Thread by @OpenParlyZw

HON. JOSIAH SITHOLE: MNANGAGWA IS A LISTENING PRESIDENT

HON. JOSIAH SITHOLE: Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir. I
would like to add my voice to this motion moved by Hon. Togarepi and seconded by Hon. Mhona, on the State of the Nation Address by our President, Cde. E. D. Mnangagwa.

HON. SITHOLE: Mr. Speaker Sir, let me start with the concluding sentences from the speech by the President and I quote ‘this is our only home and our mother land’ –

HON. SITHOLE: Mr. Speaker Sir, that sentence on its own means a lot to us as Zimbabweans and in particular, to us as Legislators and Hon. Members in our respective constituencies. It tells us we have a home, a home which has people with expectations.

HON. SITHOLE: We are the only country that has got Great Zimbabwe; we are the only country with Victoria Falls and the only country with some renowned heroes, the likes of the late Joshua Nkomo and the late Mbuya
Nehanda.

HON. SITHOLE: When we talk about our issues, we should understand that we are Zimbabweans and the British have no room in our home, in terms
of us managing our own issues as Zimbabweans. When we say no to sanctions, we must speak with the same voice because we have a common home.

HON. SITHOLE: I also want to say, just yesterday we were debating on the establishment of Victoria Falls as a city and all those who debated put their minds closely together to make sure that Victoria Falls becomes a city because it is in our mother land and it is in our home.

HON. SITHOLE: Mr Speaker Sir, we would like to make sure that as Zimbabweans we remain with the concept of trying to make sure our people do not starve. We should not have people who go out of the country to invite starvation for our people.

HON SITHOLE: We must make sure that whatever we do, it is for the good of our people. Even the Bible says,
“how can you say you love God when you do not love those who are close to you”

HON. SITHOLE: If we go to another country and show love to those who are very far away from us while our people are starving because of sanctions, then we are not doing well.

HON. SITHOLE: Mr. Speaker Sir, I was quite excited about the National Development Strategy which was stated in the SONA, where we find we are trying to improve and develop in terms of infrastructure in our country – the excellent roads that we see.

HON SITHOLE: I am one of those people who ply the Beitbridge – Harare road and there are some sections where even if you are a careless driver you enjoy driving along such roads. You will also enjoy coming to
Parliament because you will reach here feeling well.

HON. SITHOLE: When you drive along ravaged road, you even end up feeling sick. We want such development to continue happening. I am also excited that for period 2021 – 2025, one of two roads in my constituency has been earmarked for tarring & those roads have made lots of noise.

HON. SITHOLE: Actually the roads made me win as a
MP because I said we will talk to the listening President and it will happen. Now the roads are now being given attention. Mr. Speaker Sir, we understand that schools are opening. Parliament is sitting though virtualy.

HON. SITHOLE: We were advised by the President not to relax over COVID issue because in our neighbourhood, we have South Africa who are shaking their heads once more because the ailment seems to be coming back home. So it is good that we continue subscribing to the WHO guidelines

HON. SITHOLE: Even when we get home, let us talk to our children and continue advising them that COVID – 19 is not yet over. In terms of production, and productivity, the President did not means his words to say those who got land must make sure that they
produce.

HON. SITHOLE: We all know that it is the land that actually gave us a bad name in the eyes of our former colonisers. If the land is now in our hands, it is now our responsibility to make sure that we produce so
that the nation does not starve.

HON. SITHOLE: We have actually shown it that even
with sanctions, Zimbabwe has the capacity to continue survive. Mr. Speaker Sir, because our President is a listening President, he overcame the challenges bedeviling the civil service.

HON. SITHOLE: If he was not a listening President, he would have just ignored it & not talk about
it.

HON. SITHOLE: He talked about it & we know solutions will come because we know our President is a person who can actually understand that people should not continue suffering in a country which we fought for
and him being one of the outstanding guerrillas during the war.

HON. SITHOLE: The President also touched on the issue of criminality. Our country, of recent days, has gone through some challenges. We have debated here the issue of Tapiwa Makore.

HON SITHOLE: Such issues are not supposed to be heard of in Zimbabwe. We have heard cases in Beitbridge of armed robberies; cases in Chivhu where some people
just came from nowhere and started shooting. Even in Harare here, things like that have happened.

HON. SITHOLE: This country needs to be peaceful. I
want to applaud our security forces for keeping an open eye over people who want to arm themselves and destroy innocent lives.

HON. SITHOLE: Mr Speaker Sir, President has given us an assignment as Parliament that we have to ensure we continue rolling out &debating Bills so that we quickly have those laws that are supposed to see this country tick; be established because Zim is a Constitutional country.

HON. SITHOLE: We have our own Constitution, a homegrown Constitution, which we have to abide by
and the President strictly said let us abide by the Constitution and make sure our country is governable. I thank you Mr Speaker Sir.