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Zvamaida Murwira-Senior Reporter

Parliament’s Committee on Standing Rules and Orders has approved the appointment by the opposition CCC of its interim secretary general and Matabeleland North province Senator, Sengezo Tshabangu, as the leader of the opposition in Parliament in charge of both the National Assembly and Senate.

This was announced by the Speaker of the National Assembly, Advocate Jacob Mudenda, in the Lower House yesterday.

The announcement was made despite spirited attempts by Kuwadzana East MP, Mr Charlton Hwende, to protest the appointment of Sen Tshabangu, claiming that the CCC had not met to make those changes.

His protest did not deter Adv Mudenda, who proceeded to make the announcement of several changes in the configuration of CCC deployees in various committees and membership to different international organisations.

Mr Hwende was booed by several legislators and had to give in by taking his seat to allow the smooth flow of business before he eventually walked out of the chamber.

The appointment of Sen Tshabangu as the official leader of the opposition in Parliament means he will be the point person for the Government and any stakeholder in the engagement or interaction with the opposition on any given issue.

This includes constituting portfolio committees, particularly the appointment of chairpersons, who will occupy slots earmarked for the opposition in international organisations such as the Pan African Parliament (PAP), Sadc Parliamentary Forum, International Parliamentary Union (IPU) and African, Caribbean and Pacific-European Union (ACP-EU) among others.

Sen Tshabangu has also been appointed to be a member of Parliament’s Standing Rules and Orders Committee, which is the legislative assembly’s supreme decision-making body.

He is also a member of the International Parliamentary Union, the world’s parliamentary body.

Dzivarasekwa MP, Mr Edwin Mushoriwa, has been appointed as chief whip in the National Assembly while Matabeleland South Senator Sithembile Mlotshwa becomes Chief Whip in the Senate.

Midlands Senator Sesel Zvidzai is the deputy chief whip in the Senate, while Southerton MP Ms Bridget Nyandoro will be deputy chief whip in the National Assembly.

Another CCC legislator, Mrs Lynette Karenyi, has been appointed leader of the opposition in the National Assembly

Hatcliff MP Mr Agency Gumbo and Bulawayo Senator Kucaca Phulu have been appointed to be Members of the Parliamentary Legal Committtee.

Adv Mudenda also announced members of the CCC who will be chairpersons of various portfolio committees as well as those that will constitute membership of various international organisations.

The announcement of various CCC members to different portfolios followed a decision on Tuesday by Adv Mudenda to rescind an earlier communication by former legislator Mr Jameson Timba, who purportedly seconded several legislators to different portfolio committees.

Adv Mudenda said upon reflection, Parliament realised that Mr Timba had no authority to make those appointments since he was recalled after he ceased to be a member of CCC.