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Minister defends use of school buses for Mugabe rallies
20 Jul 2017 at 06:28hrs | Views
PRIMARY and Secondary Education deputy minister, Paul Mavima, yesterday defended the use of school buses to ferry Zanu-PF supporters to President Robert Mugabe's campaign rallies, saying school development committees (SDCs) will have hired them out or voluntarily offered them.
Mavima made the remarks in Parliament after Budiriro legislator, Costa Machingauta (MDC-T) quizzed him on government policy regarding the use of school property for political party activities.
"Schools have authority to decide how their property can be used," he responded.
"Most schools have buses, and at times they are hired by churches, and, as a ministry, we do not interfere on who the SDCs hire their buses to."
But, Machingauta insisted that in most cases, Zanu-PF officials simply commandeered the buses to the rallies without the SDCs' consent.
"They are not paid for those services, the buses are not serviced when they return and the school environment is also disturbed by these rallies," he said.
"The buses are returned dirty, with used condoms after the event, and even students are force-marched to those rallies."
Acting Speaker of the National Assembly Rueben Marumahoko later interjected and ordered closure of debate on the matter.
"The deputy minister has already said those buses are hired out by SDCs.
"If you have further questions, then bring the names of the specific schools in question," he said, as angry opposition legislators accused him of stifling debate on important issues.
In an unrelated matter, Chitungwiza North lawmaker, Godfrey Sithole demanded that the leader of the House, Emmerson Mnangagwa issue a statement on escalating political violence targeting properties owned by the MDC-T and its top officials.
"It is disturbing that Home Affairs minister Ignatius Chombo has already ruled that the incidents were done by MDC-T on itself without investigations," Sithole said.
Marumahoko ordered Sithole to present the issue as a motion on a matter of public importance.
Mavima made the remarks in Parliament after Budiriro legislator, Costa Machingauta (MDC-T) quizzed him on government policy regarding the use of school property for political party activities.
"Schools have authority to decide how their property can be used," he responded.
"Most schools have buses, and at times they are hired by churches, and, as a ministry, we do not interfere on who the SDCs hire their buses to."
But, Machingauta insisted that in most cases, Zanu-PF officials simply commandeered the buses to the rallies without the SDCs' consent.
"They are not paid for those services, the buses are not serviced when they return and the school environment is also disturbed by these rallies," he said.
Acting Speaker of the National Assembly Rueben Marumahoko later interjected and ordered closure of debate on the matter.
"The deputy minister has already said those buses are hired out by SDCs.
"If you have further questions, then bring the names of the specific schools in question," he said, as angry opposition legislators accused him of stifling debate on important issues.
In an unrelated matter, Chitungwiza North lawmaker, Godfrey Sithole demanded that the leader of the House, Emmerson Mnangagwa issue a statement on escalating political violence targeting properties owned by the MDC-T and its top officials.
"It is disturbing that Home Affairs minister Ignatius Chombo has already ruled that the incidents were done by MDC-T on itself without investigations," Sithole said.
Marumahoko ordered Sithole to present the issue as a motion on a matter of public importance.
Source - newsday
