By Newdesk
PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa has set March 26 as the date on which legislative and municipal by-elections occasioned by mass MDC recalls and deaths will be held.
Mnangagwa made the proclamation though Statutory Instrument (SI) 2 of 2022 published in the Government Gazette of January 6, 2022.
This is in terms of the Electoral Act.
MDC-T leader Douglas Mwonzora visited President Emmerson Mnangagwa at State House where he tabled his controversial dialogue proposals only to be told that the Zanu PF administration will take its time to weigh the motion by the smaller opposition party.
Mwonzora went to the State House on Thursday morning together with his party’s Secretary-General Paurina Mpariwa.
Elections will take place in all vacant constituencies.
“Now, therefore, under and by virtue of the powers vested in the President as afore said, I do, by this proclamation order new elections for the afore mentioned constituencies and fix Wednesday the 26th day of January, 2022, as the date on which the nomination courts shall sit, commencing at 10 o’clock in the morning,” the notice reads.
The vacant National Assembly seats include: Pumula, Nkulumane, Epworth, Glen Norah, Harare Central, Highfield East, Highfield West, Kuwadzana East, Kuwadzana, Mufakose, St Marys, Glen View North, Kambuzuma, Harare East, Dangamvura-Chikanga, Mutasa South, Marondera Central, Marondera East, Murewa South, Chivi South, Mwenezi East, Binga North, Tsholotsho South, Mkoba, Kwekwe, Mbizo, Mberengwa South and Gokwe Central.
Members who died included Miriam Mushayi of Kuwadzana East, Kennedy Dinar Glen View North, Patrick Chidakwa Marondera East, Joel Biggie Matiza Murewa South, Joobsi Omar of Mwenezi East, Sibanda Zenzo Tsholotsho South, Masango Matambanadzo Kwekwe and Alum Mpofu Mberengwa South.
Despite being told to wait for the ruling party and its government to determine their calls, Mwonzora’s party described the meeting as a “huge success.”
“President Mnangagwa, who was accompanied by Zanu PF Secretary for Finance Mr Patrick Chinamasa and Acting Secretary to the President and Cabinet Mr George Charamba, promised to respond to the MDC-T’s final position as soon as possible after their own internal consultations within the government and their party,” MDC-T spokesperson Witness Dube said in a statement.
