Mnangagwa sets by-election date following recall of CCC MPs

President Emmerson Mnangagwa has officially set December 9 as the date for by-elections to fill vacant seats in the National Assembly, dealing a blow to the hopes of the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) to reverse the recalls.

The CCC suffered a significant setback when its self-proclaimed Secretary General, Sengenzo Tshabangu, recalled 15 of its Members of Parliament.

As stated in a government gazette released on a recent Friday, the nomination court will convene on November 7 to receive candidate applications.

The proclamation reads as follows:

"Thus, in the exercise of the authority vested in the President, I hereby declare new elections for the following constituencies: Beitbridge West, Binga North, Bulawayo South, Cowdray Park, Lobengula Magwegwe, Lupane East, Mabvuku Tafara, Mpopoma Mzilikazi, and Nketa.

I hereby designate Tuesday, the 7th day of November, 2023, as the date for the nomination court, commencing at 10 o'clock in the morning.

Furthermore, I appoint Saturday, the 9th of December, 2023, as the day when a vote will be held should it be necessary according to section 46(17)(c) of the Electoral Act [Chapter 2:13].

Given under my hand and the Public Seal of Zimbabwe in Harare, this seventeenth day of October, in the year of Our Lord two thousand and twenty-three."

In the meantime, the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works has declared the recall of 17 Citizens Coalition for Change councillors based on a letter received from Tshabangu.

Minister Winston Chitando, in a letter to the Bulawayo town clerk, informed Christopher Dube that 12 Bulawayo councillors are no longer CCC members and are therefore subject to recall.