MP says Health Minister Parirenyatwa cannot intervene in doctors’ case

Full contribution:                                                                                                                                              

HON. NDEBELE:  I am almost tempted Hon. Speaker to say this House, as it rises in unison like this, has come of age.  I would like to congratulate the Hon. Members.  Parliament can certainly not go about its business as if it is business as usual, as it were.  At the face of it, this may appear like a mere health concern but without spoiling the broth, I honestly believe that this motion runs deeper than what appears at on the surface.  At the core of issues here, is a reflection of a bigger tragedy, which is the economic melee bedeviling this country.  It speaks of a deeper rot because this House finds itself at the cross roads, at this very minute.  On one hand are doctors, who are professionals that must be paid, yet on the other hand are people who are unemployed and can meekly afford to pay the same doctors in order to be treated.

It raises important questions about the capacity of our Government to play the role of adjudicator in this whole debacle.  Hon. Maridadi, I may want to differ a bit, whereupon you suggest that Government must be the adjudicator between ZIMA and the medical aid societies, because I have important questions of the same Government.  Is the person in the fore front not the very same Minister that was in the newspapers for defrauding PSMAS?  These are rhetorical questions.  Is the same Minister not the same Minister who has never given a ministerial statement in this House?  Is he not the same Minister that has even failed to sit in a hotel elsewhere and address his role in the PSMAS debacle?  – [HON. MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections.] –

Hon. Speaker, I need your protection.

THE HON. TEMPORARY SPEAKER:  You are protected.

HON. NDEBELE:  So, who adjudicates?  I honestly think that if we keep saying Minister, Minister, the Minister also approaches this question with dirty hands.  I therefore move quickly to agree with my colleague Hon. Misihairabwi-Mushonga, so that I do not fail to pronounce the other one.  That if the Minister is not the rightful person as I have demonstrated, is it not time then Mr. Speaker, for this House to fall back on Section 140 (3) of our Constitution which allows for our President who is the Chief Executive of this country to come into this very House to address important questions around matters of health.  As I have indicated, this has a link to the economy.  We are now into a stage where Ministers have failed to attend to economic problems that we raise here.  Companies are closing Hon. Speaker.

Our greatest treasure, the diamonds seem to have disappeared.  People have lost jobs, there is no confidence in the financial services sector. The youth are getting restless as you can see through WhatsApp, videos and messages.  It is not youths from one political party, it is youths from right across the political divide.  It is therefore my prayer Mr. Speaker,  that this House falls on Section 140 (4), so that through your office, necessary arrangements are made for Parliament to receive a State of the Nation Address from His Excellency, there can never be a better time than this.  This is my prayer.  Also to indicate that this motion at the face of it, might look like a health problem but certainly it is an indictment on our Government. Something must be done and must be done urgently. I thank you.

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