President Emmerson Mnangagwa has announced that by-elections will be held on December 9 to replace 14 recalled Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) lawmakers.
The recalls were triggered by Sengezo Tshabangu, who declared himself interim secretary general of the opposition party.
The announcement comes as a surprise, as the matter of the recalls is still before the courts.
The proclamation is contained in statutory instrument 188 of 2023.
The recalled legislators are Morgan Ncube (Beitbridge West), Prince Dubeko Sibanda (Binga North), Nicola Jane Watson (Bulawayo South), Pashor Raphael Sibanda (Cowdray Park), Ereck Gono (Lobengula-Magwegwe), Bright Moyo Vanya (, Lupane East), Febion Munyaradzi Kufahakutizwi (Mabvuku Tafara), Desmond Makaza (Mpopoma Mzilikazi) and Obert Manduna (Nketa).
“Now, therefore, under and by virtue of the powers vested in the President as aforesaid, I do, by this proclamation order new elections for the constituencies of Beitbridge West, Binga North, Bulawayo South, Cowdray Park, Lobengula Magwegwe, Lupane East, Mabvuku Tafara, Mpopoma-Mzilikazi and Nketa; and fix Tuesday the 7th day of November, 2023, as the date on which the nomination court shall sit, commencing at 10 o’clock in the morning…..and fix Saturday the 9th of December, 2023, as the day on which a poll shall be taken be taken if a poll becomes necessary in terms of section 46(17)(C) of the Electoral Act [Chapter 2:13].
The nomination court will sit at the Tredgold Magistrates Court (Court 5), Rotten Row Magistrates Court in Harare, Lupane Magistrates Court, and Gwanda Magistrates Court.
The proclamation will come as a huge blow to the Nelson Chamisa-led party which has been lobbying parliament to reverse the recalls arguing that Tshabangu is an imposter and does not hold office in the party.
They have also lodged a court appeal but the matter is yet to be heard.
In another blow, Local government minister Winston Chitando this week announced the recall of 17 CCC councillors, 12 of them from Bulawayo, acting on the orders of Tshabangu.
Reacting to the proclamation, CCC spokesperson Promise Mkhwananzi described the move as “constitutional ravage”.
“How does one make a proclamation on a matter that is still before the courts unless they know the outcome of the courts beforehand? I hope the courts are not in complicity with this constitutional ravage!” he posted on X.
His deputy Gift Ostallos Siziba weighed in saying the proclamation “has all but shown Mnagangwa’s hand and intention to destroy and decimate the authentic opposition after he was defeated in the just ended election”.
The by-elections are a high-stakes event for both the opposition party and ZANU-PF with the ruling eyeing about 10 seats to secure the two-thirds parliamentary majority.
Zanu PF has denied having a hand in the recalls but welcomes the prospect of cementing their majority in the National Assembly.
“It is not our agenda to recall it is really an internal affair and if it (retaining two-thirds majority) happens and it happens to our favour thank you so much,” Zanu PF political commissar Mike Bimha told journalists at press conference this week.
