Mliswa Calls For Stiff Penalty As MDC MPs Boycott 2020 Budget Presentation

Norton legislator (Independent), Temba Mliswa has called for the establishment of legislation that empowers the Speaker of Parliament to punish members of Parliament who act in ways contrary to expected conduct of legislators.

His remarks come after MDC MPs have boycotted the 2020 Budget Statement presentation arguing that “illegitimate” President Mnangagwa was attending the event. Mliswa said:

Mr Speaker time has come that this institution comes up with rules that will empower you to be able to deal with any MP who behaves in a manner that is not befitting of this institution.

The hypocrisy that they exhibit, they contribute to every Bill in this Parliament and at the end, the President signs it so when they contribute and the President signs how then can they not be part of this.

The opposition legislators recently snubbed the State of the Nation Address by the president prompting Speaker of Parliament, Advocate Jacob Mudenda to threaten to withhold benefits for MDC legislators over their conduct.

Mudenda also banned them from questioning Cabinet Ministers on policy issues in Parliament since they were refusing to recognise Mnangagwa’s legitimacy, but, he made a U-turn on his ruling this Wednesday.

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