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(TALKZIMBABWE) MDC legislators’ behaviour a disgrace – Chinamasa

MDC legislators’ behaviour a disgrace – Chinamasa
Ranganai Chidemo
Fri, 29 Aug 2008 11:25:00 +0000

THE Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs has condemned the Movement for Democratic Change party legislators’ conduct during the opening of the First Session of the Seventh Parliament on Tuesday as a disgrace and called on the government to ensure that they have an induction course to orient them with parliamentary procedures as set according to the Standing Rules and Orders.

Speaking at the swearing in ceremony of Zimbabwe’s Chief Justice at State House yesterday, Patrick Chinamasa, who is a former leader of the House of Assembly, described the booing and heckling of President Robert Mugabe during his speech as a disgrace and said the MDC-T leadership acted irresponsibly by failing to reprimand their newly elected legislators.

“The behaviour was disgraceful, but we are not surprised. As you are aware, those elements who were making noise had a different agenda of effecting illegal regime change in Zimbabwe,” said Chinamasa.

“I am not surprised. They have no respect for national events and institutions,” he continued.

The MDC-T party newly elected legislators jeered and heckled President Mugabe during his parliamentary address on Tuesday, a move condemned by the ruling party.

President Mugabe later criticized the behaviour of legislators at luncheon he hosted after the opening of Parliament..

Describing the behaviour as “"barbaric and nonsensical" he said the opposition MDC disrespected a Speaker they had elected.

“They should have honoured their Speaker. Let’s hope what we saw today would not be repeated in future. Let’s poise ourselves for hard work. Forget the nonsense and barbarism that we saw this morning. That is what they do in their world.”

On Thursday ruling party members gathered at the Zanu PF headquarters in protest against the “rowdy behaviour” of the MPs.

The demonstrators called on President Mugabe to suspend Parliament until MDC-T MPs pledge to take business in the House seriously.

Meanwhile, Clerk of Parliament Austin Zvoma said all legislators will be required to take induction courses before Parliament resumes on October 2.

All Members of the House of Assembly and all Senators will be required to attend the induction.

Labels: MDC, MDC VIOLENCE, PATRICK CHINAMASA

posted by MrK @ 4:58 PM