In an unprecedented poll by a show of hands, the Pan African Parliament (PAP) voted overwhelmingly on Friday to send a fact-finding mission to Zimbabwe.
Suzanne Vos, a member of the South African delegation to PAP, proposed a motion asking for a debate on human rights abuses in Zimbabwe and that the Parliament send a fact-finding mission to that country.
”There is a saying that ‘sunlight is the best disinfectant’ and it is now time that this Parliament places its spotlight on Zimbabwe,” said Vos, who is also an Inkatha Freedom Party member of the South African Parliament.
”Today we debate Zimbabwe, tomorrow it may well be for whatever reason, my own country, or your country; none of us should be afraid to hold a mirror up to ourselves and have a good hard look at what we see,” she added.
The motion caused a debate with more than 50 parliamentarians at one stage wanting to reply to the motion and the presiding officer allowing more than the usual hour of debating time.
The fact-finding mission was approved by 149 of the members, with only 29, including most of the Zimbabwean delegation, voting against it and with three members abstaining from voting.
Normally the parliamentarians vote simply by bashing their desks, but this time they were asked to vote by a show of hands.
While the overwhelming majority of the parliamentarians supported the motion, a few expressed reservations during the debate on it.
Most delegates from South African Development Community (SADC) countries opposed the motion during the debate, saying South African President Thabo Mbeki should be given an opportunity to carry out his task, given to him by SADC, to facilitate between the parties.
However, delegates from other parts of the continent were less patient.
”I believe if our colleagues from Zimbabwe believe there is no reason to deny anything, it should be them who should invite this chamber to go to Zimbabwe and find out first hand what’s going on,” said Angolan delegate Chivukuvuku Abel Epalanga
”Situations of trouble and security within Africa are intimately linked to the politics of leaders having difficulty to accept a change of power — leaders in certain situation would like to cling indefinitely to power,” said Algerian delegate Chara Bachir.
A member of the Zimbabwean Movement for Democratic Change, Paurina Mpariwe, who is part of the Zimbabwe delegation, welcomed the motion and urged the Parliament to send the delegation as soon as possible.
”I thank PAP parliamentarians who have been brave to bring this motion to be debated in this platform,” she said.
Several PAP delegates from Zimbabwe’s ruling Zanu-PF opposed the motion, but added that country had nothing to hide.
Fortune Charumbira said Vos’s references to the reports of violence in the country were biased and the fact-finding mission needed to be impartial.
”The motive comes out because the terms of reference tends to be picked from the page of an opposition party; they are all allegations against the Zimbabwean government. We are aware there are other important issues, such as the issue of land and the sanctions that had been imposed illegally by Britain and the United States of America,” he said.
His fellow Zanu-PF member of Parliament, Sheila Chip Mahere, also questioned the timing of the fact-finding mission.
”One wonders whether this particular motion is not set to railroad the process that has been embarked by President Mbeki, as well as to embarrass him.
”There is already a process under way and it’s for us to give that process a chance,” she said.
Details on when the delegation would leave and of whom it would consist were still to be worked on. — Sapa