Zimbabwe’s Women MPs Are Sexually Harassed By Their Male Colleagues.

OPPOSITION Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) legislator, Priscilla Misihairabwi-Mushonga, has told Parliament that women MPs are being subjected to sexual harassment by their male colleagues.

Sexual harassment is a punishable offence under Zimbabwe’s labour laws.

Misihairabwi-Mushonga alleged Wednesday that there was “rampant” sexual harassment at Parliament.

“There is rampant sexual harassment in this House. Women are being sexually harassed; whether it’s a comment about how you are dressed, whether it’s a comment about how you look,” she said.

Misihairabwi-Mushonga made the allegations during this week question and answer session in Parliament.

She had asked the leader of government business in the house, Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa, if Parliament had channels which victims of sexual harassment could use to report their cases.

In response, the Vice-President said such channels existed if a case of that nature occurred. He said the affected MPs could even report such matters to the police since sexual harassment was a criminal offence.

Commenting on the matter, National Assembly Speaker Jacob Mudenda invited Misihairabwi-Mushonga to avail “appropriate information” so that the issue could be dealt with.

“Can members who are so affected come forward and we will deal with the matter accordingly,” he said to applause of several female legislators in the House.source-newzimbabwe