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Lloyd Gumbo Mr Speaker Sir
Politicians, especially Members of Parliament, are the most scrutinised and castigated for any wrongdoing whether it is to do with their parliamentary roles or private lives.

Anyone who decides to enter the political field must develop a thick skin because their shortcomings will always be brought to the fore whether warranted or not.

By virtue of them being elected by the people, MPs forfeit their right to personal life and become accountable to the electorate.

As such, the media plays a major role in exposing any flaws in MPs to let the electorate know the kind of people they chose to represent them in the governance of the country.

MPs across the world are considered a greedy lot who think about themselves at the expense of those who elected them.

There has been widespread fury over the MPs’ recent trip to China that was mired in controversy with Zimbabweans lining up to knife their representatives for “being inconsiderate by going on a shopping spree to China when they are struggling to afford a day’s meal”.

Some have castigated those who missed their flight back because they had “strayed to a distant southern part of the Chinese province of Guangdong, some 2 294km away, as part of their shopping junket in the Asian country”.

But first things first, there is nothing wrong with MPs organising a trip to anywhere in the world as long as they use their own money.

Missing a flight is also a common sin especially in this part of the world where we are used to buses that do not adhere to their timetables.

The major problem is the way the whole trip was organised and how MPs allegedly abused a travel facility meant for the disabled.

If that is not a scandal then nothing is.

MPs must know that parliamentary privileges come with responsibilities and as such we don’t expect them to abuse those privileges by engaging in scandalous activities that put the name of the country into disrepute.

Zimbabweans will not accept the childish excuses that have come from those who were part of the bungled trip.

By virtue of being an arm of Government, MPs – wherever they are – represent Zimbabwean leadership and thus any wrongdoing on their part sees the blame naturally being apportioned to the Government as a whole because in some countries they are treated as diplomats.

Remember they have been lobbying for diplomatic passports arguing they cannot be treated as common men when travelling.

If indeed they abused air tickets meant for the disabled then that is fraud and it must be treated as such because Zimbabwe must not tolerate criminal behaviour from anyone regardless of their status in society.

That kind of behaviour makes us wonder whether we have honourable or horrible MPs.

What is ironic is that those who represent the disabled in Parliament were snubbed on the trip by disabled-wannabes.

On hindsight maybe they are actually disabled somewhere invisible like in the brains.

Imagine the embarrassment on the country to have a bunch of dishonourable con-people dressed in honourable garments in the process bringing the name of the country, the President, Parliament and their political parties, into disrepute.

As for the trip itself, MPs should have carefully and meticulously planned for it in terms of itinerary, time and objectives.

Its objectives should have been clear and the roles of each member spelt out to avoid the confrontation that subsequently ensued between those who wanted or who led the groups.

A Herald online reader by the name Cde Mzvinavhu Prof had an interesting comment on the botched trip.

“When legislators in parliamentary committee summon other arms of Government to interrogate them on how to manage national affairs properly, one assumes MPs can be trusted on their advisory and oversight on important national issues in the country!

“But if they fail to manage their travel affairs, how can they claim to have leadership skills necessary for their important national positions?

“The MDC-T leader was recently reported alleging that some MPs sell their allocated loan vehicles to raise money for other projects, when he was defending his ‘clinging’ to Government housing and vehicle benefits.

“We begin to wonder what really motivates people to go into politics and give the impression that they are there to ‘represent’ wisely anhu anovavhotera? We have a challenge in political development in our country! Nehanda forbid!” he said.

An ardent follower of this column had this to say: “MPs stranded in China shopping in distant places, not even attending sessions of the Chinese parliament or similar arrangements at Chinese provincial levels. Claims that the trips were for exposure: To what? Do they not already know how to shop from their local experiences, from youth up to the age of 40 years, which is the cut-off minimum point for one to be elected as Senator?

“Using ticket facilities meant for the disabled! Shouldn’t the organisers and MPs together be charged with forgery and fraud? After all, we are told that, before the law, ignorance is no defence.

“Some disabled persons who were in COPAC say that their small representation in Parliament was caused by senior COPAC personnel arguing that the dis- abled could not have a bigger slot because everything to do with them is expensive.

“That also even reduced the numbers of the disabled who participated in the COPAC data gathering exercise because most of them needed assistants.

“But, is disability so expensive that things can only be made cheaper if those who are not disabled enjoy the cake on behalf of the disabled?”

It would only be proper that the culprits make a proper apology to the President, Zimbabweans, their colleagues in Parliament and their political parties if they have some semblance of honour left in them.