by Nobleman Runyanga

The Speaker of the National Assembly, Advocate Jacob Mudenda has slated Movement for Democratic Change Alliance, (MDC-A) National Assembly members for their unbecoming behaviour during the swearing in ceremony at the August House this week.

In a statement issued yesterday Adv Mudenda roundly condemned the opposition members for their unparliamentary conduct.

 The opposition parliamentarians booed the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) Chairperson, Justice Priscilla Chigumba, and the Chief Justice Luke Malaba, who presided over the swearing in ceremony of Adv Mudenda and his Deputy Tsitsi Gezi. 

“The Chief Justice is the head of the third arm of the State and should be accorded the respect due to his office and, indeed, the entire Judiciary. The behaviour was uncalled for and should be condemned in the strongest possible terms,” said Adv Mudenda in the statement.

 The Speaker drew the attention of the nation to the Parliament’s role in upholding the Constitution and respecting State institutions. He quoted Section 119 of the national charter which states;

“Parliament must protect this Constitution and promote democratic governance in Zimbabwe (and that) Parliament has the power to ensure that the provisions of this constitution are upheld and that the State and all institutions and agencies of Government at every level (including Parliament) act constitutionally and in international interest.”

In view of this, Adv Mudenda apologised to the Judiciary officials for the incident.

“It is in this context, therefore, that I convey my sincere apologies to the Chief Justice and Justice Chigumba for the shameless attacks on their character and person in the course of their constitutional duties. It is my expectation that such unbecoming behaviour will not be repeated in the House whose lofty stature must be guarded jealously at all times.”

The opposition legislators’ behaviour has become characteristic of their tenures in Parliament term after term. It has become their pre-occupation at the expense of real issues which affect the people of Zimbabwe such as the ongoing cholera outbreak which is traceable to the MDC-Alliance’s mismanagement of most urban areas where the party dominates.