Harare East legislator Terence Mukupe had a nasty exchange with Movement for Democratic Change vice-president Nelson Chamisa when Mukupe said Econet was “basically urinating on the foreheads of the citizenry and basically telling them that it is anointed water from Prophet Magaya”.
Chamisa protested that Mukupe’s language was unparliamentary and asked him to withdraw that statement although he would have loved to hear his views.
Mukupe said Chamisa probably had issues with his “idiomatic expression” but he understood this “considering he (Chamisa) took such a long time to become a lawyer”.
Chamisa who is now an advocate, responded: “You know, we do not want to use these platforms to abuse one another.
“When it comes to intellect, I do not even qualify to be rated at the same level with this man, but I will not want to even go there because we are not here on account of our intellect.
“We are here on account of our representation of the people and what I did raise is very consistent with what is in our Standing Orders.
“I really urge the Hon. Member to withdraw what he has said because it is inaccurate. Madam Speaker, if he does not, I will simply donate a tonne of abuse and he will not be able to sustain it.”
Mukupe was debating the National Competitiveness Commission Bill which he said was welcome because it would bring sanity in the country as some institutions were overcharging the public.
“I am actually perplexed when someone stands up and says that they have got a problem with this Bill which is looking to improve the social ills and the economic ills that we have got in this country,” Mukupe said.
Bulawayo South Member of Parliament, Eddie Cross, who had just spoken before Mukupe, had called to the rejection of the Bill saying it was just a waste of money as the work it was supposed to do was already being done by the Ministry of Industry and Commerce.
He said Zimbabwe instead needed to reduce its taxes, address transport and energy costs and invest its money wisely.
Mukupe however argued that the Bill actually addresses everything that has got to do with the supply side of the economy.
“Not only does it do that but it also addresses the fiscal issues that we have got because some of the fiscal issues are issues of not having enough money and that is what this Bill is trying to address,” he said.
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