Is Biti gay?

THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER:  Hon. Chikwinya, I am the Chair.  I am telling you that we cannot debate about that issue because that issue is under the courts.

HON. CHIKWINYA:  Thank you Hon. Speaker.  I will not mention the specificity around Joannah Mamombe.  I will mention the issues around human rights abuses in general by the State which I can substantiate.

HON. ZIYAMBI:  Madam Speaker, the rules do not allow to divert from what we are debating.  He wants to debate about issues that are outside the treaty that is being discussed.  Can he confine himself to what the Hon. Member is seeking to achieve, not what he is debating –[HON. MEMBERS:  Inaudible interjections.]-

Hon. Biti having stood up to debate.

THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER:  Hon. Biti, I have to make a ruling first, please may you take your seat –[HON. MEMBERS:  Inaudible interjections.]-  Hon. Members, I am advising you to debate on the motion not to bring other issues not included on this motion please.

HON. BITI:  Hon. Speaker, Hon. Paradza strayed into the forest and you allowed him to go into the forest.  You cannot close the ship when you are now in the forest.  So Hon. Paradza must pay the price of going into the forest, so we are now debating sanctions Madam Speaker.

THE HON, DEPUTY SPEAKER:  Hon. Biti, I will not allow you to do that.  You have to debate the motion, not to debate other issues which are not on the motion – [HON. NYABANI:  Ndosaka uri ngochani iwe.] –

HON. BITI:  Madam Speaker, I do not take that kindly.  He is now accusing me of being gay.  He must withdraw Hon. Speaker – [HON. MEMBERS:  Inaudible interjections.]

THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER:  Order Hon. Members!

HON. BITI:  I am not homophobic but he cannot accuse someone of being gay.  I am not homophobic.

THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER:  Who said you are gay?

HON. BITI:  This Hon. Member.  He said that Madam Speaker.  He said that – [HON. MEMBERS:  Inaudible interjections.] –  No, we do not use unparliamentary language.  It has got the intonation of homophobia, so he cannot use language of intolerance. He has to withdraw Madam Speaker.

THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER:  I asked you Hon. Biti – who said you are gay?

HON. BITI:  Hon. Nyabani from Mt Darwin.

THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER:  Hon. Nyabani, please may you withdraw that? – [HON. MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections.] –

HON. BITI:  Madam Speaker, Hansard captured that.

THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER:  Order Hon. Members. It is okay.  We will refer to Hansard.  Hon.  Chikwinya, please may you proceed.

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