Morgan Femai

Morgan Femai
Morgan Femai
Born	September 7, 1949 (age 75); Chimanimani
Residence	Ruwa
Occupation	Senator; Politician;

Morgan Femai is a Zimbabwean politician and senator for Chikomo. He has most recently elected senator in the July 2018 general elections. Previously he was elected in the 2008 Zimbabwean parliamentary elections winning with a huge margin.

Background

Morgan Femai was born in Chimanimani in 1949. He did his education up to Standard 6 in 1967.

Political Career

He was MDC and the MDC-T Chairman from 1998 to 2013, under Morgan Tsvangirai. He was an MDC-T National Council member from 2013 to 2018.

Position on Women and HIV

In May 2012, at a parliamentary HIV awareness workshop in Kadoma, Femai made several statements considered ignorant, about the prevention of AID transmission and women. He said:

“What I propose it that the government should come up with a law that compels women to have their heads clean-shaven like what the Apostolic sects do. They should also not bathe because that is what has caused all these problems. Women have got more moisture in their organs as compared to men so there is need to research on how to deal with that moisture because it is conducive for bacteria breeding. There should be a way to suck out that moisture"^[1]

Position on HIV in Prison

In June 2019, as Thematic Committee on HIV/and AIDS chairperson Morgan Femai, called on the government to accept the reality of rampant homosexuality in the country’s prisons and provide measures to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Following a visit to Chikurubi

Following a visit to Chikurubi Maximum Prison, Femai said:

“The issue of condom distribution is very important. Inmates should be given condoms because they are overcrowded in these cells. They are human beings and it is something that we cannot ignore. A cell that has a capacity of 500 inmates, we heard that such a cell is currently carrying a capacity of 2000 inmates. “These people have feelings and we have to accept the reality of our situation. Even the mentally challenged (and are in prison) have feelings, so they should be given condoms so that when one feels like having the act, they are protected,”^[2]

Asking for Finance Minister Mthuli's Removal

In March 2020, following 2 years of high inflation and significant reduction in the quality of life of Zimbabweans, Femai famously asked in parliament how and when a decision would be made to fire the Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube. Said Femai:

I would like to know government policy concerning a minister who is not performing to expectations. If it’s true that a such a Minister can be fired, I want to know when Minister Ncube will be fired?

He was asked to withdraw the question, which he did.