Source: Minister defends Zanu PF use of school buses for Mugabe rallies – NewsDay Zimbabwe July 20, 2017
PRIMARY and Secondary Education deputy minister, Paul Mavima, yesterday defended the use of school buses to ferry Zanu PF supporters to President Robert Mugabe’s campaign rallies, saying school development committees (SDCs) will have hired them out or voluntarily offered them.
BY VENERANDA LANGA
Mavima made the remarks in Parliament after Budiriro legislator, Costa Machingauta (MDC-T) quizzed him on government policy regarding the use of school property for political party activities.
“Schools have authority to decide how their property can be used,” he responded.
“Most schools have buses, and at times they are hired by churches, and, as a ministry, we do not interfere on who the SDCs hire their buses to.”
But, Machingauta insisted that in most cases, Zanu PF officials simply commandeered the buses to the rallies without the SDCs’ consent.
“They are not paid for those services, the buses are not serviced when they return and the school environment is also disturbed by these rallies,” he said.
“The buses are returned dirty, with used condoms after the event, and even students are force-marched to those rallies.”
Acting Speaker of the National Assembly Rueben Marumahoko later interjected and ordered closure of debate on the matter.
“The deputy minister has already said those buses are hired out by SDCs.
“If you have further questions, then bring the names of the specific schools in question,” he said, as angry opposition legislators accused him of stifling debate on important issues.
In an unrelated matter, Chitungwiza North lawmaker, Godfrey Sithole demanded that the leader of the House, Emmerson Mnangagwa issue a statement on escalating political violence targeting properties owned by the MDC-T and its top officials.
“It is disturbing that Home Affairs minister Ignatius Chombo has already ruled that the incidents were done by MDC-T on itself without investigations,” Sithole said.
Marumahoko ordered Sithole to present the issue as a motion on a matter of public importance.
COMMENTS
Minisiter Paul Mavima thinks that we were we all born yesterday. And that we have never experienced ZANU PF intimidation…or much worse…and tricks in the past.
Even when I am so far away from home I have no doubt that the heads of these schools were bullied and intimidated into handing over the use of their buses and drivers.
No doubt there was plenty of “You shall see what you will see” when the so called requests for the buses were made.
And when it comes to payment, despite what Mavima would want us to now says, they can sing for their payment.
And just watch what would happen to a school head who allowed an opposition party use of his school bus and driver…for payment or otherwise.
When we Zimbabweans come to live in a really free country we will be totally confused. Yes its true…our so called liberators have totally enslaved us.
the buses were not hired mr Mavhima. In Nyanga the school heads were forced to give ZANU Pf their buses with tanks full such that they will be used to ferry their supporters to president mugabe’s rally which was held in mutare