ED PROCLAIMS NEXT BY-ELECTION DATES

THE next batch of by-elections to fill vaccancies created by the recall of CCC constituency legislators in the National Assembly will be held on Saturday February 3 with December 18 set as the nomination day, President Mnangagwa announced in a gazetted proclamation.

The CCC has seen two batches of recalls of MPs, senators and local councillors since the elections in August with the first batch of nine by-elections on Saturday. While by-elections have to be proclaimed and held for constituency seats in the National Assembly, the Zimbabwe Electora Commission invites the party, in this case the CCC, that won the seats in the last election to name replacements for the proportional representation seats falling vacant in the National Assembly and Senate.

The six legislators who were recalled on November 10, and whose seats now have to be refought, are Gift Ostallos Siziba (Pelandaba), Stephen Chatiza, (Goromonzi South), Willard Madzimbamuto (Seke), Admore Chivero (Chegutu West), Oliver Mutasa (Zvimba South) and Amos Chibaya (Mkoba North).

The President announced the by-election and nomination dates in Proclamation 10 of 2023 contained in Statutory Instrument 235 of 2023.

The Electoral Act requires that after the President has been notified of the vacancies in the membership of Parliament, he shall issue a proclamation ordering new elections to fill the vacancies. The Speaker and the president of the Senate have to declare the seats vacant once teh party that sponsored the members formally recalls them.

The provincial nomination courts for candidates for the by-elections will sit Monday 18 December. For Pelendaba constituency the court will sit at the Magistrates Court, Tredgold Building, Leopold Takawira Avenue, Bulawayo; for Goromonzi South and Seke, the Court will sit at the Magistrates Court, Ruzawi Road, Marondera; for Chegutu West and Zvimba East the Court will sit at the Magistrates Court, Gerrard Drive, Chinhoyi; while for Mkoba North the Court will sit at the Magistrates Court, Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa Street, Gweru.

Apart from the six constituency legislators, the CCC, through its interim Secretary General, Mr Sengezo Tshabangu also recalled in the same second batch 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).

Mr Tshabangu also recalled six senators: Webster Maondera, Jameson Timba and Vongai Tome all from Harare, and Editor Matamisa and Ralph Magunje from Mashonaland West.

A total of 42 legislators and councillors from the CCC have been recalled by Mr Tshabangu since the blood-letting in the opposition party began in September with the party’s interim Secretary General alleging that they were imposed on the electorate ahead of the August 23, harmonised elections.

On Saturday, the nine by-elections caused by the first round of recalls will be in Beitbridge West, Binga North, Bulawayo South, Cowdray Park, Lobengula-Magwegwe, Lupane East, Mabvuku-Tafara, Mpopoma-Mzilikazi and Nketa. Herald

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