THE late MDC founding father Morgan Tsvangirai’s son,
Vincent, defied Nelson Chamisa’s directive after he attended the National
Assembly sitting yesterday.
This comes after the Chamisa faction directed their
legislators not to attend Parliament sittings amid a bitter battle for the
control of MPs between reinstated MDC-T acting president Thokozani Khupe, who
has since recalled four legislators aligned to her rival, Chamisa.
During yesterday’s National Assembly sitting, Tsvangirai
was joined by other four MDC legislators Constance Chihururu, Joyce Makonya
(proportional representatives), Winnie Kankuni (Sunningdale) and David Tekeshe
(Makoni Central).
Makonya told the Daily News yesterday that Tsvangirai was
defending what is right.
“We are encouraged by the coming of Vincent Tsvangirai. The
son of our founding father knows what is happening and the right direction to
take. He knows his father was for constitutionalism and he wants to protect
what his father started,” Makonya said.
Efforts to get comment from Tsvangirai were fruitless as
his mobile phone was not available.
Meanwhile, Speaker
of the National Assembly Jacob Mudenda yesterday warned the MDC legislators who
are not coming to Parliament saying the Standing Rules and Orders will soon be
invoked.
“The missing MPs must be reminded that they took the oath
of office and promised to represent their constituencies. They must respect the
country’s laws. It is not the responsibility of the chair to persuade them to
come to Parliament. Parliament has the Standing Orders and Rules which can be
invoked. It is not the responsibility of the Speaker to ask the party to
appoint its chief whip. Parliament process will continue nonetheless.”
The warning follows a point of order raised by Norton
Independent legislator Temba Mliswa who argued that the opposition MPs must
attend Parliament session because those from the ruling party are too weak to
question Cabinet ministers.
The raging battle in the MDC has seen the recalling of
Chamisa’s allies, Chalton Hwende (Kuwadzana East), Thabitha Khumalo, Lilian
Timveos and Prosper Mutseyami by secretary-general Douglas Mwonzora, which was
ignited by the recent Supreme Court ruling that installed Khupe as the
legitimate leader of the MDC-T and nullifying the 42-year-old politician’s
leadership. Daily News
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