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Minister Mandiwanzira

Zvamaida Murwira Senior Reporter
Government will soon gazette a legal framework that will ensure infrastructure sharing for all telecommunication service providers, a development that is aimed at conserving resources and ensure competitiveness in the sector, a Cabinet minister has said.

Information Communication and Technology, Postal and Courier Services Minister Supa Mandiwanzira said the Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (Potraz) had completed preparing the framework and had since sent it to the Attorney-General’s Office before it was gazetted.

Minister Mandiwanzira said this while fielding questions in the National Assembly yesterday.

“All the companies under the direction of Potraz have had consultation in coming up with a framework of infrastructure sharing. It has now given birth to regulations, which are now being looked into by our legal department and the AG’s Office. Once it is done they will be gazetted to ensure that there is infrastructure sharing,” said Minister Mandiwanzira.

He said State-owned telecommunication firms had since started sharing infrastructure.

“We also have the Universal Services Fund, one of its functions is to build infrastructure to under-serviced areas,” said Minister Mandiwanzira.

Responding to another question, Primary and Secondary Education Deputy Minister Professor Paul Mavhima said the national pledge to the Zimbabwean flag was done after extensive consultation with all stake- holders.

Binga North MP Mr Prince Sibanda (MDC-T) wanted to know the basis of coming up with a national pledge and whether national consensus had been secured.

“The national pledge is part of the heritage study that the new curriculum is going to introduce. It is not unique to Zimbabwe as many countries have it. Even legislators in some countries start their business with the national pledge and this is meant to inculcate patriotism,” said Prof Mavhima.

He said national consensus on it was derived from the Constitution and the extensive consultation his ministry embarked on with stakeholders, adding that the ministry would launch the national pledge on May 3.

Commencement of question time was delayed by about 30 minutes after MDC-T MPs continuously interjected raising procedural issues.

One of the issues they raised was the absence of Government ministers while they also demanded to know the acting leader of House in the absence of Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa.

At one stage, Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly Cde Marble Chinomona appeared overwhelmed as her calls for order went unheeded.

Meanwhile, newly elected Mhondoro-Mubaiwa House of Assembly Member Cde George Gangarahwe (Zanu-PF) was sworn in yesterday by Clerk of Parliament Mr Kennedy Chokuda after he won by-elections held last month.

Mr Chokuda administered the oath in terms of the Constitution.