Financial Gazette (Harare)
Clemence Manyukwe
27 June 2009
Harare — THE Movement for Democ-ratic Change (MDC) formation led by Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai risks losing its parliamentary majority following the conviction of three of its legislators on various charges, with four others currently appearing before the courts on matters in which expulsion is applicable.
If this happens, it is feared that ZANU-PF could seize the opportunity and rush bills through the august House.
Three MDC-T House of Assembly members have been convicted on charges that carry a penalty exceeding the stipulated six months.
The party's Chipinge East MP Mathias Mlambo was sentenced to 10 months imprisonment, while Mutare South lawmaker Shua Mudiwa would be sentenced on Saturday for kidnapping in which life imprisonment can be imposed.
Although, the party's Chi-manimani West MP Lynette Karenyi was convicted of forgery, her seat remains under threat after her rival in last year's poll, Munacho Mutezo of ZANU-PF, took the matter to the High Court.
All the three are appealing against their convictions.
The party's three other House of Assembly legislators are facing charges before the courts in which a life sentence is applicable: Blessing Chebundo (Kwekwe) faces rape charges; Trevor Saru-waka (Mutasa Central), rape and political violence charg-es, and Chipinge South MP Meki Makuyana is facing kidnapping charges.
Roy Bennett, the deputy agriculture minister-designate stands accused of possession of arms of war. If convicted he, too, could go in for life.
The MDC-T took control of the House of Assembly by one seat last year after it garnered 99 seats against ZANU-PF's 98 seats, with one seat going to an independent, Jonathan Moyo, while the rest of the seats went to the smaller faction of the MDC led by Arthur Mutambara.
Although ZANU-PF won 30 seats in the Senate, the MDC-T 24, MDC-M six, what comes out of Parliament should be a reflection of the majority in the House of Assembly following the adoption of the bicameral system in 2005.
The Constitution provides that in the event there is a disagreement between the two Houses on a Bill, the Bill may be presented to the President for assent in the form in which it was passed in the House of Assembly.
On Tuesday, the MDC-T national council said it was "alarmed by the renewed and relentless efforts by the forces of darkness to target and victimise MDC-T parliamentarians as evidenced by the crackdown on our MPs".
In the event that by-elections are held before Septe-mber 15 2009, the GPA stipulates that the three political parties to the unity accord cannot contest each other. They can only do that after a year from the signing of the agreement, according to Article 21.1 of the GPA.
The MDC-T has previously said there is a plot to reverse its majority through arrests and convictions.
Section 42 of the Constitution says upon the sentencing of a legislator to death or "a term of six months or more, such member shall cease forthwith to exercise his functions . . . and his/her seat shall become vacant at the expiration of 30 days from the date of such sentence".
All MDC-T legislators with the exception of non-constituency Senator Bennett are members of the House of the Assembly where the party's strength is anchored.
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The question is, are these politically trumped up fictitious charges that the ZANU PF have created to give themselves an il-gotten parliamentary majority, knowing that the judges they have bribed previously will rule in their favour?
Get lost limpydeeky; your own words make your post irrelevant, trash:
"Zimbabwe is a pathetic piece of crap."
Your posts, therefore, automatically deconstruct, silly idiot, and I am assuming, generously, to be blunt, that you understand the meaning of the concept "deconstruct," which is highly improbable, if not impossible.
Imagine, the looney posting loosey goosey junk on a country that he calls "a pathetic piece of crap"!
Imagine, if you will, the depth of the dearth of self-reflection embeded in a brain devoid of the rudimentary and esily available elements of critical thinking!
Imagine the justified rage rocking in the… [Read Full Text]
DickinSon.
How long till your post gets deleted and you end up crying again?
Heehaw Heehaw!
If you think I give a rat's tail if my posts are deleted by this mouthpiece of INVADERLAND entity in Africa, you are not only a lunatic, but a hands down idiot.
More to the point: your posts thematically self-destruct, for you cannot consistently post anything on a country you deem "a pathetic piece of crap."
And, it shows: now you you make animal life expressions: "heehaw".
"Zimbabwe is a pathetic piece of crap." Another animal life expression?
Hands down idiot! And ignoramus. And, African basher.
Now, call your basses on M Street in Washington, DC… [Read Full Text]
Awwww! Poor Widdle DickinSon is a widdle bit unhappy.... poor thing! Come give Uncle Indie a hug... it'll be all right!
Haha. Loser.
The principle of separation of powers exist in Zimbabwe. Let the Law take its course AwT. Let them be proved innocent in the courts. Don't draw fictitious assumptions. Crime is crime. Some people would like to learn the hard way. You claim to be a democraic party but you preach violence and harbour in your houses arms to overthrough a legitimate Government? Ana Bennet..... chenjerai. If you expect the President to swear in a convict, then we run the risk of anarchy.
blah blah blah...
See all comments (26).
Any act which then warrants prison is crime. In our constitution,the concept is well covered. If anybody commits a crime, they go inside irrespect of their race, party affiliation or creed. Nobody is above the law. Rape is a heinous crime. The MDC and ZANU PF parties for that matter should understand rules of the game. There is a certain level of etiquette expected of leadership. I can mention some Zanu pf MPs who went inside for rape cases and had to vacate their seats. It is not like the law is against the MDC. I appeal to all law… [Read Full Text]