Thursday, April 08, 2021

‘SADC Seeks Lasting Solution to Mozambique Crisis’

Zvamaida Murwira

Senior Reporter for the Zimbabwe Herald

SADC is taking action on the crisis in Mozambique and regional leaders, including President Mnangagwa, were in Maputo yesterday to find a lasting solution to the problem, Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Monica Mutsvangwa has said.

Minister Mutsvangwa said this in Senate yesterday during the question and answer session in response to a question from Manicaland Senator Douglas Mwonzora.

Senator Mwonzora had asked what Government was doing regards the instability in the Cabo Delgado province of Mozambique, given its potential effect on the region.

Said Minister Mutsvangwa: “Indeed we have seen horrible pictures that can make one cry because they are quite devastating. 

“Sadc is seized with the matter as you know it has a system of working or moving as a bloc. Leaders are in Mozambique today (yesterday) discussing about the issue.” 

The insurgents, who claim to be affiliated to ISIS, have been committing a spate of crimes in Cabo Delgado in recent weeks, resulting in SADC leaders meeting yesterday to find a way forward.

Meanwhile, Minister Mutsvangwa said over 90 percent of teachers are attending lessons in schools across the country, a marked improvement registered since the resumption of school this year.

She said Government was satisfied with the level of attendance of teachers although it hoped that the figure will rise.

“The percentage of teachers who have returned to school stands at around 90 percent. We wish if it could reach 100 percent. We are quite happy with the attendance,” said Minister Mutsvangwa who is Leader of Government Business in Senate.

She said teachers should provide learning lessons with no extra charge accruing to parents.

Harare Metropolitan Senator, Omega Hungwe (Zanu PF) had complained that some teachers were charging for extra lessons even in rural areas where parents were struggling to make ends meet.

Minister Mutsvangwa said Government valued the work of teachers and that is why they had been treated as one of frontline workers warranting early Covid-19 vaccination.

“It is everyone’s responsibility to ensure that learners are not subjected to extra charge,” she said.

Minister Mutsvangwa said Government valued education and that was why it came up with a policy on e-learning and resources to ensure that the policy was realised were being provided.

On another issue, Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi said the Constitutional provisions conferring individual rights take precedence over any other law including the desire by traditional leaders who wished young people to dress properly.

Earlier on Senate President Mabel Chinomona expressed unhappiness over the continued failure to attend Senate Question and Answer session by some Cabinet Ministers and deputies.

She said it had become the norm that certain Members of the Executive were successively failing to attend Senate.

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