The debate that led to Mliswa’s suspension from Zimbabwe Parliament

Norton Member of Parliament Temba Mliswa was suspended for six sittings yesterday for his unbecoming behaviour in the House.

Ironically, Speaker of Parliament Jacob Mudenda had made a ruling at the start of yesterday’s sitting on alleged favouritism towards Mliswa.

And when Mliswa left the House he said he did not mind being suspended for good.

“I do not like being here.  It is a useless House Mr. Speaker, it must be fair.  Not partisan.  My Constituency is more important,” he said as he left.

Below is the debate leading to Mliswa’s suspension and the earlier ruling on favouritism towards him.

*HON. MADZIMURE:  Thank you Hon. Speaker.  When the price of cotton was being discussed, our currency was 1:25 against the United States dollar which means that a person who was taking cotton to the market was getting more than US$1 and other cents but now because our rate is…

*THE HON. SPEAKER:  Honourable Member, please ask your question.

*HON. MADZIMURE:  My question is now that the rate has changed and it is 1:55 when you gave $43 when the rate was 1:25, the farmer was not able to go back and grow cotton.  What are you going to do to fix that price before farmers lose their cotton?

*HON. CHIDUWA:  Thank you Mr. Speaker.  The question which has been asked by the Hon. Member on the prices we are putting, what we want is that the farmers can go back and grow, not only in cotton but in every product such as tobacco, maize and other crops. What we have said because now we have the foreign exchange auction system, the auction system means that every Tuesday when they will be doing the auction, our exchange rate might change but the change which will be happening to the exchange rate, we would want this to apply to prices we would be paying for our products.

We calculate the prices of the crops and we put them in United States dollar.  We would be paying according to the prevailing rate. That will help our farmers to go back into farming.  Thank you.

HON. MADZIMURE:  On a point of clarity.

THE HON. SPEAKER:  The Hon. Minister is quite clear.  The prevailing rate shall be used.  That is the answer.  We cannot belabour that.

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