MDC antics rile Zanu-PF Chief Whip

UNJUSTIFIED attacks on the nation's leadership under the guise of Parliamentary debates will not be tolerated, Zanu-PF Chief Whip Pupurai Togarepi has said.

Proceedings in the National Assembly were adjourned prematurely on Tuesday last week after MDC chief whip Mr Prosper Mutseyami insinuated that his party's leader Mr Nelson Chamisa had won the July 30 presidential elections, despite Mr Chamisa failing to prove the case in court.

During the debate, Mr Mutseyami indicated that Mr Chamisa had got "more than two million votes," while President Mnangagwa had got "more than one million votes".

Togarepi raised a point of order, arguing that Mr Mutseyami was trying to mislead the House on the election results.

Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly Tsitsi Gezi directed Mr Mutseyami to withdraw his statement as it would mislead the House. Mr Mutseyami refused to withdraw the statement, resulting in parliamentarians from across the political divide breaking into song and chanting party slogans.

The singing went on for over five minutes, prompting Gezi to adjourn the House. Yesterday, Togarepi dismissed the move by MDC legislators as a barren political gimmick that will not stop Parliament from carrying out its business.

"As Zanu-PF we implore members of Parliament to take business of the House seriously. Any attack on President Mnangagwa and Government will attract unnecessary attention to the rogue individuals. The opposition should desist from turning Parliament into a platform to undermine this country's leadership under the guise of debates, that's a show of political immaturity," he said.

"In this particular instance, we have registered our concerns to the Speaker who has since dealt with the issue in terms of the rules. We hope the administration of Parliament will adequately deal with such delinquent behaviour in order to protect the dignity of business of the House."

"The behaviour was uncalled for and should be condemned in the strongest possible terms. What's the take home value of such an exhibition of childish behaviour and emotive stance?" asked Togarepi.

"What political dividends if any do these MPs derive by causing chaos in Parliament? Once they accepted to be sworn into office as MPs the die was cast."

Recently, opposition parliamentarians caused a stir during the State of the Nation address (SONA) after they all stormed out protesting against President Mnangagwa's remarks that the July 30 polls were free and fair. They chanted songs outside Parliament building before returning to the August House.

A few days before the SONA, there was drama in the National Assembly as opposition MDC legislators heckled and booed Chief Justice Luke Malaba, calling him a "thief" after he entered the House to swear in returning Speaker Jacob Mudenda and other presiding officers.

Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) chairperson Justice Priscilla Chigumba, who was in attendance in the National Assembly, suffered the same fate until she was whisked out of Parliament by deputy Clerk of Parliament, Ms Hellen Dingani.