Mnangagwa proclaims by-elections date

President Mnangagwa yesterday fixed February 3, 2024 as the date for by-elections for the six vacancies created in the National Assembly following the recall of 18 CCC legislators last month.

The Nomination Court will sit on December 18 to receive names of candidates interested in contesting in the by-elections.

The vacancies arose following the recall of sitting legislators by the party's interim secretary general Mr Sengezo Tshabangu. The announcement of the dates was made in a Statutory Instrument of a Government Gazette published yesterday.

"Whereas, in terms of section 129(1)(k) of the Constitution of Zimbabwe, the seats of members of Parliament for Pelandaba, Goromonzi South, Seke, Chegutu West, Zvimba East and Mkoba North have become vacant by reason of ceasing to be members of CCC of Siziba Gift Ostallos, Chatiza Stephen, Madzimbamuto Tapfumanei Willard, Chivero Admore, Mutasa Oliver and Chibaya Amos on the 10th of November, 2023, who were the elected members of Parliament for the respective constituencies," reads the proclamation.

"And it is provided by section 39(2) of the Electoral Act [Chapter 2:13], that after the President has been notified in terms of the said section of vacancies in the membership of Parliament, he shall issue a proclamation ordering a new election to fill the vacancies in the same manner, mutatis mutandis, as is provided in section 38 of the said Act in regard to a general election."

The polls will precede another round of by-elections to be held next Saturday, which were occasioned by another recall of CCC legislators after Mr Tshabangu wrote to Speaker of the National Assembly, Advocate Jacob Mudenda, saying the recalled legislators had ceased to be members of his party.

In both instances, attempts to challenge their recall failed after the High Court upheld the recall saying there was no justifiable cause for the court to interfere with that decision.

This meant that efforts by the recalled legislators to stop by-elections in both instances failed and polls in respect of December 9 this year and February 4 next year will proceed.

There have also been recalls in Senate, Proportional Representative MPs, and local authority and this would mean that elections to replace those office bearers would be held in terms of the prescribed law that relates to them.

Other PR legislators that were recalled include 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.