BUHERA West MP Joseph Chinotimba (Zanu PF) yesterday accused teachers of fronting for the opposition MDC Alliance through their endless industrial action, which he said had destroyed the education sector.
Chinotimba raised the issue as a matter of privilege in
Parliament with the Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly, Tsitsi Gezi.
He also alleged that the striking teachers were on the
Nelson Chamisa-led MDC Alliance payroll and on a mission to make the country
ungovernable.
“I rise on a point of privilege on the issue of
schoolchildren. I wanted to ask tomorrow (today), but this has become a concern
to us. In my opinion, teachers are no longer on strike, but are on an
opposition mission,” Chinotimba said.
“Teachers, in my opinion, are on the payroll of the
opposition. Our children are not going to school. If they go to school, they
are not learning anything.”
The Zanu PF legislator claimed that government had done its
best to address teachers’ grievances, but it seemed they wanted to continue
with the strike action.
Teachers downed tools in September when schools reopened
for examination classes, demanding a US$520 salary which they used to earn
during the United States dollar era, but government has ruled out paying US
dollar-based salaries.
The strike has left students unattended, with some
reportedly engaging in drug abuse and sexy orgies.
“The teachers are being paid by one of the biggest
opposition parties in Zimbabwe to make this nation ungovernable. It is better
for the teachers to stay home,” Chinotimba said.
Gezi ruled that Chinotimba should raise his issue in
today’s question-and-answer session when Primary and Secondary Education
minister Cain Mathema will be available to respond to the question.
Norton MP Themba Mliswa (Independent) then demanded that
Chinotimba withdraws his accusations against teachers, saying the accusations
would send wrong messages to the public about Parliament.
“If his statement that teachers are paid by the opposition
is recorded in the Hansard, it will be a problem. It is wrong for this
Parliament to be seen to be accusing teachers. My teachers in Norton are not
paid by the opposition,” Mliswa said.
Meanwhile, in another matter of privilege, Mbizo MP
Settlement Chikwinya (MDC Alliance) demanded that Zanu PF MPs should move a
motion in Parliament to prove that sanctions had stifled economic growth.
Newsday
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