ParliamentaryParliamentary MonitorMonitor A Weekly e-Newsletter Published by the Parliamentary Monitoring Trust of Zimbabwe 2 May, 2012. issue 29 Missing People (MPs) Ordinary Voices Xtra-ordinary Impact Surely if the MP is absent most of the time in Parly it goes to show that he is also absent from his con- AWOL!! stituency. His office is The people below have gone AWOL from their workplace. Please as- empty most of the time. sist the people of Zimbabwe who have been short changed He has no time to listen to local opinion. And address the needs of his constitu- ency! I would urge millions of wavering voters to use their X Factor wisely in the next General Election - by not sticking with MP's that will not safeguard Zimbabwe's future..— Cynthia Martha Mafara In this issue MPs gone AWOL 2 Village Observer 2 Social Media 3 Back Page 4 Some have attended 1 out of 32 sittings The Bottom-line This is a clear sign that the MPs do They could still be clamouring for perks not take the busi- ness of Parly seri- ously. www.pmtz.org [email protected] Ipalamente yethu ilizwi lethu our parliament our voice paramende yedu izwi redu Page 2 Parliamentary Monitor 2 May, 2012. issue 29 My mom, two intellectuals not need violence to win the next elections. The intend to do with our votes. My worry is that and me. two opposing views were further expanded, one they continue to think that we will vote for a giving the other a chance to explain what they baboon if asked to do so. This is where I differed Last week I was in Harare. I meant. It was interesting. It was engaging. The- with Kudzi. I am yet to get a scholarly research met some friends at an up- se were two intellectuals, still sober, saying com- on how and why Zimbabweans vote the way market restaurant right in Village Observer pletely different things. There was no sign this they do. Still on Ncube, I think his argument the CBD and our talk will degenerate into something nasty. I had a was not very deep as he did not explain what touched on a number of issues from general question for the two but did not ask. I wanted to mechanisms were there to eliminate violence. health until we got into politics. We were talk- know if they were registered voters. Then the Saying one thing is different from implement- ing on top of our voices. We were four of us. other guy who had kept quiet came in saying ing it. Then as chance would have it, my mom From a general approach to the political situa- that despite the promise to tap on the youth, attended a wedding in Harare and she came tion, the discussion crystalised into a talk on both parties were doing absolutely nothing to back complaining that she had seen very big what was on offer in the next elections. It was by urge them to register to vote. It partly answered houses. “And why would people build such big chance that two of the people I had belonged, or my question. Then the next question I had was: houses, covering this whole yard,” she said wav- were proffering positions that converged with OF the two political parties, which was likely to ing across our big rural yard. She then said that MDC and Zanu PF. Without a moderator, the package its message in a more appealing man- she had been told that politicians lived there. four of us continued talking, no foul language, ner. Zanu PF, I proffered, was likely to premise “This has made me realise that we vote them so intellectual engagement. It hit me that this was its manifesto on indigenisation and consolida- that they become rich. As such, I will not vote supposed to be the stuff that would make my tion of the land reform. Then MDC-T was likely again. I will get into the ballot box to spoil my week’s instalment in Parliamentary Monitor. to come up with the agenda of routing out cor- vote. I will mark 3 times, I know how to do it as One guy, let us call him Kudzi, was convinced ruption, restoring the status of the country as we were taught to vote.” The reasoning in my the next elections would be violence laden or productive and respect for human rights. Then mom’s argument was an eye opener. The intel- Zanu PF would not pick even a single seat. His this is where I suddenly realised that as a villag- lectuals may continue to argue it is going to be argument was: People in Zimbabwe do not vote er, the next elections could be hollow if the difficult to get that vote out. Maybe the two along ideological lines. They vote to make sure parties continue to think that we know what intellectuals were wrong. They may have been that they made a statement and I tell you, with- they are there for. With their MPs AWOL, the arguing in the abstract. But for my mother, it out violence, nothing will come out of that par- political parties are going to have a difficult time was a resolution she could have made. We may ty. They would be as good as gone. The other, convince us to vote. It would require more work have apathy. Or more spoiled ballots. The two his antagonist, call him Ncube, said: There will than has been done. Their MPs, have been a big may be a result of lack of voter education. But be no violence. President Mugabe has said so let down. They have not been able to explain to using my mom’s argument, the spoilt papers are and this has cascaded to the ordinary people on the people what their policies are and what they not out of ignorance but a protest. the ground. We will see. After all Zanu PF does MPs Name Party Constituency Sittings Not At- MPs Gone AWOL tended Jonathan Moyo Zanu PF Tsholotsho North 31 The table shows show many sittings some of Jameson Timba MDC-T Mount Pleasant 29 the elected members of Parliament missed. Kembo Mohadi ZANU PF Beitbridge North 29 If these Honourable Members failed to at- Olivia Muchena Zanu PF Mutoko South 28 tend Parliament at such alarming rates, one Didymus Mutasa Zanu PF Headlands 28 shudders to think what they have done to Moses Mzila Ndlovu MDC Bulilima West 27 their constituencies. There may be explana- Heneri Dzinotyiwei MDC-T Budiriro tions as to why they failed to attend but the 26 figures should be cause for concern for any Tapiwa Mashakada MDC-T Hatfield 25 Zimbabwean who takes the business of the Saviour Kasukuwere Zanu PF Mt Darwin South 24 legislature seriously. Webster Shamu Zanu Pf Chegutu South 22 Joel Gabbuza MDC-T Binga 19 Parliamentary Monitor 2 May, 2012. issue 29 2 May, 2012. issue 29 Page 3 Virtual Public Gallery ……. Using Social Media to Monitor Parly PMTZ’’s facebook group Parliamentary Monitor is an interactive virtual public gallery where instead of being spectators, citizens raise issues and seek solutions. As part of the integration of the social media platform and this e-newsletter, we take excerpts of some of the posts on the facebook group and share with others. Pmt Zimbabwe voted out because they are not doing what Like · · Unfollow post · 14 April at 18:17 MPs AWOL Prof Jonathan Moyo, accord- pple voted them for. near Bulawayo, Matabeleland North ing to the NewsDay, only one out of 32 11 hours ago via Mobile · Like William R Boyd likes this. Parly Sittings. Dr Obert Mpofu, attended Weston Rufaro Kasiyandima U ar buying Respect Bangu yes it is very possible as once and asked for leave of absence twice them nice cars let then injoy them long as its well planned and necessary and the others are: MP Jameson Timba 11 hours ago via Mobile · Like communication is done (MDC-T) (29), Binga MP Joel Gabbuza Mthulisi Noko they are not serious 15 April at 09:50 · Like (MDC-T) (19), Beitbridge East MP Kembo 11 hours ago via Mobile · Like Andrea Rambiyawo its nt possible bra Mohadi (Zanu PF) (29), Bulilima West Sam Chimhau They are betraying us, not 15 April at 19:46 · Like MP Moses Mzila Ndlovu (MDC) (27) and serving any purpose. We dnt want stoog- Blessed Hove very possible wat we need Mount Darwin South MP Saviour es. Next election its bye bye!! to realise s dat we must hav one leader Kasukuwere (Zanu PF) (24). Hatfield MP 11 hours ago via Mobile · Like political and harsh economic env will be Tapiwa Mashakada (MDC-T) was absent Kudakwashe Bhadharai They have simply solved after d election not b4 1980 the so- 25 out of the 32 days, Mutoko South MP failed to honour what the electorate en- cio-economic ang political was even worse Olivia Muchena (Zanu PF) (28), Masvin- trusted them with,its betrayal to elec- than the current one dont. go North MP Stanislaus Mudenge (Zanu torate and the only solution is voting 19 April at 12:42 · Like PF) (28), Headlands MP Didymus Mutasa them out. Taungana B. Ndoro Yes (Zanu PF) (28), Chegutu East MP Web- 10 hours ago · Like 19 April at 14:02 · Like ster Shamu (Zanu PF) (22) and Budiriro Taungana B. Ndoro We need to be careful Kudakwashe Bhadharai yes elections are MP Heneri Dzinotyiweyi (MDC-T) (26).