<div dir="ltr"><table id="nes_story" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" border="0" width="100%"><tbody><tr><td class="" align="left" valign="top">Speak in Shona, Speaker tells Ndebele minister
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24/07/2014 00:00:00
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by
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Stuck to his mother tongue ... Transport minister Obert Mpofu
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<span class="">
<p>ZIMBABWE’S not-so-celebrated language
policy came into focus Thursday when the deputy speaker of Parliament
told a Ndebele-speaking cabinet minister to answer a question in
Shona and the minister refused.</p>
<p>Transport minister Obert Mpofu, who hails from Nyamandlovu district
about 40km north of Bulawayo, attended a question and answer session
in Parliament Thursday which was presided over by Deputy Speaker,
Mabel Chinomona.</p>
<p>Speaking in Shona, Zanu PF legislator Monica Chigudu, quizzed the
minister about the lack of progress on the upgrade of the
Harare-Beitbridge highway where fatal accidents continue to occur.</p>
<p>Said Chigudu: “Madam Speaker, my question is directed to the
Minister of Transport and Infrastructural Development. I had
misdirected myself because of anger.</p>
<p>“My question is about the Masvingo/Harare road. I heard that there
is no funding. The question now is, as regards the roundabout at
Flamboyant (Hotel) in Masvingo. It has become a black spot and nothing
is moving at the moment.</p>
<p>“My question to the Minister is, what is going to happen? Why has
there been work stoppage because we are failing to give an explanation
to the people?”</p>
<div>Since his interlocutor had chosen to speak in their mother tongue, Mpofu also decided to respond in his Ndebele.</div>
<p>Said the minister: <em>“Honorable Chigudu ubuze umbuzo
oqakathekileyo. Kunzima ukulungisa yonke imgwaqo sikhathi sinye kodwa
ngiyathembisa ukhuthi iMasvingo iyabe isile dual road ngesikhathi
esifitshane.’’</em></p>
<div>Out of order, decided the Deputy Speaker who immediately intervened.</div>
<p>“Order! Honourable Minister, I plead with you honourable Minister to
try to respond to the question in the language that she has posed the
question. Honourable members, behave yourselves in the House,” said
Chinomona.</p>
<p>Mpofu responded: “I do not know whether it will be better for me to
answer in Ndebele. I think it will better if I use English for the
interpretation in the Hansard.</p>
<p>A raucous noise followed with inaudible interjections from
legislators after which Mpofu added: “I am advised by my colleagues
that I should proceed in Ndebele.”</p>
<p>And proceed in Ndebele he did.</p>
<div>The minister explained that: “We will repair all the roads and the Harare- Beitbridge will be quickly attended to.</div>
<p>“We have since looked for people who will help on that matter and I
have been mandated by the Cabinet to attend quickly to these roads so
that they are repaired timeously.</p><br><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" align="center" border="0" width="250"><tbody><tr><td><hr style="height:1px"></td><td width="50px">Advertisement</td><td><hr></td></tr><tr><td style="border-width:1px;border-style:solid;border-color:rgb(204,204,204)" colspan="3">
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<div>“We are going to call upon experts to repair these roads. Masvingo will have a big dualised highway very soon.</div>
<p>“The truth of the matter is you will be surprised by the programmes
we are working on. Even the Minister of Finance and Economic
Development can confirm what I am talking about here.”</p>
<p>The language issue remains a sore point for the country’s western
regions where people often complain of marginalisation and
discrimination.</p>
<p>Most Zimbabwean politicians can hardly speak two local languages fluently.</p>
<div>The old Lancaster House constitution only recognised English as the country’s official languages.</div>
<p>However, the new charter expanded the list to include Ndebele,
Shona, Chewa, Nambya, Ndau, Shangani, Sign Language, Sotho, Tonga,
Tswana, Venda and Xhosa.</p><p><a href="http://www.newzimbabwe.com/news-16929-Speak+in+Shona,+Speaker+tells+Mpofu/news.aspx#.htm">http://www.newzimbabwe.com/news-16929-Speak+in+Shona,+Speaker+tells+Mpofu/news.aspx#.htm</a><br>
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