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On Monday, Mr Moyo, said he was sworn in as Makokoba MP when Ms Khupe was elevated to the Deputy Prime Minister’s position, refuting allegations he was rejected by the constituency.
Mr Moyo, who is also the Minister of State Enterprises and Parastatals, submitted his name for consideration to represent the party in Makokoba in the forthcoming harmonised elections yet the party’s national council had barred male officials from contesting parliamentary constituencies that had been reserved for women.
Makokoba is one of the constituencies reserved for women.
Sources within the party also said Mr Moyo was rejected by the people of Makokoba although he dismissed the reports, saying they were fabricated by his opponents, who did not know that his application was filed by the district of Makokoba.
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However, responding to questions sent to him yesterday, Mr Zvoma said as far as he understood, DPM Khupe was still the MP for Makokoba.
Mr Zvoma quoted paragraph 20.1.8 of Schedule 8 which reads: “Persons appointed to the posts of Vice-President, Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister and who are not already Members of Parliament, become ex-officio members of the House of Assembly. Should persons so appointed be already Members of Parliament, then the party of which that person is a member or nominee shall have the right to nominate a non-constituency member of the relevant House.”
He said: “I have extracted the relevant paragraph 20.1.8 of Schedule 8 to the Constitution as amended by Amendment No. 19 which created the Inclusive Government under the Global Political Agreement.
“The essence of the above paragraph is that Hon DPM Khupe who was elected to Makokoba Constituency is and remains the MP for that constituency,” said Mr Zvoma.
He said Mr Moyo was only sworn in as a non-constituency MP.
“What the paragraph provides is that where a person appointed to a position of Vice President, Prime Minister or Deputy Prime Minister is already a Member of Parliament, then his/her party shall nominate a non-constituency MP of that House.
“So Hon Gorden Moyo was so appointed and sworn in as a non-constituency MP. A check of our Hansard back cover reflects Hon DPM Khupe as MP for Makokoba and Hon Gorden Moyo as a non-constituency MP,” said Mr Zvoma.
Mr Moyo has been in a tussle to control the province with Mzilikazi Senator Mr Matson Hlalo.
More than 1 200 candidates submitted their names for consideration to represent the MDC-T party in the forthcoming elections and 200 prospective candidates were disqualified.
Sources in the party said Ms Khupe abandoned her constituency and moved to Nkayi North constituency, but received stiff resistance from party officials in the area.
Last week MDC-T indicated that Ms Khupe would no longer contest in the elections, but would benefit from the 60 seats reserved for women in the National Assembly.
Online Reporter