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NewsDay

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Zanu PF MP ordered to rephrase ‘offensive’ motion

Politics
NATIONAL Assembly Speaker, Jacob Mudenda, yesterday ordered Buhera West legislator, Oliver Mandipaka (Zanu PF) to rephrase his motion on violence against police officers, following complaints by opposition backbenchers that it contained offensive words.

NATIONAL Assembly Speaker, Jacob Mudenda, yesterday ordered Buhera West legislator, Oliver Mandipaka (Zanu PF) to rephrase his motion on violence against police officers, following complaints by opposition backbenchers that it contained offensive words.

BY VENERANDA LANGA

Kuwadzana East MP, Nelson Chamisa last week took offence after Mandipaka, in his motion, labelled opposition activists perpetrators of violence against police officers.

“Chamisa made reference to opposition parties as perpetrators of acts of violence and terror on innocent people and the opposition parties when no opposition party has been found guilty of the acts of violence and requests that the offensive words be dealt with in terms of Standing Order number 66,” Mudenda said.

“The chair is of the view that the notice of the motion does contain offensive words to the extent of where the motion makes reference to opposition parties, and the mover of the motion is directed by the chair to accordingly amend the motion in terms of Standing Order 66.”

In an unrelated matter, Harare West MP, Jessie Majome stopped acting Finance minister, Walter Mzembi from pursuing the approval of a $7,6 million loan agreement between the government and the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries Fund for International Development to support poverty alleviation. Mzembi had moved for approval of the deal, but Majome protested saying the loan agreement details had not been published in the Government Gazette as required by section 300(3) of the Constitution.

The statute stipulates that within 60 days of the conclusion of a loan agreement, the responsible minister must cause its terms to be published in the Government Gazette.

Mudenda deferred discussion of the loan, saying there was need to verify if the agreement was ever published.

In another unrelated matter, Defence minister Sydney Sekeramayi told Parliament that the landmines still haunting the country were planted 37 years ago by the colonial regime.

Sekeramayi said most of the mines were detonating now after being exposed by running water following removal of perimeter fences marking the minefield.

Treasury this year allocated a meagre $100 000 for demining activities compared to $500 000 in the previous years and Halo Trust and Norwegian People’s Aid have been assisting Zimbabwe in financing remaining activities.