Flag euphoria spreads to Parliament

DEBATE in the National Assembly was yesterday disrupted for nearly 45 minutes after Chitungwiza North MP, Godfrey Sithole (MDC-T) turned up during the question-and-answer session with a Zimbabwean flag hung on his shoulder.

Source: Flag euphoria spreads to Parliament – NewsDay Zimbabwe July 21, 2016

BY VENERANDA LANGA

Two other MDC-T MPs Trevor Saruwaka (Mutasa Central) and Unganai Tarusenga (St Mary’s) also had the national flags neatly tucked into their shirts as scarves.

Buhera West MP Oliver Mandipaka (Zanu PF) raised a point of order with Deputy Speaker Mabel Chinomona that the opposition MPs were clad in flags as if in support of #ThisFlag cleric, Evan Mawarire.

Chinomona then ordered the MPs to go outside and remove the flags, as Speaker Jacob Mudenda had last month made a ruling that no flags would be allowed in the House.

The three MPs refused to go out, resulting in chaos in the House, with finger-pointing and insults flying between members of the opposition and the ruling party.

National Assembly sergeant-at-arms, Nicholas Marufu tried to eject the flag-carrying MPs out of the House, but they resisted.
Defiant opposition MPs then started distributing flags on Parliament benches.

MDC-T chief whip, Innocent Gonese argued the MPs were showing their patriotism.

MDC-T Proportional Representation MP, Bacillia Majaya said even Zanu PF MPs with tiny flags pinned on lapels, must be ejected from the House.

As the chaos in the House continued, Chinomona threatened to expel the defiant MPs, who eventually relented and put the flags under their seats resulting in order being restored.