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Zvamaida Murwira Harare Bureau
Kennedy Mugove Chokuda (47) who was acting Clerk of Parliament, was yesterday appointed substantive Clerk after interviews carried out last Thursday. Chokuda, whose appointment is with immediate effect, replaces Austin Zvoma who retired in November last year after serving for 25 years.
Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa, who is also Leader of the House, tabled a report for consideration from the Standing Rules and Orders Committee that settled for Chokuda.
Speaker of the National Assembly Advocate Jacob Mudenda then called on the House to adopt the report recommending Chokuda’s appointment.
The recommendations were duly acceded to unanimously across the political divide.
In tabling the report, VP Mnangagwa, who is also the Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, said 50 candidates had responded to the advert flighted in the media whose gender composition was 16 females and 34 males.
He said of the 50, 24 were disqualified because they were below the age of 35 as the feeling was that they had not yet mastered the requisite maturity and work experience demanded of the critical position.
VP Mnangagwa said of the remaining candidates, six were duly shortlisted by the full committee of the SROC on May 7, 2015, paving way for interviews.
Interviews were held on Thursday last week by the joint committee on Human Resources and Legal and Procedures, sub-committees of the SROC chaired by Deputy Speaker Marble Chinomona and Kuwadzana East MP, Nelson Chamisa.
“Out of the six invited applicants for the interviews, only four, (three male and one female) turned up for the interviews,” said VP Mnangagwa.
“The other two female candidates, Mrs Choice Damiso and Mrs Sibusisiwe Marunda, withdrew at the last minute citing personal reasons. Seven competence-based questions were crafted on the basis of the job specifications and these were used during the interview.”
VP Mnangagwa said it was from that interview that the panel settled for Chokuda to be recommended as Clerk of Parliament.
He said Chokuda was working on his Doctor of Philosophy thesis, while he was a holder of Executive Masters Degree in Business Administration from Midlands State University and a Bachelor of Science degree in Politics and Administration.
“Mr Speaker Sir, I therefore move that the House adopts the report of the Standing Rules and Orders Committee on the appointment of Kennedy Mugove Chokuda as Clerk of Parliament with immediate effect in terms of Section 154 (1) of the Constitution of Zimbabwe,” said VP Mnangagwa.
After the House adopted the recommendation, Adv Mudenda asked Chokuda to rise and bow in acceptance as per practice. Other applicants who attended the interviews were former Deputy Clerk of Parliament Helen Dingane, Harare provincial magistrate, Vakai Chikwekwe and lawyer, Misheck Hogwe.
Parliament retired Zvoma despite his spirited efforts to be allowed to continue serving, arguing that the new Constitution conferred him with a fresh six-year term.
Parliament refused to buy into his argument, saying the House would be guided by his contract of employment set in terms of the Public Service Commission.
Online Reporter