KUWADZANA East legislator Nelson Chamisa (MDC-T)’s contentious “police brutality motion” will now be brought back into the National Assembly as an ordinary motion after Zanu PF MPs last week walked out when the issue was first introduced as an urgent motion.
BY XOLISANI NCUBE
The matter was set for debate when Parliament resumes sitting next month.
Last week, Zanu PF MPs bunked debate on the motion, ensuring there was no quorum to discuss the matter in the National Assembly.
Chamisa was then forced to reintroduce the motion where Acting Speaker Melody Dziva ruled that the matter would be debated as an ordinary motion.
“I have consulted with the office of the Clerk of Parliament and it has been approved that he can move the motion. Because it failed to sail through on urgent matters as it was no longer an urgent issue. So, we have allowed him to move the motion on the order paper,” Dziva ruled.
After the ruling, Chamisa said: “Madam Speaker, just to say I have already articulated the mainframe of the notice and I do not need to belabour Parliament with the issues if this motion is going to be debated. I realise that members have been running away from ideas and the debate and they shall debate this motion —it will be debated. Thank you very much.”
If the motion is adopted, Chamisa wants Police Commissioner-General Augustine Chihuri to make a statement about officers accused of battering protestors.
