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Gono's elevation to Manicaland Senator appears imminent
30 Jul 2014 at 09:25hrs | Views
Former Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe Governor Dr Gideon Gono's elevation to Manicaland Senator now appears imminent following the passage of the Electoral Amendment Bill by parliament.The Bill was sent to President Mugabe recently for his assent.
It outlines how vacant parliamentary seats are supposed to be filled following the expiry of Presidential Powers (Temporary Measures) in December last year.
The temporary measures were used to conduct harmonised elections on July 31, resoundingly won by Zanu-PF.
The Zanu-PF Politburo approved recommendations by the party's Manicaland provincial executive to have Dr Gono replace the late national hero Kumbirai Kangai, who died in August last year.
Dr Gono could not take up the seat because the Presidential Powers (Temporary Measures) that gave legal effect to fill vacant parliamentary seats had expired after their six month mandatory lifetime.
In an interview yesterday, Zanu-PF spokesperson Rugare Gumbo said the revolutionary party's nomination of Dr Gono to replace Kangai still stands.
"We have not made any changes on that. The proposal to have Dr Gono is still on the table. We are just waiting for the legal processes to take their course," said Gumbo.
The Electoral Amendment Bill sailed through Parliament in May this year without amendments.
Parliament has since submitted the Bill to President for his assent.
Senate President Edna Madzongwe made an announcement that she had submitted the Bill to President Mugabe in the Government Gazette last week.
The passage of the Bill is part of government efforts to align laws with the new Constitution.
Zimbabwe Electoral Commission chairperson Justice Rita Makarau is on record saying the electoral body is waiting for the passage of the Bill before they could confirm Dr Gono to replace Kangai.
She said the expiry of the legal instrument created a vacuum on how ZEC would handle replacement of deceased legislators under the party list system.
Section 15 of the Bill empowers a party holding a seat in respect of party-list members to nominate a "qualified" person to fill a vacancy that might have occurred.
A party list gives names of members that a political party would have submitted to Zec to represent it in a given province ahead of a general election.
It outlines how vacant parliamentary seats are supposed to be filled following the expiry of Presidential Powers (Temporary Measures) in December last year.
The temporary measures were used to conduct harmonised elections on July 31, resoundingly won by Zanu-PF.
The Zanu-PF Politburo approved recommendations by the party's Manicaland provincial executive to have Dr Gono replace the late national hero Kumbirai Kangai, who died in August last year.
Dr Gono could not take up the seat because the Presidential Powers (Temporary Measures) that gave legal effect to fill vacant parliamentary seats had expired after their six month mandatory lifetime.
In an interview yesterday, Zanu-PF spokesperson Rugare Gumbo said the revolutionary party's nomination of Dr Gono to replace Kangai still stands.
"We have not made any changes on that. The proposal to have Dr Gono is still on the table. We are just waiting for the legal processes to take their course," said Gumbo.
The Electoral Amendment Bill sailed through Parliament in May this year without amendments.
Parliament has since submitted the Bill to President for his assent.
Senate President Edna Madzongwe made an announcement that she had submitted the Bill to President Mugabe in the Government Gazette last week.
The passage of the Bill is part of government efforts to align laws with the new Constitution.
Zimbabwe Electoral Commission chairperson Justice Rita Makarau is on record saying the electoral body is waiting for the passage of the Bill before they could confirm Dr Gono to replace Kangai.
She said the expiry of the legal instrument created a vacuum on how ZEC would handle replacement of deceased legislators under the party list system.
Section 15 of the Bill empowers a party holding a seat in respect of party-list members to nominate a "qualified" person to fill a vacancy that might have occurred.
A party list gives names of members that a political party would have submitted to Zec to represent it in a given province ahead of a general election.
Source - chronicle
