Mliswa makes Speaker apologise for coming late

Harare (New Ziana) –In a comic start to proceedings on Wednesday, Norton legislator Temba Mliswa (Independent) made Speaker of the National Assembly Jacob Mudenda to apologise for entering the chamber late, after he raised a point of order over the matter.

However, before he could proffer his reasons for being late and apologising, Mudenda first asked Mliswa to withdraw his remark that the incident was “unbecoming”.

“Mr Speaker Sir, the Speaker’s Procession today was late by four minutes. I am sure the Speaker was late somehow. It is the first time that I saw that the procession was late by four minutes. I do not think the
Speaker was late but he was delayed. I do not know what made him to delay but it is unbecoming of the Speaker’s procession in many ways,” he said.

“While you are still up standing, before you have heard me, you conclude by saying ‘unbecoming’. I think you need to withdraw that,” responded Mudenda.

Mliswa tried to wriggle his way out of withdrawing his remark, saying instead that it was “rare” for the Speaker’s procession to be late, but Mudenda insisted, until he gave in.

“I withdraw unbecoming with the word rare. Usually the Speaker is on time but it is rare that he is not on time,” he said.

After the withdrawal, Mudenda went on to admit that he had indeed been late and should have apologised, adding he had been on an important international call which he could not cut in order to catch the time for his procession.

“The reason is because I was on an international call which I could not cut as a member of an international Executive. They wanted one or two things cleared from my side as a member of the Executive,” he said, after which the business of the House resumed.

Meanwhile, the National Assembly adjourned to May 3.

New Ziana