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Farirai Machivenyika Senior Reporter
Debate on the RBZ Debt Assumption Bill was adjourned yesterday after MDC- T legislators insisted that members of parliament who benefited from the farm mechanisation scheme that was part of the bank’s quasi- fiscal activities be prohibited from voting on issues related to the Bill.

The Bill seeks to authorise Government to take over the $1,35 billion Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe debt of which approximately $200 million was spent on farming equipment distributed to farmers.

MDC-T Chief Whip Mr Innocent Gonese objected to any debate on the Bill yesterday as Finance and Economic Development Minister Cde Patrick Chinamasa was about to introduce amendments he intended to make.

Mr Gonese insisted that a list of people who benefited should be produced to the House first so that the MPs who benefited be identified and prevented from voting.

“The constitution is clear that any person who has a pecuniary interest has no right to vote on that Bill so anyone in this House who was a beneficiary should be precluded from voting. We can’t vote in the absence of the list of beneficiaries,” Mr Gonese said.

He added that parliament’s Standing Order 102 also stated that people who had vested interests in any business before parliament or any of its committees were also not supposed to take part in the discussion or vote if they had a pecuniary interest.

Earlier on MDC-T Harare Central representative Mr Murisi Zwizwai, had also raised a point of order that Mudzi South representative Cde Jonathan Samkange who is also chairperson of the Parliamentary Legal Committee had presided over its meeting yesterday morning when he had ceased to be a legislator.

Cde Samkange was re-admitted into Zanu-PF on Wednesday and according to the constitution his seat will fall vacant.

“Mr Speaker, I want it to be put on record that Honourable Samkange convened a meeting of the PLC and passed a non-adverse report and we will challenge that in court and if we win, that decision (to pass a non-adverse report) would be null and void,” Mr Zwizwai said.

He made the remarks after the Speaker, Cde Jacob Mudenda, had ruled to an earlier objection by Mr Gonese on Cde Samkange’s status that he was yet to receive confirmation from Zanu-PF that the Mudzi South legislator had rejoined Zanu-PF.

Debate on the Bill is expected to resume when the House sits again on March 3.

The MDC-T is opposed to the passing of the Bill saying people that benefited should repay the debts on their own while Zanu-PF insists the debts accrued at a time the country was going through difficult circumstances at the height of illegal sanctions on the country.