Misihairambwi-Mushonga causes a stir over flowers story

PROPORTIONATE Representative MP Mrs Priscilla Misihairabwi-Mushonga (MDC) on Thursday asked Speaker of the National Assembly Advocate Jacob Mudenda to rule if a journalist from The Herald was not in contempt of Parliament after a report on her bringing flowers into the House.

The outspoken legislator gave Finance and Economic Development Minister Patrick Chinamasa the flowers during debate in the Chamber on Tuesday, which she said should be delivered to a female official in his ministry.

Mrs Misihairabwi-Mushonga also gave Minister Chinamasa a T-shirt inscribed with his Shumba totem for him to wear.

Both presents were meant to show her appreciation of the ministry's decision to remove duty on sanitary wear in the 2017 National Budget that Minister Chinamasa presented last year.

"The positive that I found in this budget was obviously the issue around sanitary wear," said Mrs Misihairabwi-Mushonga during her contribution. "I just want to thank the Honourable Minister, after all these years begging him to do something about sanitary wear, we see that he actually did something about it."

Mrs Misihairabwi-Mushonga commended Minister Chinamasa for introducing her to a lady in his Ministry, a Mrs Mhini, to discuss about the removal of duty on sanitary wear.

"So, I have a present for Ms Mhini, which I am going to ask the Honourable Minister to take to her, just to thank her and say, that is what we expect from all women," she said.

"Mr Speaker Sir, I want to thank the Honourable Minister for accepting to do this. In a typical and traditional way of thanking our males and men, we normally use the totem. I have this T-shirt for him (Minister Chinamasa), it is called Mazvita and printed Shumba, thank you so much."

Her contribution, which lasted almost 20 minutes, touched on various issues about Minister Chinamasa's ministry and other legislators who spoke after her also gave complimentary remarks to him.

In her complaint to Speaker of the National Assembly Advocate Jacob Mudenda, Mrs Misihairabwi-Mushonga took exception on why three legislators were quoted verbatim by The Herald when her contribution was paraphrased.

She also disputed that she had commended Minister Chinamasa on the work he is doing on the economy.

Adv Mudenda said he would want to study her complaint before making a ruling next week.

This was not the first time Mrs Misihairabwi-Mushonga brought aids into the House to create visual and interactive experience for fellow legislators.

In July 2015, she caused drama when she brought underwear and waved the used panties, before charging at Gokwe-Nembudziya MP Justice Mayor Wadyajena (Zanu-PF) whom she accused of undermining her on the floor.

She was ejected from the House for charging at Wadyajena, who had pulled her jacket and passed a comment.

Mrs Misihairabwi-Mushonga was protesting against the importation and sale of second-hand women's undergarments, which she said exposed women to diseases.

In another stunt in December 2015, Mrs Misihairabwi-Mushonga brought an infant into the House when it was in session.

She sought to make her point while asking Parliament to appreciate the need to put mechanisms in place to cater for nursing mothers.

Mrs Misihairabwi-Mushonga also once brought samples of sanitary wear into the House to illustrate a point on the need to remove duty on them.