<p> A Zimbabwean lawmaker held up a pair of used female underwear in parliament during a televised debate as she sought to highlight the plight of poor women unable to afford new garments.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Priscilla Misihairabwi-Mushonga, of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), produced a plastic bag and took out two samples during a ministerial questions session yesterday.<br /><br />"I would like to ask the minister of finance, what is the government policy on the importation of second-hand underwear which may harm women's health in the long term, but are cheap?" she said.<br /><br />"If you look at the two pairs of panties that I have here: these ones are brand new and cost two dollars or more, but these ones, which are secondhand, cost one dollar for two pairs."<br /><br />In response, Finance Minister Patrick Chinamasa chided Misihairabwi-Mushonga for her actions but promised to look into the issue.<br /><br />"Before I answer this important question, I believe the honourable member should have not gone that far to make her point," he said.<br /><br />"Anyway, I will see if I cannot make an intervention during my mid-term policy statement next week."<br /><br />Misihairabwi-Mushonga was later ejected from the chamber for confronting a ruling ZANU-PF lawmaker whom she accused of making sexist remarks during her presentation.<br /><br />Zimbabwe's economy has been on a downturn for more than a decade, creating dire poverty and mass unemployment.<br /><br />Cheap second-hand clothes have flooded into the country, often imported from Mozambique and Zambia.<br /><br />Some of the garments are made in China, while some are reportedly charity donations from Europe.<br /><br />In 2012, then finance minister Tendai Biti called for a ban on the import of used underwear citing health risks and the threat to human dignity.</p>
<p> A Zimbabwean lawmaker held up a pair of used female underwear in parliament during a televised debate as she sought to highlight the plight of poor women unable to afford new garments.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Priscilla Misihairabwi-Mushonga, of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), produced a plastic bag and took out two samples during a ministerial questions session yesterday.<br /><br />"I would like to ask the minister of finance, what is the government policy on the importation of second-hand underwear which may harm women's health in the long term, but are cheap?" she said.<br /><br />"If you look at the two pairs of panties that I have here: these ones are brand new and cost two dollars or more, but these ones, which are secondhand, cost one dollar for two pairs."<br /><br />In response, Finance Minister Patrick Chinamasa chided Misihairabwi-Mushonga for her actions but promised to look into the issue.<br /><br />"Before I answer this important question, I believe the honourable member should have not gone that far to make her point," he said.<br /><br />"Anyway, I will see if I cannot make an intervention during my mid-term policy statement next week."<br /><br />Misihairabwi-Mushonga was later ejected from the chamber for confronting a ruling ZANU-PF lawmaker whom she accused of making sexist remarks during her presentation.<br /><br />Zimbabwe's economy has been on a downturn for more than a decade, creating dire poverty and mass unemployment.<br /><br />Cheap second-hand clothes have flooded into the country, often imported from Mozambique and Zambia.<br /><br />Some of the garments are made in China, while some are reportedly charity donations from Europe.<br /><br />In 2012, then finance minister Tendai Biti called for a ban on the import of used underwear citing health risks and the threat to human dignity.</p>