Opposition set to boycott Mugabe’s parliamentary address

By Lance Guma
18 December 2006

The Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) led by Morgan Tsvangirai have said they will not attend a state of the nation address by Robert Mugabe in parliament on Wednesday. Party spokesman Nelson Chamisa told Newsreel it was now an annual tradition for them not to attend Mugabe’s address since they do not recognise him as the legitimate head of state. Chamisa says as far as they are concerned Mugabe has kept himself in power through rigging elections and does not have the mandate of the people.

The state media put out notices saying Mugabe would address a joint sitting of the Senate and the House of Assembly at parliament building. A statement from parliament also requested all MP’s to be at the building by 2pm. Chamisa says this will not happen and they anticipate more threats from Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Patrick Chinamasa who last year warned that any MP’s who boycott would have their allowances deducted if they did not attend. The Kuwadzana MP however says they are prepared to make the sacrifice in order to make the point.

Asked why they did not pull out of parliament all together in light of Zanu PF’s majority dominance, Chamisa said parliament was another arena for them to exert pressure on Mugabe’s regime. ‘We are aware in a dictatorship you cant use parliament to air your views, but as an opposition any pressure point we can find we should use.’