Parliament Sets Committee To Discuss CCC Colours
Jacob Mudenda, the National Assembly Speaker, has set a committee that will discuss whether Members of Parliament can wear yellow clothes in the House or not.
The decision came after CCC legislators came to the House for their swearing-in ceremony wearing yellow neckties, while Judith Tobaiwa was putting on a yellow blazer.
Buhera South legislator Joseph Chinotimba (ZANU PF) protested that the CCC legislators were wearing party regalia in the House.
However, Harare East MP, Tendai Biti, argued that there was no provision for colours on the Parliament Standing Rules and Orders.
In his point of privilege, Biti argued that the Parliament Standing Rules and Orders require legislators to dress with dignity and with decorum, but did not mention colours. He said:
The issue of a necktie is one of the implicit requirements but there is no colour ascribed to a necktie.
So, an ordinary Member has got a constitutional right to put on a necktie of his or her own choice, which is why in this august House, as I speak to you, there are different neckties.
Some have got red, some have green, some blue and some yellow. It is their constitutional right. The only test Honourable Speaker Sir, of how a member dress is decorum.
Is he dressed sufficiently such that he does not bring Parliament into disrepute? Those of us who have chosen to put on yellow neckties are in fact enhancing the dignity of Parliament because we are smartly dressed.
Responding to Biti, Mudenda said he was setting a committee to look at the matter and if it fails to find a resolution, the issue will be taken to the Committee on Standing Rules and Orders. Said Mudenda:
Thank you Honourable Biti. You make your point from a position of sobriety and you lose nothing, alright.
I have been checking here on the provisions of the Standing Rules and Orders and taking into account what Honourable Biti has raised.
I shall rule as follows: That there be a combined meeting of representatives from the government side led by the leader of government business, the chief whip and one other.
From this side, we get another three so that at the end of the session, we look closely at the Standing Orders and if we cannot come up with a resolution, I shall rely on the advice of that Committee on whether the matter should proceed to the Committee on Standing Rules and Orders for final arbitration.
