What Chimanikire said about Grace, Mugabe and his bodyguards

HON. CHIMANIKIRE:  In his fourth paragraph, the President talks about the Coroner’s Office Bill.  Mr. Speaker, this Bill is to establish the Coroner’s office that will be responsible for medical legal investigation.  It brings to mind the issue of what transpired after the death of General Mujuru.  While the inquest referred to a blue flame, however, the final report had nothing to do with the facts that were presented before the courts.  So Mr. Speaker, I personally do welcome the introduction of the Coroner’s Bill because whatever deaths that occur in this country are going to be thoroughly investigated.  I hope in retrospect, because some of the investigations that were conducted during the death of General Mujuru were never conclusive.

Mr. Speaker, I go to paragraph 5.  Paragraph 5 refers to the issue of increased optimism about the economy of this country.  Credit is given to Command Agriculture.  However Mr. Speaker, observing when one travels around this country, almost 45 to 50% of the land that is supposed to be utilised is not being used for agricultural purposes.  Farms are still lying fallow and we need to improve on the issue of utilisation of land. Not only that  Mr. Speaker, when we talk about the revival of our economy, we still are witnessing long bank queues where people are unable to withdraw the funds that they would have deposited or funds earned from either selling of tobacco or maize that farmers are producing. 

Mr. Speaker, it is not a secret that we are still witnessing high interest rates in terms of loans that are given by banks.  That makes borrowing in this country very expensive.  As a result, I would have thought the President would have inferred to the issue of high interest rates that need to be lowered in order to make funds available for capital far much less expensive than is the case at the moment.

Mr. Speaker, there is also the issue of holding of goods that is being conducted by leading companies that we expect to be exemplary.  Madam Speaker, I would like to point out on the issue of farming also.  We have Hon. Members sitting in this House that are actually advocating for the denial of inputs to MDC T supporters – [HON. MEMBERS:  Inaudible interjections.] –  I will give an example.  I am not stopping.  The Hon. Member for Guruve South, I was there yesterday afternoon.  It is very unfortunate that he called for meetings and advocated that MDC T members should not receive inputs that were actually being donated by the President.  I do believe Madam Speaker that when a President donates inputs – [HON. MEMBERS:  Inaudible interjections.] –

THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER:  Order Hon. Member.  Hon. Members, I hear loud voices.  I am appealing to the House.  We want to hear what the Hon. Member is debating.  Do you not want to hear what he is saying?

HON. CHIMANIKIRE:  I am making allegations here, I want you to defend yourselves.

THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER:  Could you please proceed?

HON. CHIMANIKIRE:  Thank you Madam Speaker.  The Hon. Member for Guruve South I will repeat, Hon. Dutiro actually called for a meeting where he advocated for the denial of inputs to MDC T supporters in Guruve South.  I was there yesterday afternoon.

Continued next page

(728 VIEWS)