No to distribution of Viagra at rallies: Mnangagwa

via No to distribution of Viagra at rallies: Mnangagwa – NewsDay October 15, 2015

VICE-PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa yesterday told Parliament that government had no policy allowing ministers to distribute sex enhancing pills at rallies.

BY VENERANDA LANGA

This was after opposition MPs had quizzed him over an incident at the weekend, where Women Affairs minister Nyasha Chikwinya doled out “Viagra” to Zanu PF supporters at a rally in Gokwe-Nembudziya constituency.

“I do not know whether it is because you are angry that you did not get the pills, but all laws pass through Parliament and we have never had such a law passing through Parliament. If there is somewhere where that happened, then you must write it down and then we ask the person who did it to respond. We have never crafted such a law in Parliament,” he said.

This was after opposition MPs had quizzed him over an incident at the weekend, where Women Affairs minister Nyasha Chikwinya doled out “Viagra” to Zanu PF supporters at a rally in Gokwe-Nembudziya constituency.

“I do not know whether it is because you are angry that you did not get the pills, but all laws pass through Parliament and we have never had such a law passing through Parliament. If there is somewhere where that happened, then you must write it down and then we ask the person who did it to respond. We have never crafted such a law in Parliament,” he said.

Mnangagwa also defended the just-ended Harare carnival saying the event was aimed at exhibiting various cultural activities.

“As Zimbabweans, we do not have cultures of nakedness. Ours is a different culture. We do not have the business of interrogating cultures of other nations, and in turn they do not have business of interrogating our culture. If a culture is repugnant to our nation, obviously we will ensure it does not get to Zimbabwe,” he said.

Meanwhile, Musikavanhu MP Prosper Mutseyami (MDC-T) questioned why many ministers did not turn up for the question-and-answer session, instead preferring to attend First Lady Grace Mugabe’s rally in Rushinga to Parliament business.

“We saw all ministers on television attending to a Zanu PF rally. I propose we postpone questions without notice to a later date when ministers are more committed to this country,” he said.

Kuwadzana East MP Nelson Chamisa (MDC-T) said it was high time truant ministers were charged with contempt of Parliament as the business of the House was more important than Zanu PF business.

“What we want is for ministers to account to people because they drive Mercedes vehicles and get salaries from taxpayers, and if they choose to continue to be delinquent and cantankerous, then we should charge them,” he said.

Speaker of the National Assembly Jacob Mudenda said although he had noted that the points raised were valid, it was inappropriate to describe the truant ministers as “cantankerous” because it was a word which means someone is very talkative.
Mudenda said only four ministers had given apologies for their absence. He said in the future Mnangagwa should notify the House when ministers were going to be absent.

Mnangagwa had professed ignorance over the whereabouts of the ministers saying he was not aware whether they were in the country or outside the country.