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[TD="class: contentheading, width: 100%"]Foul-mouthed MPs face expulsion from House [/TD]
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[TD="class: createdate"] Tuesday, 16 April 2013 22:34 [/TD]
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By Peter Nyanje
The Citizen Reporter
Dodoma.
MPs who use foul language in Parliament risk expulsion from the debating chamber, Speaker Anne Makinda warned yesterday.
Expressing her dismay over the conduct of some MPs on Monday, Ms Makinda said she was fed up and would now use her powers to discipline errant lawmakers.
I dont know what got into some of you last evening. What you did was disgraceful and from now on, if any MP attempts to use such language I will not hesitate to order the sergeant-at-arms to immediately remove them from the debating chamber, said a vividly perturbed Ms Makinda.
She said she had for a long time been accused of failing to use the Standing Orders to keep wayward legislators in check, adding that the rules would now be applied to the letter to restore discipline in the House.I will make sure that abusive MPs are immediately kicked out of the House. If they want to appeal they will have to do so from outside, not inside this chamber, Ms Makinda said. She reminded MPs that being on different sides of the political fence was not a licence for them to hurl abuse at one another.
We did not establish political parties to be platforms for some people to attack their rivals. Political differences should not be regarded by some as a reason to insult one another. I have powers to hand you over to police and I will do that, Ms Makinda said.If people fail to behave themselves in this House we will establish another chamber for them to exercise their uncouth behaviour.
Ms Makinda said what MPs did or said in the House was broadcast live across the country, adding that people were appalled by lawmakers behaviour.
I have received a text message from a person who watched yesterdays session. This person says: Parliament is now out of control...from now on I will not watch Bunge sessions together with my children...I will watch them in the privacy of my bedroom, she said.
Please, behave yourselves... there are some things which, according to your status, you are not supposed to say in public, Ms Makinda said, noting that voters did not send MPs to Parliament to abuse one another.
Ms Makindas sentiments were echoed by Science, Technology and Communication deputy minister January Makamba, who noted that what happened on Monday was very unfortunate.
It is amazing that when we are working in our committees, or even when we meet at the canteen, we are cordial to one another, but when we come here, when the TV cameras are on, we change completely, Mr Makamba said when debating the Prime Ministers Offices 2013/14 budget estimates.
He said MPs could make their voices heard without being abusive. Ms Makindas rebuke followed fierce verbal exchanges between MPs from CCM and CUF, on one side, and Chadema on the other.
Instead of debating the PMOs estimates, some MPs from the two camps attacked one another, and some went as far as using unprintable epithets to the chagrin of Prime Minister Mizengo Pinda, whose budget speech was being discussed.
Attempts by Deputy Speaker Job Ndugai to appeal to MPs to observe civility were ignored and some lawmakers stepped up their verbal attacks.
At one point, State Minister in the Prime Ministers Office William Lukuvi stood up and told Parliament that they were aware that the Chadema camp had planned well in advance to attack their CCM counterparts.
We know, for instance, that Chadema substituted two MPs who were supposed to contribute this evening with other legislators, who said what they have said, he said.
MPs who used language that riled others include Livingstone Lusinde (Mtera-CCM), Rev Peter Msigwa (Iringa Urban-Chadema), Juma Nkamia (Kondoa South-CCM), Ezekiel Wenje (Nyamagana- Chadema), Khatib Said Haji (Konde-CUF) and Muhammad Amour Chombogo (Magomeni-CCM).
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