Opposition MP warns Mugabe against reading wrong speech

By Tatenda Dewa | Harare Bureau |

The opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC-T) Member of Parliament (MP) for Mkoba, Moses Chibaya, on Thursday drew laughter in the house during the official opening of parliament when he loudly warned President Robert Mugabe, 92, against reading the wrong speech.

His joke was in connection with an incident in September 2015 when Mugabe repeated an old speech as he gave opened parliament.

Mugabe went through the 25-minute speech without realising that he had read it when he delivered the State of the Nation address the previous month.

George Charamba, the presidential spokesperson and Information ministry secretary, apologised for the mix-up, blaming it on Mugabe’s secretaries.

Some speculated, however, that the mix-up was deliberately caused by Zanu PF insiders plotting to soil Mugabe’s image and prove that he was no longer capable of leading.

Chibaya called out to Mugabe as he was about to read his speech to officially open the fourth session of the eighth parliament, warning him against enemies from within his government who wanted to embarrass him.

“You must double-check President. These (your own lieutenants) are conmen,” he shouted.

Mugabe was the same year a subject of derisive jokes when he stumbled at the airport.

During the December 2014 Zanu PF congress, he made a slogan denouncing his own party, and this year saluted his own portrait during a national event.

Mugabe has also been captured on video dozing off while standing during international events.

His critics insist those are signs of old age and growing senility, with some churches recently delivering a petition to parliament for the president to be impeached for incapacity to lead the nation.

Meanwhile, Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa expressed concern over death threats MDC-T MPs received ahead of the official opening of the national assembly.

An anonymous short message sender warned MPS like Nelson Chamisa and Jessie Majome against heckling Mugabe as has been in the case, warning that they risked being killed.

Chamisa raised the issue in parliament and Mnangagwa said the threats must be taken seriously.

“Whoever is responsible for such messages threatening lives or the security of MPs or even any citizen, this cannot be taken lightly,” he said.

The Speaker of Parliament, Jacob Mudenda, said the issue of the threats would be investigated.

“We shall refer the matter to the Standing Rules and Orders Committee so that they set up a privileges committee that will go into details of this. Those affected must submit their complaints and the investigation process will then take place,” he said. Nehanda Radio