News / National
Zimbabwe Ministers, MPs attend Parliament for TV
11 May 2017 at 21:44hrs | Views
DURING his days in President Robert Mugabe's Cabinet, Enos Chikowore (now late) earned a reputation for his love for television cameras.
Chikowore would not read out his speech or address a media briefing unless the cameras start beaming.
If he had lived to this day, he would have been happy to know he was not alone.
Generally, all politicians like to appear on television, for better or worse.
Whenever camera lenses stray in their direction, you will see them in public places smiling from ear-to-ear, in case the footage might appear on prime time news.
Their love for the small screen was exposed last week when they trooped out of Parliament soon after the television crew from the one and only State broadcaster switched off its live national broadcast.
Parliament had to adjourn, immediately, because it could not constitute a quorum after the walkout.
This is not the first time it has happened.
On several occasions, the National Assembly has found itself with no quorum to allow debate to continue.
This always happen soon after the crew from the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC-TV) has gone back to Pockets Hill, their headquarters.
Every Wednesday, when Parliament is in session, ZBC-TV broadcasts live on national television its proceedings to bring Parliament business to the people.
Wednesdays have become popular among listeners and viewers alike because they get to know what happens behind Parliament's walls, first hand.
Legislators also take this as an opportunity for them to "shine", as they get an opportunity to ask ministers the most difficult of questions.
It is the liveliest session in the august House, known for producing "fireworks".
Last week, the House of Assembly recorded a high attendance of 270 legislators with MPs from both the ruling ZANU-PF party and the opposition Movement for Democratic Change jostling for a chance to ask ministers questions and, in the process, appear live on ZTV.
For most of the MPs, it was their chance to be seen by viewers in their constituencies back home.
It is now a common trend that when the ZBC crew cuts off its live transmission, even debate in Parliament comes to an end because most lawmakers will also take a break for the day.
Last week Wednesday, as the ZBC crew walked out of the Chambers, most ministers and MPs could be seen following right behind them, leaving behind only 66 MPs in the House of Assembly, who were not enough to constitute a quorum.
According to Standing Order Number 56, a parliamentary quorum requires at least 71 MPs.
There is a new school of thought emerging among lawmakers that says television cameras should continue rolling 24/7.
Kuwadzana East MP, Nelson Chamisa, belongs to this school of thought.
"I want our Parliament, if it were possible, to be able to consider the issue of coverage of parliamentary debates be done 24 hours per day as the case in other countries like South Africa and Kenya," he said as a point of order.
"I am raising a point of order Mr Speaker Sir, because once the live coverage ends, people leave this Chamber," he added.
Chamisa said most MPs were no longer treating Parliament business with the respect that it deserves.
As far as most of them were concerned, parliamentary business is now centred on live television broadcasts.
"We should not only be in the House when ZBC is in the House. When ZBC leaves, we should also (continue to) debate. The majority of the MPs have left the Chamber, I do not know if they are seeing off the ZBC crew to Pockets Hill or maybe this is just a bad practice that we now have," observed Chamisa.
Reuben Marumahoko, who was the acting Speaker of Parliament on the day, promised to "make the necessary report to the powers-that-be and your response will come in due course".
Marumahoko had a word of caution for Chamisa though.
"What you have left out is that you spend a lot of time making a lot of noise during question time. If you had mentioned that, it would have been worthy," Marumahoko said.
"Indeed, what you have said is true that once ZBC leaves, the ministers also leave this august House. We should not be people that come because the television is present. We should come to the House to represent our constituencies," said the acting Speaker.
Chikowore would not read out his speech or address a media briefing unless the cameras start beaming.
If he had lived to this day, he would have been happy to know he was not alone.
Generally, all politicians like to appear on television, for better or worse.
Whenever camera lenses stray in their direction, you will see them in public places smiling from ear-to-ear, in case the footage might appear on prime time news.
Their love for the small screen was exposed last week when they trooped out of Parliament soon after the television crew from the one and only State broadcaster switched off its live national broadcast.
Parliament had to adjourn, immediately, because it could not constitute a quorum after the walkout.
This is not the first time it has happened.
On several occasions, the National Assembly has found itself with no quorum to allow debate to continue.
This always happen soon after the crew from the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC-TV) has gone back to Pockets Hill, their headquarters.
Every Wednesday, when Parliament is in session, ZBC-TV broadcasts live on national television its proceedings to bring Parliament business to the people.
Wednesdays have become popular among listeners and viewers alike because they get to know what happens behind Parliament's walls, first hand.
Legislators also take this as an opportunity for them to "shine", as they get an opportunity to ask ministers the most difficult of questions.
It is the liveliest session in the august House, known for producing "fireworks".
Last week, the House of Assembly recorded a high attendance of 270 legislators with MPs from both the ruling ZANU-PF party and the opposition Movement for Democratic Change jostling for a chance to ask ministers questions and, in the process, appear live on ZTV.
It is now a common trend that when the ZBC crew cuts off its live transmission, even debate in Parliament comes to an end because most lawmakers will also take a break for the day.
Last week Wednesday, as the ZBC crew walked out of the Chambers, most ministers and MPs could be seen following right behind them, leaving behind only 66 MPs in the House of Assembly, who were not enough to constitute a quorum.
According to Standing Order Number 56, a parliamentary quorum requires at least 71 MPs.
There is a new school of thought emerging among lawmakers that says television cameras should continue rolling 24/7.
Kuwadzana East MP, Nelson Chamisa, belongs to this school of thought.
"I want our Parliament, if it were possible, to be able to consider the issue of coverage of parliamentary debates be done 24 hours per day as the case in other countries like South Africa and Kenya," he said as a point of order.
"I am raising a point of order Mr Speaker Sir, because once the live coverage ends, people leave this Chamber," he added.
Chamisa said most MPs were no longer treating Parliament business with the respect that it deserves.
As far as most of them were concerned, parliamentary business is now centred on live television broadcasts.
"We should not only be in the House when ZBC is in the House. When ZBC leaves, we should also (continue to) debate. The majority of the MPs have left the Chamber, I do not know if they are seeing off the ZBC crew to Pockets Hill or maybe this is just a bad practice that we now have," observed Chamisa.
Reuben Marumahoko, who was the acting Speaker of Parliament on the day, promised to "make the necessary report to the powers-that-be and your response will come in due course".
Marumahoko had a word of caution for Chamisa though.
"What you have left out is that you spend a lot of time making a lot of noise during question time. If you had mentioned that, it would have been worthy," Marumahoko said.
"Indeed, what you have said is true that once ZBC leaves, the ministers also leave this august House. We should not be people that come because the television is present. We should come to the House to represent our constituencies," said the acting Speaker.
Source - fingaz
