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Bulawayo Bureau
Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa on Wednesday chided unruly behaviour by MDC-T legislators led by their chief whip Innocent Gonese calling on them to respect the processes in the august House.
This was after MDC-T Warren Park legislator Elias Mudzuri accused Pelandaba Mpopoma legislator Cde Joseph Tshuma of making a tasteless joke about the death of MDC-T Nkulumane legislator Thamsanqa Mahlangu, who died on Monday.
The Zanu-PF legislator vehemently denied the allegations.
Deputy Speaker of Parliament Mabel Chinomona said there would be a study of tapes of the proceedings to check whether Cde Tshuma had actually made a mockery of Mahlangu.
The MDC-T legislators turned the house into a circus as they heckled other speakers.
Gonese ignored the Speaker’s ruling until VP Mnangagwa, who is also the head of government business in parliament, had to intervene.
“Madam Speaker, I have much respect for my colleague. He has been in Parliament for a very long time and he is one of those people I highly respect. He should obey the Speaker when told to take his seat,” said VP Mnangagwa.
“Hon. Gonese is not only a Member of Parliament, he is also a Chief Whip and he should do so and lead by example. He has been asked to sit and only take the floor upon recognition, that is the time he should take the floor, upon recognition by the Speaker .
“It’s very important that we keep the dignity of this House. I feel depressed that Hon. members here have lost the dignity which is ushered upon them by our own Constitution.”
The deputy speaker also admonished the MPs from both parties who were shouting at each other.
“The Vice President is talking and you have to listen but you are busy shouting at each other, I think we need to behave ourselves. I know what happens every Wednesday, everyone wants to be seen on television,” she said.
Meanwhile, the deputy minister for Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development, Dr Godfrey Gandawa said Lupane State University was set to move to its premises in Lupane, Matabeleland North in January.
This, he said, was after the release of funds by the Government in September for the completion of students’ hostels and kitchen which are both at 92 percent completion and staff houses at 67 percent.
“Because we place great importance to this matter as a ministry and to see the aspirations of His Excellency the President Cde R. G. Mugabe and Government policy of a state university per province, on 17th September, 2015 we released US$1 750 000.00 from the Zimbabwe Manpower Development Fund (ZIMDEF) towards the completion of the hostels and kitchen as well as staff accommodation,” said Gandawa.
“This therefore, assures us that by January 2016, students will definitely relocate to Lupane in Matabeleland North.”
Online Reporter