Harare (New Ziana) – The Parliament of Zimbabwe is concerned by deliberate attempts to slander it and its members through the spread of fake news.

This follows the circulation, mainly on social media, of claims that Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services deputy Minister Energy Mutodi and Proportional Representation Member of Parliament Tatenda Mavetera were caught in a compromising position in one of the male toilet cubicles at the Parliament building.

In a statement refuting the allegations, Clerk of Parliament Kennedy Chokuda said the report was a brazen attempt to impugn the integrity of individual Members of Parliament and Parliament as an institution.

“The said allegations attempt to sully the image of Parliament and the characters of Parliamentarians by giving the impression of an institution devoid of morality and the decorum associated with what is rightly termed an august institution,” he said.

“Nothing of the sort has ever happened, nor indeed, will it ever happen in Parliament.”

He added; “The nature of the security and traffic of persons within Parliament building is such that the alleged trysts would not happen.”

Chokuda said Members of Parliament were guided by strict rules of decorum which they earnestly follow in and outside Parliament.

“It is unfortunate and regrettable that any right-thinking person, regardless of the fertility of their imagination, would unashamedly circulate news they know to be false without any pangs of conscience particularly as it casts aspersions on the characters and standing of Honourable Members of Parliament,” he said.

New Ziana