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Zvamaida Murwira Senior Reporter
Parliament is expected to fill two vacancies that have arisen in the National Assembly following the death of Matabeleland North Proportionate Representative Member of Parliament Cde Thokozile Mathuthu and the elevation of Cde Marble Chinomona to Senate President.
Cde Mathuthu died on August 13, 2018 and was declared a national heroine. She was buried at the National Heroes Acre.
Speaker of the National Assembly, Advocate Jacob Mudenda, is expected to officially make the announcement that would necessitate the procedural process by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC).
In terms of the Constitution, Cde Mathuthu’s seat would be filled by a woman nominated by the party that she belonged in terms of Section 39 of the Electoral Act.
A by-election will be held to fill the vacancy created by Cde Chinomona’s elevation.
Section 39 (1) of the Electoral Act provides that: “In the event of a vacancy occurring among the constituency members of the National Assembly, otherwise than through a dissolution of Parliament, the Speaker shall notify the President and the Commission of the vacancy, in writing, as soon as possible after he or she becomes aware of it.
(2) The President shall, within a period of fourteen days after —
(a) he or she has been notified in terms of this section of a vacancy among the constituency members of the National Assembly; or
(b) a declaration is made by the Chief Elections Officer in terms of section fifty; or
(c) a nomination day or the last nomination day, as the case may be, where no person has been duly nominated for election as a constituency member of the National Assembly.”
zanu-pf is expected to provide a candidate to replace Cde Mathuthu in terms of the Electoral Act.
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