The other point I will raise is the mentality, especially traditional beliefs. As the people of Zimbabwe, as people of a culture, we need to accept that culture is dynamic and we need to do away with some of our culture which is very derogatory and destructive and adopt modern methods of advancement. We need to work with religious organisations and look at the ways which disturb our ways of living especially as it destroys the future of our children. We need to update our culture; we need to change some of our customs. Let me now turn to us people who are said to be educated, we also need to inculcate the values of equal rights because we believe in gender equality and whatever opportunities are there are for the young man should also be available for the young women. Let us remove that culture of saying a woman is inferior as compared to the man, the man is superior. We believe in the quality of both boys and girls. They are both of value to us and they can lead to the development of our country. They should be married off when they are grown up. If we look at the fruits; if we were to pluck a fruit from a tree before it is ripe, you will feel that it is sour and bitter, you will not enjoy it but if the fruit is ripe when it is red or yellow, you will really enjoy the sweatiness of that fruit. What we are saying is let our girls mature first before getting married. Hence as men, we should remove the lust which is in us for these young girls. Let them grow up because a Shona saying goes, let the eggs be chickens because you cannot have soup from eggs’, regai dzive shiri mazai haana muto.
Now that Hon. Gonese is talking about the model law in SADC, we are saying as Zimbabwe, we need to take some of the concepts from these laws so that Zimbabwe has laws which are up to date and protect the youngsters. This is a very good motion. This is a very productive and developmental motion which says the youths of Zimbabwe are the future and will be developed by these youngsters, let us not oppress them. I thank you.
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