MPs Fight Over Chamisa In Parly

Yesterday’s National Assembly session was chaotic, with lawmakers on the verge of physical altercation after opposition leader Nelson Chamisa criticized Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) MPs for accepting loans from the government for US$40,000.

Last week, Chamisa softly denounced the loans and pleaded with his MPs not to accept them, claiming that doing so amounted to looting public funds. Loans of US$500,000 were made available to government ministers, US$350,00 to deputy ministers, and US$40,000 to lawmakers, sparking a raging debate and polarizing public opinion.

Mliswa brought up the welfare of lawmakers during yesterday’s National Assembly session, claiming that Zimbabwe’s MPs were among the lowest paid in the region.

He then attacked Chamisa, which infuriated CCC lawmakers, NewsDay reports.

“I would also want leaders of other political parties, especially Advocate Chamisa, to really understand — him being a lawyer — that MPs have a contract with Parliament; not with the party when they are here. I don’t know why he gets involved,” Mliswa said.

“He must not whip them (MPs) on contractual issues. He was once an MP. I expected him to stand for other MPs because he knows how we have suffered. We don’t want such hypocrisy from any leader. Let him deal with putting out his structures at CCC while here in Parliament, we get our money,” he added.

Read Also: This US$40k MPs Loan issue started long back: Parliament

Zanu PF and MDC Alliance legislators cheered Mliswa, but CCC MPs were not impressed.

Mbizo MP Settlement Chikwinya then raised a point of order and accused Mliswa of denigrating Chamisa.

“He cannot respond for himself as he (Chamisa) does not sit in this Parliament,” Chikwinya said.

As Chikwinya spoke, Mliswa, supported by Zanu PF and MDC Alliance MPs, fiercely interjected. The situation became very tense with fingers being pointed at each other. Some MPs jumped over seats to get to Chikwinya and threaten him.

The Zanu PF and MDC Alliance MPs said Chikwinya should return the money if he was in support of Chamisa’s point of view.

The heated argument halted Parliament business for about 15 minutes.

Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly Tsitsi Gezi struggled to bring the House to order.

Later, Gezi criticised the behaviour of MPs saying: “Hunhu hwenyu ndewemubhawa (you are behaving like drunkards).”