Anti-riot police rushed parliament on Tuesday to remove CCC lawmakers who had refused the speaker of the national assembly’s order to leave the legislative chamber, injuring several MPs in the process.
After Mudenda announced the recall of 24 opposition lawmakers at Sengezo Tshabangu’s request, who asserts to be the interim CCC secretary general, parliament became a battleground for about two hours.
Nine senators and fifteen members of the national assembly make up the recalled lawmakers.
CCC MPs vehemently disagreed, stating that the recalls were unlawful.
Over 100 opposition MPs were eventually removed from the legislative chamber after police requested backup from their anti-riot colleagues.
Amos Chibaya, a Mkoba MP, reported that some MPs were hurt when they were hit with truncheons and some had their clothing torn.
The MPs will meet with Nelson Chamisa, the party’s leader, on Wednesday to discuss the next steps, according to Chibaya.
“This person called Tshabangu is not even on our database. He is not even a member of our party. There is no way Tshabangu can recall our Members of Parliament,” Chibaya said.
The only opposition party in Zimbabwe’s parliament, CCC, is considering recalling all 103 of its lawmakers and 27 of its senators in opposition to the recalls.
Tshabangu, said Chamisa, is a fraud.
Through a letter to Mudenda dated October 6, the opposition leader attempted to halt the recalls, but the Zanu PF member ignored the letter.
Mudenda made the following announcement after all of the opposition MPs had been expelled: they were now barred for the following six sessions and would each forfeit two months’ pay.
Writing on X after the skirmishes in parliament, Chamisa said Zimbabwe is “in a deep political crisis as a result of a flawed and disputed election”.
He added: “Partisan capture of state institutions is criminal. Zanu PF is not Zimbabwe, and Zimbabwe is not Zanu PF. Parliament is supposed to make laws and not break them. Zimbabwe shall be free.”
The expulsion of party members from parliament just one month after their election is seen as a flagrant act of provocation and increases the pressure on Chamisa, who is already unsure of how to respond to allegations of poll fraud, Job Sikhala’s continued incarceration, and a number of state-sponsored offences directed at opposition activists.
Some opposition backers want the opposition to organize demonstrations against the Zanu PF-led administration.
