MP admits they were sleeping on the job

The Member of Parliament for Beitbridge West Metrine Mudau has admitted that the previous parliament was not working because they were “busy hiding behind the inclusive government”.

She said although everyone was aware that there was rampant corruption, they did not debate the issue because each party would say it was coming from the other party yet everyone suffered regardless of the party one belonged to.

Mudau was contributing to the motion on good governance in which legislators from both the Movement for Democratic Change and the Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front have agreed to deal with corruption saying they must look at individuals rather than political parties.

Buhera South legislator Joseph Chinotimba praised the current Members of Parliament for uniting to condemn corruption and accused the previous parliament of not doing their job.

“Yes, we have heard what Hon. Chinotimba is saying, that the Parliament that was there before us was not working. I agree because I was one of them. We never touched on the subject of corruption although it was there. Corruption has always been there. It is something that was not brought to the public’s attention. We were busy hiding behind the Inclusive Government and we knew that someone would say that corruption was coming from MDC or ZANU PF while everyone suffered regardless of the party they belonged to,” she said.

Mudau said corruption was everywhere even in churches. “In schools and at work there is corruption. Where are we going to go? Even at churches there is corruption. What are we supposed to do with this disease that has no cure? It is now more like HIV/AIDS. We hide behind something that is a problem to us and the only way we can arrest the issue of corruption is to work together and work as a team.”

Full contribution:

+MRS. MUDAU: Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir. I want to thank the movers of the motion. There are so many people who are being troubled by the issue of corruption. I stay in Beitbridge where there is too much corruption, especially at the border post because there are many people coming to and from South Africa, whether they are from Harare or Bulawayo. So many people are in trouble because of corruption. People are suffering regardless of whether they belong to MDC or ZANU PF.

When you are looking for a job in Beitbridge and you apply for one and, for example, many people apply from Beitbridge, if the manager comes from Harare, the person who gets the job is the person coming from Harare or if the manager comes from Bulawayo, it is only people from Bulawayo who get the job.

I would like to thank the movers of the motion on corruption. Maybe it will help a bit. Corruption is taking back the progress of the country. It is more like a disease and we do not know when it is going to end.

Yes, we have heard what Hon. Chinotimba is saying, that the Parliament that was there before us was not working. I agree because I was one of them. We never touched on the subject of corruption although it was there. Corruption has always been there. It is something that was not brought to the public’s attention. We were busy hiding behind the Inclusive Government and we knew that someone would say that corruption was coming from MDC or ZANU PF while everyone suffered regardless of the party they belonged to.

Our President R. G. Mugabe, is always talking about the issue of corruption. I do not know why we were leaving it because corruption does not affect the President only but us and even our children. To us it is better because we are seeing the corruption for ourselves but by the time our children reach our age, most of the things would have been corrupted. I know that most of us are trying to hide and not say it clearly that there is corruption. My suggestion is that all those who are corrupt should be arrested and whatever they would have bought through corruption should be taken by the Government for it will be taking back the progress of the country.

Mr. Speaker Sir, if for example, we say that Ndau is the one who has caused corruption, l know people will say that Ndau is a very honest person and as a result we do not arrest her. It will not take us anywhere.

In schools and at work there is corruption. Where are we going to go? Even at churches there is corruption. What are we supposed to do with this disease that has no cure? It is now more like HIV/AIDS. We hide behind something that is a problem to us and the only way we can arrest the issue of corruption is to work together and work as a team. Even children at schools are failing because the teachers will say give us incentives so that we can teach your children on Sundays. That is corruption. On roads, if you meet a policeman and you tell them you are rushing and you want to go to work, they will tell you that if you want us to serve you faster, then you have to pay us and that is corruption.

Where are we going to go, Mr. Speaker Sir? We have to pull together as a nation and if we pull together as a nation, I know that we are going to arrest the issue of corruption. We should not look at how one person is affected because it affects everyone. For example, if I am rich and my next door neighbour is poor, at the end of the day, all of us are going to be affected by the issue of corruption. Corruption is a disease. The next Parliament will come and it will say that the Parliament before us was not working on the issue of corruption. I therefore urge everyone to work together to arrest the issue of corruption. We have to make a plan.

I thank you Mr. Speaker.

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