Sixth meeting decisions matrix

SIXTH MEETING DECISIONS MATRIX:

5TH MARCH, 2019

ITEM 1

Reporting on Progress in the Implementation of 100-Day Projects

CABINET DECISION

Cabinet received progress reports on the implementation of 100-Day Projects from the Ministers of Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development and Information Communication Technology, Postal and Courier Services.

Ministry of Women’s Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development

The Minister of Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development briefed Cabinet on progress regarding the five priority projects under implementation by her ministry as follows:

Business Linkages of 150 SMEs to Large Corporates:

160 SMEs have been linked to large corporates throughout the provinces from which a total Gross Income of $806 219 is expected to be generated.

The linkages involve SMEs in sectors such as soya bean, potato and tea production, horticulture, leather products, engineering services and the supply of goods including clothes, liquid soap and tissues among others.

Establishment of Mopane Worm and Vegetable Processing Centre:

Phase 1 of the establishment of the centre at Machiloni in Beitbridge is complete. Delivery of equipment for phase 2 is expected by the end of March 2019, while commissioning of the project is scheduled for April 2019.

Resuscitation and capacitation of three handicraft centres at Binga, Chimanimani and Masvingo is almost complete.

A low-cost Environment Friendly Self-contained Sewer Disposal Facility for Hopley B Cooperative Union in Harare South to cater for 50 households has been connected.

Two Community-Based Centres for Entrepreneurship and Skills Development at Dambatsoko in Mazowe and Gwelutshena in Nkayi have been resuscitated and now await procurement of machinery and commencement of training.

Ministry of Information Communication Technology, Courier and Postal Services

Setting up of Community Information Centres (CIC):

Twenty CICs were set up in parts of Harare, Chirumhanzu District, Rurawa, Chegutu, Kadoma, Chinhoyi, Karoi, Bulawayo, Gwanda, Hwange and Insiza.

Deployment of Base Stations in Rural Areas:

10 base stations were deployed in the following Districts:

Matobo, Insiza, Mbire, Zvimba, Chimanimani, Mt Darwin, Mberengwa East and Kwekwe.

Deployment of Optic Fibre from Makuti to Chirundu.

Preliminary works were completed on the 65km Filore Optic Link from Makuti TelOne Exchange to Chirundu TelOne Exchange.

Installation of Wireless Services.

Wireless Service Installations (WTTS) have been provided to homes and businesses in Harare.

Fabrication and Deployment of Containerised Village Information Centres (CVIS).

24 Containerised Village Information Centres were fabricated and deployed in several districts, which include Chimanimani, Nkayi, Bikita, Zvimba, Buhera, Gwanda, Hwange and Sanyati among others.

2. Principles for the Repeal of the Prisons Act

Cabinet considered a submission on principles for the repeal and subsequent enactment of the new Prisons Act by the Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary affairs. The repeal of the Prisons Act is principally aimed at addressing the inadequacies of the existing legislation through incorporating international norms and standards relating to prisons administration as well as to align the domestic law to the Constitution.

More particularly, the proposed legislation seeks to achieve, inter alia, the following:

modernising the prisons legislation with a view to ensuring that it accords with international norms and standards regarding the administration and treatment of prisoners;

providing a prison system that caters for the needs of vulnerable groups, such as pregnant women, juvenile offenders as well as the disabled and other special categories of society with special needs;

broadening the scope of the parole system so as to accommodate all categories of prisoners;

promoting community involvement in prisons correctional services in order to ensure that prisoners do not face difficulties and hostilities upon reintegration into society;

the establishment of correctional community centres throughout the country; and

enabling prisoners to consult with a medical practitioner of their choice at their own expense. Cabinet approved the principles, thereby triggering the process of drafting the Bill.

3. Report on the Inaugural Zimbabwe- Botswana Bi-National Commission

Cabinet received a report by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade on the recent Inaugural Zimbabwe-Botswana Bi-National Commission.

Cabinet noted with satisfaction that the commission had helped elevate and strengthen relations between the two countries as well as deepen the close historical, political, economic, social, defence and security ties as exemplified by the signing of the following six agreements:

Memorandum of Understanding on Diplomatic Consultations;

The Rules of Procedure governing the BNC;

Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation in the Field of Science, Technology and Innovation;

Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation in the field of Geology, Mining and Metallurgy;

Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation in the Field of Energy; and

The Extradition Treaty.

4. Update on the ZUPCO Bus Service Operations

Cabinet received an update by the Minister of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing on progress following the introduction of the ZUPCO urban bus service. Cabinet noted the report, and in order to improve the operations of ZUPCO, it was resolved as follows:

1) That ZUPCO be capacitated through recruitment and training of critical personnel thereat;

2) That an electronic ticketing system be introduced in order to increase revenue collection and service efficiency;

3) That the ongoing partial privatisation of ZUPCO be expedited so as to boost recapitalisation of the company; and

4) That the options to either import finished buses and/or knock down kits for assembling locally be speedily concluded.

Cabinet also mandated the Minister of Transport and Infrastructural Development, together with the Minister of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing and other related key stakeholders to assiduously work on revamping the country’s urban mass transport system, beginning with Harare and Bulawayo.

For Harare, the programme will incorporate aspects such as:

The completion of the Airport Road and the flyover towards Enterprise Road;

Construction of ring roads and fly-overs around Harare, so as to decongest and bring sanity in the city; and

Installation of an electronic traffic management system consistent with the concept of a smart city.

5. Fuel Supply Situation

Cabinet received the weekly supply situation report from the Minister of Energy and Power Development. In order to close the fuel supply gaps which were experienced in the market during the course of last week, eight million litres of diesel were released into the market.

Following release of funding by the RBZ, the fuel supply situation is now expected to stabilise as the week progresses. Furthermore, Cabinet has given light to large companies such as those in the mining sector to use their funds to import fuel for their use.

6. Supply of Dipping Chemicals

Cabinet expressed concern over the depressed supply of dipping chemicals which has seen livestock succumbing to diseases such as the tick-borne disease. To ameliorate the situation, Cabinet has undertaken to mobilise funding for the purchase of dipping chemicals in order to save the national herd.