Zimbabwe government minister says those who impregnate 10-year-olds should be castrated

THE HON. SPEAKER: Castrated! [HON. MEMBERS: Yes!]- We do not have that law Hon. Minister.

HON. MUTSVANGWA:  It is very painful Hon. Speaker Sir.  A ten-year-old is a baby and for any person in his right sense to actually take her as a woman, I think there is an element of madness which needs to be dealt with; an element of cruelty or animal behaviour which needs to be dealt with. Penalties should be quite high. I would obviously take this up with my colleagues. We need to get that report and I certainly agree with her so that at least we can work together as a country.  It is about all of us as leaders in the areas where we live. It is also about us as parents to work together, united as Zimbabweans to fight against this evil.

HON. MAPHOSA:  Supplementary…

THE HON. SPEAKER:  Order, the Hon. Acting Leader of Government Business has agreed to deliver the message to the Minister responsible to present a Ministerial Statement on the issue and therefore a supplementary question cannot arise. 

HON. MAPHOSA:  It is no longer a supplementary question Hon. Speaker but an addition. Sorry Mr. Speaker Sir, if you can indulge me.

THE HON. SPEAKER: For a supplementary question?

HON. MAPHOSA: It is not that supplementary. I just want to make an addition – I want to add meat to the question so that when he responds on the Ministerial Statement, he will also touch on that.

THE HON. SPEAKER: I will not ask what type of meat it is. Please proceed but be brief.

HON. MAPHOSA: Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir. I just want an addition on how they are going to deal with the child because we are saying a ten-year-old to fourteen years is a child. Whilst they are arresting the culprits, what measures are going to be put in place so that a child does not have a child? That is my issue. Thank you. 

(75 VIEWS)