Proportional Representation legislator Getrude Chibagu has told Parliament that she is not a prostitute or mentally unstable.
Chibagu was debating the SONA speech presented by President Emmerson Mnangagwa when he officially opened the 10th Parliament of Zimbabwe a weeks ago.
It is unclear why the seasoned female legislator decided to clear the air, but she had first indicated that she does not like gossip and that she is pained.
‘’Thank you Madam Speaker. I am quite pained, even when we are here at Parliament, you would find that I do not like gossip, I want straight forward talk. It was really painful because during the liberation struggle, there were many battles fought in Guruve, despite that, there was no meaningful development in that area, but through the leadership of the President of Zimbabwe Dr. Emmerson Mnangagwa, there are many developmental projects which are taking place now.
‘’I speak about issues that I know, I am not a prostitute and I am not a person who is mentally unstable….,’’ she said before she was interrupted by the Deputy Speaker Tsitsi Gezi who asked her to withdraw her statement.
‘’Honourable Chibagu, may you please withdraw the words you spoke that you are not a- prostitute or mentally unstable,’’ she said.
Honourable Chibagu however, withdrew the words but did not give a reason why she had said so.
‘’I withdraw, please forgive me. Those who write lies, please remove what I said. I want to withdraw those words I said,’’ she said.
In the last Parliament (9th), Chibagu told other legislators that she wish she could carry President Emmerson Mnangagwa on her back like a baby.
The legislator is popularly known for being one of the legislators who spent their previous Parliament terms without saying anything in Parliament.
Below is the full text of what Honourable Chibagu said during her debate of the SONA speech.
HON. CHIBAGU: Thank you Madam Speaker. I am quite pained, even when we are here at Parliament, you would find that I do not like gossip, I want straight forward talk. It was really painful because during the liberation struggle, there were many battles fought in Guruve, despite that, there was no meaningful development in that area, but through the leadership of the President of Zimbabwe Dr. Emmerson Mnangagwa, there are many developmental projects which are taking place now. I speak about issues that I know, I am not a prostitute and I am not a person who is mentally unstable….
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Hon. Chibagu, may you please withdraw the words you spoke that you are not a- prostitute or mentally unstable.
HON. CHIBAGU: I withdraw, please forgive me. Those who write lies, please remove what I said. I want to withdraw those words I said.
I appreciate Hon. President Mnangagwa and the fact that he won these elections resoundingly. We are now 43 years in independence, but from independence, we were in disaster and have been suffering in my constituency. President Mnangagwa has noticed areas like Mbire and he uplifted the areas. Some were saying that we were Hottentots or Bushmen and Nomads. In Dande, we have been recognised by President E. D. Mnangagwa and has even noticed the plight of the Mbire people. He has improved their lives.
So, as Zimbabweans, we must listen to our President because he is a visionary leader. As a country, if we listen to the words that were said by His Excellency, development is guaranteed in the country. We must desist from fighting each other and focus on building one another so that we will be productive. I also want to thank President E. D. Mnangagwa and I want to congratulate him for the resounding victory in the elections and as Zimbabweans, we did a good thing by voting for him. The Mbire people are now recognised as people. We have meaningful development which includes irrigation schemes, roads, mining projects like Eureka Mine, Jumbo Mine among other developmental projects. Now the road is busy with buses. From time immemorial, we were travelling to Guruve to get buses and when I came to Parliament, I would sleep at Guruve Centre to board a bus. Now, buses are plying up and down our road because of President E. D. Mnangagwa. His Excellency knows where he is going.
As representatives of the people, let us work together to build this nation because His Excellency is a person who cares for people and is a person who wants Zimbabwe to develop. Even the group that came last time as Parliament to the new mine, you will discover that there is a lot of mining that is happening. People are happy, they appreciate and now know where they are going. Even the opposition is now confused, they do not know what to say…
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Hon. Chibagu, please withdraw that statement.
*HON. CHIBAGU: I withdraw. Please forgive me. I would like to thank our President, as the residents of Mbire and Guruve we are prosperous in terms of development and food security. A lot of developmental projects are happening in our area. In the past, people used to call us Bushmen or Hottentots. In Kanyemba right now, there are many irrigation schemes that were done by His Excellency, the President of the Republic of Zimbabwe, Dr. Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa. Everyone is happy in Kanyemba. I invite you to Guruve.
At Mushumbi Centre, a place which was used as a base by war veterans during the liberation struggle, there is a big irrigation scheme. There are many cash crops that are being farmed in this area including maize and wheat. In the past, we did not know about wheat because we used to survive on traditional foods. These meaningful developmental projects clearly show that the President of Zimbabwe is a gifted and talented leader
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Hon. Chibagu, when you are speaking about the President, we do not refer to him as a son or child but we say President Mnangagwa and we end there.
HON. CHIBAGU: My apologies Madam Speaker, I withdraw my statement. May the President continue to work hard and improve the livelihoods of all Zimbabweans. The President is working for the development of everyone without being selective. Those who undermine the President do not know where they are coming from or going. The car I was given by Parliament runs very fast on the tarred road all the way to Kanyemba because of the improved road infrastructure. All these developments were not there in our area but since the inception of the Second Republic, they are there now.
There is a lot of meaningful development in our area, we now have grinding mills. In the past, we used to rely on manual labour for grinding maize for meals. May God Bless our President.
Madam Speaker, kindly forgive your Hon Member. Let me conclude by saying May God Bless our President. Forgive me if I failed to present myself clearly. As Zimbabweans, let us unite and continue to work hard for the development of our country. Thank you.
