Zimbabwe opposition MPs thrown out for 'disrespecting president'

Zimbabwe police and parliament security ejected opposition legislators from parliament on Thursday (November 22) after they refused to stand when president Emmerson Mnangagwa entered parliament.

The scuffles between opposition lawmakers and police started ahead of the budget speech, when the parliament speaker ordered police to remove members.

The speaker of parliament Jacob Mudenda ruled that the opposition MPs had breached parliamentary protocol and decorum by remaining seated when the president entered the house.

In September, opposition lawmakers walked out of Mnangagwa’s state of the nation address to parliament, signalling their lingering bitterness after losing a disputed presidential and parliamentary election.
The opposition maintains the July 30 vote was rigged.

Reports say a female opposition lawmaker was injured in the fracas.

Reuters