I will march cows to Parly, Priscilla

via I will march cows to Parly, Priscilla – NewZimbabwe 18/12/2015

FIREBRAND MDC legislator Priscilla Misihairabwi-Mushonga has defended her controversial stunts in parliament which critics say were mere attention seeking habits.

The legislator warned she would do more, even bring Gukurahundi victims to Parliament to highlight the challenges they continue to face.

Her latest gimmick was during Wednesday’s session when she took an infant into the house ostensibly to press for breast-feeding rights for serving female MPs.

“If I had brought a child to a bar, they would have said that is not an environment which befits children,” said Misihairabwi Mushonga in an interview with NewZimbabwe.com.

“Parliament is a place where policy making is made, a place which is environmentally clean, so what is the issue here?”

The Matebeleland South proportional representation MP in July caused a stir when she exhibited some used panties she had brought to show fellow MPs living standards had plunged to levels where poor locals were now importing used underwear.

But while memories of the stunt were beginning to fade from people’s minds, the former regional integration minister was back on the spotlight, this time exhibiting a baby.

Harare based political analyst Takura Zhangazha was among those who found the MP out of order by using a baby to express a point.

Defiant

“While it helped to put her point across in dramatic fashion, there are ethical considerations about using a baby to make the specific political point,” Zhangazha said.

He questioned whether the MP had the permission from the infant’s parents to parade it during a live television broadcast live on state television.

“How do they know that is not my child and how do they know that is not a child who I look after,” Misihairabwi-Mushonga said.

“But let’s assume it is not my child and it’s a child that I have a relationship with who I look after, how does that become an issue?”

Misihairabwi-Mushonga insisted that if the parliamentary environment was unsuitable for babies, it was also not ideal for female MPs either.

She added: “If I had stood up in that parliament and said oh this parliament is very difficult for babies without a practical example of a situation in which the speaker has to say babies cannot allowed here then it would never have made the point that needed to be made.”

At this rate, one critic observed, she could soon drive a whole herd of cattle from cattle ranching Matebeleland province to illustrate an anthrax scare in the province.

“If I were to bring cattle that are emaciated from Matebeleland to show that this is happening and you (government) are not doing what you need to do, I would do so,” said the MP.

“Right now I am screaming horse about marginalisation but because people are sitting comfortably, they eat their supper, they sleep in hotels, have air conditioned cars, they cannot live the reality of somebody who is coming from a marginalised situation.

“If I could also bring victims of Gukurahundi (massacres), children without birth certificates who can get into parliament, I would do it because I understand and appreciate that until you make a radical position, no one stands up to listen.”