Mwonzora says Parliament’s Privileges Committee was lazy- did not do its job properly

I therefore submit, with respect, that there is another important thing – our law says a person cannot be punished twice for the same offence. So, if I steal and I am put in jail for three months, when I get out you do not try me for the same offence and sentence me to six months. When I come out again, you sentence me. The Speaker of Parliament sentenced us already and each one of us had monies deducted before the Samkange Commission sat. We had monies deducted already for the same offence. We complained and we were not heard.

After deducting our monies for that offence, the Samkange Commission comes and says that is not enough – it seeks to take away the diplomatic passports, creating discrimination among MPs.  MPs doing the same work, ranking the same – one is a diplomat and one is not. They are travelling together to Geneva for the same thing. Maybe one is even a Chairperson and one is not, but they get into two different queues. That is some form of black apartheid that this thing introduces. There is no need for that. The point is that we were punished and we served our punishment because our money was taken.

Mr. President Sir, this Parliament especially this Senate, must come to a conclusion of fact that was not known to others and that is with the technology introduced. If the President is in the National Assembly and I am not in the National Assembly and I am in another room and I walk out of that room, have I walked out of the National Assembly, have I walked out on the President? You are in this Chamber and you walk or you are watching the proceedings from your gadget in your hotel and you walk out of that hotel room – have you walked out on the President? We must come to a conclusion, we must define the law but it was no defined.

In my respectful view, when I am not in the same room with the President, I am incapable of disrespecting him by walking out of the room in which he is not. When punishing the Hon. Senators, that is what this verdict does but more importantly, this verdict deals with Senators walking out during a budget. Our law is clear. The budget is presented to the National Assembly and not to the Senate. Now when the Senators do not come on the day of the budget, they are not committing any misconduct.

I just want to conclude by saying we beg this House mostly the legislators on the other side that a good case has been made of the dramatic change of politics in our country. A good case has been made that maybe it is time to let bygones be bygones. The fines that are proposed are beyond the reach of the MPs. I think it is about Z$400 000. The taking of the diplomatic passport is a humiliation which is not necessary. Therefore, I pray that this report while it may be acknowledged must end where it is and it must not be carried into action. In fact, this report must be thrown out. Thank you.

HON. SEN. CHIEF CHARUMBIRA: Thank you Mr. President. I should say I am humbled and I would like to say with your permission and permission from all Hon. Senators, can we defer this debate so that we do not spoil what we have built to date. Let us defer this debate and have serious consultations and it can be back on the Order Paper.  Thank you.

HON. SEN. MUZENDA: I second.

HON. SEN. MUZENDA: Mr. P resident Sir, I move that the debate do now adjourn.

HON. SEN. MOHADI: I second.

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