MDC-T’s Mwonzora asserts authority

Zvamaida Murwira

Senior Reporter

The new MDC-T leader Senator Douglas Mwonzora has assumed the opposition leader’s seat on Parliament’s top Committee on Standing Rules and Orders, replacing long serving member and Mutare Central legislator Mr Innocent Gonese.

The Standing Rules and Orders Committee sets the policies and management of Parliament and has a little over 20 members drawn from both houses.

The committee comprises the Speaker of the National Assembly (Chairperson), President of the Senate (Deputy Chairperson), Deputy Speaker, Deputy President of the Senate, Minister of Finance and two other ministers appointed by the President, the Leader of Government Business, the Leader of the Opposition, chief whips of all parties represented in Parliament, the President of the National Council of Chiefs, eight members elected by Parliament — four from each House, and two members appointed by the Speaker of the National Assembly and the President of the Senate.

Mr Mwonzora assumed leadership of the MDC-T in December last year at an extraordinary congress when he beat Dr Thokozani Khupe, who was acting president, Engineer Elias Mudzuri and Mr Morgan Komichi.

He now leads the largest block of opposition legislators in Parliament.

Speaker of the National Assembly, Advocate Jacob Mudenda notified the House of Assembly during a virtual meeting attended by some legislators on Tuesday of the change and that the MDC-T had nominated Senator Mwonzora to fill the vacancy.

“The nomination complies with Section 151 of the Constitution and Hon Mwonzora is duly a member of the Standing Rules and Orders,” said Adv Mudenda.

Contacted for comment, Mr Mwonzora said he was nominated late last year after assuming the leadership of the MDC-T.

“I was nominated late last year, but the announcement could not be made because Parliament was on recess,” he said. “It is not a new or recent development.”

Following his assumption of the MDC T leadership, Mr Mwonzora is expected to become Leader of the Opposition in Parliament.