If Zimbabwe were a private company, Mugabe would have long been fired – MP says

A nation expects a Head of State of speak to issues of uncontrolled appetite and penchant for foreign travels, where you have a Head of State being called a visitor to his nation because week in and week out, he is out of the country. We expect the Head of State when he is speaking to the nation to explain to us why he is always out of the country week in and week out. –[AN HON. MEMBER: Inaudible interjection.] – It is important, do not say ah! He is accountable. Who am I, I am a Zimbabwean and I am the one that is paying for his travels. So, it is important for the Head of State to speak to those issues.

THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER (HON. MUTOMBA): May you be reminded that you are supposed to be addressing the Chair. You need not to answer whatever is coming from the floor.

HON. P. D. SIBANDA: Thank you Hon Speaker. I will abide by your ruling. To take my colleagues back, when I started, I indicated that when the Head of State who is the CEO of a nation is speaking, the nation is supposed to come to a standstill. It is supposed to pay attention and listen because he is the man that is in charge of the nation. Therefore, when he speaks, people are supposed to listen. However, what we have experienced in this nation is that when the Head of State is speaking, everyone carries on with their business because it has become a tradition that when he comes to speak, things that he speaks to are not relevant to the prevailing issues. What are the real issues that people expect the Head of State to speak about?

They expect the Head of State to explain why he is always out of the country instead of attending to the problems that are here. They expect the Head of State to inform the nation about the returns that are coming out of his multiple journeys that he is making each and every week. Hon. Speaker, if the Head of the Nation takes out US$6 million every week going out of the country, the nation needs to know how much he is bringing in by his going out. If we do not speak to those issues, our economy will continue to decline. Our hospitals and companies will continue to be closed. So, Hon. Speaker, we expect the Head of State to…

Hon. Mukupe having stood up again.

THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER: Order Hon. Sibanda. Hon. Mukupe, you were standing up and you have not said anything.

HON. MUKUPE: Yes, it has been withdrawn.

*HON. CHINOTIMBA: On a point of order Mr. Speaker.

THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER: What is your point of order?

*HON. CHINOTIMBA: My point of order Mr. Speaker has been clarified by my Chief Whip, but I wanted to ask how many leaders go out for medical treatment and to seek for sanctions. That money that is exernalised is money that can be used. There are no toilets in Highfields.

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