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Joseph Madzimure Zimpapers Elections Desk
NEWLY-elected Members of Parliament are optimistic that they will deliver promises made during the campaigning period ahead of today’s swearing in.
The swearing in of the 10th Parliament today follows successful general elections and comes on the heels of President ED Mnangagwa’s inauguration ceremony.
It will complete the setting up of another key arm of Government which is the legislature.
Newly- elected Buhera West National Assembly member Cde Tafadzwa Mugwadi said he is ready to contribute in parliament and find solutions to some of the country’s pressing problems.
“The executive is now there, the judiciary is there and now the legislative assembly joins to complete the institutionalisation of the three pillars of Government.
“The journey towards vision 2030 continues,” said Cde Mugwadi.
Chikomba West MP elect Tatenda Mavetera urged members of parliament to be servant leaders.
“I am very excited to represent the electorate in parliament. I feel honoured by the people in my constituency who chose me to represent them. When people choose you, you also need to pay them back by making sure that you work hard.
“I am disheartened by MPs who are given the mandate by the people and decide not to go back to them. I am going to work for them. We need to be servant leaders and this is what I want to assure the people of Chikomba West constituency.
“I want to make sure Chikomba West is one of the best in the country in terms of development,” she said. Magunje MP Cde Supamonga Madiro said legislators should be seized with service delivery.
“There is need to continue supporting the President to ensure development takes place across the country.
“I am very excited to represent the people of Magunje in Parliament. Our main task is to ensure we represent the people and the party in Parliament,” he said.
“We are happy that Zanu PF won a majority in Parliament but this also comes with added responsibility. Health, education, water, electricity and jobs do matter for the people,” he said.
Mutoko South MP Cde Isaac Tasikani commended President Mnangagwa for spearheading efforts to promote youths in politics.
“President Mnangagwa has the youths at heart as he endorsed moves to include young turks to contest for parliamentary seats. This has given us hope and we hope those elected will stand up and safeguard the interest of the youths in the country.”
He warned youthful legislators to guard against complacency and losing touch with the grassroots saying it could seriously harm the integrity of President Mnangagwa and Zanu PF.
Zanu PF won both the parliamentary and presidential elections. In the National Assembly, Zanu PF has 176 seats to 103 for the CCC after the 60 proportional representation women’s seats were declared on Tuesday along with the 10 special youth seats.
One constituency is still vacant with a by-election pending, after one of the candidates died ahead of the harmonised elections on August 23.
After winning 136 of the 210 constituencies, Zanu PF won 33 of the 60 proportional representation women’s seats and seven of the 10 youth seats while CCC won 73 constituency seats and then picked up 27 of the women’s seats and three youth seats.
President Mnangagwa won the Presidential elections with 2 350 711 votes, which translates to 52,6 percent of the vote, beating his nearest challenger, Mr Nelson Chamisa of CCC who got 1 967 343 or 44 percent of the vote.
Newly-elected Members of Parliament from both the National Assembly and Senate will be sworn-in today following the gazetting of General Notice 1406A of 2023 by the Clerk of Parliament, Mr Kennedy Chokuda.
The National Assembly members will be sworn in at the new Parliament Building in Harare at 10am while Senators will take their oaths of office at 2.30pm.
After taking oaths, the MPs will then elect the presiding officers, that is the Speaker of the National Assembly and the Deputy Speaker and the Senate president and the deputy.
Online Reporter