By-elections dates for recalled MPs set

Blessings Chidakwa-Herald Reporter

By-elections will be held on December 9 in nine constituencies that fell vacant following the recalling — by their own party — of CCC constituency MPs, in terms of a proclamation by President Mnangagwa yesterday as he is obliged to do in terms of the Electoral Act.

The President, who is also Commander-in-Chief of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces, set aside November 7 as the date on which the Nomination Court sits.

CCC recalled 15 of its party legislators from Parliament, nine elected under first-past-the-post voting, while the other six were elected using the proportional representation system. 

By-elections are needed to fill the nine constituency seats, while the CCC just has to present the six names of its preferred supporters to the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) to fill the proportional representation seats.

The President said the nine vacant constituencies are: Beitbridge West, Binga North, Bulawayo South, Cowdray Park, Lobengula-Magwegwe, Lupane East, Mabvuku-Tafara, Mpopoma-Mzilikazi and Nketa.

CCC members that ceased to be legislators are Morgan Ncube, Prince Dubeko Sibanda, Nicola Jane Watson, Pashor Raphael Sibanda, Ereck Gono, Bright Moyo-Vanya, Febion Munyaradzi Kufahakutizwi, Desmond Makaza and Obert Manduna.

In the gazetted proclamation, the President said the Speaker of Parliament notified him on October 9 in writing of vacancies for the nine constituencies, triggering the sections in the Electoral Act that obliged him to proclaim the by-elections.

Four nomination courts will sit at 10am on November 7.

Magistrate Court 5, Tredgold Building, Leopold Takawira Avenue, Bulawayo, will have the court for Bulawayo South, Cowdray Park, Lobengula-Magwegwe and Mpopoma-Mzilikazi constituencies. 

Harare Magistrates Court, Abdel Gamal Nasser Road (Rotten Row) will receive nominations for Mabvuku-Tafara. 

Lupane Magistrates Court will receive nominations of candidates for Lupane East and Binga North while Gwanda Magistrates Court will receive nominations for Beitbridge                                                               West.