Drunkard parliamentarians barred from buying booze during sitting

THE speaker of Parliament Jacob Mudenda, has started his term in the National Assembly by banning the sale of alcoholic beverages during parliamentary sittings, with effect from Wednesday last week.

The "august" bar had become popular during parliamentary sittings as some legislators skipped debates to drink alcohol, but Mudenda has now put an end to imbibing sessions in a move likely to make him unpopular among most "truant" MPs.

"I also have to inform the House that the members' bar will, with immediate effect not serve any alcoholic beverages during the sittings of the House.

"Only soft drinks will be served," declared Mudenda on the second day of the first sitting of the Eighth Parliament last Wednesday as captured by the Hansard, an official record of Parliament proceedings.

Mudenda in last week's proceedings accused MPs of not respecting him. He has also reportedly told Parliament's management led by clerk of Parliament Austin Zvoma that he is the one in charge and would not brook any nonsense.

Last Thursday he also dressed down former Deputy Prime Minister and leader of the MDC-T in the House Thokozani Khupe and her party's MPs for disrespecting him.