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PVO Bill: I was denied an opportunity to debate says Mushoriwa

Daniel Chigundu
By Daniel Chigundu
PVO Bill: I was denied an opportunity to debate says Mushoriwa
PVO Bill: I was denied an opportunity to debate says Mushoriwa

Dzivarasekwa legislator Edwin Mushoriwa says he was denied an opportunity to debate during the Committee Stage of the PVO Amendment Bill.

Mushoriwa was attending the sitting virtually in line with the Parliament’s encouragement to try and decongest the National Assembly chamber.

However, when he wanted to contribute, he was reportedly brushed aside by the committee of the house and the Bill sailed through without debates.

Speaking in the National Assembly Honourable Mushoriwa said his rights as a legislator were violated.

‘’Thank you, Mr.  Speaker Sir.  Yesterday during the course of business of the House, on the Order Paper there was an item to do with PVOs Amendment Bill.

‘’During the debate on the PVOs Bill, during the Committee Stage, Hon. Members who were on virtual wanted to contribute to the debate and the Chairperson of the Committee under the instruction of the Leader of the House made it impossible for anybody who was on virtual to debate.

‘’We tried to raise our hands on several occasions; it is on record in the Hansard. Mr. Speaker Sir, what I am saying is evidenced in the Hansard and also the video recording of Parliamentary business.

‘’It is actually there where the Leader of the House including the Chairperson of the Committee was denying me and other Members a chance to speak. 

‘’The PVOs Amendment Bill had a number of amendments and there was a heated debate during the Second Reading. For the Honourable Chair of the Committee to deny me the right to contribute and then quickly sail through that Bill without any debate, I think it is a clear violation of my right as a Member of Parliament and also the democratic process of this country,’’ he said.

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