HARARE: Speaker of Parliament Jacob Mudenda ejected MDC MPs before budget statement for “disrespect” after they failed to stand up when President Emmerson Mnangagwa walked into Parliament.
Mudenda said “the international community has accepted that Cde Mnangagwa is the head of state. And no-one can take a different view. Administratively we will take appropriate action.”
Mnangagwa got a rude awakening when MDC MPs remained rooted in their seats as he walked in.
Mudenda then called the police and Parliament security who physically removed the MDC MPs one by one.
This resulted in a delay to the 2019 Budget Presentation by Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube who was presenting his first budget statement.
Advocate Mudenda ruled that the opposition MPs had breached Parliamentary rules and protocol when they remained seated when the President entered the House.
An ambulance was called soon after to help an injured female MDC MP.
