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People's Democratic Party Recalls Tendai Biti, Other Lawmakers Amid Chaos in Opposition Parties


Tendai Biti in parliament
Tendai Biti in parliament

The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) says it has recalled from parliament former Finance Minister Tendai Biti and several other lawmakers.

Speaker of Parliament, Jacob Mudenda, announced in parliament today that he had received a letter from the PDP indicating that the party has recalled Biti, Settlement Chikwinya (Mbizo), Willias Madzimure (Kambuzuma) and Kucaca Phulu (Nkulumane) and others.

PDP spokesperson, Nqobizitha Khumalo, said the lawmakers have been "recalled as they no longer belong to our party."

Khumalo claimed that they associated themselves with the MDC Alliance led by Nelson Chamisa "and therefore they cease to be members of our party."

He said they will be replaced when President Emmerson Mnangagwa announces dates for parliamentary bye-elections.

Reacting to the recall, Phulu told VOA Studio 7 that "this is an attack on democracy" as people who elected them won't have a voice in parliament.

"The person who wrote a letter to parliament identified as Rukanda and claimed that he was the secretary general of the PDP is not a member of our party. There is no person like that in PDP which contested the 2018 elections led by Tendai Biti. This person contested in Masvingo as the Rainbow Coalition.

"He was told by some people to write the letter so that we can be expelled from parliament. The people who are being expelled are vocal members of the PDP. In most debates these people from the MDC Alliance and those targeted now were always debating important motions on behalf of the people."

Phulu said, "We have not yet received letters indicating that we have been recalled. We will take this further."

Several MDC Alliance members recently defected to the ruling Zanu PF party saying they are fed up with Zimbabwe's opposition parties.

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