by Claver Nyuki
The Nelson Chamisa led MDC is on record saying that it does not recognise the legitimacy of President Emmerson Mnangagwa ever since his election victory and the subsequent Constitutional Court (ConCourt) proceedings that ruled in favour of the incumbent.
The MDC poster boy, Dr Alex Magaisa even posted an article on his Big Saturday Read (BSR) questioning the legitimacy of President Mnangagwa, this despite the fact that the president presided over the most peaceful elections since independence.
The campaign period was also largely peaceful with all political parties and candidates being given space and freedom to campaign against the backdrop of a record number of Presidential candidates being recorded since independence.
Now that the elections have come and gone, the MDC has found it hard to accept defeat, hence the narrative that President Mnangagwa rigged the elections and captured the Con Court, desperation at its best.
The MDC legislators have been insistent that they do not recognise President Mnangagwa’s leadership and failed to acknowledge him when he appeared for the official opening of the First Session of the Ninth Parliament which led to them being removed from the house.
That party’s Chief Whip, Prosper Mutseyami even released a statement, insisting that they would not acknowledge the President as he was ‘not’ elected.
The MDC co-deputy leader, Elias Mudzuri was scolded by junior party members, Chalton Hwende and Murisi Zwizwai in public for attending a Parliamentary meeting at the State House.
Hwende and Zwizwai argued that his attendance at State House was an acknowledgement of President Mnangagwa’s leadership.
What baffles the mind is that when that party’s Harare City Council (HCC) mayor, Hebert Gomba, escorted President Mnangagwa on his Glen View tour after the Cholera outbreak, everyone including Hwende and Zwizwai were quiet.
Gomba even attended, more recently, President Mnangagwa’s National Clean-up campaign launch and again, everyone in the MDC camp was quiet.
Another point that bares the hypocrisy of the MDC is the fact that Tendai Biti, Ruth Labode, Concilia Chinanzvavana and Chalton Hwende were appointed to head Parliament portfolio committees, a move they should have declined given that they do not recognise the legitimacy of President Mnangagwa.
After carefully considering the above, one cannot help but agree with the Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, Ziyambi Ziyambi who refused to entertain questions from the MDC camp as they do not recognise the man who appointed him in office.
Ziyambi urged all other Government Ministers not to entertain questions from the opposition backbenchers until they recognise their appointing authority.
Its high time the MDC legislators were told that they cannot have their cake and eat it too, either they accept the election results and the country moves on or they resign from Parliamentary duties because as it stands, the MDC is just desperately trying to find a way to smuggle Chamisa in Government via the back door.
