The Herald
Herald Reporter
GOVERNMENT Chief Whip Cde Joram Gumbo has castigated Bulawayo South MP Mr David Coltart (MDC) for misleading the House of Assembly on the African Commission on Human and Peoples Rights (ACHPR) position on the human rights situation in Zimbabwe.
Cde Gumbo told the Assembly on Thursday that contrary to claims by the opposition lawmaker, the commission had not adopted a resolution condemning the country’s human rights record. This followed a motion moved by Mr Coltart that ACHPR had adopted a resolution on alleged human rights violations in Zimbabwe.
Cde Gumbo said the AU Council of Ministers threw back a report by the commission imploring the AU to condemn Zimbabwe on alleged human rights abuses after the ACHPR failed to follow procedures at the summit held in Sudan last month.
“The truth of the matter is that a confidential document was circulated at the summit and was discussed and rejected by the AU Council of Ministers,” he said.
“We must respect this House by moving well-researched motions and this motion should not be allowed to remain on the order paper.”
The ruling party legislator said Foreign Affairs Minister Cde Simba-rashe Mumbengegwi or Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Cde Patrick Chinamasa would next Tuesday issue a ministerial statement clarifying the ACHPR position on the human rights situation in Zimbabwe.
The commission had produced resolutions on human rights violations against Ethiopia, Eritrea, the Democ-ratic Republic of Congo, Sudan, Uganda and Zimbabwe.