ZANU PF MP Says Opposition Legislators Are Homosexual
ZANU PF members of Parliament caused an uproar in Parliament on Wednesday after claiming some members on the opposition benches were homosexual.
During a question and answer session as MPs debated the measles outbreak in the country, Bindura South MP Remigious Matangira and Buhera South MP Joseph Chinotimba defended some religious sects that shun vaccination.
Some Apostolic sects in the country do not allow their members to visit clinics or hospitals for treatment when they fall sick or receive vaccination against COVID-19 or child killer diseases.
As legislators debated the issue, Norton MP Temba Mliswa (Independent), suggested that the government uses different forms of media to urge the public to be vaccinated. He said:
Can there be a public announcement through the national radio, television, et cetera when such an exercise is being done to make people aware and help officers including departmental heads in various districts to disseminate the information that every child is supposed to be vaccinated?
It was the same again with COVID-19; other parents did not want to do that. We also talk about the very same constitutional provision of the right to life; that failure to do so, those parents will certainly face the full wrath of the law.
Mliswa’s remarks did not go down well with Matangira and Chinotimba who vehemently defended the churches that do not recognise conventional medicines.
Gesturing toward the opposition bench, Matangira then shouted, “ikoko ndiko kune ngochani (there are homosexuals on the opposition benches). People’s churches should be respected.”
This infuriated Mliswa who demanded that Matangira withdraws his remarks. Mliswa said:
Hon. Matangira should withdraw the statement that “uku ndiko kunogara ngochani” we can also retaliate but please withdraw that statement. Ngochani ndiyani? Do not be a coward Hon. Matangira, shame on you!
You say things that you cannot repeat even to your own children. You said it. Withdraw your words. Uri murume werudzii anorukwa musoro. Unoda kunyenga ani kuno? Hatikude nevhudzi rako iro isu. You lie to your family if you cannot withdraw that statement.
National Assembly Deputy Speaker Tsitsi Gezi then intervened and ordered Matangira to sit down and for Mliswa to calm down.
Matangira then withdrew his statement. He said:
I said that people from that side support homosexuality. I did not say there are homosexuals in this House.
Honestly speaking, we have a lot of people who are in jail but who did not commit any offence. Anyway, I withdraw my words.
More: NewZimbabwe.com
