Whipping system affects Parly debates: Mataranyika

CHAIRPERSON of the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Justice Misheck Mataranyika has said the whipping system in Parliament must be repealed from Parliamentary Standing Rules and Orders because it stifles open debate and reduces debate on important Bills and motions to partisan stances by MPs.

Addressing delegates on Thursday last week in Kariba at an ActionAid stakeholders’ workshop on the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance, Mataranyika, who is also MP for Makoni South (Zanu PF) said Parliament is a place where debate must be robust and free for MPs in order for them to effectively play their legislative roles.

The whipping system is practiced by Parliaments when passing or amending laws or debating a motion where MPs are “whipped” or instructed by their political parties to follow a certain line of debate.

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