PRIMARY and Secondary Education minister Lazarus Dokora yesterday claimed that the “O” Level Maths examination paper alleged to have been leaked was, in fact, a fake one and in no way affected the credibility of this year’s exams.
by VENERANDA LANGA
Dokora was responding in the National Assembly to a question by Glen View North MP Fani Munengami (MDC-T), who wanted to know the effects of the purported leakage and whether “O” Level students were going to rewrite the exams as was being speculated.
“The implications of the activities of that one person who leaked the paper do not indicate massive misconduct or breach of exam regulations,” Dokora said.
“What was, in fact, exhibited in one or two provinces, was a fake creation of craftsmen who were making money out of fake exam question papers. In fact, the (real) Maths paper was coded as 4028, and the fake one, which was being sold as the exam paper, was coded 4008. The content was totally unrelated and the people were making money out of a crazy sale.”
In an unrelated matter, questions without notice were yesterday disrupted for about 20 minutes by opposition MPs when MDC-T deputy chief whip Dorcas Sibanda asked Transport deputy minister Michael Madanha to explain circumstances leading to the firing of Alvord Mabhena as National Railways of Zimbabwe chairman.
Madanha angered opposition MPs when he responded by saying his ministry was empowered by the law to appoint or dis-appoint board members, for example, for lack of qualifications. “What is special about Mabhena?” he asked. The statement immediately drew the ire of opposition, MPs who said Mabhena was a respected person.
Leader of the opposition in the House, Thokozani Khupe, demanded that Madanha withdraws the statement, but he refused, causing MDC-T MPs to disrupt proceedings, shouting and insisting that he must withdraw the statement.
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Buhera South MP Joseph Chinotimba (Zanu PF) then raised a point of order with Deputy Speaker Mabel Chinomona, saying it surprised him that the MDC-T legislators were making an issue over Mabhena, yet more than 40 000 people were fired, but they did not make such noise.
This was followed by another point of order by Gokwe-Nembudziya MP Justice Mayor Wadyajena (Zanu PF), who said Sibanda should be ejected from the House as she was improperly dressed in a sleeveless dress.
Sibanda, who was clad in African attire, said the remarks were sexist. But Chinomona did not eject her.
During the question-and-answer session, Kuwadzana East MP Nelson Chamisa (MDC-T) raised another point of order, suggesting that truant ministers should be charged with contempt of Parliament as prescribed by the Constitution.
Those named by Chamisa included Vice-President Phelekezela Mphoko, Foreign Affairs minister Simbarashe Mumbengegwi, Home Affairs minister Ignatius Chombo, Higher Education minister Jonathan Moyo, Defence minister Sydney Sekeramayi, Health minister David Parirenyatwa, Youth minister Patrick Zhuwao and Industry minister Mike Bimha.
Chinomona said she would write to the leader of government business in the House, Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa, to help rein in the truant ministers.
