Parly rumpus over China trip secrecy

via Parly rumpus over China trip secrecy 03 September 2014

PARLIAMENT was Wednesday reduced to a theatre when Zanu PF and MDC-T MPs shouted each other down after Finance Minister Patrick Chinamasa refused to furnish the House with details of his recent China trip.

Chinamasa and a handful cabinet ministers last week embarked on the much-hyped trip with President Robert Mugabe as delegation head.

Except for high sounding platitudes that they have used to describe the week-long trip, nothing of substance has been revealed about agreements reached with China.

The secrecy being accorded to the trip by Zimbabwean authorities has riled crisis-weary locals who were rubbing their hands in anticipation following reports Mugabe and his delegation would secure a US$4 billion economic bail-out cheque from “all-weather friends” in Beijing.

On Wednesday MPs demanded answers from Chinamasa who however ducked the questions, telling them it would require the “whole day” to give a comprehensive account of the deals brokered with China.

“What we have been able to achieve was serious engagement with the Chinese authorities and serious commitment at the highest levels to fund bankable, viable projects that we put and we submit to them,” Chinamasa said, much to the dismay of MPs who felt he was unnecessarily being secretive.

MDC-T legislator for Binga North, Prince Madubeko Sibanda, was ready with a follow up question: “Honourable Minister, besides commitments, do we have any cash that you brought from China and are we likely going to see any change or any improvement to our economy as a result of your tour to China?”

“Madam Speaker, l thank the Honourable member for posing the question, it affords me the opportunity to educate the Honourable member…”

“Madam Speaker, with all due respect to the Honourable Minister, this country is well known to have many educational institutions which l have liberty to attend … the people of this country need answers from the minister and not education,” he said.

The house turned tumultuous and it took some effort for Melody Dziva, who stood in for Speaker, to restore order. But that could not prevent fiery Zanu PF MP Monica Chigudu from firing live shots at Sibanda.

“Muno hatina kuuya kuzotamba, muno hatina kuuya kuzotukana, muno hatina kuuya kuzotuka maminister, maminister ndeenyika yese (We are not here to play, insult each other or insult ministers who represent the interests of all citizens).”

She continued: “Endai munoita zvenyu imi maMDC, hamuizivi nyika ino imi, nyika ino hamumboizivi kuti yakauya sei, haikona kutuka maminister tichiona (You MDC people must mind your own business. You have no inkling of how this country was fought for. Don’t belittle our ministers in our presence).

When the storm subsided, Chinamasa stood up to respond, but not before he rubbed it in.

“China does not give budgetary support to any country in the world; China is interested in funding infrastructural development for our countries and the dialogue and negotiations with the Chinese authorities are about funding infrastructure in our country …

“ … addressing the issues of power deficit, addressing the issues of dualisation of our highways, addressing the issues of our railway rehabilitation, water and so on.

“Those are the projects that China is interested to fund and we came back with a commitment that they are prepared without limit to fund bankable, visible and viable projects.”