How Mugabe was given powers to appoint key judges with MDC kicking and screaming

 HON. GONESE:  There is debate Mr. Speaker!  – [HON. MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections.] – There is debate Mr. Speaker, I want to respond – [HON. MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections.] – Yes, thank you Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, in responding to the motion to adjourn the House, I think it is only fair and appropriate to also respond to the Hon. Vice President.  The Hon. Vice President made some sentiments in moving his motion for the adjournment of the House and in responding, I would like to state that this was a very good exercise but I want to point out that in the course of the process, there were some disparities and distortions which were observed.  I think we cannot adjourn the House without pointing those out.

The important point is that the vote had initially been given as 187 and I think that we have been vindicated that at the end of the day the final tally was 182.  Secondly, I also want to make the observation that there was no proper voting – what we did was simply to count people.  I believe that in terms of the provisions of our Constitution, we did not proceed with the process of voting.

 Thirdly, Mr. Speaker, we violated our own rules because our rules state that once the doors have been closed, no one can be allowed in.  We are now no longer sure as to whether those who walked in afterwards had been in the House at the beginning – [HON. MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections.] – I am just making those observations and I think it is important for posterity that at the end of the day when the bells are rung, no one is allowed to walk in or out.  We do not know whether those people who walked in subsequently were part of the original vote and I think that it is important for this to be recorded – [HON. MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections.] –

THE HON. SPEAKER:  You have made your point.

HON. GONESE:  We are also worried that there could have been some other distortions.  We have some aides who were in the House and we are not sure as to whether they were excluded or not from the vote.  The final tally shows that – [HON. MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections.] – We have the aides for Hon. Kuruneri and Hon. Mpofu who were both in the House.  So those are concerns which I think should be recorded for posterity.  At the end of the day, it is important– [HON. MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections.] –

 THE HON. SPEAKER:  Alright, may you conclude?

HON. GONESE:  We should move and proceed in accordance with the rules, that we should follow our rules all the time and not leave any room for possible manipulation because the final tally shows us that without the two independent members, ZANU PF appears to just have been on the threshold.  With those distortions and disparities that I mentioned, it is possible that this affirmative vote was not achieved properly and in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution.

 I want to reiterate and conclude by saying, there was no vote at the end of the day.

Motion put and agreed to.

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