Zimbabwe Justice Minister accuses opposition legislator of trying to smuggle in Gukurahundi issue every time he stands up in Parliament

HON. GONESE: I know. This is the way I believe that the Hon. Minister of Justice should be asked to withdraw, particularly the word ‘excitable’.  I do not think it is appropriate.  I do not think it is proper and I think he is being dismissive of a situation where an Hon. Member of this august House, Hon. Jasmine Toffa has been subjected to beatings. I have seen the pictures.  They have been circulated.  She is in hospital as we speak.  This is something which is very serious Hon. Speaker Sir.

HON. ZIYAMBI: Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir.  There is a tendency among some Hon. Members to speak more than the bereaved.  Each time some Hon. Members stand up, they try as much as possible to smuggle in issues of Gukurahundi, which the President is addressing. Everything that happens in Matabeleland, whether political or not political, they want to bring in issues of Gukurahundi, which they know themselves they do not know how to solve.

I believe it is inappropriate to use this Parliament to bring in issues of Gukurahundi which the President is addressing.  I have never seen any one of them acknowledging the good work that the President is doing to ensure that it goes to closure.  So, the reason why I said he is very excitable about the word Gukurahundi, not about what he said is because each time he stands up, he tries as much as possible to smuggle in the word Gukurahundi.  They should have acknowledged that the President is doing a lot to ensure that we remain a unitary State, but each time they try as much as possible to do that.  That was the point that I was making Mr. Speaker Sir. – [HON. MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections.]-

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