The Parliament of Zimbabwe has established a Committee comprised of ZANU PF legislators only whose mission is to probe opposition MDC MPs’ snub of Parliament events attended by President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
National Assembly Speaker, Jacob Mudenda announced this Tuesday that Parliament’s Standing Rules and Orders Committee (SROC) last week appointed Zanu PF MP for Mudzi South Jonathan Samukange to chair the committee. He added:
The terms of reference of the committee include investigating the conduct of MDC MPs in consecutive instances whereby they didn’t rise in honour of the president, walked out of Parliament or simply did not bother to turn up when the president was coming to Parliament in his capacity as head of the executive … with a view to establish whether their conduct constitutes contempt of Parliament.
Mudenda also said that he expected the committee to report its findings by February 28, 2020.
MDC-T’s Priscillah Misihairabwi-Mushonga was originally part of the committee but she declined the nomination, citing conflict of interest.
Meanwhile, MDC chief-whip, Prosper Mutseyami told the Daily News that they boycotted the SROC meeting which selected the privileges committee after Mudenda refused to set up an independent commission to do the investigation.
MDC MPs have been boycotting Parliament events attended by President Mnangagwa whom the party says is an illegitimate president who got into power by “rigging” the 2018 elections.
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