MPs yesterday defied the Speaker of the House of Assembly Lovemore Moyo’s ruling that there was a prima facie case of contempt of Parliament in the matter between Budget, Finance and Investment Promotion Portfolio Committee chairman Paddy Zhanda and Reserve Bank Governor Gideon Gono.
Moyo said: “After studying the report of the Committee on Budget, Finance and Investment Promotion and the letter written to Zhanda in his capacity as chairperson of the committee, the chair notes that the allegations against the honourable member are of a serious nature and established a prima facie case as contemplated by Standing Order 38 (d).”
When the Speaker asked the House of Assembly members to vote on whether they agreed with his ruling, the MPs across the political divide decided to side with Zhanda (Zanu PF).
Gono did not attend the 2012 National Budget presentation.
The RBZ governor wrote to Parliament alleging Zhanda, through unnamed emissaries, had demanded certain favours from him.