Mwonzora blames Chamisa for MPs booing Mnangagwa in Parliament

By Nyashadzashe Ndoro | Nehanda Politics |

MDC-T president Douglas Mwonzora has accused the MDC Alliance leadership of influencing the entire opposition MPs who boycotted the National Assembly when President Emmerson Mnangagwa was addressing, this follows Zanu PF led plans by Parliament to punish them.

Speaking in Parliament on Tuesday, Mwonzora who is now supporting Mnangagwa in passing ‘repressive laws’ after the government appointed him leader of the opposition pleaded with Parliament not to invoke rules that would see them lose diplomatic passports and face heavy fines.

Parliament’s Privileges Committee, chaired by Mudzi South MP Jonathan Samkange charged 118 sitting and former MDC legislators for singing, and remaining seated or walking out each time Mnangagwa presented his State of the Nation address in the National Assembly.

Mwonzora was responding to recommendations of the report made by Samkange when he accused MDC Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa of forcing opposition MPs to boycott Mnangagwa before Mwonzora and several opposition officials defected to the MDC-T party which was then led by Thokozani Khupe.

“Madam President, the members of the MDC you see here were internally subjected to this coercion,” he said.

“They did not sit on their laurels. They rebelled against that leadership, removed it and placed in a new leadership that has attempted to change the politics of this country.

“This new leadership has now said we must get rid of dirty politics. We beg this House, mostly the legislators on the other side, that a good case has been made of the dramatic change of politics in our country.

“A good case has been made that maybe it is time to let bygones be bygones. The fines that are proposed are beyond the reach of the MPs. I think it is about $400 000. The taking away of the diplomatic passport is a humiliation which is not necessary.

“Members were coerced or forced by a superior authority to them to do what they did. It also found that there had not been any planning involving every Member of Parliament.

“It found that there was no caucus. Now, where there is a superior authority which makes you do something, there is an automatic defence called obedience to superior authority.” Nehanda Radio