Zimbabwe Speaker says Parliament cannot debate issues raised on social media

Zimbabwe Speaker of Parliament Jacob Mudenda says Parliament cannot debate issues raised on social media unless they are verified.

He said this following questions about the country’s state of health after Youth Minister Tino Machakaire appealed to President Mnangagwa on his X handle to intervene on the appalling health situation in the country.     

Deputy Health Minister Sleiman Kwidini had already responded to at least two questions by legislators when Mudenda said he was not sure how the original question was phrased.

“My recollection of Standing Orders, I do not know how the original question was phrased. If the source is from media, print or whatever and is not verifiable, that cannot be regarded as a source of information. So, I am not sure how the first question, the original question was verified. If it was based on social media or any other media source, that cannot be debated as a verifiable source,” Mudenda said.

Several legislators objected to this arguing that Machakaire had raised the issue on social media and the Minister of Health had also responded on social media.

Corban Madzivanyika argued: “Mr. Speaker, my point of clarification is that we have got Government now using social media. Cabinet uses social media after their meetings. They go on to present their findings or their resolutions on social media. So, if we say we cannot rely on social media to validate issues of national interest, I do not think it is sustainable Mr. Speaker……

“Mr. Speaker, Twitter has got verified accounts and unverified accounts. The Minister of Health and Child Care Twitter account has a blue tick, which indicates that it is a verified account. The same applies to Hon. Machakaire’s Twitter handles and above all, Mr. Speaker, can we be furnished with the Order that says social media is not acceptable?”

Mudenda responded: “Can we be together? For this matter to be completely addressed, I needed to have Hon. Minister Machakaire and the Minister of Health and then I can interrogate them to make their statements accordingly. To me, that would be a verifiable source because they will be there in person.”

Q & A:

HON. MABURUTSE: Thank you Madam Speaker. My question is directed to the Minister of Health and Child Care. I understand there is a lot that has been done by the Ministry of Health and Child Care.  However, the social media is portraying a negative picture of the status of our healthcare. May the Minister update the House on the Government policies and programmes that have been done so far and the roadmap in improving healthcare?

THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF HEALTH AND CHILD CARE (HON. DR. KWIDINI): Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir.  I would like to thank the Hon. Member for the good question of wanting to understand what the Ministry is doing on the roadmap to make sure that our citizens receive quality healthcare.  On the part of the social media, indeed people on social media always talk about what is not happening in the Ministry but as the Ministry, we are doing wonders since 2018, to make sure the citizens receive quality care.  What we are doing is only known by the patients, not the social media participants.  As we speak right now Mr. Speaker Sir, our citizens are very happy with the service delivery that we are giving. As we speak, in the first 100 days…

HON. HWENDE: On a point of order Mr. Speaker.

THE HON. SPEAKER: Point of order!

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