ZENGEZA West legislator Job Sikhala, yesterday came out guns blazing in Parliament
demanding Home Affairs minister Kazembe Kazembe to provide him with evidence of
his involvement in an alleged coup plot.
This comes after security chiefs last week named him on a
list of people who were allegedly spreading rumours of a possible coup to
topple President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
The security chiefs recently dismissed talk of the pending
military coup, saying they are going to arrest people spreading such messages.
They blamed civil society organisations, preachers and
opposition party members, including Sikhala. Speaking in the
National Assembly yesterday, MDC proportional representative Lynette
Karenyi-Kore said
Kazembe must explain further to legislators on the issue of
coup because the message has sent unnecessary panic among Zimbabweans.
In his response, Kazembe Kazembe said the issue is to do
with the country’s security and cannot divulge more to the public.
The response did not go down well with Sikhala who angrily
demanded the minister to take the matter seriously.
“I have the right to be heard against coup allegations. I
want to hear from the minister if he has got evidence against me. This is a
serious issue. This House has an oversight role over the Executive. We have the
right to know what is happening. This House must know the truth because one of
its members was mentioned by the minister.”
Speaker of the National Assembly Jacob Mudenda said he will
look into the statement and give the appropriate response. However, Sikhala
demanded the Speaker to provide a timeframe.
“As soon as possible but not more than two weeks,” Mudenda
replied. Recently, Sikhala said that he
is a grounded democrat who will never ever buy into coups.
“It was surprising that Kazembe … threatened my person in
the company of our National Security Services Chiefs who are the people’s final
line of defence. He stated that myself and my exiled brother Saviour Kasukuwere
peddle lies about an imminent coup in our country. This statement is not only a
lie but delusion of grandeur. I am grounded in the people and believe in people
power not any other force,” Sikhala said. Daily News
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