THE HON. PRESIDENT OF SENATE: No, excuse me Hon. Member, it is not the duty of the Presiding Officers to check validity. That is the work of the courts. Can you please go and make clarifications with the courts? What I want is to have Members of Parliament who have been allowed to come here and sit. I just enjoy a full House; it is not that I enjoy your being recalled. For me to know who is writing and who is not writing, please let it be clarified by the courts. I would not be able to let you in this House when you are not cleared, I cannot do that.
HON. SEN. TIMBA: I understand Hon. President. My point is, surely when you have received a letter, you do not know who has written that letter, you have our leaders who are known to you and introduced to you. Is it not fair for you to come to us and say we have received this letter coming from your party, please can you confirm whether or not it is coming from your party?
THE HON. PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE: The matter is not for debate.
HON. SEN. TIMBA: Madam President, can I confirm that you have also received letters from our own president? Can you also read the same letters to this House?
THE HON. PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE: Section 129 (k) of the Constitution says, ‘If the Member has ceased to belong to the political party of which he or she was a member when elected to Parliament and the political party concerned, by written notice to the Speaker of the National Assembly or the President of the Senate as the case may be, has declared that the Member has ceased to belong to it;’ So, this matter is not for debate here, it is not on the agenda of this House – [HON. TIMBA: But you brought it Madam President.] – that was an announcement. It was not on the agenda.
Can I please explain to you that this matter is not for debate in this House [HON. TIMBA: Madam President…] – you can go to the courts and clarify this and after that everything will be okay – [HON. SENATORS: Inaudible interjections.] – Order, order! You are allowed to talk only when given the floor and not just to shout.
HON. SEN. TIMBA: Madam President, I would just like to make one point before I sit, that you are taking responsibility of collapsing Parliament of Zimbabwe.
THE HON. PRESIDENT OF SENATE: Ah no! why collapsing the House? We were busy when you were outside, so please bear with me, that is not my duty. May you please take your seat. I do not want to call anyone to eject you. We are mature people especially in this Upper House. Hon. Sen. Timba, we have to learn to respect each other, I do not want to debate this because it is not on today’s Order Paper.
HON. SEN. M. SIBANDA: I want to get clarification, with all due respect…
THE HON. PRESIDENT OF SENATE: Order, order! How can you get clarification from me as though I am the one who is recalling you? – HON. SENATORS: Inaudible interjections.] – Order, order! Can you please go and clarify this matter at the courts? We are not resolving anything in this House. Serjeant-at-Arms, may you please escort these Members out of this House.
HON. SEN. SHOKO: Madam President, allow us to speak about this issue. You see, let me just explain.
THE HON. PRESIDENT OF SENATE: I am not allowing you.
HON. SEN. TOME: I have not been recalled, so I thought maybe I could explain something.
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