VP Mphoko attends Parly after outcry

Politics
VICE-President Phelekezela Mphoko yesterday made a surprise entrance in the National Assembly minutes after his co-VP Emmerson Mnangagwa had taken all questions without notice.
VP-MPHOKO-ADDRESS2
Vice-President Phelekezela Mphoko

VICE-President Phelekezela Mphoko yesterday made a surprise entrance in the National Assembly minutes after his co-VP Emmerson Mnangagwa had taken all questions without notice.

BY SENIOR PARLIAMENTARY REPORTER

Last week there was commotion after opposition MPs complained about Mphoko’s non-attendance of Parliament during question-and-answer sessions Opposition MPs cheered when the VP entered the House with Kuwadzana East MP Nelson Chamisa (MDC-T) making a short welcome speech.

Mphoko sat briefly for about 20 minutes before leaving the chamber.

Meanwhile, Mkoba MP Amos Chibaya asked Mnangagwa to explain to the House if failure by the government to fill in the posts of Women’s Affairs, Gender and Community Development minister and other deputy ministerial positions was due to cost cutting measures that Finance minister Patrick Chinamasa recently announced Rumours have been doing the rounds that First Lady Grace Mugabe was eyeing the post.

Mnangagwa avoided answering the question saying it was in Chinamasa’s purview.

However, Chinamasa said it was not part of his duties to appoint ministers, adding his mandate was only to provide the resources after new appointments. Mnangagwa announced that the Standing Rules and Orders Committee had decided that Kennedy Chokuda would be substantive Clerk of Parliament, a motion which was unanimously agreed and adopted by parties across the political divide.

Meanwhile, Transport and Infrastructural Development minister Obert Mpofu told the House that several investors were interested in introducing high-speed bullet trains in Zimbabwe while responding to a question on measures his ministry was planning to take to resuscitate rail systems in the country.

In another development, Mwenezi East MP Kudakwashe Bhasikiti (Zanu PF) irked opposition MPs when he withdrew a motion he wanted to introduce in the House to discuss the plight of people displaced by floods in Chingwizi.

The MPs suspected that Bhasikiti was forced to withdraw it after threats.