MP says legislators should have basic orientation course on the history of Zimbabwe

HON. CHAMISA:  My point of clarification is just on that point, perhaps we may need to clarify in the Standing Orders what the use of cell phones entail.  The use of cell phones envisages a point of literally making a voice call.  Now that we have our gargets that are being used for searching, the internet and surfing the net for purposes of adequate research, because we do not have researchers; it is not something that is prohibited.  So, the use of cell phones for purposes of surfing the net is not what is envisaged in the rules and I hope that the clarification is going to be made so that we are able to use the modern technology appropriately.  The world over, we are supposed to refer to our ipads, we are supposed to refer to our cell phones if we are trying to access the world wide web.  So, I just hope that clarification will be made so that we are clear in terms of what we are doing.  I thank you very much.

THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER:  I think I have acknowledge the point of clarification raised by Hon. Chamisa that we will look into it as it also entails the use of advancing and developing our e-Parliament.  So, we will look into those issues so that we consider the use of cell phones in the House.  However eating sweets and chewing gum in the House is not allowed, members that are eating sweets must stop.

HON. MANDIPAKA: Madam Speaker, I thank you very much.  I will continue from where I left.  I was saying as Members of Parliament, I think it becomes quite paramount, very important to understand our national history in the national interest.  The nature of our debates in this august House should be national in outlook and character.  Our schools and Government institutions, it is high time that the history of this country is taught to our pupils at an early age so that when they grow up they will be able to appreciate their own motherland, their traditions, culture and heritage.

I am making a passionate plea Madam Speaker to the powers that be through this august House that the history of the country should not only be taught in schools and institutions of high learning, but it should also be taught to Parliamentarians.   I would want to enumerate the importance of our national history.  Allow me to articulate the importance of our national history.  The importance of our national history lies in the power to create national identity and national cohesion, that is the importance of us as Members of Parliament to learn our own history.  We need to be conscious of our past, it is a fact of history that Zimbabwe is endowed with rich natural resources, vast precious minerals.  It is for that cause that around 1890, there were some invaders who invaded this country to exploit our precious minerals, to exploit our natural resources and these are facts of history which must be understood.

Because of the country’s potential, we realise during the Berlin Conference that a lot of the British found themselves in this country which they called Rhodesia before it was independent and it was at that material time that they did much damage to our resources by exploiting those resources and enriching themselves.  This is again a fact of history that Members of Parliament should acknowledge and appreciate; there is no debate about it.

Madam Speaker, another fact of history is that as a result of the exploitation, as a result of the slavery and breeches in human rights by the colonizers, men and women who were brave and courageous waged a protracted struggle up and until we attained independence in 1980.  It is again a fact of history.  One of the most fundamental roles of Parliament is to enact laws for the good governance of a nation.  We lack knowledge of our national history, it might be a challenge then if we lack that knowledge to be able to enact laws that are good for our people.

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