No marginalisation in Zim, says VP Mphoko VP Mphoko
VP Mphoko

VP Mphoko

Zvamaida Murwira Senior Reporter
All Zimbabweans are equal regardless of province, region, language or ethnicity and are entitled to the same services, which every citizen should enjoy, Vice President Phelekezela Mphoko has said.

He said Zimbabweans should concentrate on nation-building rather than complaining about perceived marginalisation of one region or tribe.

The VP, who also oversees the Ministry of National Healing, Integration and Reconciliation, said this in the National Assembly last week, while responding to a motion moved by Matabeleland South Proportionate Representative Mrs Priscilla Misihairabwi-Mushonga (MDC).

Mrs Misihairabwi-Mushonga had moved a motion calling on the Executive to award parastatal tenders in a manner that showed fair regional representation.

In her contribution, Mrs Misihairabwi-Mushonga had complained that Government tenders in several entities were being awarded to Shona speakers, while sidelining Ndebele speakers .

She gave the example of Well-Cash debt collectors, which she said was being used to collect debts on behalf of several State entities.

VP Mphoko shot down the complaint of marginalisation, saying there was no law that provided for such a practice.

“First of all, there is no better Zimbabwean than any other,” he said. “If people are doing that, it is out of order, we are all Zimbabweans. There is no province which is less important than another.”

VP Mphoko said it was the responsibility of communities to raise complaints with the Government and not some third parties. He said if such complaints were raised by the relevant community, President Mugabe would send him to look into the issue.

“The community themselves must raise complaints about lack of development and marginalisation,” he said. “What has been said by MP Misihairabwi (Mushonga) has no value, but if it had been said by a grandmother in Kezi.

“If you are saying there are certain things happening favouring other regions, there is no law that says there are Zimbabweans that are better than others. It does not mean that if you are Manyika, Zezuru or Karanga you are a better Zimbabwean.”

Meanwhile, the Insolvency Bill, which seeks to provide for the administration of insolvent and assigned estate and the consolidation of insolvency legislation, was read for the second time in the National Assembly.

In steering the motion, Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa said the Bill sought to codify into one coherent piece of legislation the insolvency laws of Zimbabwe.

He said it also sought to supplement judicial management mechanisms with other modern reorganisation processes to ensure timely payment of creditors; modernise the winding-up provisions that were previously under the Companies Act and provide for cross border insolvency resolutions; as well as provide for the regulation of insolvency practitioners.

“Principally, it will deal with the structural issues that arise from the relationship between insolvency law and other laws, the types of mechanisms available for resolving a debtor’s financial difficulties, and the institutional framework required to support an effective insolvency regime,” he said.

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