Jennifer Dube and Sandra Mandizvidza
30 August 2008
President Robert Mugabe steeled himself for a reception he never imagined possible, for a hero of Zimbabwe's liberation struggle.
For the first time in the history of Parliamentary proceedings, MDC MPs irked by the arrest of their colleagues in violation of Parliamentary rules and procedures, gave him a taste of his own medicine. They disrupted his address during the official opening of the Seventh Parliament, setting the stage for a new chapter for debates between the political parties.
Members of the public have expressed mixed feelings over the arrest of opposition MDC legislators ahead of the official opening of Parliament last week and the subsequent jeering by their colleagues when President Mugabe addressed Parliament.
On Monday and Tuesday, the police arrested five MDC lawmakers -- Sure Mudiwa, Broadwin Nyaude, Mathias Mlambo, Pearson Mungofa and Eliah Jembere -- on charges of political violence, and for one of them, rape.
The party said its deputy secretary general, Elton Mangoma, was apprehended on his way into the House of Assembly, but managed to escape arrest.
Subsequently, the MDC legislators who made it to Parliament on Tuesday jeered and heckled President Mugabe throughout his keynote address.
Reacting to the arrests, the MDC said the move was meant to frustrate its victory during the March 29 poll, where it reversed Zanu PF's majority in the House of Assembly for the first time since 1980. The party's national chairman, Lovemore Moyo made history by becoming the first non-Zanu PF Speaker since independence.
MDC legislators in both the lower house and senate also petitioned Mugabe on his move to open parliament before the conclusion of the inter-party talks between Zanu PF and the two MDC formations. Part of the Memorandum Of Understanding signed by the principals of Zanu PF and the MDCs on July 21 barred any of the parties from making such key decisions such as convening Parliament.
Part of the petition reads: "We, the undersigned members of the Movement for Democratic Change elected both to the Senate and the House of Assembly declare that: This official opening of the 7th Parliament of Zimbabwe is a clear breach of the Memorandum of Understanding and is therefore of no force and effect.
"The purported opening by Mugabe, the illegitimate usurper of the people's will as reflected on March 29 2008, is illegal and of no force and effect. For the avoidance of doubt, the only person who can officially open this session of Parliament will be determined by the outcome of the on-going dialogue sponsored by SADC."
The petition also stated that continued harassment, arrest of MDC legislators and activists was a direct affront to the will of the people of Zimbabwe.
Mugabe paid little attention to the hecklers during his speech. He is said to have later told dignitaries at a dinner in the day that the MPs' behaviour was "barbaric and nonsensical".
Newly appointed Mashonaland Central governor, Martin Dinha was also quoted blasting the MDC for embarrassing Mugabe.
"This behaviour was deplorable and immature," Dinha said. "It showed that some people were playing to the imperialist gallery."
Several people interviewed by The Standard last week, however, said the two developments showed that the country's politicians were still pre-occupied with personal agendas and thus not yet ready to work together.
"Now, those arrests and the clowning that followed proved beyond doubt that these politicians are still playing ball at the expense of our continued suffering. We have always known that these people can not work together and they just confirmed it with those two unnecessary developments," fumed John Chisvo from Mufakose.
Most people said they were worried the ordinary Zimbabwean would continue in plight while politicians seek to advance their personal interests.
"(Morgan) Tsvangirai just has to sign," Rodgers Mavhurume said. "As long as he continues refusing, there will be no peace in that Parliament and nothing of substance will come out of it. To us, that means continued suffering and I do not understand why grown-up men and women would choose to sacrifice millions of lives for their own personal interests."
Some were however optimistic there could be peace in Parliament once a "better deal" is on offer.
"Some of us know that should Tsvangirai sign what is being offered by Zanu PF, the pact would not solve our problems because we understand that it is not in favour of what his donor friends set as conditions for funding," Catherine Mutodzaniswa said. "Let Zanu PF table a better deal and that way, there will be peace in Parliament and that will be the beginning of the road to happiness for all Zimbabweans."
While others said they hoped to see more meaningful co-operation from the country's politicians in parliament, some said they hoped the MDC would also be able to facilitate constructive debate and equally jeer at "dangerous" laws proposed by Zanu PF.
"If these people are to work together, we hope MDC continues to be alert," said Tawanda Pasimupindu. "That way, we can avoid the mistakes we have been making in these past years."
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