Parliament has notified the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) of 18 vacant seats in the National Assembly and Senate following the recent recall of the Coalition for Change (CCC) legislators by Sengezo Tshabangu.
On Tuesday, 07 November, Tshabangu wrote letters to Parliament recalling 13 CCC lawmakers from the National Assembly and 5 from the Senate.
The CCC’s self-proclaimed interim secretary-general said the representatives had ceased to be members of the CCC party.
Clerk of Parliament Kennedy Chokuda confirmed to The Sunday News on Saturday that Speaker of the National Assembly Jacob Mudenda and President of the Senate Mabel Chinomona had written to ZEC on the latest round of recalls. Said Chokuda:
Yes, the letters notifying ZEC of the vacant seats were sent; it was the first thing to be done as per legislative requirements.
ZEC deputy chairperson Rodney Kiwa also confirmed that ZEC had received the letters. He said:
We received the letter of notification of the vacant seats on Thursday (last week) from the Speaker and President of the Senate.
We are now working on notifying the President so that he can make a proclamation to set the dates for by-elections.
As per requirement, the by-elections have to be conducted within 90 days.
Parliament last week announced the recall by Tshabangu of six National Assembly legislators and seven others elected through proportional representation. The affected MPs are Admore Chivero (Chegutu West), Stephen Chatiza (Goromonzi South), Gift Siziba (Pelandaba), Tapfumaneyi Madzimbauto (Seke), Oliver Mutasa (Zvimba East), Amos Chibaya (Mkoba North), Emma Muzondiwa (Midlands proportional representative) and Machirairwa Mugidho (Masvingo proportional representative). Others are Constance Chihota (Mashonaland East proportional representative), Monica Mukwada (Manicaland proportional representative), Sekai Muungani (Midlands proportional representative), Linnet Mazingaidzo (Harare proportional representative) and Daphane Gutsa (Mashonaland East proportional representative).
Tshabangu also recalled Webster Maondera, Jameson Timba and Vongai Tome, Editor Madzamise and Ralph Magunje from the Senate.
More: Pindula News