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1.0 Report on the Cyclone Idai disaster

Cabinet received its weekly update from the Minister of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing July Moyo on the ongoing recovery efforts in the aftermath of the Cyclone Idai disaster. Cabinet was briefed that the registration exercise to identify and isolate genuine cases of beneficiaries for continued relief assistance has now been completed in Manicaland province. Significant progress continued to be registered in the repair and rehabilitation of damaged road, water, health, irrigation and schools infrastructure.

Cabinet notes with appreciation the pledges by the corporate sector to facilitate the return to normalcy in the affected areas, especially as this relates to the education and housing sectors.

These include: Spar Zimbabwe; Grain Millers’ Association of Zimbabwe; the Masiyiwa Family Foundation; Zimbabwe Fertilizer Company; Petro-Trade; National Oil Company; Infrastructural Development Bank in Zimbabwe and Zuva Petroleum.

Cabinet was also briefed on His Excellency President E.D. Mnangagwa’s latest visit to Chipinge, where he briefed the chiefs from Manicaland province on the efforts by Government to assist those affected by Cyclone Idai. This was warmly received by the chiefs.

The meeting was also informed that seven Chinese companies had recently conducted a fact-finding tour of the Chimanimani and Chipinge areas to assess how they can assist in the reconstruction of destroyed infrastructure.

These are: Sino-Hydro; CCCC; China State Construction; China Aviation Corporation; HUAWEI; China Power Corporation and Jianxi International Corporation.

An amount of RTGS $1 million has been put in place to assist in the recovery of SMEs business affected by Cyclone Idai.

Applications by SME businesss for assistance are currently being assessed.

So far, 203 out of the 344 missing persons have been identified by name. Notices are now being issued through the print and electronic media to facilitate the identification of the remaining 141 missing persons. In addition, traditional leaders, councillors, school heads, church leaders, Members of Parliament as well as Government field officers have been instructed to submit details on the missing persons in their areas to District Civil Protection Committees.

We also would like to assure members of the public that all alleged cases of pilferage of donated materials either via social media or formal channels will be thoroughly investigated. To date, two persons have been convicted while 11 others await trial.

As always, Government is very grateful to the generous offers of assistance by both the citizens and cooperating partners towards alleviation of the situation following the Cyclone Idai disaster.

Cabinet further applauds the visits by the First Lady to Manicaland and Masvingo provinces which have given impetus to Government’s drive to assist the victims of Cyclone Idai.

2.0 The Kasane Elephant Summit, Botswana, 7 May, 2019

Cabinet received a report on the Kasane Elephant Summit held in Kasane, Botswana, on 7th May 2019. The Summit was convened for the Heads of State and Government of the Kavango Zambezi Transfontier Conservation Area (KAZA TFCA) countries, namely, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Angola, Zambia and Namibia. The Summit deliberated on the escalating challenges confronting elephant conservation and management efforts in the region. The Summit, among other issues, succeeded in creating a common understanding among the KAZA frontier countries on the conversation and management of elephants.

More importantly, the Summit agreed to adopt a common position on the proposals to be submitted to the Convention of Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) COP 18 Meeting to be held at a date to be advised.

3.0 Fuel Supply Situation

Cabinet received a presentation by the Minister of Energy and Power Development on the weekly fuel supply situation. The minister informed Cabinet that the fuel supply challenges currently being experienced in the market were as a result of delays in the effecting of payments to international fuel companies. He, nonetheless, assured Cabinet that the situation should start to normalise and stabilise by the weekend on the back of the payment recently made by Government to the fuel suppliers. Government remains seized with the goal to ensure long-term sustainability of fuel supplies to the domestic market.

4.0 Marriages Amendment Bill

Cabinet approved the Marriages Amendment Bill as presented by the Ministry of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs. The Amendment Bill seeks to repeal and replace the Customary Marriages Act (Chapter 5:07) and the Marriages Act (Chapter 5:11) so as to emerge with one Act governing marriages in the country. The new Act will also update the law in line with the dictates of our Constitution. The objectives of the Bill are, inter alia:

Ensuring gender equality;

Recognising the rights of women, youth and children;

Recognising the rights of culture groups and the preservation of culture values and practices which enhance the dignity; well-being and equality of the people;

Providing for free and full consent to marriage by intending parties;

To accord the primacy of the best interests of the child;

Prohibition of same-sex marriages; and

The recognition of the supremacy of the Constitution which invalidates, any law, practice, custom and conduct inconsistent with the Constitution.

5.0 Coroner’s Office Bill

Cabinet approved the Coroner’s Office Bills as presented by the Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs. The Bill seeks to help safeguard human lives through facilitating specialised investigation of preventable deaths and the identification of deceased persons. The country has previously relied on expatriates for the specialised investigations required to conclude such cases, which arrangement has now become unsustainable.In more precise terms, the Bill will establish an efficient coroner system to look into the cause of death in the following circumstances, among others: violent, sudden and unexpected deaths; deaths that occur without a medical doctor’s attention; surgical operation table deaths; and deaths while in jail, police custody or other central authority control.