by Christopher Makaza
In a rushed move to avert a huge embarrassment of defiance to Nelson Chamisa`s directive for legislators to boycott Parliament business, MDC-Alliance leader has made a volte-face, allowing the legislators to resume Parliament duties, lying that the decision had been made after consultations with the party structures.
The distressed MDC-Alliance made the resolution yesterday during its National Council meeting where the party’s leadership threatened legislators, who had defied the directive, with unspecified action.
“It is resolved that following consultations with our structures and constituents, our MPs and councillors are to immediately resume their duties in Parliament subject to further review. Any persons who were deployed by the party who did not comply with the standing committee resolution to suspend participation in Parliament`s activities pending this resolution will be dealt with in accordance with the constitution and due process,” reads part of the resolution.
The decision to boycott Parliament business was in protest to the recalling of the MDC Alliance’s four legislators who were recalled last month.
Several MDC-Alliance legislators had threatened to defy the directive in the event that the much-awaited High Court ruling by Justice Tawanda Chitapi on the recalled legislators had come out negative, hence the sudden reversal of the decision to avoid further embarrassment from legislators.
Leaked chats from a WhatsApp group called ‘MDC Alliance Parly Caucus’ revealed that many legislators were irked by the directive, arguing that the intended boycott resulted in them losing their sitting allowances.
A contact who is in the WhatsApp group revealed that MDC Proportional representation legislators Ruth Labonde, Lindewe Maphosa, Virginia Muradzikwa and Memory Mbondiyah were on the forefront in defying the imposed directive.
Several MDC legislators who include David Tekeshe, Joice Makanya, Virginia Mafuta, Peter Moyo, Winnie Kankini and Vincent Tsvangirai continued to attend different Parliamentary Portfolio Committee meetings in defiance of Chamisa`s directive, despite intimidations and threats on their lives.
MDC-Alliance Secretary for Policy and Research, Dr Tapiwa Mashakada who also defied the boycott directive said disengaging Parliament and Local Authorities was not an effective political strategy.
Dr Mashakada argued that by refusing to accept court decisions, MDC-Alliance was playing into the hands of the state and judiciary adding that boycotting Parliament without boycotting alleged captured courts was a big contradiction which cast the opposition party as blowing hot and cold.
“Continuing with disengagement is an act of omission and commission on account of neglecting to occupy the democratic space and on account of rendering all elected MDC-Alliance legislators and councillors stranded assets,” said Mashakada.
If the opposition legislators had continued to boycott Parliament business, according to Parliament`s Standing Rules and Regulations, they risked losing sitting allowances, vehicles and other benefits which all legislators are entitled to. Besides risking losing financial benefits, the legislators would also face expulsion from Parliament if they failed to attend Parliament sittings for 21 consecutive days.
