HWENDE, BITI HAVE DIPLOMATIC PASSPORTS

MDC MPs are stampeding to get diplomatic passports, according to the chairman of the Foreign Affairs Parliamentary Committee, Kindness Para...

MDC MPs are stampeding to get diplomatic passports, according to the chairman of the Foreign Affairs Parliamentary Committee, Kindness Paradza.

He confirmed that several opposition MPs, including Chalton Hwende and Tendai Biti already have the red passports. The documents allow them to enjoy various advantages that include easy passage at borders, special lines at customs, tax exemptions, travel upgrades on airlines and hotels, free visas to any country and in some cases, visa-free travel.

“To begin with, Hwende is denouncing the issuance of diplomatic passports to his fellow MPs yet he is a holder of one which he was issued with by the same President, President Mnangagwa. He was just grandstanding, but as we speak, there is a stampede from members from his party to get the document," said Paradza.

Hwende said : “That is neither here nor there (whether he has a diplomatic passport or not). When I speak, I speak on behalf of the party and my statement was that the priority should be on issuance of ordinary green passports because there are people who are genuinely in need of those passports.

  

“So whatever foreign currency we have it should go towards printing of those ordinary passports."

Some of the other legislators who already have the document are Tendai Biti, Prosper Mutseyami (MDC Chief Whip), Paurina Mpariwa, Daniel Molekele, Concilia Chinanzvavana, Prince Dubeko Sibanda, Anele Ndebele, Willas Madzimure, Guebuza Guebuza, Zwizwai Murisi, Tapiwa Mashakada and Jasmine Tofa.