Buhera South Member of Parliament Joseph Chinotimba today claimed that he had been threatened with death over what he said in Parliament yesterday but was not allowed to explain who had made the threat and where.
“Madam Speaker, I am being asked zvinhu zvatakadebater muno umu nezuro. Eee-e, I am not happy at all, the thing is kana tadebater chinhu chozouya muno umu ndakunzwi inini, you are going to die for it. What does that mean?” he complained but was told he was out of order.
Chinotimba said yesterday Harare East legislator and former Finance Minister Tendai Biti was also to blame for the current economic crisis and should not blame it all on current Finance Minister Patrick Chinamasa.
Biti had accused Chinamasa of engaging in feja-feja economics through his mid-term fiscal policy statement. Chinotimba said Biti was behaving like a rapist who deflowers a girl and then cries foul that she is not a virgin.
Support for Chinotimba today came from a strange quarter, Nkulumane MP Tamsanqa Mahlangu, who said Chinotimba’s issue should be taken seriously because he was under threat.
“We cannot sweep this under the carpet. It is a very serious issue which we need to take seriously. Chinotimba is under threat and when serious threats are made, let us protect him. This Parliament needs to protect its Members of Parliament,” Mahlangu said.
“We are now afraid to debate here now. We are now afraid to debate in this Parliament. Let us not sweep it under the carpet as he has raised a very important issue. Let us debate it here. What are you afraid of Chinotimba?”
Full debate:
INSTITUTIONALISATION OF THE AFRICAN LEGISLATIVE FORUM AND DEEPENING OF DEMOCRACY AND GOOD GOVERNANCE IN AFRICA
Eleventh Order read: Adjourned debate on motion on the proposal to institutionalise on African Legislature Forum to facilitate national level consultations with all African Inter-Parliamentary organisations.
Question again proposed.
DR. SHUMBA: I would like to commend the House for the qualitative manner in which the debate was carried out. The motion received support and was well accented to by the members –
MR. CHINOTIMBA: On a point of order Madam Speaker, I am being asked zvinhu zvatakadebater muno umu nezuro. Eee-e, I am not happy at all, the thing is kana tadebater chinhu chozouya muno umu ndakunzwi inini, you are going to die for it. What does that mean? – [HON. MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections] – I am wondering about the procedure that is followed on issues in this House.
THE DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order, hon. member, that is out of order. Can we proceed? – [AN HON. MEMBER: Aaa, munhu anofaka makatarisa.] – [MR. CHINOTIMBA: I am being intimidated here].
DR. SHUMBA: I was reiterating that –
MR. MAHLANGU: On a point of order Madam Speaker. I think the issue that has just been raised by Hon. Chinotimba is a serious issue to this Parliament – [MADAM SPEAKER: There is no point of order.] – We cannot sweep this under the carpet. It is a very serious issue which we need to take seriously. Chinotimba is under threat – [MADAM SPEAKER: Order!] – and when serious threats are made, – [MADAM SPEAKER: Order!] – Let us protect him. This Parliament needs to protect its Members of Parliament– [MADAM SPEAKER: Order!] –. We are now afraid to debate here now. We are now afraid to debate in this Parliament. Let us not sweep it under the carpet as he has raised a very important issue. Let us debate it here. What are you afraid of Chinotimba?
MR. CHINOTIMBA: Point of order Madam Speaker –
THE DEPUTY PRESIDENT: There is no point of order here. We have procedures. There are issues to report to the police and issues to be discussed in the House – [HON. MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections.] –. Order, order, hon. members, let us have order in the House.
MR. SHUMBA: Thank you Madam Speaker. I presented a Report of the First Africa Legislative Forum in the House and subsequent to that, I moved the motion before us today. The House debated affirmatively on both sides, an indication that members had acquainted themselves with the values that would be unlocked as a consequence of acceding to the motion.
Madam Speaker, I would not labour by going into details, save to move for the adoption of the motion.
Motion put and agreed to.
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