Scottish MP takes oath in Shona

Source: Scottish MP takes oath in Shona | The Herald

Maggie Chapman

Faith Katete-Herald Reporter

New Member of the Scottish Parliament for the North East, Maggie Chapman, took her oath in Shona to show she still has links to the country of her birth.

Born and raised in Zimbabwe, Maggie Chapman said she is trying to bring a little bit of Africa into the Parliament chamber. “I am not a native speaker but it is a language of my country of birth so l am bringing a little bit of Africa into the Parliament chamber. l expect it will be the first time the oath is done in Shona .”

“My mom still lives in the house l was born in, so it is still very much home, if you can have two homes.”

“It is a wonderful thing to celebrate the different heritages of the different parliamentarians and it says something about our openness to the rest of the world as well. There is an opportunity here to bring something from there other side of the world into the chamber and that is really quite special.”

“My mother is not the greatest at technology but l am hoping a friend can get he set up to watch Parliament Television. My partner will also be watching from home and can send it to her, so one way or another she will be able to see it,” she said.

Maggie Chapman, born 27 June 1979, is a Zimbabwean born Scottish politician and lecturer who is a Scottish Greens Member of the Scottish Parliament representing North East Scotland. The Greens are the junior partner in the governing coalition.

On a Twitter post she said “The sun is shining, its a beautiful day. And I start a new job today! Here we are just about to head in to…”