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Commenting on the two disruptions of Senate business last week — which resulted in adjournment of the House to next year — Justice and Legal Affairs Minister Patrick Chinamasa yesterday said the Members of Parliament had not properly thought through their actions. MDC-T senators made the House ungovernable in protest of what they claimed was the irregular presence of constitutionally re-appointed governors in the Upper Chamber.

Governors sit in the Senate.
However, Minister Chinamasa said this “ill-thought” action had serious national consequences beyond mere politicking.
“They are precipitating a crisis that will bring the elections much earlier than the President has indicated.

“By rendering the Senate dysfunctional they are cutting off their noses to spite their faces. It means laws cannot be passed through the House and the State cannot function without a Parliament, hence elections become necessary.”

President Mugabe last month said the country should anticipate a return to polls around mid next year.
On the disruptions, Minister Chinamasa added: “They can’t even get their salaries next year because the budget must go through both the House of Assembly and the Senate.

“There will be no budget and that means nothing can function. That could necessitate elections.”

He said the boycott was a sad reflection of the behaviour of MPs who, by virtue of being senators, should “demonstrate greater maturity than their colleagues in the House of Assembly”.

“They were voted into Parliament to debate issues and not to sing. Singing and shouting will not produce laws for this country. Their immaturity is very disappointing for those who elected them into Senate.”
MDC-T senators claim President Mugabe unprocedurally re-appointed governors and is in breach of the Global Political Agreement that created the inclusive Government by doing so. However, the re-appointments were constitutional as such authority is vested in the President as the Head of State and Government.