News / National
Mentally ill Mamombe faces Parly recall
02 Nov 2020 at 05:42hrs | Views
MDC HARARE WEST legislator Joana Mamombe is facing a recall from Parliament after doctors confirmed that she suffers from mental illness.
On Thursday ZANU-PF legislator for Mberengwa North Hon Tafanana Zhou moved a motion for the removal of Mamombe from Parliament after doctors confirmed that she has a mental disorder and thus cannot stand trial on charges of faking abductions along with two other MDC-A activists.
Since, Mamombe and her co-accused Cecilia Chimbiri and Netsai Marova were arrested in May this year for faking abduction in order to soil the Government image for political reasons, they have employed all forms of tricks to delay the trial amid overwhelming evidence from the State that the purported abduction never took place.
And with doctors saying she cannot stand trial, Hon Zhou said the Constitution of Zimbabwe is clear on what should happen when a person is suffering from a mental illness.
"Mr. Speaker Sir. My point of privilege arises from our national Constitution, Section 129 (1) (m) that states that,
"The seat of a Member of Parliament becomes vacant if the Member is certified to be mentally disordered or intellectually handicapped under any law in force in Zimbabwe'?Honourable Joanna Mamombe was certified as mentally ill by two government doctors.
"I therefore honourable Speaker Sir, ask that a Privileges Committee be set to look into the matter," said Zhou.
In response, the Speaker of the National House of Assembly Advocate Jacob Mudenda said Parliament will get direction from the judiciary which is handling the fake abduction matter involving Mamombe.
"We should be able to get an official response from the judiciary and the doctor's reports accordingly and compare with whosoever is the sponsor of the honourable member.
"However, because the matter is still with our courts and the courts have not pronounced themselves as to the results of the medical findings, we shall have to be cautious in proceeding accordingly until such time that the matter has been fully ventilated by the courts."
On Thursday ZANU-PF legislator for Mberengwa North Hon Tafanana Zhou moved a motion for the removal of Mamombe from Parliament after doctors confirmed that she has a mental disorder and thus cannot stand trial on charges of faking abductions along with two other MDC-A activists.
Since, Mamombe and her co-accused Cecilia Chimbiri and Netsai Marova were arrested in May this year for faking abduction in order to soil the Government image for political reasons, they have employed all forms of tricks to delay the trial amid overwhelming evidence from the State that the purported abduction never took place.
And with doctors saying she cannot stand trial, Hon Zhou said the Constitution of Zimbabwe is clear on what should happen when a person is suffering from a mental illness.
"Mr. Speaker Sir. My point of privilege arises from our national Constitution, Section 129 (1) (m) that states that,
"The seat of a Member of Parliament becomes vacant if the Member is certified to be mentally disordered or intellectually handicapped under any law in force in Zimbabwe'?Honourable Joanna Mamombe was certified as mentally ill by two government doctors.
"I therefore honourable Speaker Sir, ask that a Privileges Committee be set to look into the matter," said Zhou.
In response, the Speaker of the National House of Assembly Advocate Jacob Mudenda said Parliament will get direction from the judiciary which is handling the fake abduction matter involving Mamombe.
"We should be able to get an official response from the judiciary and the doctor's reports accordingly and compare with whosoever is the sponsor of the honourable member.
"However, because the matter is still with our courts and the courts have not pronounced themselves as to the results of the medical findings, we shall have to be cautious in proceeding accordingly until such time that the matter has been fully ventilated by the courts."
Source - the herald
