Chombo taken to task after saying Gukurahundi is a non-issue

THE HON. SPEAKER:  Order, order, Hon. Member there.  Order, Hon. Mandipaka, two wrongs do not make a right.

HON. DR. CHOMBO:  Thank you Mr. Speaker I just want to clarify so that Members can understand what I meant.  When documents are issued, Government is very clear that there are many people who may not have the relevant persons to assist them to acquire them on time and there are people who have not had birth certificates or other relevant national documents on time.  So, there are sufficient measures in place to make sure that they are assisted to acquire birth certificates and other relevant documents.  As I said to the earlier question, on the second half of this year we are going to do some blitz in all the provinces and see those who need national documents and these will be provided by the department and throughout the country.  Those who may be left out for a reason or another are also very much welcome to our various district centres and sub-district offices to get the relevant and necessary documents and that they can register as voters and that they participate in the election, come 2018.  Thank you Mr. Speaker.

HON. KHUPE:  On a point of order Mr. Speaker.  Mr. Speaker Sir, I hear what the Minister is explaining that there is going to be a blitz to make sure that all those who do not have birth certificates are issued with birth certificates or IDs, but the issue here is that the Hon. Minister said, the Gukurahundi issue is a non-issue and we are saying, he must withdraw that; whereas Mr. Speaker Sir, it is a big issue.

Mr. Speaker Sir, my point of order has to do with what the Minister said that Gukurahundi is a non-issue.  It is a big issue in that 35 years down the line, still those children whose parents were killed during the Gukurahundi era do not have IDs and birth certificates.  So, it is a big issue and we are requesting the Hon. Member to withdraw what he said that it is a non-issue.  Unless Mr. Speaker Sir, if he believes that it was a non-issue, then it must be put on record that the Minister is saying it was a non-issue and therefore for him it does not matter -[HON. MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections.]-

THE HON. SPEAKER:  Order, order.  I had agreed with the Hon. Minister to explain himself on the issue of Gukukurahundi being a non-issue but he did not explain that.

HON. DR. CHOMBO: Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir.  The matter that relates to Gukurahundi  that Hon. Khupe raised -[HON. MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections]-

THE HON. SPEAKER:  Order, order.  I do not want to send someone out.  Allow the Hon. Minister to explain himself and let us listen.

HON. DR. CHOMBO:  Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir.  The issue that Hon. Khupe raised related to the persons that did not have relevant documents, birth certificates, et cetera due to Gukurahundi.  That is what I was responding to say that in our issuance of birth certificates, et cetera, it is regardless of any reason.  If you do not have it, we have the mechanisms for you to have it.  Thank you.

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