What Zimbabwe legislators said about traditional medicine- Temba Mliswa

Hon. Masango, in her report, stated that of the 200 drugs at Parirenyatwa Hospital only two are local.  It is painful.  If we look at the money that is given to research and development on our budget it is little.  Nothing is done without money.  Even the vaccines that we are taking are herbs that are refined.  How can we fail as a nation to develop these medicinal plants and come up with a vaccine?  What China has done well is to come up with a product that has been well researched and turned it into a vaccine.  Mothers’ Day is coming and mothers are here.  You all know the remedies.  It is my advice that we go back to our cultural ways as narrated by Hon. Moyo, let these people come together, doctors and traditional herbalists.  They must come up with a sustainable solution.  One thing that has killed this area is corruption, the problem is we want to buy from Drugs International. Corruption is the root cause that caused lack of development of these medicines. Those who are gifted do not look for money, people run away from the correct channels and resort to corruption, they are buying from Drugs International through corrupt means.

We should inject capital for research, we are the only ones who are ashamed of our culture.  My father believed in traditional ways and medicines.  He told me that when you have problems, you do not visit a n’anga  – you take snuff, go in the forest under a tree and consult the spirit.  Whenever we have elections, I go and consult a spirit medium, that is why I win always in my constituency, even those Hon. Members like Hon. Nduna and the like when they want to cause problems they will not succeed because my ancestors will be looking after me and fighting for me.  I am telling you now that if you face problems, take snuff and go into the forest and consult the spirits of your lineage. I do that even at my farm, I do not experience hunger, and I experience a bumper harvest every year.  If you follow tradition you will start to see things moving positively.  Let us not be between culture and modern methods, follow our culture.

Before I conclude, I want to take this opportunity to say that next week will be Mothers’ Day.  We will commemorate our mothers; though we might disagree in this House, I salute all the women Hon. Members in here including the Hon. President of Senate and you our Hon. Deputy Speaker.  To be what we are, you the mothers are to be complimented for the good work that you did.  I will bake scones and bring in this House next week for all the women parliamentarians in this august House.

*THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER (HON. MAVETERA): Hon. T. Mliswa you are allowed to bring us scones next week when we resume sitting so that we celebrate this big day, Mothers’ Day.  Your effort will be greatly appreciated.

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