MDC legislators get stick for behaviour

By Blessings Mashaya

Government has lashed out at the behaviour of MDC Alliance MPs after the legislators hackled Chief Justice Luke Malaba and Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) chairperson Priscilla Chigumba in Parliament on Tuesday.

Justice minister Ziyambi Ziyambi who is leader of government business in the august House promised to put in place necessary instruments to deal with the “uncouth” behaviour.

Malaba was first embarrassed when he entered the National Assembly chambers as the MDC Alliance MPs started to shout “mbavha, mbavha (thief, thief),’’ ‘‘ hatidi Malaba muno imbavha (we don’t want Malaba here he is a thief)’’.

It did not end there as he had another torrid time as opposition legislators tried to stop him from swearing-in Speaker of the National Assembly Jacob Mudenda and his deputy Tsitsi Gezi.

However, despite the disruptions Malaba managed to go ahead with the swearing-in amid heavy resistance from the opposition.

It was even worse for Chigumba who in the eyes of the opposition was at the centre of the alleged rigging.

As she entered the National Assembly, MDC Alliance legislators started shouting “mbavha yemaelections, mbavha yemaelections (elections thief)”. Interestingly Zanu PF legislators did not come to her rescue choosing to remain silent.

As the MDC Alliance denounced her, Chigumba remained stone faced as she took her seat.

Ziyambi said they are going to see what they can do to stop opposition legislators from behaving in such a way.

“As Parliament we are going to sit down as the privileges committee to look at the MDC MPs’ behaviour, we want to see what can we do because this is uncalled for.

“What was done by the opposition is very unfortunate; we started the proceedings well and we voted very well. The Chief Justice was there by virtue of being the Chief Justice and Parliament is a child of the Constitution.

“If you look at the Constitutional Court judgment it came out without any dissenting opinion….

“To behave in such a manner is disgraceful. It doesn’t paint a good picture even to the international community.”

Ziyambi said it is shameful that in future the opposition parties want the courts to respect them while they are denigrating the judges.

“Tomorrow they want to go and appear before the same courts they are denigrating.

“Even their leader Nelson Chamisa is an officer of the court and it’s unfortunate that he allows that behaviour to come from his MPs.

“We need to oppose each other respectfully.

“We have differences but let us argue in a good manner.”

However, MDC Alliance chief whip Prosper Mutseyami hailed his MPs for their behaviour.

“I want to thank the MPs who showed their disgruntlement with the Chief Justice.

“Going forward we are going to work harder but for all those who we are not happy with, we are going to show our unhappiness,” Mutseyami said just after Mudenda’s swearing-in. Daily News