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Thokozani Khupe

Farirai Machivenyika Senior Reporter
MDC-T legislators in the National Assembly were strongly warned that their conduct will attract requisite censure after they stood up for their party vice president and leader of the opposition in the National Assembly, Ms Thokozani Khupe, on Wednesday.Parliament’s Standing Rules and Orders stipulate that legislators should only bow to the President or the Speaker of the House.

Speaker of the National Assembly Cde Jacob Mudenda censured the MDC-T parliamentarians and said Ms Khupe was also disrespectful of the House.

“I am concerned by the behaviour of the MDC-T in the House who rose for their leader Thokozani Khupe,” he said.
“Moreso, Honourable Khupe did not even bow to the Chair when she entered.

“This apparent lack of respect for the chair and the August House is a flagrant violation of the Standing Rules and Orders and will not be tolerated in future without appropriate censure. It is the Chair’s hope that such an unfortunate incident will not occur again, in other words this is a warning.”

The warning by Cde Mudenda followed a complaint raised by Buhera South representative Cde Joseph Chinotimba on whether or not the conduct by the MDC-T legislators was procedural.

Cde Mudenda has insisted on discipline in the House and has already barred the consumption of alcoholic beverages from the members’ bar when the House is in session.

He has also warned that the use of cellphones in the House will not be tolerated and that he would chuck out any legislator who violated the rules. Some MDC-T members have not been taking Parliament business seriously and recently boycotted the official opening of the House by President Mugabe where he presented the Eighth Parliament’s legislative agenda.

MDC-T legislators are hypocritically attending sessions where the Bills that were laid out by President Mugabe will be debated.