Sixty Senate seats set aside for women

Senior Reporter
THE Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) on Saturday announced the names of senators and members of the national assembly in the women’s quota in which Zanu-PF has a dominant share. The nomination of senators and members of the women’s quota was done in accordance with the new constitution, which reserves 60 seats for women, six from each of the country’s 10 provinces who come from party lists through proportional representation.

The party list for the 60 senators and 10 provincial council members followed what is called a zebra format, female and male alternately headed by female.

MDC-T won all the 12 national assembly seats in Bulawayo, Zanu-PF gained all 13 seats in Matabeleland South and seven out of 13 in Matabeleland North.

Accordingly Zanu-PF has three senators in Matabeleland South. These are Cdes Simon Khaya Moyo, Tambudzani Mohadi and Alma Mkhwebu.
MDC-T has two, Sithembile Mlotshwa and Watchy Sibanda while the MDC has one, Joice Ndlovu.

In the women’s quota Zanu-PF has Cdes Abigail Damasane, Alice Ndlovu and Rossy Mpofu, while MDC-T has Nomathemba Ndlovu and Sipho Dube with Priscilla Misihairabwi-Mushonga standing in for MDC.

Out of 10 members of the provincial council in the province Zanu-PF has six.
These are Cdes Modi Mbasera, Richard Ndlovu, Jane Phuthi, Jabulani Sibanda, Elizabeth Ndiweni and Washington Nkomo.

MDC-T has three Mendy Ncube, Mtshabo Jerow Habvane, Lindiwe Maphosa and Mpumelelo Mloyi of MDC.
In Matabeleland North, Zanu-PF has an equal number of senators, provincial council and members of the women’s quota.

Senate members for MDC-T are Alphina Juba, Hebert Sinampande and Rosemary Nyathi, while those of Zanu-PF are Cdes Thokozile Mathuthu, Cain Mathema and Medelina Bhebhe.

Zanu-PF members of the women’s quota are Cdes Sikhanyisiwe Mpofu, Mail Mpofu and Molly Mnkandla while MDC-T has Lwazi Sibanda, Dr Ruth Labode and Sibusisiwe Budha.

Provincial council members for MDC-T are Getrude Sibanda, Sengezo Tshabangu, Esther Nyelukwa, Sithembinkosi Sibindi and Carolyn Ndlovu.
For Zanu-PF there are Cdes Sithembiso Dube, Nqabayezwe Maphosa, Rebecca Dokotela, Alfred Kembo and Teressa Kabondo of MDC.

In Bulawayo MDC-T dominated the senate and its members are Agnes Sibanda, Matson Hlalo Mpofu, Siphiwe Ncube, Michael Charter and Dorothy Khumalo.

Cde Angeline Masuku is the only one representing Zanu-PF in the city.
In the women’s quota MDC-T has four, one for Zanu-PF and one for MDC.

These are Thokozani Khupe, Jane Nicola, Gladys Mathe, Dorothy Mathe all MDC-T, Jasmine Toffa (MDC) and Cde Eunice Nomthandazo Moyo of Zanu-PF.

Proportional representation is done by dividing the number of votes cast for each political party by the quota to determine the number of seats to be allocated to each party.

The senate will have a total of 80 members including 16 chiefs drawn from eight provinces, president and vice president of the chiefs’ council and two representing people living with disabilities.