Maridadi is a dishonourable MP?

As 2018 is beckoning, the electorates must take stock of the contributions made by the people they voted into parliament to represent them. This should be done with a view to assuring quality representation in parliament and avoid the same mistake of choosing useless people.

Some of the parliamentarians that we have are quite a disgrace. The quality of contributions that they make in parliament is quite irrelevant to the aspirations of the people who chose them. Electorates do not expect sophistication of debates or erudite characters per se, but someone who delivers on the electoral promises. It is time to measure these promises against what is on the ground.

Some behaviours exhibited by certain MPs are quite unparliamentary and a complete shame. In some instances, one can hardly stand tall and say, ‘this is my MP.' It has become a misnomer to call some of them honourables for they are absolutely dishonourable.

While debating a motion urging Government to deal with vagrants and drug abusers last month, Mr James Maridadi, MDC-T MP for Mabvuku-Tafara accused Government of mismanagement, including taking to Parliament people whom he said had no known technical skill. One of the people he mentioned is Cde Joseph Chinotimba, MP for Buhera South. He said Cde Chinotimba was just a security guard at the City of Harare.

However, I was surprised one day when I heard on television some people from different constituencies extolling Cde Chinotimba for the sterling job he is doing in Buhera South and to some extent in other constituencies outside the boundaries of his constituency. Some of the electorate interviewed had to rank him as the most hardworking MP and wished he could represent them next time. Come 2018, as a resident of Mabvuku, I would pick on Cde Chinotimba if given an opportunity to choose a representative of our choice.

This is the caliber of the MP that we need in Zimbabwe. People do not eat grammatical prowess of an MP as Maridadi seems to insinuate. We are Zimbabweans who have their own rich indigenous languages. You don't need be proficient in English to spearhead development. A visit to Buhera South would help to understand the role of an MP and the irrelevance of English in representing people.

Mr Maridadi, with his mastery of the Queen's language, has done virtually nothing in Mabvuku-Tafara constituency. This I need not to be told for I am a resident of that constituency. We have not known safe water in Mabvuku for over five years, and so is Tafara. The sewage system bursts all the time to an extent that there are sewage ponds that have become a menace to the residents. Human bodies have been fished out from these ‘ponds of death.' Despite his promises to bring to an end these problems, the former DJ has not done anything except behaving like a school child both in and outside parliament.

The man who berated government for the challenge of vagrants and taking unskilled people to parliament, recently behaved like a vagrant himself. Maridadi was hauled before the courts for a crime that only vagrants are expected to commit. He refused to pay one dollar parking fee at the National Railways of Zimbabwe parking bay. Not only that, he grabbed the ticket book before speeding off with it.

As a lawmaker, Maridadi's behaviour was unbecoming, moreso coming from a member of a party that always talks of rule of law. It is the culture of the MDC-T officials to indicate left while turning right. Even the democracy that is always on their lips is non-existent in the MDC-T.

Maridadi, as an opinion leader in society has failed to be exemplary. He has set a very bad example for the youngsters especially those from his constituency. His behavior is exactly that of a vagrant. Will he be able to reprimand a youngster who grabs and run away with a vendor's wares?
I have also learnt that Maridadi is not as smart as he presents himself in parliament. At times suits deceive people. This gentleman stunned the court when he said he could not remember the name of his lawyer. After signing a contract with an attorney, Maridadi still could not remember the attorney's name. I suppose he even forgets the names of his children. That forgetfulness explains why the legislator failed to garner five subjects at his Ordinary level.

The lawyer who dumped him could be having good reasons to do so. She was not sure if Maridadi was going to pay her. After failing to pay a mere dollar, there was no guarantee that Maridadi would afford the legal fees.

This is not the first time that Maridadi was embroiled in embarrassing scandals. While he was still at ZESA, he was allegedly notorious for snatching other people's wives.  He performed dismally as the then Prime Minister's spokesperson, leading to his demotion. History will judge Maridadi sternly.