Buhera South legislator Joseph Chinotimba has called on Zimbabweans to unite and fight against sanctions saying that the Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front will accept defeat if the Citizens Coalition for Change wins elections.
Speaking during the debate on the motion to bar those who call for sanctions from holding public office, Chinotimba urged opposition legislators not to apply double standards by being friendly with ZANU-PF legislators in the national assembly and saying they did not work well with ZANU-PF once outside.
“If CCC wins, we will keep quiet. There is no need for us to go out and demonstrate. That is what we are refusing. Let us unite and the sanctions must go. Let us not insult each other, “ he said.
“How we relate here is different from how our people relate. With this Hon. Member from Harare Central, we talk with each other. If he sees me, he runs to me but when they go out, they tell the people that we are not in good books.”
Full contribution:
HON. CHINOTIMBA: Madam Speaker, I stand to also add my voice on this motion that was raised by Hon. Togarepi, supported by Hon. Nguluvhe. The main message that is being debated here is, I was where I was, watching Americans and there was a court session that emanated from the matter of the riots that took place at the Capitol. What they were saying is what happened is not acceptable in that country. Even where I am here, I am not allowed to go to America. They are chasing every black person in Britain and so on because they are saying they went there illegally, yet they are everywhere in African countries. The point that I want to make is, whose country is Zimbabwe? Who is supposed to protect this country? It is the people. When we quarrel in this country, it is better for us to face each other instead of inviting foreigners. Why are you calling that foreigner an outsider? What do you want that person to do?
It is not about quarreling or trying to say it is because I was not recognised at the Heroes Acre. The issue is on someone who goes outside insulting his or her father. What type of a person is that? That is the real issue. We are supposed to be honest and truthful. Right now, the country is no longer playing soccer because someone went outside the country and said Zimbabwe is not supposed to play soccer. Someone goes and says that soccer must never be played as long as I am not the leader.
I heard the President of CCC saying we left everything, be it slogans and the headquarters under Mwonzora. He was implying that they left the issue of sanctions with Mwonzora, yet Mwonzora announced that he is calling for the removal of sanctions. What we are saying is we expect CCC to start afresh and call for the removal of sanctions. In brief, we are saying the sanctions must go.
Madam Speaker, the whites that we fought against never run short of plans. As we speak, they went to Zambia and Botswana and put their bases. Their intention is not to protect Zambia or Botswana. Does Zambia not have its own army? All they want to do is to re-colonise countries led by the blacks. Let us put a law and say we do not want American soldiers here. Look at what they are doing. Right now, they are murdering each other. They want to come back bit by bit. What they want here is to put their puppets. If my favourable Honourable wins, it simply means their puppet has won. What we are rejecting are puppets. We want real people, black owners of this country and not people who are manipulated and told what to do. A black man who is called general manager will be a sellout. No black man gets high office when he is not a sellout. Let us unite, be it opposition or not. All those people who compete for posts should say the truth that indeed the sanctions must go.
If CCC wins, we will keep quiet. There is no need for us to go out and demonstrate. That is what we are refusing. Let us unite and the sanctions must go. Let us not insult each other. How we relate here is different from how our people relate. With this Hon. Member from Harare Central, we talk with each other. If he sees me, he runs to me but when they go out, they tell the people that we are not in good books. Let us teach people good things. Let us teach them to stop violence and to guard against the whites who want to re-colonise this country. Sanctions must go, regardless of which part competes or seeks elections. If they vote, let it be peaceful. What we are saying is, if there is anyone who goes out there to call for sanctions, we must know that the person is not a patriotic Zimbabwean and is not one of us. That person must be arrested and imprisoned.
This motion is not about going to the Heroes Acre and fail to be recognised. CCC must first of all accept that there are heroes. They must accept that this country was liberated by heroes. It did not just come on a silver platter. It came after shedding of a lot of blood. If they do not accept that, what platform do they want to be given when they do not accept that this country came after a protracted struggle? They go about saying this country must be returned back to the whites and they also say take it back to where it was tied so that we can untie it. They say farms must be given back to the whites, so what respect do you want to be given? No person who speaks ill of this country must be respected, this is very bad.
HON. TEKESHE: On a point of order Madam Speaker.
THE DEPUTY SPEAKER: What is your point of order?
HON. TEKESHE: My point of order is that the Hon. Member is encouraging hatred amongst Zimbabwe instead of motivating people to live peacefully.
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Hon. Tekeshe, Hon. Chinotimba is just giving an example that anyone who speaks ill of his country must not be respected. He did not insult anyone. Hon. Chinotimba, please proceed.
HON. CHINOTIMBA: I thought they wanted to accuse me of insulting the president of CCC party.
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Hon. Chinotimba, debate the motion.
HON. CHINOTIMBA: What I am saying is that sanctions must go; the country is being destroyed by sanctions. Anyone who imposes sanctions on this country must face the law and that law is long overdue – so that we live peacefully and well in this country. I thank you.
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Please sellout ccc do not try and destroy Zim. What do u stand for? No body knows except for getting into bed with people who have been trying to destroy the country for 130 years. Do not start another war u dum wits. Your leader is as dumb as a dodo.