Mudenda Endorses Recalls, Notifies ZEC Of 15 Vacant CCC Seats
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Speaker of Parliament Jacob Mudenda has notified the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) of 15 vacancies in the lower house following the recalling of opposition legislators by Sengezo Tshabangu, who claims to be Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) interim Secretary General.
Little-known Tshabangu made headlines last week after writing to Mudenda withdrawing 15 CCC Members of Parliament (MP) and 17 Councillors on grounds they had ceased to be members of CCC.
Letters of Mudenda’s communication to ZEC have been shared with this publication, putting the CCC in a precarious position barely two months after denying ruling Zanu PF a two-thirds majority at Zimbabwe’s August 23 polls.
“I hereby notify you, in terms of Section 39 (1) of the Electoral Act, that a vacancy now exists in the membership of Parliament, by reason of Hon Febion Munyaradzi Kufahakutizwi, who was the elected Member of Parliament for Mabvuku Tafara Constituency having ceased to belong to the CCC on 4 October 2023,” reads Mudenda’s letter to ZEC whose format is copied for the other 14.
Prince Dubeko Sibanda who won the Binga seat for CCC, Nicola Watson who claimed Bulawayo South and Pashor Sibanda who beat Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube are some of Tshabangu’s victims.
The opposition is yet to respond. It however accused Tshabangu of being an impostor as CCC currently does not have a Secretary General.
“Members of the public are advised to disregard these with the contempt they deserve. The CCC party has neither recalled nor does it intend to recall any of its recently elected deployees,” read a statement from the party.
“The purported author of the two letters, Sengezo Tshabangu is not and has never been a member or official of the CCC party since its inception. His last known parties are MDCT and PDP.
“He is renowned for being the proxy of fielding fake CCC double candidates in Bulawayo and Matebeleland North. The Citizens’ Movement is taking action against this impostor and all his contacts.”
The CCC’s performance at the General Elections was partly affected by a number of double candidates it claims were illegally allowed to contest. It however managed to claim more than a third of the vote despite that.
Vacancies in the 15 constituencies mean Zanu PF now stands a chance at finally scoring a two-thirds Parliamentary majority which analysts say would be the first step towards ensuring President Emmerson Mnangagwa scraps term limits and extends his stay in power. *NewZW*
