Zimbabwe: Parliament - Chaos as CCC Protests Recalls, Opposition MPs Forcibly Ejected From August House By Anti-Riot Police

Columbus Mavhunga / VOA
Nelson Chamisa, the leader of the Citizens Coalition for Change in Harare, on August 27, 2023, at a press conference where he said he disputed the general election results.
10 October 2023
New Zimbabwe (London)
By Anna Chibamu

PARLIAMENT speaker Jacob Mudenda on Tuesday effected the recalls of 15 Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) MPs resulting in mayhem as affected legislators refused to leave the August House.

The MPs slammed Mudenda for acknowledging the recalls by Sengezo Tshabangu, claiming to be CCC's interim secretary general despite a letter from opposition leader Nelson Chamisa informing Parliament that all communication should come only from him.

They accused the Speaker of favouring the Zanu PF party which they allege is the brains behind the recalls, a ploy to secure a two-thirds in Parliament.

Zanu PF needs five MPs to have a majority in the National Assembly.

Mudenda however told them to go to the courts adding he had done his job according to the Constitution.

After reading the statutes of the law in recalling those who had ceased to belong to a political party, Mudenda read the names of the 15 members but the MPs affected refused to leave.

WATCH: Anti-riot police storming parliament session to forcibly remove opposition CCC members. A scuffle ensues. Opposition has blamed the Speaker of Parliament for taking orders from Zanu PF and executing a letter by one Sengezo Tshabangu which recalled 15 CCC MPs from the.... pic.twitter.com/yFi66Lop3M-- NewZimbabwe.com (@NewZimbabweCom) October 10, 2023

CCC's chief whip Amos Chibaya raged: "Hon. Speaker, those recalls are not from CCC. In our structures, we do not have a secretary-general in our party. As the speaker, you must not rule in favour of Tshabangu.

"It is not proper to only read the letter from Tshabangu and ignore CCC's letters. If anyone brings a letter purporting to be Zanu PF, I do not think you will allow that to happen."

LATEST: "This is unheard-of, Police coming into Parliament," CCC chief whip Amos Chibaya gives an update on the current situation at Parliament. He said most of the CCC members who were ejected by the police were beaten while being dragged out of the August House pic.twitter.com/8yal5FJsQE-- NewZimbabwe.com (@NewZimbabweCom) October 10, 2023

The Speaker responded: "Listen very carefully to my statement. I cannot adjudicate on that issue. In the letter, the contents in that letter are not of discussion in this house. Members of CCC are free to approach the courts."

In protest, opposition MPs in protest sang and danced in the August House, bringing business to a halt for over 3 hours.

● Police have intensified efforts to eject @CCCZimbabwe from parliament. They have summoned additional support from the anti riot division and MPs are now being forcibly dragged out. pic.twitter.com/GaLqpSYxO7-- NewZimbabwe.com (@NewZimbabweCom) October 10, 2023

In his ruling, Mudenda banned the MPs who were ejected from the House for six consecutive sittings.

JUST IN: Speaker of Parliament Jacob Mudenda has banned all CCC MPs who were ejected by the police from parliament for six sittings while withholding two months pay for each. pic.twitter.com/TUeuUEiqW1-- NewZimbabwe.com (@NewZimbabweCom) October 10, 2023

The MPs were violently removed from the house by riot police officers and some including Jasmine Toffa and Susan Matsunga were injured and left the Parliament Building limping.

The CCC MPs took turns to denounce police officers.

"Wandibvarurira suit yangu. Unoitenga here? Une mari yacho. Pokugara hauna, vana havaende kuchikoro asi unoita basa rokushandiswa zvisina kurova vanhu vari kukurwira kuti uve nehupenyu huri nani."said one irate legislator.

In the end, all CCC legislators were ejected from the Parliament. pic.twitter.com/6DOb4dxnZn-- NewZimbabwe.com (@NewZimbabweCom) October 10, 2023

In the Senate, nine CCC members were also recalled after Tshabangu's letter was submitted to Senate President Mable Chinomona.

Senate CCC chief whip Nonhlanhla Mlotshwa, spoke to newzimbabwe.com in an interview and she vowed that recalled senators would continue to attend business because Tshabangu is not a member of the CCC.

Meanwhile, the drama continues as Tshabangu also expelled Chamisa from CCC on Tuesday.

Read the original article on New Zimbabwe.

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