News / Local
Mugabe summons Parliament to an extraordinary sitting today
16 Sep 2015 at 06:25hrs | Views
PRESIDENT Robert Mugabe has summoned MPs and Senators to an extraordinary sitting today after officials handed him an old speech to read at the opening of the Third Session of the Eighth Parliament yesterday.
The debacle, blamed on a "mix-up that happened in his secretarial office", is set to be righted today when the correct version is tabled before Parliament.
It has since emerged that the speech read by the President yesterday was the same one he read on August 25 during his State of the Nation Address.
The error became apparent to President Mugabe in the course of delivering his speech, forcing him to tweak it slightly as ashen faced aides began an internal inquiry into the farce.
George Charamba, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Information, Media and Broadcasting Services, said last night: "Today's address by His Excellency the President, RG Mugabe, to Parliament has been set aside following a last minute technical mix up of texts.
"Measures are already under way to ensure the correct speech is presented to Parliament for its consideration. The error is sincerely regretted."
Clerk of Parliament Kennedy Chokuda, in a statement, implored all Members of Parliament to attend today's sitting.
"RG Mugabe has summoned Parliament to an extraordinary sitting to conduct special business," he said.
Parliament will sit at 2PM.
When Parliament adjourned yesterday, Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa, who is also the Leader of Government Business in the House, had said the next sitting would be on September 22.
The President's speech to MPs is designed to set the legislative agenda for the coming Session, outlining the various Bills that would be tabled during the Session among other business of the House.
[See correct version of the President's speech]
The debacle, blamed on a "mix-up that happened in his secretarial office", is set to be righted today when the correct version is tabled before Parliament.
It has since emerged that the speech read by the President yesterday was the same one he read on August 25 during his State of the Nation Address.
The error became apparent to President Mugabe in the course of delivering his speech, forcing him to tweak it slightly as ashen faced aides began an internal inquiry into the farce.
George Charamba, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Information, Media and Broadcasting Services, said last night: "Today's address by His Excellency the President, RG Mugabe, to Parliament has been set aside following a last minute technical mix up of texts.
"Measures are already under way to ensure the correct speech is presented to Parliament for its consideration. The error is sincerely regretted."
"RG Mugabe has summoned Parliament to an extraordinary sitting to conduct special business," he said.
Parliament will sit at 2PM.
When Parliament adjourned yesterday, Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa, who is also the Leader of Government Business in the House, had said the next sitting would be on September 22.
The President's speech to MPs is designed to set the legislative agenda for the coming Session, outlining the various Bills that would be tabled during the Session among other business of the House.
[See correct version of the President's speech]
Source - chronicle
