Zimbabwe: MDC-T MP Wants Service Chiefs to Appear Before Parliament

SW Radio Africa (London)

Tichaona Sibanda

14 July 2011

An MDC-T legislator said statements by service chiefs in support of Robert Mugabe and ZANU PF are unconstitutional and tantamount to treason.

‘As a result of this, Parliament should summon the service chiefs to answer questions why they issue statements that are contrary to the laws of Zimbabwe,’ Settlement Chikwinya, the MP for Mbizvo in KweKwe said.

He told SW Radio Africa on Thursday a Parliamentary committee was a good platform to seek answers to their ‘motives and intentions’ behind the statements.

On Wednesday the legislator moved a motion, asking Parliament to compel the security and defence commanders to stop meddling in the country’s political affairs.

On Thursday he went on the offensive by suggesting Parliament should summon the Junta to answer questions on the flagrant way they’ve conducted business for years.

It would be unprecedented and somewhat unlikely if the country’s military Junta agreed to offer itself to parliament for accountability over its actions.

Chikwinya said there was nothing sinister in his suggestion, emphasizing Parliament had the powers to summon anyone, except a sitting Head of State.

The military in Zimbabwe has come under intense regional and global scrutiny over its support for Mugabe and its pronouncements they will not support anyone other than ZANU PF and its ageing leader.

The MDC-T party have demanded that the armed forces should now learn to become accountable and answerable to a civilian government and also yield to democracy and constitutionalism.

‘This is why I moved a motion in Parliament that intends to deal with the actions of the military especially in periods preceding general elections. The motion was debated late yesterday (Wednesday) and was adjourned to Thursday.

‘I know ZANU PF MPs will defend the generals, in the hope they will help them regain political power in the next election. But they don’t have much to argue about as what the generals said is on public record.

‘They will obviously offer a very shallow debate but I’m sure at the end of debate, Parliament will agree to adopt our recommendations,’ Chikwinya added.

He explained that his motion seeks to compel Parliament to ask the service chiefs to reaffirm their loyalty to the constitution and laws that govern state security institutions.

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