CCC nominates Senator Chabuka’s replacement

Zvamaida Murwira-Senior Reporter

THE CCC has nominated Mrs Midiah Kupfuma to replace Senator Keresencia Chabuka who died in July this year.

The replacement was announced by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission Chairperson, Justice, Priscilla Chigumba in a Government Gazette published last Friday.

“The public is hereby notified, in terms of 39(6) of the Electoral Act [Chapter 2:13], that the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) party has nominated Midiah Kupfuma of House No. 26, Headlands, registered in Ward 32 of the Makoni Rural District Council, Manicaland to fill the vacancy in the Senate that occurred following the death on the 6th of July, 2024, of Honourable Keresencia Chabuka, who was a member of the Senate for Manicaland Province by virtue of section 120(1) (a) of the Constitution,” reads the notice by Justice Chigumba.

“Any voter wishing to object to the nomination of Midiah Kupfuma may lodge them in writing with the Chief Elections Officer, Mahachi Quantum Building, corner Kaguvi Street and Jason Moyo Avenue, Harare, or post them to Private Bag 7782, Causeway, within a period of 14 days from the date of publication of this notice, setting forth the reasons for the objection.”

In terms of the Constitution, Senators are elected under a party-list system of proportional representation, which is based on the votes cast for candidates representing political parties in each of the provinces in the general election for Members of the National Assembly.

According to the list to be submitted to ZEC, male and female candidates are listed alternately, every list being headed by a female candidate. A political party holding a Senate Seat has the right to make a replacement should the incumbent die or if he or she has been replaced for any other cause.

The Senate consists of 80 members, of whom, six are elected from each of the provinces into which Zimbabwe is divided, by a system of proportional representation while 16 are Chiefs, of whom two are elected by the provincial assembly of Chiefs from each of the eight provinces, other than the metropolitan provinces, into which Zimbabwe is divided.

There will also be the president and deputy president of the National Council of Chiefs and an additional two Senators are elected to represent people with disabilities.