HARARE – Zimbabwean Deputy Premier Arthur Mutambara’s MDC formation said on Thursday it intends to lay corruption charges against Speaker of Parliament Lovemore Moyo if he does not formalise the suspension from Parliament of expelled members of the party by next Tuesday.“The national council has endorsed the letter written by the standing committee to the Speaker advising him of the provisions of Section 4 of the Anti Corruption Act which criminalises any act by a public officer which shows favour to a particular person on the basis of that public officer’s interests," MDC-M secretary general Welshaman Ncube told journalists after the party’s national council meeting in Harare.
“We have drawn the Speaker’s attention to this section of our law and given him until Tuesday next week to rectify the situation. If he does not do so we will lay a formal complaint to the police that he is acting corruptly in violation of Section 4 of the prevention of corruption Act."
Ncube accused the Speaker of acting in bad faith by protecting and perpetuating the tenure of the MDC-M‘s expelled members in Parliament.
He said the main faction of the MDC that is led by Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai is persuading expelled MDC-M members to join it and leave Mutambara’s party.
“He has an interest. They are the ones recruiting our Members of Parliament (MPs). We noted that the failure by the Speaker to implement their expulsion is in fact because he is an interested party," said Ncube.
The MDC-M last month expelled Nkayi South MP, Abednico Bhebhe, Lupane East MP Njabuliso Mguni and Bulilima East’s Norman Mpofu over charges of indiscipline and disrespecting the party leadership.
After their dismissal, Ncube advised the Speaker of Parliament of the vacant seats to pave way for by-elections.
According to the country’s Electoral Act, a presidential proclamation should be gazetted within 14 days after Parliament has notified the President of a vacant seat to pave way for the by-elections.
The three lawmakers have petitioned the High Court to set aside the decision of the disciplinary committee, arguing that it was improperly constituted and that the hearing was flawed.
All three legislators have continued to attend Parliament sessions, including chairing portfolio committees and acquired vehicles under the parliamentary car scheme.
MDC-M leader Mutambara said the MPs are now no longer members of his party.
“Those members are no longer members of our party and the party is busy preparing for by-elections," said Mutambara.
But Bhebhe dismissed the announcement made by the party leadership, accusing them of being ZANU PF conduits.
“I don’t attend ZANU PF meetings because Mutambara and Ncube are ZANU PF employees who should go out of the party. We are going back to the structures of the party who now have to decide on the way forward at a special congress where they will come face to face with the people," said Bhebhe. – ZimOnline
