Categories: Stories

Mphoko’s hotel stay is an issue for the elders and should not be spoken about- Mnangagwa

Vice-President Phelekezela Mphoko’s stay in at the five-star Rainbow Towers since 14 December 2014 is an issue for the elders and should not be spoken about, Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa told Parliament on Wednesday.

Responding to a question  from Chitungwiza North Member of Parliament Godfrey Sithole on what the government policy for senior government officials was and  the background of reports that Mphoko had been staying in a hotel since 14 December last year, Mnangagwa responded: “Hon. Speaker Sir, I would like to tell you that some of these issues are for the elderly and should not be spoken about. We are working on this issue and we are looking for a house so that the Hon. Vice President can be accommodated.”

Asked by Kuwadzana East legislator Nelson Chamisa about the case of the Deputy Speaker who has also been staying in a hotel, Mnangagwa said: “I am not fully informed about the facts of the matter the hon. member has raised about the Deputy Speaker. I may be incorrect or correct but I believe that Parliament has regulations governing how the Speaker shall be looked after when the Speaker is in Harare during the sitting of Parliament. The regulations are not that of Government but of the legislature, so we need to look at that in order to see whether they have been violated or not. So, I cannot off the cuff, indicate as to the precise situation relating to the matter raised by the hon. member.”

 

Q&A:

 

MR. SITHOLE: Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir. My question is directed to the Vice President Hon. Mnangagwa. I would like to know the Government policy regarding expenditure on accommodation for senior Government officials. This is actually on the background of reports that Vice President Phelekezela Mphoko has been staying in an expensive hotel since 14 December 2014. I would want to know the expenditure policy in terms of accommodation for senior Government officials? I thank you. – [HON. MEMBERS: Hear. Hear.] –

+THE VICE PRESIDENT AND MINISTER OF JUSTICE, LEGAL AND PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS (MR. MNANGAGWA): Hon. Speaker Sir, I would like to tell you that some of these issues are for the elderly and should not be spoken about. We are working on this issue and we are looking for a house so that the Hon. Vice President can be accommodated. I thank you. – [HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear.] –

+MR. CHAMISA: I understand that the Hon. Vice President [Laughter]- is trying to speak in Ndebele. Let me use English so that the Vice President does not lose track of what I am saying. Mr. Speaker Sir, my question to the Hon. Vice President has to do with the fact that, we know that the Deputy Speaker was staying in a hotel. Is it a stated and settled Government policy that we would use the meagre resources we have for an expensive mode of accommodation like a hotel instead of or in place of other cheaper forms that we could find? Are we not able to then use that money for other necessities like electricity or water that are very pertinent to circumstances of our country?

MR. MNANGAGWA: Mr. Speaker Sir, I am not fully informed about the facts of the matter the hon. member has raised about the Deputy Speaker. I may be incorrect or correct but I believe that Parliament has regulations governing how the Speaker shall be looked after when the Speaker is in Harare during the sitting of Parliament. The regulations are not that of Government but of the legislature, so we need to look at that in order to see whether they have been violated or not. So, I cannot off the cuff, indicate as to the precise situation relating to the matter raised by the hon. member. I thank you.

(195 VIEWS)

Charles Rukuni

The Insider is a political and business bulletin about Zimbabwe, edited by Charles Rukuni. Founded in 1990, it was a printed 12-page subscription only newsletter until 2003 when Zimbabwe's hyper-inflation made it impossible to continue printing.

Recent Posts

Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe expects more foreign currency sellers to join the interbank market

The gazetting into law of the payment of quarterly taxes on a 50-50 basis in…

December 4, 2024

Zimbabwe 2025 citizens’ budget

Zimbabwe has today unveiled a ZiG276.4 billion budget for 2025 during which it expects the…

November 28, 2024

To go or not to go- Mnangagwa in a quandary

Zimbabwe President Emmerson Mnangagwa has repeatedly stated that he is not going to contest a…

November 25, 2024

ZiG loses steam, falls against US dollar for five consecutive days

The Zimbabwe Gold fell against the United States dollar for five consecutive days from Monday…

November 22, 2024

Indian think tank says Starlink is a wolf in sheep’s clothing

An Indian think tank has described Starlink, a satellite internet service provider which recently entered…

November 18, 2024

ZiG firms against US dollar for 10 days running but people still do not have confidence in the currency

Zimbabwe’s new currency, the Zimbabwe Gold (ZiG), firmed against the United States dollars for 10…

November 16, 2024