By Staff Reporter
CCC legislators’ decision to boycott President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s opening address in parliament Tuesday will all foot their fuel costs back to their homes and further suffer deductions from their wages, Speaker of Parliament Jacob Mudenda has said.
The entire team of opposition lawmakers elected on a CCC ticket in August snubbed Mnangagwa’s State of the nation address, which marked the opening of the first session of the country’s tenth parliament.
CCC MPs travelled to Harare from different parts of the country but remained in their hotels in protest over “Mnangagwa’s illegitimacy”.
The party argues the Zanu PF leader manipulated the August 23 poll to stay in power at the expense of its leader Nelson Chamisa.
But Mudenda, a Zanu PF politician, pulled rank Tuesday and ordered sanctions on the lawmakers.
“It is therefore clear that that there have been some violations of those Standing Orders,” Mudenda said.
“Members of CCC have to come to Harare after parliament was summoned by His Excellency, the President and have stayed in hotels and have been given and facilitated their travel to Harare.
“Therefore, there have been violations of these Standing Orders and in terms of powers vested in me as Speaker, I instruct the Clerk of Parliament to ensure that CCC members will not receive their coupons to go back home.
“Secondly, their stay in hotels at the taxpayer’s generosity and commitment will be deducted from their salaries.
“I further request the Leader of Government Business to look into the Political Parties Finance Act to find out whether further sanctions cannot be applied.”
