Speaker of the National Assembly, Jacob Mudenda forfeited the salaries of opposition Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) lawmakers who caused commotion in Parliament as they protested the recall of 15 their colleagues.
The recall was instigated by a disputed letter from self-proclaimed CCC interim secretary general, Sengezo Tshabangu. The Parliamentary session turned tumultuous after Speaker Mudenda officially announced the recall of the CCC MPs.
In response, the protesting legislators, who vehemently denounced the recalls, broke into song and dance, making it impossible to conduct the session. Anti-riot police were called in to eject the disruptive lawmakers who had brought the House to a standstill.
After their ejection, normalcy returned in the House with Mudenda ruling on the disturbances.
“Now, we cannot allow such a situation where in the end, we had to bring in ZRP, the police force to eject them because they made this House ungovernable, and we have lost more than two hours of taxpayers’ money without doing anything. It is, therefore, my ruling that the Members concerned who caused the commotion for the past two hours or so will not be allowed to sit in this House for the next six sittings and that they will forfeit their salaries for two months,” said Mudenda
CCC’s interim organizing secretary, Amos Chibaya, swiftly responded to Mudenda’s decision, highlighting that the party’s lawmakers were not in Parliament for personal benefits.
“They can take our salaries and give them to civil servants. We are not here for benefits but to represent the citizens. This is now a Zanu PF politburo being held in Parliament; surely, how do you expect a person from nowhere recalling Members of Parliament when he is not even in our database,” charged Chibaya
The move to recall the legislators exacerbated tensions within Parliament.
Chibaya contested Mudenda’s acceptance of Tshabangu’s letter, stating that they had communicated the party’s position through a letter sent by CCC leader Nelson Chamisa.
“Mr. Speaker, we wrote a letter to pyou dated September 11, notifying you that all communication comes from our president (Nelson) Chamisa. I don’t think it is proper for you to rule in favor of Tshabangu.”
The situation escalated when Mudenda ordered the recalled MPs to leave the House, but they refused, continuing in song and dance.
This led to the intervention of anti-riot police, who were called in to forcibly eject the protesting lawmakers.
