By Wezhira Munya
Emerson Mnangagwa announced that by-elections for nine constituencies will be held on December 9, 2023, to replace parliamentarians from the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) who were recalled by the fake acting Secretary General, Sengezo Tshabangu.
These nine vacancies arose after CCC legislators were recalled by the imposter acting SG Tshabangu, who wrote a letter calling CCC parliamentarians to the Speaker of Parliament, Mudenda.
The majority of political analysts agree that Zanu PF, through its proxy fake CCC acting SG, wants to win these parliamentary seats in order to obtain a two-thirds majority in Parliament.
Currently, Zanu PF does not have a two-thirds majority in Parliament after CCC won 104 parliamentary seats.
The nomination and by-election dates for the nine constituencies were proclaimed today.
According to today’s Statutory Instrument 188 of 2023, Proclamation 8 of 2023, the Nomination Court for the by-elections will sit in November 2023. This proclamation was made today by Emmerson Mnangagwa.
WHEREAS, in terms of section 129 (k) of the Constitution of Zimbabwe, the seats of members of Parliament for Beitbridge West, Binga North, Bulawayo South, Cowdray Park, Lobengula-Magwegwe, Lupane East, Mabvuku-Tafara, Mpopoma-Mzilikazi, and Nketa have become vacant due to their ceasing to be members of the CCC, specifically Morgan Ncube, Prince Dubeko Sibanda, Nicola Jane Watson, Pashor Raphael Sibanda, Ereck Gono, Bright Moyo Vanya, Febion Munyaradzi Kufahakutizwi, Desmond Makaza, and Obert Manduna, on October 9, 2023, who were the elected members of Parliament for the respective constituencies.
AND WHEREAS 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.
AND WHEREAS, the Speaker of Parliament notified me in writing on October 9, 2023, of vacancies for the aforementioned constituencies:
NOW, THEREFORE, under and by virtue of the powers vested in the President as aforesaid, I do, by this proclamation:
(a) order new elections for the constituencies of Beitbridge West, Binga North, Bulawayo South, Cowdray Park, Lobengula Magwegwe, Lupane East, Mabvuku Tafara, Mpopoma Mzilikazi, and Nketa; and
(b) fix Tuesday, the 7th day of November 2023, as the date on which the nomination court shall sit, commencing at 10 o’clock in the morning, at-
(i) the Magistrate Court, Court 5, Tredgold Building, Leopold Takawira Avenue, Bulawayo, for the purpose of receiving nominations of candidates for election as members of National Assembly Constituencies of Bulawayo South, Cowdray Park, Lobengula-Magwegwe, and Mpopoma-Mzilikazi; and
(ii) the Magistrates Court, Abdel Gamal Nasser Road (Rotten Row), Harare, for the purpose of receiving nominations of candidates for election as a member of National Assembly Constituency of Mabvuku Tafara; and
(iii) the Magistrates Court, Lupane, for the purpose of receiving nominations of candidates for election as members of National Assembly Constituencies of Lupane East and Binga North; and
(iv) the Magistrates Court, Fifth Avenue, Gwanda, for the purpose of receiving nominations of candidates for election as a member of National Assembly Constituency of Beitbridge West;
and
(c) fix Saturday, the 9th of December 2023, as the day on which a poll shall be taken if a poll becomes necessary in terms of section 46(17)(c) of the Electoral Act [Chapter 2:13].
Given under my hand and the Public Seal of Zimbabwe at Harare, this seventeenth day of October, in the year of Our Lord two thousand and twenty-three.”
