MDC national spokesperson Daniel Molokele, in an interview, set the record straight the main opposition still did not recognise Mnangagwa as legitimately elected national leader.
Molokele said the stance was not spontaneous but was a party policy not to grant Mnangagwa the respect of national President.
“We do not recognise ED, full stop! The decision we made is based on the party resolution. So, neither the Standing Rules and Orders of Parliament nor the Speaker Jacob Mudenda can challenge the party decision,” he told NewZimbabwe.com Monday.
The main opposition insists the Zanu-PF leader stole his way to victory in the 2018 presidential poll in which he escaped with a narrow 50.8% victory, enough to grant him passage to State House.
MDC leader Nelson Chamisa polled 44.3% of the national vote, according to official results.
The main opposition has almost made it occupational to dispute the victory even 15 months into Mnangagwa’s new mandate.
Mudenda was last year forced to summon some police officers into the legislative chamber to drag out MDC MPs one by one during live television coverage on national broadcaster, ZBC-TV.
He was reacting to the defiant legislators’ failure to join their Zanu-PF counterparts in standing up in recognition of Mnangagwa who had entered the house of assembly for the 2019 budget presentation.
Some of the MPs were injured in the process.
September this year during official opening of parliament by Mnangagwa, MDC had another trick up their sleeves; walking out on Mnangagwa as he presented his address.
The action elicited a backlash from Mudenda who decreed the withholding of five months of their allowances.
Mudenda has further blocked MDC MPs from directing any questions to cabinet ministers during parliament’s question and answer sessions.
Thursday’s national budget presentation presents an opportunity for yet another MDC stunt which the party has kept a secret.
Said Molokele, “Speaker of Parliament Jacob Mudenda does not have the powers to victimise our members in the House and if he decides to do so, we will take him to court.”
Mudenda, on his part, chose to play his cards close to his chest when reached for comment on what he had in store for Mnangagwa-disrespecting MPs.
“I cannot predict anything on assumptions, that is the long and short of it,” Mudenda said.
Meanwhile, MDC will this Tuesday hold its caucus to deliberate on whether or not to attend Thursday’s budget presentation.
