ZANU PF legislator Kindness Paradza (Makonde) has accused
his MDC counterparts’ snub of diplomatic passports offered by President
Emmerson Mnangagwa government as a cheap publicity stunt as some of them were
issued with the travel document last year.
Paradza, who is also the chairperson of the Foreign Affairs
Parliamentary Portfolio Committee, announced in Parliament early this month
that Mnangagwa had given a nod for all parliamentarians to be issued with
diplomatic passports, but MDC MPs said they would not accept the offer.
The Makonde MP told NewsDay yesterday that it was unfair
for the opposition leadership to deny other MPs passports yet they were
beneficiaries of Mnangagwa’s
generosity.
“Yes, it’s very true. He (MDC secretary-general Charlton Hwende)
is a holder of a diplomatic passport. Not only him, but they are many. Hwende
is denouncing
the issuance of diplomatic passports to his fellow MPs, yet
he is a holder of a diplomatic passport which he was issued by the same
President. Actually, the
same passport assisted him to get temporary refuge in
Namibia after the January disturbances,” he said.
“(Other MPs who have diplomatic passports include) Dorcas
Sibanda, Tendai Biti, Prosper Mutseyami, Paurina Mpariwa, Daniel Molokele,
Concilia Chinanzvavana,
Prince Sibanda, Anele Ndebele, Willis Madzimure, Gabbuza
Gabuza, Murisi Zwizwai, Tapiwa Mashakada, Jasmine Tofa and Ruth Labode. They
were given these
passports last year, now they want to pretend to be holier
than thou.”
Some of the MPs named MPs confirmed to NewsDay yesterday
that they received the diplomatic passports.
Paradza said the issue of diplomatic passports was already
fanning tensions among the opposition MPs.
“This is hypocrisy of the highest order. Hwende is just
grandstanding. Most of the ordinary MDC MPs are against Hwende. A lot of them
have been flocking to
get these diplomatic passports since the announcement,” he
said.
But Hwende yesterday said they had resolved as a party not
to accept the privilege offered by Mnangagwa considering that many Zimbabweans
were currently not being issued passports by the Registrar-General (RG) due to
shortages of passport paper and printing machine problems.
“The party position is clear, as a party, we must always
put the people first. This is non-negotiable. There is a current shortage of
printing materials used
to produce passports that has resulted in many Zimbabweans
failing to access specialists treatment abroad, others have failed to go to
school. The party
position is based on this reality should the situation in
future improves and Zimbabweans who want passports can access them without any
hindrance then those
MPs who want passports can then access them,” he said.
Most Zimbabweans are struggling to get the travel document
with 340 000 applicants reportedly on the waiting list. Newsday
0 comments:
Post a Comment