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Cabinet received an update on the Covid-19 outbreak from the Minister of Defence and War Veterans Affairs, as chairperson of the Ad Hoc Inter-Ministerial Task Force on the Covid-19 outbreak.

Cabinet was informed that as at 19 March 2021, Zimbabwe’s cumulative Covid-19 cases stood at 36 652, with 34 249 recoveries and 1 510 deaths. The recovery rate stands at 93,4 percent, with 34 930 cases of Covid-19 attributable to local transmission. There are 893 active cases. Positivity continues to decline on account of national efforts to contain infection from the virus.

As the nation approaches the Easter holidays, Cabinet notes that there is a likelihood of increased internal and cross border movement of people, which may provide fertile ground for increased transmission. In that regard, the Ministry of Health and Child Care is strengthening surveillance, case management, and risk communication and community engagement in anticipation of the Easter holidays. Special attention will be accorded to ports of entry and exit.

Cabinet would like to inform the nation that it has given the greenlight to driving schools, the Traffic Safety Council and the Vehicle Inspection Department to resume operations under strict adherence to approved standard procedures and WHO guidelines for the prevention of transmission of Covid-19.

Request for the re-opening of casinos after a long period of closure is under consideration by Government, given the critical role played by that sector in the economy. Government in conjunction with the sector  is currently working on modalities for a safe resumption of activities in that sector.

First round crop and livestock assessment report : 2020-2021 season

Cabinet considered and approved the 1st Round Crop and Livestock Assessment Report: 2020-2021 season, which was presented by Honourable Vice President Chiwenga, as Chairman of Cabinet Committee on Food Security and Nutrition.

The 2020/2021 season First Round Crop and Livestock Assessment was undertaken from 28 January, 2021 to 10 February, 2021, while the verification exercise by national teams took place from 10 to 23 February, 2021. The main objectives of the Assessment were the following;

To ascertain the areas planted under major crops and determine the factors that influenced area planted;

To assess the availability, accessibility and usage of inputs;

To assess the quality of the rainfall season, the crop growth stages and crop condition;

To assess grazing and livestock condition, water supply, disease prevalence and control; and

To review overall prospects for the season for the early warning.

The crop condition was generally fair to good. Area planted maize increased by 24 percent from 1,5 to 1,9 million hectares. The condition of livestock was generally fair to good during the assessment period and was expected to continue improving due to good condition of grazing currently available. Furthermore, Government has initiated a pasture development programme through the Presidential Livestock Inputs Scheme  which is meant to improve livestock nutrition in the drought prone districts of the country. The programme is targeting 5 provinces, namely: Matabeleland North, Matabeleland South, Masvingo,  Midlands and Manicaland.

Cabinet would like to inform the nation that Government will accelerate rehabilitation of existing irrigation infrastructure and the development of new irrigation infrastructure where water bodies are available, including reviewing of communal irrigation models to improve water and irrigation infrastructure management and transform farming from subsistence to market-oriented business. 

This is in line with the policy of one dam per district and 200 hectares. The financing of local production of vaccines and accaricides to minimise mortalities as a result of tick borne diseases will also be prioritised, while livestock production support schemes for vulnerable households and long-term financing schemes for commercial livestock producers will be instituted.

The Second Crop Assessment results will be unveiled in mid-April 2021. It is envisaged that the assessment will be improved once capacitation of grassroots staff is completed and the Agriculture Information Management System is operationalised.

National Development Strategy Ministerial five-year-plan

Cabinet  received and approved Ministerial Five-Year Plans compliant with the National Development Strategy 1: 2021-2025, which were presented by the respective portfolio Ministers of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services; Industry and Commerce; Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Resettlement; and Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation.

Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services

Cabinet was informed that the Ministry of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services plays a pivotal role in unpacking and disseminating information on Government policies, programmes and projects to various target audiences within and outside the country. To achieve this, digitalisation needs to be concluded to its logical conclusion. The Zim-Digital programme is now a national undertaking embracing every aspect of social interaction. As we enter the 4th Industrial Revolution, every piece of information has to be in digital format manipulated for ease of access.

In terms of the National Development Strategy 1, the Ministry is contributing to the National Priority area of Image Building and International Engagement and Re-Engagement. For the period 2021-2025 the Ministry will pursue four key performance areas as follows:

• Media legislative reforms programme;

• Information Management and Publicity; — particular focus will be given to research on the history of our national liberation struggle;

• Maintenance and modernisation of national communication platforms; and

• Licensing and capacitating community radio stations as well as monitoring the establishment of licensed privately owned television stations.

Licensing of community and campus radio stations is also key to increasing access to information for the citizenry. All things being equal, the Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe is expected to have issued more licenses for community and campus radio stations by the end of 2021.  The Authority will also fulfil its regulatory role through monitoring compliance of the six privately owned television stations that were given a time frame of eighteen months from December 2020 going onwards to have completed set up and begun airing programmes. The same will be done for licensed community radio stations.   

Industry and Commerce

Cabinet was informed that the Ministry of Industry and Commerce seeks to facilitate and promote the development of sustainable, innovative, inclusive and globally competitive industrial and commercial enterprises for improved consumer welfare and economic growth. The Ministry will ensure improved performance of the manufacturing sector through prioritising the agro-based value chain; the pharmaceutical value chain; the bus and truck assembly value chain; iron and steel and general engineering value chain; and the plastic waste value chain. Focus will also be placed on increasing growth in the manufacturing sector and improving linkages of the services sectors with productive sectors.

Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Resettlement

Cabinet also noted that the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Resettlement seeks to facilitate the growth of a modern, sustainable and viable climate smart agriculture sector for the improvement of food security and nutrition status. It also seeks to increase farm incomes. The Ministry’s focus will be on the Agriculture Food Systems and Transformation Strategy, which is anchored on the Agriculture Recovery Plan; the Livestock Growth Plan; the Horticulture Recovery and Growth Plan; the Accelerated Irrigation Rehabilitation and Development Plan; and the Integrated Agriculture Information Management Systems (AIMS) Implementation Plan.

Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation

Under the Ministry of Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation, Cabinet was informed that the Ministry seeks to promote development of youth, vocational skills, sport, arts and recreation. The Ministry is targeting the following deliverables under NDS1: (a) increased youth participation in development and decision-making processes; (b) increased promotion and safeguarding of cultural and creative practices, goods and services; (c) increased levels of participation in sport and recreation activities, and (d) increased social cohesion, sense of national identity and pride. 

Among its programmes will be the training of youth in national orientation, establishment of youth interact centres, establishment of provincial and district offices for ZYC, review of the National Youth Service Curriculum, establishment of production incubation hubs, retooling of vocational centres, establishment of sport and recreational facilities, and consumption of Arts and Culture products and services, among others.

Progress report on the procurement and roll-out of Covid-19 vaccines

Cabinet received and approved a progress report on the procurement and roll-out of Covid-19 vaccines, which was presented by Vice President and Minister of Health and Child Care, Hon CGDN Chiwenga.

Pertaining to the Covid-19 vaccination roll-out programme, Cabinet was informed that following a successful Phase 1 stage 1 roll-out targeting frontline workers, Stage 2 of the Phase 1 vaccine roll-out has since started and is targeting the following: the clergy; the teachers; the judiciary; the security services; people with chronic conditions and the elderly (60 years and above).  His Excellency the President will launch Stage 2 of the vaccination roll-out programme in Victoria Falls on Wednesday, 24 March, 2021. The political principals will also participate in the launch where multiple stakeholders will also take part in the country’s youngest city.

Cabinet would like to inform the nation that most of the first group of people who were vaccinated in Stage 1 have already received their second dose of the Sinopharm vaccine which was administered on 10 March, 2021, and the programme is ongoing with the rest of the recipients in that category. A total of 42 301 people was vaccinated as at day 28 of the Programme countrywide.

PUBLIC FINANCE MANAGEMENT AMENDMENT BILL, 2021

Cabinet considered and approved the Public Finance Management Amendment Bill, 2021 which was presented by the Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs as Chairman of the Cabinet Committee on Legislation.

Cabinet was informed that the Bill is intended to amend the Public Finance Management Act, Chapter 22:19 so as to align it to the Constitution.  Through the amendments, there shall be provision for provincial and metropolitan councils and local authorities, and for Parliamentary oversight of State revenues and expenditure.  

As the Second Republic seeks to improve the management of public resources, Cabinet was informed that Treasury will be required to establish banking accounts with the Reserve Bank or an authorized financial institution, while the President will be able to authorize the issue of money from the Consolidated Revenue Fund during the dissolution of Parliament and thereby ensure the continuation of service provision.  All financial statements shall comply with the generally accepted accounting practices as approved by the Accountant-General.

In addition, Cabinet noted that any person who is responsible for the expenditure of public funds shall ensure that such funds are spent in accordance with authorized purposes and amounts. Every accounting officer shall ensure that paper control systems exist for the custody and management of assets as well as ensure effective efficient economical and transparent use of the assets. 

COPPER CONTROL AMENDMENT BILL

Cabinet considered and approved the Copper Control Amendment Bill, which was presented by the Minister of Justice Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, as Chairman of Cabinet Committee on Legislation.

Cabinet was informed that the Bill seeks to provide for the offence of vandalism of utilities through the theft of copper which is then sold on the black market.  The Bill makes it illegal for any person to possess copper without a certificate of origin for that copper.  In order to curb theft of copper, the Police will require anyone found in possession of copper to provide the names and addresses of both the seller and the purchaser, description and quantity of the copper and the reasons for disposal.  Convicted copper thieves will now be liable to imprisonment for a period of not less than 30 years without the option of a fine.  In addition, any vehicle or device used to illegally transport copper will now be forfeited to the State.

PRINCIPLES FOR THE PROPOSED ARTS AND CULTURE BILL, 2020

Cabinet considered and approved the principles of the proposed Arts and Culture Bill, 2020 which were presented by the Minister of Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation.

Cabinet noted that currently, the country has no legislation that regulates arts and culture promotion and development, cultural and creative industries, Intellectual Property Rights of cultural and creative practitioners, and safeguarding intangible cultural heritage and cultural expressions.  In passing the principles, Cabinet noted that the Constitution of Zimbabwe has provisions for the State to promote regional and pan-African cultural expression.  Section 33 of the Constitution also provides for the preservation of traditional knowledge.  The State is obliged to preserve, protect and promote indigenous knowledge systems.  This includes knowledge of medicinal and other properties of animal and plant life possessed by local communities and people.  The envisaged Bill will provide for Arts and Cultural structures, practitioners and administrators and the decentralization of the structures to provincial and district levels.

Furthermore, Cabinet noted that the new Bill will unify the law dealing with the Arts and Culture sector, as opposed to the current fragmentation of the laws.  The Bill will also provide for penalties for violation of the law and establish, regulate and maintain the Arts Development Fund.  It will also provide for the safeguarding of the intangible cultural heritage and cultural expressions.

REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE 6TH 100-DAY CYCLE AND PREPARATIONS FOR THE 7TH CYCLE OF THE SECOND REPUBLIC

Cabinet received an update report on the implementation of the Sixth 100-Day Cycle and preparations for the 7th Cycle of the Second Republic, which was presented by the Minister of State for Presidential Affairs and Monitoring Implementation of Government Programmes.  The 6th Cycle commenced on 3rd August and ended on 10th December, 2020.

Cabinet noted that despite the harsh realities of the Covid-19 pandemic, Ministries submitted a total of one hundred and thirteen (113) projects for monitoring under the Six Cycle.  A total of 62 out of the 113 projects were on target, while twenty-three performed below target but within the acceptable range of deviation.  Twenty-eight performed below target.

In line with the Government thrust of improving infrastructure and social cohesion, most of the projects were implemented in the infrastructure and social cohesion pillars.  Among the projects, the superstructure of the Agro-Industrial Park at the University of Zimbabwe was constructed and completed.  The Fuel, Ethanol and Glycerine Storage facility was established alongside the Industrial Park.  Research results from Innovation Hubs are being converted into goods and services.  In the process, the universities will generate revenue and cease to be cost drivers.

Cabinet was informed that under the project focusing on agricultural mechanisation, 400 tractors, 80 planters, 19 combine harvesters and 4 low-bed trucks were delivered and assembled under the Belarus Mechanisation Facility.

Under road construction a total of 115 kilometres of the Harare-Beitbridge Highway was upgraded.