Chronicle Editor
WHEN they took their respective oaths in Parliament, Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) legislators, like everyone else, subjected themselves to the rules and regulations of the August House hence it should come as no surprise if they are applied to them.
In a cheap politicking gimmick on Tuesday, CCC legislators absented themselves from the official opening of the 10th Parliament by President Mnangagwa in Mt Hampden.
President Mnangagwa laid out the legislative agenda for the next five years and also delivered a State of the Nation Address (SONA) in front of legislators from the ruling Zanu-PF party, who are the majority, and also diplomats accredited to Zimbabwe.
What exposed the legislators, however, is that the CCC legislators did not stay at their homes, no, they travelled to the capital, using Parliament resources only to restrict themselves to hotels, too booked with taxpayers’ money.
Following their boycott, the Speaker of the National Assembly, Advocate Jacob Mudenda, invoked Parliament’s Standing Orders that will see the CCC legislators having their travel allowances forfeited and their accommodation costs deducted from their salaries.
Addressing legislators in the Chamber soon after the official opening, Adv Mudenda said CCC legislators were in violation of Parliament’s Standing Orders of both the National Assembly and Senate.
“It is therefore clear that there have been some violations of those Standing Orders. Members of the CCC have come to Harare after Parliament was summoned by His Excellency, the President and have stayed in hotels and have been given and facilitated their travel to Harare.
“Therefore, there have been violations of these Standing Orders and in terms of powers invested in me as Speaker, I instruct the Clerk of Parliament to ensure that CCC members will not receive their coupons to go back home,” said Adv Mudenda.
“Secondly, their stay in hotels at the taxpayers’ generosity and commitment will be deducted from their salaries. I further request the Leader of Government Business to look into the Political Parties Finance Act to find out whether further sanctions cannot be applied.”
Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi, who is Leader of Government Business in Parliament, said CCC legislators had no legitimate reasons for boycotting Parliament.
“If they continue boycotting they will cease to be Honourable Members of Parliament, so it is up to them.
“The elections are done and dusted, they were sworn in which means it was an admission that the process (harmonised elections) was correct.
“So we are not aware why they did not turn up. We feel that their absence is not significant, we are now moving forward with setting up relevant committees,” said Minister Ziyambi.
Online Reporter