HON. GONESE: Thank you Madam Speaker. I have just been looking at our Constitution. If you look at Section 4 of the Constitution of Zimbabwe Amendment No. 20, (2013) and I am going to refer to the Constitution of this country. It is very clear and it states that Zimbabwe, in terms of Section 4 shall have a national flag, national anthem and a coat of arms and all Zimbabweans –[HON. MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections.]- Members are asking and I want to answer them and so if I can be allowed to answer them while they are silent so that the Chair and all Hon. Members can hear my point of view.
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order Hon. Members. You can answer.
HON. GONESE: Thank you Madam Speaker. All Zimbabweans who are patriotic to their country want to be associated with the national flag. I am just looking in this august House – you will see the flag being displayed throughout. This is my respectful submission that if a member is showing patriotism, it will be unconstitutional to disallow that Hon. Member from displaying their feelings of patriotism and allegiance to this country. This is my point. If you can allow me to …
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Hon. Gonese, I think I have been listening to what you were saying. We cannot keep on going on and on saying one statement.
HON. GONESE: I was just about to conclude Madam Speaker. If you can just be patient with me. I am saying it will be unconstitutional. It would be a violation of the constitutional rights of Hon. Members if they were to be asked to leave this Chamber on the basis that they are showing patriotism to their country and adhering to Section 4.
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: I hear you. Hon. Members in this august House, a ruling was given some two months ago by the Speaker of the House. – [HON. MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections.]- Order Hon. Members, you have got to listen. A ruling was given in this House. I remember I was here in this House by the Speaker of the National Assembly. The Hon. Member is not being sent out but to go and take off the flag. – [HON. MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections.]-
*HON. MAJAYA: Thank you Madam Speaker. Does it mean that all those who are putting on badges with a national flag should remove them?
*THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Mabheji haana basa because ndiyo flag yacho. – [HON. MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections.]- Hon. Member, I am talking to the one who is putting on a flag, not anyone else. Hon. Saruwaka and Hon. D. Sibanda should go out and take off the flags. Hon. Chimanikire! – [HON. MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections.] – Order, order! Hon. Members, I have been trying to give a ruling and someone is explaining to me that he has power than the Chair. Hon. Murai and Hon. Chimanikire, you are going out of the House – [HON. MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections.] –
*HON. MATSUNGA: Thank you Madam Speaker, I wanted to ask which section in the Standing Rules and Orders talks to that? I am only a year old in this Parliament and I want to know, because tomorrow I might come here wearing party attire.
Continued next page
(381 VIEWS)
