via Parly adjournment too long — MPs – DailyNews Live by Chengetai Zvauya 11 DECEMBER 2013
Legislators have raised concern over the adjournment of Parliament to January 28 saying there was urgent government business to attend to.
Both Parliamentary debates and portfolio committee meetings have been adjourned.
Lawmakers told the Daily News yesterday that they cannot wait for next year to resume Parliament business as the deferment period was too long.
Joram Gumbo, Zanu PF chief whip and Mberengwa West legislator, said the date was not cast in stone.
“We are going to be sitting very soon probably next week for budget presentation,” Gumbo said.
“It is Parliament tradition to be postponed to a later date during the festive holiday, but however we are not going to be waiting for the day as any time before January 28 as we know they will be important business government to attend like, budget and holding of workshops on the Zimbabwe Agenda for Sustainable Socio-Economic Transformation (Zim Asset),” Gumbo said.
Mandy Chimene, Zanu PF deputy chief whip and Makoni South MP, said it was not possible to be sitting this week as some legislators from her party will be attending a conference in Chinhoyi. She said Zanu PF was prepared to resume sitting after the conference.
“Our party is holding its conference this week so it means that they will be no Parliament this week but we are coming back next week for the budget presentation. We adjourned to next year but it does not mean Parliament cannot sit before that date as MPs are willing to continue with their debates,” said Chimene.
Innocent Gonese, MDC chief whip and Mutare Central legislator, said they were ready to continue with their debates and committee sittings without waiting for January 28.
“This is a fiction date as next week we are going to be coming for budget presentation and hopefully we shall be meeting soon after the budget presentation to debate the Finance and Appropriation bills to make the budget operational,”said Gonese.
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