via Breaking: UMDC MPs lose seats – NewsDay Zimbabwe March 17, 2015
Advocate Jacob Mudenda, the Speaker of Parliament, has ruled that the MPs that left the MDC-T to form UMDC will no longer be allowed to sit in parliament and their seats are now vacant which has set up the country for another string of by-elections.
John Mokwetsi/Veneranda Langa
The 21 MPs, among them former secretary-general Tendai Biti, crossed over to the MDC Renewal Team, before forming a joint political party with Welshman Ncube’s MDC, which they call UMDC.
The legislators were under threat of losing their seats for sometime after Zanu PF MP for Buhera West Oliver Mandipaka on 5 March raised a point of order in the National Assembly saying they were in the House illegally.
The MPs that left the MDC-T, among them former secretary-general Tendai Biti, crossed over to the MDC Renewal Team, before forming a joint political party with Welshman Ncube’s MDC, which they call UMDC.
Mandipaka suggested they should now be expelled from Parliament like former Headlands MP Didymus Mutasa and Hurungwe West MP Temba Mliswa.
“It is now in the public domain that when this House expelled Mutasa and Mliswa, it was on the basis that they were no longer affiliated to Zanu PF under whose ticket they were elected to the Eighth Parliament,” Mandipaka said.
“It is also public knowledge that certain MPs came to Parliament through an MDC-T ticket, but they betrayed Morgan Tsvangirai and formed the MDC Renewal, which later merged with MDC to form UMDC.”
He added: “We are alive to the fact that several MPs originally in MDC-T are now in a new political outfit, the UMDC, and what we want to know is their political fate as well as their fate as MPs, and whether their existence in Parliament is legal.”
Mandipaka said their case was not different from the one cited by Speaker of the National Assembly Jacob Mudenda over Mutasa and Mliswa when he gave an example of Abednigo Bhebhe versus MDC when he lost his seat after crossing to the MDC-T.
Acting Speaker Reuben Marumahoko at first ruled Mandipaka out of order.
“We appreciate your concern, but when the Speaker made that pronouncement over the issue of Mutasa and Mliswa there was a letter from Zanu PF stating there were no longer their members, which is not the case at this instance,” Marumahoko said.
Zanu PF MPs shouted that Tsvangirai had written a letter asking for their dismissal. Marumahoko then said the issue was going to be looked into so that Mudenda makes a ruling.
The MDC-T and MDC Renewal Team fought legitimacy battles with both claiming they were the real MDC.
When Tsvangirai wrote to the Speaker asking for the dismissal of MDC Renewal Team MPs, Biti also wrote his own letter saying MDC-T legislators should be dismissed from Parliament.
COMMENTS
Are they going to pay back the amounts they were paid while representing themselves and not MDC-T in parliament. Once they departed from the ideology they were voted for they had no right to represent those that voted them in, and the payments made to them were in error. Being lawmakers one thinks they knew this situation all along and put the money aside?
LAW IS NOT RETROGRESSIVE, UNFORTUNATELY! THEY KNEW IT WAS COMING! GAMBLERS, THEY WERE!
If the MDC T boycotts the by-elections as they have threatened to, on the basis that all the electoral reforms are not in place (and even if they don’t boycott, judging from the rigging of all recent elections) then these 21 seats will become in part or potentially wholly ZANU PF seats. Better they become ZANU PF seats than MDC Renewal seats? A strategy beyond the understanding of my simple mind…which would say ‘Unity of purpose for now, then sort each other out later, once your major enemy has been dealt with”
I agree with Rwendo.
MDC-T has made so many “un-strategic” decisions for such a long time, that one begins to wonder what their real agenda is.
And here is another such decision.
Certainly Mugabe must consider MDC-T as his greatest ally. Who else would hand him 21 parliamentary seats “on a plate” – so to speak?
I beg to differ with you @owen on this, there is nothing strategic about this issue. You have to look at it from every angle and not over complicate something that is simple.
The people in these constituencies voted MPs from MDC-T and therefore they expect someone from MDC-T. If they leave the party they leave the seat.
MDC-T can also not allow people representing another party but using their name. Its just unfair.
This decision is a common sense decision, these MPs knew the consequences of their actions – its not like they were unfairly fired by MDC-T.
I don’t think the MDC-T has decided (conclusively) to boycott these forthcoming particular by-elections. They may reserve the boycott for general and presidential elections. That would be a better strategy in my opinion.
As for donating the vacated seats to Zanu PF, people seem to under-estimate the ongoing divisions in the ruling party.Many Mujuru supporters in all Zanu PF structures “oppose” their party goings-on but can not do so openly, which leaves them open to “siding” with MDC-T – openly or clandestinely. No-one can foretell the direct impact of Gracesquake but it is possible to have Bhoramusango 2 – on these byelections or in 2018. MDC-T will be the obvious beneficiary.
I am not sure whether any structures, parliament included, are relevant in Zim today.
ZANU just does what it wants.
Until we get rid of it, talk of seats in parliament is a waste of time.
If there was any doubt how thick & stupid Tsvancry is – then understand this! Cutting one’s nose to spite one’s face!
Yes, Ngoto Zimbwa, you are very right, no structure or anything is really relevant in Zim, everything is Zanu and Mugabe & that’s the truth.
The 21 MPs were/are irrelevant, even those that remain as MPs now on the opposition side, can not do anything really besides kungozivisa kuti we have an opposition in Parliament.
Think before you act…..
You are absolutely right Ngoto Zimbwa. What a shambles, whichever way you choose to look at it, unless ofcourse you support ZANU PF!! This plays so nicely into ZANU’s hands- I have no argument against those who say that MDC-T has played into the hands of ZANU PF. Whether it’s deliberate/calculated or not, is anyone’s guess!
SPOKESMAN, YOU MISLED THEM! AT LEAST YOUARE A PROFESSIO0NAL, GOT A JOB!
Tsangirai is becoming another mugabe in his own right. He lacks the vision and character to step aside in order to save the MDC. Expect more factions and disintegration of the party as long as people like him won’t let go of power. It’s beyond ridiculous to stay leader of an opposition party for so long after successive defeats be they rigged defeats or not. Instead of being asked to unite behind certain ideals and policies, the demand is to unite behind a few personalities which is no better than Zanu.
You might have a point about him making way for fresh blood.
Unfortunately, there is no fresh blood.
The Ncubes, Bitis, Dabengwas ….. are all tainted.
And, the people want him to lead them in the fight against ZANU.
This is a good decision by Mudenda but the manner in which it was arrived at makes this whole thing a mockery. It has been clear for some time that these MPs had left MDC-T and Mudenda was prepared to do nothing until Mutasa and Mliswa were expelled from Zanu PF and Zanu PF wanted them recalled from Parliament.
Why did Mudenda have to wait until the Mutasa episode?
There is no need to blame MDC-T because the law is clear on this. When you cross floor or cease to be a member of the party on whose ticked you got into Parliament you lose that seat. I don’t personally agree with this law but the UMDC MPs should have seen it coming.
The speaker has to be informed by someone authourised by the law on behalf of the agrieved party. He cannot use hearsay from the press.
For now it doesnt matter even if MDC-T pulled out all its remaining MPs,it will not make a difference at all. There is need to forget about Parliament and concentrate on solving the counry;s woes that Zanu has put us in.
Its actual suprising that Tendai Biti now can have the balls to stand and accuse the MDC-T of donating the seats to Zanu-PF. Biti and his renewal team were only an opposition to Tsvangirai and if they have any stamina or believe that they have the mandate of the people of Zimbabwe, then this is the time to show Tsvangirai that he made a mistake by reclaiming the seats back in the coming byelections instead of being cry babies.Reality has finally sunk in guy, just bit the bullet and move on.
That was a good move coz mr biti and his band of idiots thought they are educated more than Tsvangson and could do what ever they wanted like mugabe. Now biti has got more time to represent his client gono who is also in trouble due to unpaid debts. Good luck on that one biti traitor.
Let’s see the real UMDC now . Its either you were and still a zanu project or muri maboora ngoma just spoiling things for personal gains
Who cares? what contribution if any where the 21 doing in the house except farting on their bums? Zim politics is full of nonsense wasting our time and money.
When the 21 MPs sat down and agreed to form a new party,they should have also pondered about the consequences of their actions.Otherwise what the MDC did(expelling the 21)was simply to fulfill the hops and aspirations of the rebels.They have always hoped to belong with zanu and they have just achieved that.Now the MDC must go ahead and contest the seats becz the situation leading to the vacancies was manipulated.We take it that this is a continuation of the 2013 election in which the MDC participated and must participate now.The resolution to boycott future elections is not binding and may be wavered in any case.Lets fight for what is ours.We wish the UMDC good luck in their struggle.