Mliswa-Nduna feud moves to another level

Independent legislator, Themba Mliswa, has said he would write an official complaint to President Emmerson Mnangagwa after being ejected from the National Assembly yesterday.

The former fitness trainer had stood up on a point of privilege to appeal to the acting speaker, Tsitsi Gezi, against threats targeted at him by the Chegutu West MP, Dexter Nduna.

The duo, on Monday came close to blows during a Mines and Energy portfolio committee meeting where Nduna and other members wanted Mliswa to be recused from any deliberations until his US$400,000 extortion allegations have been resolved.

Mliswa and three other legislators are accused of demanding a US$400,000 bribe from a local businessman keen to mine coal at the Hwange Colliery. Chaos erupted with Nduna and Mliswa coming close to a physical confrontation.

Nduna threatened to deal with Mliswa outside the parliament building. "Don't call me a thief, I am saying this for the last time, don't call me a thief, I have people who I killed who I don't even know," Nduna said to Mliswa.

Yesterday, Mliswa, who had on Monday promised to "expose the rot", was the first to take to the floor and presented his case for close to 10 minutes during the question and answer session, which is beamed live on national television.

He launched tirades against almost everyone in the chamber, including Justice Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi, Acting Speaker Tsitsi Gezi, and his nemesis Dexter Nduna.

At some point, during Mliswa's rant, Nduna was overcome by emotion and walked out of the chamber only to be restrained by Ziyambi. Mliswa was subsequently thrown out of the House.

Later he told the Business Times that President Mnangagwa was the only one with the capacity to address the issue.

"They are refusing to set up a privileges committee;" he said. "l will write to the President because these guys are making it appear as if he is wasting time and resources moving around selling the Zimbabwean brand."

The Norton legislator who stepped down from his position as chairperson of the Mines and Energy Committee, claimed he was being persecuted.

"I stepped down from my position to allow for my case to be exhausted.

But Nduna, who was implicated in a 2016 Zimbabwe National Roads Authority scandal was re-appointed to the committee. Something is amiss," Mliswa said. When approached by the Business Times after the chaos, Nduna said he opted to be the "bigger brother".

"The nation saw what happened. l was the bigger person," he said.

Nduna has since filed a US$10 million lawsuit against Mliswa.