Published: 20 hours ago

Opposition Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) legislator Charlton Hwende has rejected his reassignment from the influential Public Accounts Committee to the Portfolio Committee on Energy and Power Development, describing the move as unprocedural and politically motivated.

The reassignment was announced last week by Deputy Speaker of Parliament Tsitsi Gezi, who did not provide any explanation for the reshuffle. Under the new arrangement, Hwende was to be replaced as chair of the Public Accounts Committee by Caston Matewu, who previously chaired the Media, Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Committee.

"I wish to inform the House of the following further changes," Gezi said during a parliamentary session. "Honourable Charlton Hwende has been reassigned as chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Energy and Power Development from the Public Accounts Committee, and Caston Matewu has been reassigned as chairperson of the Public Accounts Committee."

However, Hwende challenged the legitimacy of the changes, arguing that committee reassignments should be made through political party consensus and not by individuals acting unilaterally.

"My understanding is that the changes should occur as a result of a political party making a decision," Hwende said in Parliament. "There was no such decision by any political party and we should desist from this kind of behaviour."

He further hinted that the move could be in contempt of court, citing an ongoing legal challenge that he claims restricts the authority of the person who made the reassignment.

"There is a court challenge that is before the courts that forbids that person who is making these changes from making such changes," he said.

Hwende, who has chaired the Public Accounts Committee - a key oversight body tasked with scrutinising government expenditure - said he would not participate in what he described as parliamentary "chaos."

"I am not going to allow this Parliament to violate a court order that is before the court. Therefore, I am going to decline this nomination because I am not going to be part of this chaos," he declared.

His refusal comes at a time of mounting tension in Parliament, where disputes over party representation, leadership legitimacy, and committee control have deepened since the 2023 general elections.

Observers view Hwende's resistance as a broader pushback against what opposition legislators say is the erosion of parliamentary independence and an attempt to dilute effective oversight of government spending.

The Parliamentary Committee on Standing Rules and Orders, which is responsible for such appointments, has yet to respond to Hwende's objections or clarify the legal basis of the reassignment.
- Newsday