Chiwenga causes a stir in Parliament

THE HON. VICE PRESIDENT (RTD. GEN. DR. CHIWENGA): Mr. Speaker Sir, can the Hon. Member repeat his full question.

THE HON. SPEKAER: Hon. Member, can you please repeat your question.

HON. T. J. DUBE: Hon. Speaker Sir, I said why has it taken so long for the alignment of the laws of the collaborators to the Constitution and secondly it has taken more than 20 years without revising the pensions for the war veterans?

THE HON. RTD. GEN. DR. CHIWENGA: Mr. Speaker Sir, on the issue of alignment of laws as regards war collaborators, war veterans; the Hon. Member was the Minister recently – [ Laughter.] –

THE HON. SPEAKER: Order.

HON. RTD. GEN. DR. CHIWENGA: However, Mr. Speaker Sir, the matter is receiving attention because there have been issues which had to be clarified in terms of what we mean by war collaborators, how should they be vetted, non-combatants, those who were in the refugee camps. We want these categories to be properly defined before they go to the Cabinet Committee on legislation. I thank you Mr. Speaker Sir – [HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear.] –

Hon. Zindi and others having stood up to ask supplementary questions.

THE HON. SPEAKER: Order. Hon. Members you must follow the replies and the reply as far as the Chair is concerned was comprehensive.

HON. KWARAMBA: I am not satisfied Mr. Speaker.

THE HON. SPEAKER: Are you still not satisfied?

HON. KWARAMBA: Mr. Speaker, there is a part that he did not answer; the second part which talks about the review of pensions for war veterans.

THE HON. VICE PRESIDENT (RTD. GEN. DR. CHIWENGA: Thank you Mr. Speaker and let me thank the Hon. Member for asking that question. Everyone would want to see our ex-combatant receiving meaningful pensions but it has to do with what the nation can afford the capacity of generating wealth and revenue which in turn can then be disbursed. I hope this is what this august House and every Zimbabwean is trying to achieve and we would want not only for the war veterans but for every Zimbabwean, every pensioner to receive – [HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear.] – a meaningful pension. Mr. Speaker Sir, as Government, we are seized with that matter – [HON. MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections.]

THE HON. SPEAKER: Order.

HON. RTD. GEN. DR. CHIWENGA: Mr. Speaker Sir, as Government, we are seized with that matter. We would want to see all our people, those working, those who are on pension receiving meaningful pensions, but that money has got to be generated and this is what we are all trying to do. I thank you Mr. Speaker – [HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear.] –

Continued next page

(1040 VIEWS)