A member of the Standing Rules and Orders Committee, which carried out the interviews, Eric Matinenga, asked former ZEC vice-chair Joyce Kazembe why her commission denied the existence of political violence during last years presidential run-off.
Kazembe had turned up for the public interviews called to choose candidates to form the new commission.
After the series of compulsory questions posed to all the candidates, Matinenga stepped in to ask Kazembe how the ZEC, in its report on the 2008 elections, gave the polls a clean bill of health.
Hardly had Matinenga finished asking his question when Chinamasa, who is justice minister, interjected and claimed he was not allowed to ask extra questions.
There was a 10-minute stoppage of the proceedings as officials from the two parties haggled over whether or not to take the question, which was posed as a supplementary.
Chinamasa, who was immediately joined in the protest by defence minister
Mnangagwa and industry and commerce minister Welshman Ncube, said the question sounded too political.
But Masvingo North MP Tongai Matutu was adamant Kazembe should answer the question.
What is there to fear? Let her answer the question, Matutu said.
Speaker of Parliament Lovemore Moyo was forced to overrule the question, omething that infuriated Matutu, who charged that Kazembe had been allowed to get away with murder.
Moyo felt that the report by the ZEC was a collective product and not Kazembes personal sentiments.
During the interview, Kazembe watched in amazement as the politicians argued themselves hoarse. She later left, declaring she was going to lodge a formal complaint against Matutus accusations.
Kazembe was among three applicants from the current ZEC who were shortlisted for the interviews. The two others were Theophilus Gambe and Vivian Ncube, although Ncube failed to attend the interviews.
Two oter candidates, Sithembiso Khuphe and Davison Kanokanga, were also shortlisted but failed to turn up.
The 25 interviewed candidates were all Zimbabweans with direct professional interest and experience in electoral processes both locally and regionally.
Members of the interviewing panel were Senator Obert Gutu, a lawyer with the
Tsvangirai-led MDC; Thabitha Khumalo, MP MDC-T; Edward Mkhosi, MP MDC-M; Mabel Chinomona, Zanu (PF), and Senator Chief Fortune Charumbira Zanu (PF).
Meanwhile, on Monday evening, parliament was due to decide on 12 nominees, of whom President Mugabe would appoint nine to become substantive on the new commission.
Post published in: News