'I am being abused by fellow MPs'

Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Education chairperson, Priscilla Misihairabwi-Mushonga yesterday complained that MPs from across the political divide were abusing her and threatened to surrender the leadership of the committee if the situation does not change.

The committee has 18 members, all of them from Zanu PF after the MDC Alliance snubbed it.

"The MDC Alliance MPs shunned joining the Education Committee because of the differences over our party president Thokozani Khupe and their party president Nelson Chamisa, and so they snubbed the committee," Misihairabwi-Mushonga said.

But, there were reports that Misihairabwi Mushonga was also a loner in her committee dominated by Zanu PF MPs, who, whenever there is a ruling party caucus meeting, the MPs prioritised their political party programmes.

For example, Zanu PF yesterday called for a party caucus meeting at 8.30 am when the Education Committee was supposed to meet at 9.00 am to receive oral evidence on education issues.

Misihairabwi-Mushonga said the abuse began when she insisted that some MPs from Zanu PF must be excused from the party caucus so that they could attend to Parliament business.

A heated argument over the issue ensued in the Education Committee's social media WhatsApp group, resulting in Misihairabwi-Mushonga feeling abused.

"I did receive abusive messages, and some of them even suggested that I became chairperson through the benevolence of Zanu PF. I got the position through merit and not through the benevolence of Zanu PF. If they feel that it is Zanu PF's position then they can take it back," she said, adding that she will move a point of privilege with the Speaker of the National Assembly Jacob Mudenda over the issue.