Member of Parliament for Emakhandeni-Luveve constituency, Discent Bajila, has come under public scrutiny after he failed to cast his vote during a parliamentary session last Thursday.
The opposition legislator said he left the August House shortly before the vote to take a phone call concerning a family matter.
Bajila explained the circumstances during an X-Space discussion hosted by Asakhe Online on Monday morning: https://x.com/citezw/status/2068945429513777544?s=46
The Constitutional Amendment Bill was later passed by Parliament after securing 216 votes in favour and 42 against. A total of 22 legislators did not vote, with some reportedly absent on official duty.
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“For those who have been following me online, you know where I stand and how I have been engaging people from my constituency on this matter,” he said.
He said the situation was linked to a family emergency involving his missing nephew.
“Some time ago, my nephew went missing. As a family, we had been making efforts to locate his whereabouts,” Bajila said.
“On that day, I received a call from a relative who had been coordinating communication with people who might have information. That is when I stepped out to take the call.”
Bajila said he attempted to return to the chamber but was denied re-entry after missing the cut-off time for voting.
“I tried to negotiate my way in, but they were adamant that I could no longer go inside. It wasn’t just me; there were about nine of us at the door,” he said.
“Even after the Speaker came out, we tried to request that our votes be recorded according to the positions we supported, but it was in vain.”
Bajila acknowledged that he had fallen short of his responsibilities as a public representative and took responsibility for his absence.
A participant in the discussion, Tsepang Nare, said lawmakers who failed to vote had not fulfilled their constitutional duty to their constituents.
“A representative of a constituency has the responsibility to speak on behalf of its members, and that includes voting,” Nare said.
“Whether your vote is yes or no, or whether it changes the outcome, is irrelevant. What matters is representation.”
Another speaker, identified as Padare-Enkundleni, a self-proclaimed member/supporter of the ruling ZANU-PF, urged opposition legislators to regroup and reassess their strategy following the vote.
“This is a time to reorganise and restrategise. There has not been a strong opposition voice for some time,” he said.
Meanwhile, Bajila issued a public apology to residents of Emakhandeni-Luveve and to Zimbabweans for missing the vote, saying he accepted full responsibility.
“The level of disappointment and scrutiny shows the high trust and expectations placed in me. I do not take that lightly. Clearly, I fell short on this occasion,” he said.
He said he had intended to vote against the Bill in line with views expressed by his constituents during consultations held in May.
“I intended to vote in line with the majority view of my constituents. I take full responsibility for not being present to cast my vote against the Bill. There are no excuses,” he said.
Bajila added that his absence had created a misleading impression about his position.
“I sincerely apologise to the people of Emakhandeni-Luveve and all Zimbabweans who expected me to be there. My absence created the impression of fence-sitting, which I deeply regret. My position has not changed: I remain opposed,” he said.
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