Mudzuri says if it was wrong for him to go to State House, what are MDC MPs still doing in Parliament?

Movement for Democratic Change vice-president Elias Mudzuri, who is under fire for joining the Parliamentarian delegation that went to State House today to present themselves to the President says he was baffled by the criticism as he had merely fulfilled his Parliamentary duty.

Mudzuri is reported to be one of the senior MDC officials planning to challenge party leader Nelson Chamisa for presidency at the next congress.

He has also been under fire for meeting Chief Justice Luke Malaba to apologise for the humiliation Malaba faced at the hands of MDC legislators who heckled at him in Parliament for the Constitutional Court judgment that ruled that President Emmerson Mnangagwa won the 30 July elections and ordered the MDC to pay the costs.

Some of his critics today said by presenting himself before Mnangagwa, Mudzuri had effectively expelled himself from the party.

In response, Mudzuri said some of the junior Parliamentarians in the MDC were playing petty politics.

“My confusion to all this stems from the fact that, if what I did was ‘illegal’ to my fellow parliamentarians, then I want to understand what we are still doing in parliament as a Party and wasting taxpayer’s money,” he said.

Below is his full statement:

This morning I responded to the invite that was extended to me by Senate President in my capacity as the leader of the House under the Parliamentary Standing Rules and Orders rule 11 that states:

“The President of the Senate and the Deputy President of the Senate, accompanied by their proposers and seconders and other Senators, shall as soon as may be after their election, present themselves to the President.”

It is with sadness and unfortunate circumstances that my fellow junior parliamentarians would want to play petty politics on something that is part of my terms of reference as Party deployed. My confusion to all this stems from the fact that, if what I did was “ illegal” to my fellow parliamentarians, then I want to understand what we are still doing in parliament as a Party and wasting taxpayer’s money.

I went to State House not to appease President Munangagwa, but to respect the office of Parliament. If I am wrong and they are right I would be proud to be fired from the Party because I represented the Party in Parliament business. It’s sad that my very colleagues were fully engaged in parliament business at HICC on post-budget consultations, a budget presentation that saw MPs under attack from police. What hypocrisy!

I believe that I went to State House not to betray anyone nor did I do it nicodemusly but in the full knowledge of my colleagues who then faked theatrical accusations.

The nation is faced with acute economic challenges under a failed leadership of ZANU-PF. That must be our focus, but to abuse my person this way is very unfortunate.

Eng Elias Mudzuri MP

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