BUHERA South MP Joseph Chinotimba has suggested Parliament discard colonial era pictures, furniture and regalia worn by the Speaker, clerks at the table and sergeant-at-arms.
By VENERANDA LANGA
The legislator raised the issue as a point of order on Tuesday, saying gowns won by top Parliament officials should reflect an African identity while pictures displayed in the august House should depict liberation fighters like Mbuya Nehanda and Sekuru Kaguvi.
“On a point of order, Madam Speaker, I would like to highlight that here in Parliament we are still using furniture that was used during the Rhodesian Smith regime and was meant to recognise the Queen (of England),” he said.
“Even the mace (carried by the sergeant-at-arms) and the gowns are the same ones that were used then. Can we not change and show the nation that we are now independent? In place of the mace we can put something depicting Mbuya Nehanda or the liberation fighters and the gowns can be designed differently.”
Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly Mabel Chinomona said the issue could only be raised as a motion.
“At the moment, what you are saying is very important, but if you have issues you have to raise a motion so that we debate and the House agrees on what you are saying,” she said.
Meanwhile, Zanu PF MPs praised President Robert Mugabe for his recent speech at the United Nations, describing him as a true visionary leader.
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Emakhandeni-Entumbane MP Dingilizwe Tshuma, while contributing to debate on a motion on the Presidential speech, said: “The President of our beautiful nation, Commander-in-Chief of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces and the current chairman of the African Union, Cde RG Mugabe, scored a first at the just-ended United Nations summit by standing up for Africa, demanding that Africa be heard and Africa must have a seat in the Security Council because we are also a continent and a people of note.”
Meanwhile, Sabina Mangwende (Proportional Representation MP) castigated rapists, saying their deeds were tantamount to murder and deserved long jail sentences of up to 40 year.
“These rapists are even raping children as young as 10 years old. Rape is akin to murder, so these rapists deserve deterrent sentences of even up to 40 years,” she said.
