News / National
Dishonourable Parliamentarians face arrest
10 Aug 2015 at 10:55hrs | Views
National Assembly Speaker Advocate Jacob Mudenda has warned Members of Parliament who behave dishonourably that they faced arrest.
He said MPs who disregarded lawful instruction to park their vehicles at designated parking lots would be arrested.
Adv Mudenda also warned MPs who snub parliamentary sittings and those who disrupt sessions by raising meaningless points of order.
He delivered the warning in the National Assembly recently.
"I have now instructed the police at the entrance gate to the car park; when a member refuses to obey a lawful instruction to park his vehicle properly, that honourable member shall be dishonourable and I have given the police an order to arrest accordingly," said Adv Mudenda.
But MDC MP for Matabeleland South, Mrs Priscilla Misihairambwi-Mushonga said there was inadequate parking space since it has been taken up by permanently broken down vehicles.
"(Mr) Speaker, there are 26 cars that you can tell are not moving and have been parked there for some time because they are broken down," she said.
Adv Mudenda said he would ensure that the broken down vehicles are removed.
He also warned legislators who attend parliamentary sessions briefly before walking out, saying that this had resulted in the House debating some motions without a quorum
Seventy MPs constitute a quorum in the national Assembly.
"Honourable members have a responsibility to attend Parliament in order to fulfil their representative, oversight and legislative roles," said Adv Mudenda.
"I wish to emphasise the provisions of Sections 117 of the Constitution of Zimbabwe which states that: 'The legislative authority of Zimbabwe is derived from the people and is vested and exercised in accordance with the Constitution of Zimbabwe."
"It is therefore evident that failure by honourable members to attend sittings of the House is a negation of their responsibility.
"Honourable members must recognise and respect the source of their authority, namely the people of Zimbabwe."
He said it was important for MPs to protect the Constitution and promote democratic governance in Zimbabwe.
Adv Mudenda also warned legislators from disrupting House proceedings by raising points of order that were frivolous and vexatious, with no legal basis.
"Therefore, to ensure the smooth flow of debate and House proceedings, I hereby direct that with immediate effect, no point of order shall be admitted for consideration unless the member raising this gives specific reference to the Standing Rule and Order that is allegedly being impugned or violated.
"Anyone raising a point of order must state the Standing Rule and Order they are relying on and the specific relief being sought.
"Now, this directive is consistent with Standing Rule and Order No. 93, subsection 1(f) of the National Assembly which states that 'no member shall while speaking to a question, use his right of speech for the purpose of obstructing the proceedings of the House, abusing the rules or misusing the forms of the House."
He said MPs who disregarded lawful instruction to park their vehicles at designated parking lots would be arrested.
Adv Mudenda also warned MPs who snub parliamentary sittings and those who disrupt sessions by raising meaningless points of order.
He delivered the warning in the National Assembly recently.
"I have now instructed the police at the entrance gate to the car park; when a member refuses to obey a lawful instruction to park his vehicle properly, that honourable member shall be dishonourable and I have given the police an order to arrest accordingly," said Adv Mudenda.
But MDC MP for Matabeleland South, Mrs Priscilla Misihairambwi-Mushonga said there was inadequate parking space since it has been taken up by permanently broken down vehicles.
"(Mr) Speaker, there are 26 cars that you can tell are not moving and have been parked there for some time because they are broken down," she said.
Adv Mudenda said he would ensure that the broken down vehicles are removed.
He also warned legislators who attend parliamentary sessions briefly before walking out, saying that this had resulted in the House debating some motions without a quorum
"Honourable members have a responsibility to attend Parliament in order to fulfil their representative, oversight and legislative roles," said Adv Mudenda.
"I wish to emphasise the provisions of Sections 117 of the Constitution of Zimbabwe which states that: 'The legislative authority of Zimbabwe is derived from the people and is vested and exercised in accordance with the Constitution of Zimbabwe."
"It is therefore evident that failure by honourable members to attend sittings of the House is a negation of their responsibility.
"Honourable members must recognise and respect the source of their authority, namely the people of Zimbabwe."
He said it was important for MPs to protect the Constitution and promote democratic governance in Zimbabwe.
Adv Mudenda also warned legislators from disrupting House proceedings by raising points of order that were frivolous and vexatious, with no legal basis.
"Therefore, to ensure the smooth flow of debate and House proceedings, I hereby direct that with immediate effect, no point of order shall be admitted for consideration unless the member raising this gives specific reference to the Standing Rule and Order that is allegedly being impugned or violated.
"Anyone raising a point of order must state the Standing Rule and Order they are relying on and the specific relief being sought.
"Now, this directive is consistent with Standing Rule and Order No. 93, subsection 1(f) of the National Assembly which states that 'no member shall while speaking to a question, use his right of speech for the purpose of obstructing the proceedings of the House, abusing the rules or misusing the forms of the House."
Source - the herald
