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Harare – ZBC’s SFM radio station on Wednesday started live broadcasts of Parliamentary proceedings, a historical feat that is likely to liven up debates in the House.
Previously, live coverage of parliamentary proceedings was only provided during presentation of the annual budget and when the President officially opened Parliament.
On Tuesday, Kuwadzana East legislator Nelson Chamisa moved a motion calling for the dedication of a television channel for live coverage of Parliamentary proceedings.
Chamisa expressed concern that currently proceedings of both houses of Parliament were not being adequately covered.
“Clearly we have a duty as Parliament to make sure that there is access to information by the ordinary people of Zimbabwe. We must make sure that we remove the iron curtain on this Parliament,” he said.
“We must make sure that we take this Parliament to the people or at least take people to this Parliament instead of this Parliament being regarded as some planet like Mars or Jupiter. This is the problem with this Parliament it is too secluded. The people out there do not know what is being debated, they do not know what Parliament looks like,” he said.
Radio personnel from SFM said the live broadcasts would be beamed every Tuesday to Thursday from 2 o’clock until the House adjourned.
The development means Zimbabwe joins about 60 other countries that provide some live television and radio coverage of Parliamentary proceedings.
These include Australia, Germany, South Africa and Japan.
Countries provide this form of televised information to citizens so that the public familiarizes with Parliament and its distinctness from the Executive.
This is also done to form channels of communication between the public and politicians.
New Ziana
Online Reporter