Cooperate for the benefit of the nation
The main opposition Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) lawmakers boycotted this week’s State of the Nation Address (SONA), which was delivered by President Emmerson Mnangagwa at the new Parliament building in Mount Hampden.
By doing so, they have been denounced by ZANU-PF for showing such blatant disrespect for the institution.
The lawmakers said they were protesting what they called illegitimacy concerns surrounding the August 23 and 24 elections when they abstained from President Mnangagwa’s SONA and the official opening of the first session of the 10th Parliament on Tuesday.
ZANU PF members claimed that the opposition, which has frequently displayed little regard for parliamentary procedure, not only displays intellectual bankruptcy but also a startling disdain for democracy itself.
As a result of their stance, the Nelson Chamisa-led party is currently subject to sanctions from the Parliament, which could include the loss of allowances and other benefits.
We admonish the lawmakers from both parties to cooperate for the benefit of the nation.
Interestingly, following the harmonised elections on August 23 and 24, the CCC parliamentarians took the oath of office as members of Zimbabwe’s tenth Parliament.
Zanu PF and CCC lawmakers were sworn in under the direction of Clerk of Parliament Kenneth Chokuda.
Zanu PF has 173 seats while CCC has a total of 103 members of Parliament.
Despite contesting the results of the recently concluded general elections, the CCC has defended the decision to allow its National Assembly and Local Authority representatives to take office.
Denford Ngadziore, a CCC councillor, said in a statement shortly after taking the oath of office that the call to demand the actual results of the election will continue even after he assumes office.
