Paul Nyathi|MDC Member of Parliament and party Vice Chairman Job Sikhala on Tuesday took swipe at the Speaker Of Parliament Jacob Mudenda over his move to report ZimEye.com journalist Simba Chikanza to State Security Agents, the CIO after he questioned him in an interview (click to read) in the Serbian capital last month.

Chikanza questioned Mudenda on his two unconstitutional moves in parliament where by Mudenda partisanly used his powers to suspend MDC Parliamentarians from asking questions to ministers in parliament as per the constitution and also withdrew their allowances as punishment for refusing to recognise Emmerson Mnangagwa’s presidency.

Below is the full text of the debate raised by Sikhala on a point of privilege.

ALSO WATCH THE VIDEO: LOADING BELOW…

HON. SIKHALA:  I rise on a point of privilege Mr. Speaker concerning the events of the 15^th October, 2019.  On the 15^th of October, 2019, Mr. Speaker Sir, there was an altercation that took place in the City of Belgrade in Serbia between you Mr. Speaker Sir and a Zimbabwean journalist called Simba Chikanza.  After that altercation, it is now reported and also through an affidavit that has been deposited to the Inter-Parliamentary Union, (IPU)  that you Mr. Speaker Sir, went and reported the said journalist to the Director of National Intelligence, Isaac Moyo that Simba Chikanza is a security threat in this  country. 

Simba Chikanza, Mr. Speaker Sir is a Zimbabwean who in terms of the Constitution is entitled – [HON. MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections] – Mr. Speaker Sir, Simba Chikanza is a Zimbabwean who is entitled to the protection by the laws of this country over the issue of his security.  May you please guarantee, as he has raised a red alert that he has been classified as a threat to national security, that he is guaranteed to come to his country without harassment, intimidation or arrest?  It is said that his classification as a threat to State security was motivated by your report to the Director General of CIO.  Can you guarantee Simba Chikanza’s security in our country as a citizen of this country?  I thank you.

THE HON. SPEAKER: Order, sometimes it is important that you get the facts straight.   Leaders of delegations to conferences such as IPU are accorded state security and I was privileged to be covered by the state security of Serbia.  It was what the security in Serbia thought, to the extent that my security had to be secured, they did take the necessary measures including beefing up the security around my presence in Serbia.  It is normal practice that the security services in Serbia are obligated to inform my country of origin of what has transpired.  It is the communication between the security services of Serbia and security services here in Zimbabwe.  They were obligated to give a report and liaise with the security services here in Zimbabwe.  What transpires between the two organs is not privy to me.  It is a matter between the two security agencies in Serbia and Zimbabwe.  So, I did not make any report to the Director General of Zimbabwe Intelligence Services.

Watch also video downloading below: