Chinotimba asks: How can Biti say elections were rigged when he won is his constituency?

Buhera South Member of Parliament Joseph Chinotimba said he was perplexed that Harare East legislator Tendai Biti was claiming that elections were rigged when he won in his own constituency.

Chinotimba could, however, not proceed with that line of debate when he was told to stick to the motion which was about reviving the economy introduced by Movement for Democratic Change legislator Tapiwa Mashakada.

Chinotimba said the economic crisis the country was facing, which had seen prices skyrocketing since the introduction of new measures by Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube and Reserve bank of Zimbabwe governor John Mangudya, was political.

Ncube introduced a two cents per dollar tax on transactions while Mangudya re-introduced foreign currency accounts.

“It is true that prices keep rising and cooking oil is now being sold at $13 to $15.  I met some men yesterday who were moving in shops and were chanting party slogans like the MDC one, chinja,” Chinotimba said.

“Some people want to lead this country through the poverty of other people by increasing prices so that it reflects negatively on the government in power.  This is done by the opposition, those who lost the elections.  These are the people who are causing the rising of prices.”

Chinotimba said Zimbabwe cannot move forward when some people are saying it is “open for business” while others are saying it is “open for sanctions”.

Full contribution

*HON. CHINOTIMBA: Thank you Madam Speaker.  I want to thank Hon. Mashakada and the seconder of the motion.  It is true that our economy is not performing well at all.  What he has said is very true.  However, if you were to look at the video or pictures which were shown during the debate by Hon. Mashakada when I wanted to raise a point of order, I was told that I would only be able to give my opinion as I debate.  It is true that prices keep rising and cooking oil is now being sold at $13 to $15.  I met some men yesterday who were moving in shops and were chanting party slogans like the MDC one, ‘chinja.’

There are people in this country who are corrupt, as alluded to by another Hon. Member.  Some people want to lead this country through the poverty of other people by increasing prices so that it reflects negatively on the Government in power.  This is done by the opposition, those who lost the elections.  These are the people who are causing the rising of prices – [HON. MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections.] –

THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order Hon. Members.  May the Hon. Member be heard in silence?

*HON. CHINOTIMBA: Madam Speaker, this is an issue that is of deep concern that people like Hon. Biti would stand up to debate and say that elections were rigged and yet he won in his own Constituency.  I do not know what he means by saying that elections were rigged…

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