THERE was drama in the National Assembly yesterday as
opposition MDC Alliance 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, Hellen Dingani.
Malaba led a full Constitutional Court bench that
unanimously ruled against a petition brought by MDC Alliance leader and
presidential candidate in the July 30 election, Nelson Chamisa, and confirmed
President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s victory.
When he entered the House clad in his full judicial robes
for the swearing-in ceremony, MDC Alliance MPs burst into song, attacking the
country’s top judge, while Zanu PF MPs hit back by shouting “ED Pfee”. Malaba
was visibly shaken.
Mudenda was retained as Speaker, with Tsitsi Gezi elected
as his deputy in elections conducted by Zec.
The ruling Zanu PF party has 180 MPs in the National
Assembly, while the MDC Alliance has 88 MPs.
Both independent MP Temba Mliswa (Norton) and NPF
legislator Masango Matambanadzo (Kwekwe Central) voted for Mudenda.
In his acceptance speech, Mudenda urged MPs to unite and
work together.
“The most important thing is that, through our committee
system, we should be able to build consensus and build Zimbabwe,” he said.
Newly-appointed MDC Alliance chief whip Prosper Mutseyami
congratulated Mudenda, but pointed out that they would continue protesting over
Malaba’s handling of the election petition.
Meanwhile, Mabel Chinomona was voted Senate President, with
Michael Nyambuya deputising her in an election presided over by Clerk of
Parliament Kennedy Chokuda and Zec.
The drama in the National Assembly started when Chegutu
West MP Dextor Nduna (Zanu PF) stood up to nominate Mudenda as Speaker.
He was heckled by MDC Alliance MPs, who shouted that Nduna
was a fraud who had stolen the Chegutu West elections.
Harare East MP Tendai Biti then nominated Mpariwa. Biti
later told NewsDay that they had nominated Mpariwa for Speaker even though they
knew that Zanu PF would win because they had the numbers.
Similar ructions were experienced in the election of the
deputy Speaker when Tsitsi Gezi (wife of the late Border Gezi) was nominated by
Mberengwa North MP Tafanana Zhou.
Gezi holds Bachelor of Science in Agriculture and Master of
Business Administration degrees.
Biti then nominated Harare Central MP Murisi Zwizwai, whom
he said holds a PhD in security studies and Master of Science degree in Peace,
Policy and Governance from Africa University.
Zwizwai was also a war veteran who fought alongside Defence
minister Oppah Muchinguri at Manyika Front.
The voting followed party lines. Newsday
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