(HERALD) Zanu-PF blasts MDC-T MPs

Zanu-PF blasts MDC-T MPs
Saturday, 09 June 2012 19:50
Kuda Bwititi

Sanyati MP Cde Fungai Chanderopa (Zanu-PF) has accused MDC legislators of coming to the august House drunk and displaying childish behaviour.

Her accusations come at a time when the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Media, Information and Communication Technology has called for debate in Parliament to be televised so as to expose “legislators who display shameful behaviour during sittings.”

Contributing to debate on President Mugabe’s speech to Parliament on Thursday, Cde Chanderopa said it was shocking that MDC-T MPs misbehaved even when their party leader and Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai appeared in Parliament.

“People from the MDC-T party have no respect for leadership.
“Even when the Prime Minister is in the House, they behave shamefully and they speak the language of violence. They do not even respect their own leader,” she said.

Cde Chanderopa accused MDC-T MPs of drinking alcohol and taking drugs during debates.
“You do not respect the Speaker, who is the Chair in the House. He is always calling for order and precious time is wasted in Parliament because of such behaviour.
“Please, as a mother, I plead with you when you come into this august House, do not drink beer, do not speak under the influence of drugs,” she said.

Nyanga North MP and MDC-T spokesperson Mr Douglas Mwonzora rubbished the claims and ordered her microphone to be switched off so that she could not continue with her statement.

“Dzimirai mbuya microphone (Someone should switch off the microphone.) What she is saying is not proper,” he said.

Cde Chanderopa’s comments also attracted heckling from the MDC-T MPs. In his contribution, Chivi South legislator Cde Ivene Dzingirai (Zanu-PF) urged MPs to collectively denounce violence.

“We have not been taking action as MPs. We should hold marches in the streets and deliver a united statement that this Seventh Parliament is against violence of any form,” he said.

Meanwhile, presenting a motion on The First Report of the Portfolio Committee on Media, Information and Communication Technology on the State of Public Media in Zimbabwe, Kwekwe MP Mr Settlement Chikwinya (MDC-T) called for Parliament debates to be broadcast live so as to expose mischievous MPs.

“We have requested to the Minister of Media, Information and Publicity that debates in Parliament be broadcast live.

“In other countries Parliamentary debates are shown live on television.
“Here we have members who sleep and frolic in the House instead of engaging in sensible debates,” he said.