CCC blood-letting continues

THE CCC yesterday recalled another 13 National Assembly members and five more Senators as the blood-letting continues unabated in the opposition party, taking the total recalled legislators and councillors up to 42 since the August elections.

In letters to the Speaker of Parliament, Advocate Jacob Mudenda and Senate president Ms Mabel Chinomona, dated Tuesday November 7 2023, CCC interim secretary general Mr Sengezo Tshabangu said the party was recalling the legislators who include Pelandaba MP and party deputy spokesman Mr Gift Ostallos Siziba and Mkoba North MP and leader of CCC in the National Assembly Mr Amos Chibaya.

The letters of recall for the six constituency National Assembly members and seven women's and youth quota proportional representation MPs were again signed by Mr Tshabangu, although a faction belonging to the party's leader, Mr Nelson Chamisa, claims the position of interim secretary general is non-existent in the party.

The MPs that were recalled yesterday are: Admore Chivero (Chegutu West), Stephen Chatiza (Goromonzi West), Gift Siziba (Pelandaba), Tapfumaneyi Madzimbamuto (Seke), Oliver Mutasa (Zvimba East), Amos Chibaya (Mkoba North), Emma Muzondiwa (Midlands proportional representative), Machirairwa Mugidho (Masvingo proportional representative),

Constance Chihota (Mashonaland East proportional representative), Monica Mukwada (Manicaland proportional representative), Sekai Mungani (Midlands proportional representative), Linnet Mazingaidzo (Harare proportional representative) and Daphne Gutsa (Mashonaland East proportional representative).

Those recalled from the Senate are Webster Maondera, Jameson Timba and Vongai Tome all from Harare, and Editor Matamisa and Ralph Magunje from Mashonaland West.

Following Adv Mudenda's announcement of the recalls, CCC Hwange Central legislator Mr Daniel Molokele raised a point of order informing the National Assembly that the High Court had earlier yesterday issued an interdict, stopping further recalls until the issue of the party's leadership that is before the courts, is resolved.

In response, Adv Mudenda said he would respond once he receives the interdict by the High Court.

"Once I receive the court order and it states what you (Mr Molokele) are saying, in terms of the law, the court order will supersede the recalls accordingly. So, as soon as I get that I will act in terms of the court order," he said.

In an interview following the recalls, Mr Chibaya reiterated that the CCC does not have a position of interim secretary general.

"As we do not have that position of secretary general in the CCC as I said earlier, he is not the right person to do that (recall MPs)," he said.

Mr Chibaya said they had advised their lawyers to inform Parliament of the High Court ruling, which he said would most likely happen today.

Following last month's recalls, President Mnangagwa set December 9 as the date for by-elections to fill nine of the 15 National Assembly constituency vacancies while the other six will be filled by the opposition party's nominees.

The nine Senate seats from the earlier recalls will also be filled by the party's nominees.

The legislators recalled last month sought a High Court order finding that Mr Tshabangu did not have the authority to recall legislators, but the High Court after finding that the CCC had no constitution, list of office holders, list of standing rules or even a membership list, it could not be granted a declaration that Mr Tshabangu was not who he said he was. This is the judgment that is now subject to appeal in the Supreme Court.

The CCC acknowledged in the court application that the Speaker and Senate president had acted properly in taking action on the letters from Mr Tshabangu and it was the party that needed to argue before the courts that the letters had no legal effect.