HARARE – Three MDC MPs manhandled by the police after refusing to stand up when President Emmerson Mnangagwa walked into parliament are suing for US$27,000 compensation.

Lynette Karenyi, Thabitha Khumalo, and Amos Chibaya claim they were assaulted by police officers who stormed the chamber to eject them following an instruction by Speaker of Parliament, Jacob Mudenda.

MDC MPs refused to acknowledge Mnangagwa in November last year when he attended parliament for the budget speech, claiming he rigged elections last July.

The MPs sat glued to their seats as police forcibly removed them individually in chaotic scenes. Some MPs received hospital treatment afterwards.

Through their lawyer, Tinomuda Shoko, of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZHLR), the lawmakers are suing ZRP Commissioner General Godwin Matanga and Home Affairs Minister Cain Mathema seeking a combined US$27,000 as compensation.

The matter will be heard at the Harare Civil Court.

All three MPs say they needed hospital treatment after the incident, and want to be compensated for “shock, pain, suffering and past and future medical expenses”.