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ZIMBABWE: Parliament Set To come Alive
By Lewis Machipisa
HARARE (IPS) - So lifeless were Zimbabwe's Parliamentary sessions that some Members of Parliament were regularly found catnapping during the debates. With a defacto one-party state in place (of the 150 parliamentary seats only three belonged to the opposition), legislators were nervous of openly opposing or confronting the ruling ZANU-PF government. The repercussions of such actions could be grim.
However the country has seen a historic turnaround. Following the weekend parliamentary poll, where 58 opposition MPs made their way into parliament, sessions are guaranteed to be more lively and relevant.
The ruling ZANU-PF party won 62 of the 120 elected seats. For much of the 20 years of independence, debates were generally sidelined in Zimbabwe's parliament as the executive frequently bullied the house into rubber stamping its decisions.
The few times when the 147 ZANU-PF MPs out the 150 member assembly stood their ground they were whipped into submission. Providing checks and balances for the activities of the executive has not been easy for parliamentarians.
Even if they had wanted to impeach president Robert Mugabe, they could not. Under Zimbabwe's law, president Mugabe can dissolve parliament while the house is in the middle of trying to impeach him. So like a flock of sheep the MPs obeyed the executive, and in some cases, members were even punished for not toeing the party line in parliament.
Two years ago, ZANU-PF legislator, Dzikamayi Mavhaire, was suspended from the party for suggesting in parliament that Mugabe tenure should be limited to two five-year terms -even an apology submitted to Mugabe could not save him from the two-year suspension.
And Speaker of Parliament, Cyril Ndebele, who had invoked parliamentary immunity in a bid to protect Mavhaire, had his actions rebuked by Mugabe as ''rank madness''. But the new players in parliament have promised to debate issues without fear and liven up parliament. But young opposition MP, Learnmore Jongwe, says he is bringing a wake-up (call) to parliament. ''We are coming to execute national business. We have to keep government on its toes,'' he says.
''Obviously there will be those whose interests will be threatened but we will do our job,'' says Jongwe (26), a lawyer by profession. According to Priscilla Misihairambwi, who will enter parliament on an Movement for Democratic Change, MDC, ticket, it is crucial that Parliament be able to oversee the actions of the government and promote an accountable and transparent system of governance.
Misihairambwi has vowed to make sure that Parliament will not resemble a siesta room again. ''I will ensure that we have top quality debates,'' she say. In a broadcast address to the nation Tuesday night, president Robert Mugabe said he expects fireworks in parliament ''Our next parliament will prove to be lively, but hopefully lively in a positive way,'' Mugabe said. Looking at who's who in the House, it indeed will. For the first time since independence no party has a two-thirds majority meaning that neither Zanu-PF nor MDC can amend the constitution without each other's consent. New MPs from the ruling party have also said they would not emulate their predecessors and just go to parliament to sit and listen to a few others and be pushed around.
''There are new youngsters who have come from ZANU-PF who are very brilliant,'' says maverick businessman Philip Chiyangwa a new ZANU- PF MP. ''So from our side, we have people who have achieved major achievements and accomplishments which we will bring to parliament.
We will not only but make sure people are empowered,'' he says. Chiyangwa is young businessman and chairman of the controversial Affirmative Action Group (AAG) which has been on the forefront of give marginalised black business people a leg up in industry and commerce. It has not achieved much and the programme has been shrouded in controversy. Chiyangwa said now that he is in parliament, he will push for legislation to empower blacks. ''The people of Zimbabwe have spoken and expressed their choices for parliament. We are conscious of the extraordinary obstacles they faced to vote, and the exceptional performance of the MDC, will ensure healthy debate in parliament,'' said MDC leader, Morgan Tsvangirai, in a post election media briefing. ''Our primary aim is to restore confidence in the country. This is not the time for partisanship. We have to focus on rebuilding this nation and moving forward,'' said Tsvangirai.
For years, ousted independent member of parliament, Margaret Dongo fought a lone battle, as in her words, she used to say, she was ''the only person who could freely speak my mind out in parliament.'' Dongo once described Zimbabwe's parliament as being dominated by ''men and women who can't see an existence outside parliament so for them parliament is a form of employment. As a result they will continue to lick until they can't lick any more.'' The individualist MP once described ZANU-PF members of parliament, 147 of them out of the 150 member assembly as ''Mugabe wives'' because they ''feared'' him .
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