What transpired yesterday during the impeachment of Mugabe proceedings – full debate

HON. MARIDADI: Thank you Mr. Speaker. We are at the dawn of a new era where children of Zimbabwe from different political persuasions do not have to be enemies. People must be tolerant of each other. The spirit that is displayed in Parliament Mr. Speaker, when we are debating is the spirit that must cascade and transcend as a nation. That is the spirit that we must see in Binga, Mabvuku, Dangamvura or Mufakose, the spirit of tolerance. President Robert Mugabe presided over basically three things; he was arrogant, he presided over patronage, impunity and entitlement. Those things cannot endure in a civilised society.

Mr. Speaker, I am going to round up my debate by talking about the economic situation of this country. Ninety percent unemployment Mr. Speaker; a collapsing health service and that is why President Mugabe would go to Malaysia once every month for health checkups. A president of a country will use health facilities that he presides over. The next President of this country must go to Parirenyatwa, Harare or Bulawayo United Hospitals because those are the facilities that he presides over. The Minister of Local Government when he travels must use ZUPCO because those are the facilities that he presides over. The Minister of Transport, Hon. Joram Gumbo, when he flies to South Africa must fly on Air Zimbabwe not SA because Air Zimbabwe is the one that he presides over.

When the President leaves the country to seek health attention abroad, what is he talking about?         Mr. Speaker, what is good for the goose is good for gander. If the health facilities in Zimbabwe are not good enough for a President, who are they good for. They cannot be good enough for anyone. What it means is that we must all be in a queue going to Malaysia for health checkups because that is where the President goes.

The education system, Zimbabwe boasts of a 96% literacy rate of people that are not employed. Everyone has been turned into a vendor. President Mugabe reduced all of us to vagabonds. This is why even in Parliament you find Members of Parliament are always talking about their welfare. It is reflective of what is happening out there in the society. Mr. Speaker, I support this motion and would like to thank Hon. Mutsvangwa for moving this motion. Without delaying Members of Parliament from across the divide, it does not matter that you have only come alive recently but across the political divide, let us append our signatures and let your candidate for 2018 go and he must go now. I thank you.

HON. MANDIPAKA: Thank you Hon. Speaker. My debate is going to be concise and precise but I debate this motion Hon. Speaker with a heavy heart. We did not expect that things would go this way especially considering the work that His Excellency had done for this country for the past 37 years. He was a revered African leader but unfortunately, he is leaving office the wrong way. It is sad and unfortunate Mr. Speaker, but it is an unavoidable process that Parliament should consider.

Mr. Speaker, I am guided by Section 119 of the Constitution which talks about the role of Parliament. One major role of Parliament is to ensure that we protect the Constitution. We are a constitutional democracy Mr. Speaker and where there is infringement of the Constitution, Parliament has a duty and obligation legally to move in, and this is what basically Parliament is trying to do because there is a lot of infringement in the Constitution.

Continued next page

(1213 VIEWS)