Mandiwanzira says UK Parliament is spreading falsehoods about Patriotic Bill
Nyanga South legislator Supa Mandiwanzira says he is concerned that the United Kingdom legislators are spreading falsehoods emanating from misinformation about the Patriotic Bill.
Mandiwanzira’s concern emanates from the recent debate that occurred in the House of the Lords about the Patriotic Bill that Zimbabwe wants to enact.
British legislators are of the view that Zimbabwe should not be readmitted into the Commonwealth if it enacts the law.
The Bill’s principles were approved by Cabinet many months ago and it is believed that it is now being drafted for gazetting.
However, the debate has not gone well with Zanu PF legislators who argue that laws that are passed by Parliament cannot be deemed to be illegal.
Below is the full text of Mandiwanzira’s debate in the National Assembly.
Honourable Supa Mandiwanzira: Thank you. For the benefit of those who are not in the House, let me start afresh. I want to thank you Madam Speaker for giving me this opportunity to ask a follow-up question.
I totally agree with the Honourable Minister when he says that we cannot determine what other people, in their own forums decide to discuss on and if Zimbabwe is discussed in the House of Commons, it is their business to do so. I think the concern here is about the misinformation and propaganda that goes around as a result of some of the misinformation or misinformed positions taken by parliamentarians in the House of Lords in this instance.
The Honourable Minister did admit to the fact that it is already doing significant rounds on social media. I would like the Honourable Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs to perhaps state categorically that when this Parliament makes laws, they cannot be determined to be not lawful because one of the issues that are being made in the House of Commons is that we have passed the Patriot Bill and as a result, certain measures must be taken against this country until we implement the rule of law – trying to suggest that any laws that we make here do not comply with the concept of the rule of law.
Can the Honourable Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs please categorically state for the audience here, the recipients of that message, that in fact, we make lawful laws in this House? I thank you
Mandiwanzira says UK Parliament is spreading falsehoods about Patriotic Bill
