News / National
Zanu-PF shots down motion to revisit the Gukurahundi issue
31 Jul 2011 at 16:03hrs | Views
Zanu-PF legislators on Wednesday shot down a motion by an MDC-T legislator seeking to have the establishment of a parliamentary select committee to work with experts on transitional justice and national healing.
Hurungwe West MP Mr Severino Chambati (MDC-T) moved the motion, which was supported by MDC-T legislators that there be a committee to deal with national healing looking on various aspects that include political violence that has rocked the country and the political disturbances in Matabeleland that occurred in the 1980s, Herald Online reported on Friday.
On another note, the Speaker of the House of Assembly, Mr Lovemore Moyo, yesterday withdrew all Adverse Reports on Statutory Instruments that were brought by the Parliamentary Legal Committee before the House after it emerged that their tabling violated the Constitution.
This means the adverse report on the Indigenisation and Empowerment Act giving guidelines on how companies should comply with the law is now of no legal force.
On the motion to investigate violence, Zanu-PF MPs said setting up of such a committee was a duplication of two arms already seized with the issues.
Institutions that are already seized with national healing include the Joint Monitoring and Implementation Committee and the Organ on National Healing, Integration and Reconciliation.
Shurugwi South MP, Annastancia Ndlovu (Zanu-PF) said what was critical was to capacitate these two institutions rather than setting another arm.
Ndlovu said the reason Zimbabweans went to war was the right to vote and democracy and violence retarded the gains of independence.
She urged legislators to give the two arms dealing with national healing a chance.
Mberengwa East MP, Makhosini Hlongwane said Zanu-PF envisaged a violence-free environment but there was need to give the two arms a chance.
MDC-T legislators said there was need to revisit the Gukurahundi issue as part of national healing.
On the ruling by the Speaker on adverse reports, Deputy Speaker, Ms Nomalanga Khumalo said it had been noted that the Constitution did not allow adverse reports on Statutory Instruments to be brought to the House of Assembly at the first instance.
She said the Speaker had noted that while Parliament rules allowed the tabling of such reports, the legal position was not consistent with the Constitution.
Hurungwe West MP Mr Severino Chambati (MDC-T) moved the motion, which was supported by MDC-T legislators that there be a committee to deal with national healing looking on various aspects that include political violence that has rocked the country and the political disturbances in Matabeleland that occurred in the 1980s, Herald Online reported on Friday.
On another note, the Speaker of the House of Assembly, Mr Lovemore Moyo, yesterday withdrew all Adverse Reports on Statutory Instruments that were brought by the Parliamentary Legal Committee before the House after it emerged that their tabling violated the Constitution.
This means the adverse report on the Indigenisation and Empowerment Act giving guidelines on how companies should comply with the law is now of no legal force.
On the motion to investigate violence, Zanu-PF MPs said setting up of such a committee was a duplication of two arms already seized with the issues.
Institutions that are already seized with national healing include the Joint Monitoring and Implementation Committee and the Organ on National Healing, Integration and Reconciliation.
Shurugwi South MP, Annastancia Ndlovu (Zanu-PF) said what was critical was to capacitate these two institutions rather than setting another arm.
She urged legislators to give the two arms dealing with national healing a chance.
Mberengwa East MP, Makhosini Hlongwane said Zanu-PF envisaged a violence-free environment but there was need to give the two arms a chance.
MDC-T legislators said there was need to revisit the Gukurahundi issue as part of national healing.
On the ruling by the Speaker on adverse reports, Deputy Speaker, Ms Nomalanga Khumalo said it had been noted that the Constitution did not allow adverse reports on Statutory Instruments to be brought to the House of Assembly at the first instance.
She said the Speaker had noted that while Parliament rules allowed the tabling of such reports, the legal position was not consistent with the Constitution.
Source - TH
