and commitment to the region and Continent, cognisant of the fact that such an election was meant to send an eloquent message to those who have spitefully sought our isolation and ruin. I am happy that this august House played its part in ratifying critical protocols of the African Union, thereby hastening the process of building the institutions of the Union. Mr. Speaker, I wish to thank all the Honourable Members of Parliament for their positive role in this process.

More protocols and agreements such as those establishment of the Peace and Security Council; the creation of the African Parliament, and others covering Bilateral Investment Promotions with various friendly countries which share our aspirations and concerns, will be tabled for ratification during this Session of Parliament.

The recent developments in the Persian Gulf and elsewhere have clearly demonstrated that the new, unipolar global order which some countries seek to impose as the international order is as dangerous as it is unjust. Needless to say, the dialectical opposite and fitting response to such an ambition is our collective unity and self-assertion in the Africa and in the rest of the progressive humanitarian world. The launch of an all-Africa Parliament should thus provide a useful platform for pushing an African agenda in the global context.

Zimbabwe’s foreign policy must continue to sharpen its focus on, and consolidate its defence of the national interest, firmly locating its efforts in the broader context of common African action, strengthened by solidarity with Third World peoples. We have to recover lost alliances, resuscitate those that are dormant, and reconstruct those we may have neglected, because it has become clear that the evolving global environment is unkind to the small, dangerous to the weak and the isolated, and tempting to the greedy and high-handed unilateralists, who are quick to resort to lies, propaganda and deception to wage imperialist wars and visit ruin, occupation and plunder on defenceless nations.

Mr. Speaker, in my last address, I indicated that Zimbabwe needed to chart a new course in its international relations, investment and trade quests. Today, I still stress that we, being an African people, inhabiting an African country, should always proclaim our Africanness as matter of national unity, indeed as a matter of unquestionable destiny.

This Fourth Session I am privileged to open today derives its main agenda from the challenges that our Nation three years after we took bold and irrevocable decision to resolve the outstanding national land question. While land reform will always be with us as a Nation, the Fast Track Phase, through which we sought to re-assert our sovereignty right over our land as a principal resource, is largely concluded, and has so far yielded tangible benefits to the vast majority of our people. There is a new sense of empowerment, yielding a happy sense of ownership, which has brought thousands upon thousands of hitherto marginalized families back into the economic mainstream.

Mr. Speaker, I believe the main challenge facing our Nation and which will lead to our revival of the economy is that providing adequate means, production targets and technical advice for the new settlers to carry out their functions efficiently and effectively. Our National Economic Revival Programme(NERP) gives clear priority to agriculture as the engine for national economic revival growth. The Presidential Land Review Committee we appointed in May should help Government to concretely map the way forward in this regard. I believe that in the context of the various communities you represent, you have afforded the Committee some time so its findings are expansive and more representative.

In order to speed up the remaining process of acquiring the rest of the designated land, the Land Acquisition Amendment Bill that will effect amendments to the principal Act will be brought for consideration during this Session. The Stock Theft Bill will see the re- introduction of mandatory penalties for stock thefts because of the sharp rise stock thefts which is depleting the country’s livestock herd, thereby impacting negatively on the economy.

Mr. Speaker, my Government, through the Zimbabwe National Water Authority, will continue to provide for the Nation’s water requirements, especially for irrigation purposes, to enhance food production and security as well as to promote agricultural export production.

In this regard , ongoing construction of dam projects will continue while new projects, this year, include Marovanyati and Bubi-Lupane. Preparations are in progress to float tenders for the construction of Shave, Kunzvi, Tuli-Manyange and Gwayi-Shangani dams, which should also commence during this Session.

Rehabilitation of existing smallholder schemes and construction of at least two medium-to-large irrigation schemes per province will be undertaken.

I am fully conscious that in both provinces of Matabeleland, the Midlands, and in some parts of Masvingo, the effects of the last devastating drought have been as dire as ever. Many people in these areas will need sustenance right up to the next season when, hopefully, they may begin to creep out of this natural devastation. My recent meetings vividly revealed areas of urgent need, especially in Matabeleland South, where both human and animal life are in dire need of relief. Deliberate focus will, therefore, continue to be accorded to those areas.

Mr. Speaker, economic revival has often been drawn back by the shortage of foreign currency owing to depressed economic activity. While a combination of the drought and sanctions has generally created an adverse climate for business, it is clear that these factors alone do not explain our economic difficulties. As has been often pointed out, we have a paradoxical situation where some companies and institutions are doing very well in an economy that officially is in decline. While other companies falter, several continue to record healthy balance sheets and proceed to declare high dividends to their shareholders. This is most apparent in the financial sector. Foreign currency which is reportedly short, continues to be abundantly available on the black market. Basic goods disappear only to re-appear once the magic wand high prices is waived. Ther is need, Mr. Speaker, to strengthen price monitoring mechanisms while simultaneously encouraging companies to increase their capacity utilisation in order get more goods at affordable prices.

Even more puzzling is the fact that our exports to neighbouring countries, like South Africa, continue to grow significantly. Mining activities are pronounced, with Zimbabwe edging towards world leadership in platinum production. Tourism, clearly on the recovery path, has receipts which continue officially to dwindle. Thus, while the economy is officially declining, its constitutive players higher and higher.

Clearly, Government has to adopt effective measures to address this paradoxical situation whose destructive impact is vividly illustrated by the impoverationed condition of the common man.

Government will intensify the indigenisation programme by enacting an Indigenisation Bill and ensuring that companies allocate 20 per cent shareholding to their workers. Further, through the National Economic Revival Programme, we will encourage the business linkage concept and promote cluster initiatives in order to assist small and medium enterprises development.

The ongoing work to negotiate both bilateral and multilateral trade agreements, we will note, once more, the need to venture into non-traditional markets such as Angola, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Libya and the Far East countries.

The economy has not been getting the full benefit of the foreign exchange it generates, and this is largely due to a weak monetary authority and unclear monetary policies that allow extensive abuse of earnings and unbridled speculative activities. Decisive steps will have to be taken to ensure that those who handle foreign currency account for it fully and cleanly. Interest rates will have to come down through decisive intervention designed to recharge this economy in ways that encourage real wealth generation as opposed to speculative wealth.

As a way of stemming the externalisation of foreign currency through over- and under-invoicing, discount pricing, advance payments to foreign suppliers of raw materials, outright smuggling of precious metals, and unethical practices by banking and other financial institutions, mining houses and individual exporters, Government will introduce an Anti-Corruption Commission Bill during the life of this Parliament. This will be supported by other legislative measures, notably the Securities Bill, which will seek to regulate markets in securities and put an end to insider-trading practices. Further, the Money Laundering and the Proceeds of Crime Bill will provide for the confiscation ill-gotten proceeds of crime and establish an anti-money laundering authority to monitor any persons suspected of money laundering.

A Pensions and Provident Funds Amendment Bill that will empower Commissioners of Insurance to sue all pension fund managers who fail to pay members’ pensions timeously will also be brought before this House for enactment.

On the energy front, measures to procure self-sufficiency will be pursued. Co-operation Zimbabwe and neighbouring countries is critical for the security of electricity supply and, in this context, a Memorandum of Understanding between our Government and that of Mozambique will be signed, paving the way for ZESA to take up equity in the Hydro Caborra Bassa. On the other hand NOCZIM, after restructuring and refocusing, will be competing with private oil companies in the importation and distribution of fuel products through a dual pricing structure.

In view of the growing global shift towards greater use of cleaner energy resources like natural gas, measures will be taken to ensure that the country move towards diversification of available energy resources. In this regard, the Gaseous hydrocarbons Bill, providing a legal framework for the exploration, production, importation, transportation, distribution and utilization of coal-based gaseous products and natural gas for economic development, will be tabled before parliament during this session.

An amendment to the Mines and Minerals Act will strengthen efforts to break the stranglehold by multinational companies on the mining industry and make it easier for indigenous people, mainly small-scale miners, to participate more meaningfully in this industry.

I have already pointed out that, as with other sectors, the full benefits from mining are not quite apparent. While this is partly due to the economic difficulties we are facing, there are clear instances where the weak monitoring regime in the mining sector is partly to blame. Royalties are either non-existent ridiculously low, while supervision is limited to mining safety standards. Measures are also being taken to improve the situation.

Within the ambit of the National Economic Revival Programme, Government will be recapitalising the National Railways of Zimbabwe through such initiatives as resource mobilisation, co-operative arrangements with other railways in the region and partnerships with private sector users of the NRZ network. The focus is to increase the NRZ’s capacity through refurbishment and acquisition of locomotives and wagons and the rehabilitation of infrastructure.

The Railways Regulatory Authority Bill of 2003, whose focus is to manage, regulate, control and licence service providers, whilst also monitoring operations in the railway industry, will be brought before this Session. The authority proposed under this Bill should ensure maximum safety for our commuting public and reliability of freight movement.

With the recent licensing of another fixed telephone network operator, Government envisages notable improvements in the overall provision of communication services to the Nation. This welcome development is complemented by ongoing efforts by mobile telephone operators to relieve congestion on their networks by addressing problems of interference between the mobile and fixed networks.

The Posts and Telecommunications Act [Chapter 12:05] provides for a Universal Service Fund to be set up with the express purpose of ensuring that telecommunications and postal services remain accessible and affordable to disadvantaged groups, in the main, the rural population. This Fund has been established through the Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (POTRAZ) and Government expects it to, inter alia, finance the extension of services to under-serviced areas.

The return of peace to Angola has created a whole range of business activity including that of construction. My Government and that of Angola recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding on possible co-operation in the sphere of business which will be brought before this House for ratification in order to operationalise it.

The Civil Protection Amendment Bill is to be renamed the Emergency Preparedness and Disaster Management Act in order to make civil protection better understood. It is hoped that the name change, accompanied by requisite alterations to the composition of re-action teams, will ensure optimum readiness for emergencies, disasters and other similarly challenging occurrences.

In order to ensure that the operations of Non-Government Organizations are consistent with and supportive of Government policies and programmes, the Non-Governmental Organization Bill will amend the current Act and broaden the definition of NGOs to include Trusts. This Bill is also intended to prevent foreign interests from using NGO structures to subvert our sovereignty.

Mr. Speaker, the National Council for Higher Education Act will be amended with a view to improving the operations of institutions of higher learning by investing Council with certain disciplinary powers over students and lecturers.

A Bill for the establishment of a new Examinations Council, to replace the Zimbabwe Schools Examinations Council (ZIMSEC) will be introduced in the House, so that the new Examinations Council, caters for all school examinations. In order to allow children to adjust to the more demanding secondary school environment, Form 2 examinations will be re-introduced next year.

Government is also working on plans to actively promote Zimbabwean culture through designated provincial offices. Using radio and television, Zimbabweans of all ages, will participate in debates on progressive and retrogressive cultural values.

To protect works of art and intellectual property, a Copyright and Neighbouring Rights Amendment Bill will be brought before the House. The Bill will also licence foreigners who intend to use works of art and folklore for commercial purposes and will monitor any abuse of copyrights or neighbouring rights.

Mr. Speaker, I am happy to note that the area of entertainment and, the arts in general, is beginning to attract the interest of Government and rightly receiving commensurate support. Clearly, the local content goals under the broadcasting law have generated interest in the arts and mobilised resources for meaningful support. Duty exemptions recently gazetted in respect of entertainment and recording equipment should go quite some way towards improving the fortunes of this growing industry. More systematic and reliable support should be extended to leading sporting disciplines so that funding is not ad hoc.

The HIV/AIDS scourge remains by far the greatest challenge confronting the Nation. For this reason, SAC recently convened a special Summit of Heads of State and Government which looked at ways of tackling this menace. In Zimbabwe, the recent emergency declaration should facilitate the importation of anti-retroviral and other generic drugs and their accessibility by HIV/AIDS patients. Safeguards against the recent outbreak of the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) deriving from the experiences of various parts of the world continue to be instituted.

In pursuance of the promotion of gender equality, Government will produce a national plan of action to operationalise the Gender Policy. Plans are also underway to establish crisis centres in each province to curb gender violence and child abuse. During the life of this Parliament, a Bill will be tabled before the august House to combat the evil of domestic violence. The Bill will also seek to protect children from abuse by parents and relatives and provide for counselling and mediation.In order to uphold the dignity of the Office of the Head of State, the Privileges Amendment Bill will be tabled in this House. The Bill will also extend the privilege of immunity currently enjoyed by legislators to all judicial officers, including Magistrates, in order to preserve the integrity and stature of the judiciary.

Following the completion of the withdrawal of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Government will now focus on re-training the forces so that, even while back home, their combat capability, efficiency and effectiveness remain beyond reproach. In addition to undertaking their primary role as guarantors of our national sovereignty and territorial integrity, the defence forces will continue to assist the Zimbabwe Republic Police in maintaining law and order when called upon to
do so.

We pride ourselves on the peace and stability that characterise our country and Government, despite the deliberate attempts by both internal and external forces to destabilise our political and economic environment. I wish to re-affirm my message of peaceful and non-violent election campaigns and strongly warn that those who seek to indulge in illegal activities or attempts to create political instability will fact the full wrath of the law. Let our people develop in peace and may Members of Parliament be both makers of the law and makers of peace.

Mr. Speaker, Sir, I wish now to commend these matters for your consideration and to declare this Fourth Session of the Fifth Parliament of the Republic of Zimbabwe duly open.

I thank you.


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