9 more MDC-A legislators recalled Mr Mwonzora

Herald Reporter

AS the MDC blood-letting wars persist, the Dr Thokozani Khupe-led faction yesterday recalled nine legislators aligned to MDC-Alliance leader Mr Nelson Chamisa.

Speaker of the National Assembly, Advocate Jacob Mudenda announced the expulsion of nine MDC-T legislators from Parliament after the party wrote to him advising that they had ceased to represent it.

Adv Mudenda revealed that MDC-T secretary-general Mr Douglas Mwonzora had written the letter advising that the MPs be recalled.

The nine are Messrs Amos Chibaya (Mkoba), Murisi Zwizwai (Harare Central), Happymore Chidziva (Highfield West).

Others are Proportionate Representatives Bacilia Majaya, Macharairwa Mugidho, Virginia Muradzikwa, Annah Myambo, Francisca Ncube and Nomathemba Ndlovu.

The nine legislators bring to 13, the number of MPs that have so far been recalled by MDC-T after the Supreme Court conferred legitimacy to the opposition party led by Dr Thokozani Khupe.

Other legislators that were recalled are: Mr Prosper Mutseyami (Dangamvura), Charlton Hwende (Kuwadzana East), Thabitha Khumalo (proportional representation) and Senator Lillian Timveos (Midlands).

Adv Mudenda said the recall was pursuant to Section 129 (k) of the Constitution.

It states as follows: “The seat of a Member of Parliament becomes vacant if the Member has ceased to belong to the political party of which he or she was a member when elected to Parliament and the political party concerned, by written notice to the Speaker or the President of the Senate, as the case may be, has declared that the Member has ceased to belong to it.”

“Pursuant to the above, I do hereby inform the House that vacancies have arisen in these constituencies by operation of the law. The necessary administrative measures will be taken to inform His Excellency, the President of the Republic of Zimbabwe and the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission of the existence of the vacancies in line with Section 39 (1) of the Electoral Act (Chapter 2:13) as amended,” said Adv Mudenda.

Most of the MPs were not in the House when Adv Mudenda read the statement.

But Mr Chibaya had just taken his seat and walked out soon after Adv Mudenda read the statement.

Contacted for comment, Mr Mwonzora said the legislators had indicated in various platforms including court papers that they had left the MDC-T.

“We are now rebuilding our party with authentic members. Our Constitution is very clear that if an MP joins or forms another political party they cease to be members of the party.

“These MPs proclaimed that they had left the MDC-T, some said so in court documents. It is something that we have done with regret, but we cannot allow people to short-change the MDC-T,” said the Mr Mwonzora.

MDC-A spokesperson, Ms Fadzai Mahere said they would be issuing a statement soon.

Mr Chibaya, however, said they were unfazed by the recall.

“Parliament is not our constituency. It is our constituencies that will have the last say. We will continue to represent our constituencies, particularly with me I will not abandon my people in Mkoba,” said Mr Chibaya.

The legislators were elected under the banner of the MDC-Alliance, a coalition of opposition parties that contested the 2018 harmonised elections.

They were seconded to the Alliance by the MDC-T, which has recalled them from Parliament.

In April, the Supreme Court confirmed the High Court’s decision that declared Mr Chamisa an illegitimate leader of the opposition party after he wrestled power   hours after the death of founding leader, Mr Morgan Tsvangirai.

The ruling came after Mr Chamisa had appealed against the ruling by High Court judge, Justice Mushore who had nullified his presidency in 2018.

The judgment nullified Mr Chamisa’s appointment as the leader of the opposition MDC party and also nullified the appointment of both Mr Chamisa and Mr Elias Mudzuri as vice presidents of the party.

The appointments had been made by Mr Tsvangirai before his death.

The Supreme Court also restored the structures of the opposition party that existed before Mr Chamisa grabbed power and restored Ms Thokozani Khupe as the acting president.

Messrs Komichi and Mwonzora were restored to their previous positions of chairman and secretary-general respectively.

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