The Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) will write a letter to the Speaker of the National Assembly, Jacob Mudenda, giving him two weeks to reverse the recalls of 15 of its members.
15 of the recalled lawmakers are National Assembly members while nine are Senators.
The MPs were recalled under the instruction of one Sengezo Tshabangu who claimed to the CCC interim Secretary-General on October 3, 2023, to the Speaker, who allegedly ignored a letter from CCC party leader, Nelson Chamisa outlining who had the rightful power to effect recalls.
CCC will also write letters to other African parliaments highlighting the “continued abuse and disregard of the law by the Zimbabwean Parliament.
These resolutions were made by the 18th Session of the Citizens National Assembly (CNA) of the CCC after it met on October 11, 2023, in Harare.
CCC national spokesperson, Promise Mkhwananzi said in light of the unlawful recalls of the party’s parliamentary and council members the CNA resolved to write a letter to the Speaker.
“…categorically stating that the party has not recalled anyone giving the Speaker 14 working days to rectify this error,” he said.
In addition, the CNA resolved to write letters to the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), Africa Caribbean and Pacific -European Union Joint Parliamentary Assembly, the Pan African Parliament (PAP) and the SADC Parliamentary Forum registering our disquiet over the continued abuse of Parliament, it’s standing orders and the constitution of Zimbabwe.”
The CCC national spokesperson said concerned about the violation of the constitution and the continued subversion of the will of Zimbabweans through unlawful recalls, “the CNA resolved all of its party members in Parliament and Could disengage with immediate effect pending the reinstatement of those members of Parliament and Council recalls.”
Mkhwananzi also said the CNA wrote to SADC after seeing the escalating national crisis.
“The CNA wrote to SADC requesting the regional body to help facilitate Multi-Stakeholder dialogue to help resolve disputes on the elections and the illegitimacy that continues to aggravate Zimbabwe’s deepening crisis,” he said.
The CNA also called for the immediate and unconditional release of all political prisoners and the halting of all forms of political persecution and intimidation.
“We are disturbed by the continued arrest, intimidation and harassment of perceived CCC members and supporters,” Mkhwananzi said.
“In light of all the above, the CNA resolved to urge all citizens to stand ready to participate in political processes of peacefully expressing their disquiet of the continued political crisis that remains unresolved in Zimbabwe.”
The CCC national spokesperson added that the CNA reiterated that a fresh, free and fair election concocted under the auspices of SADc is the only lasting solution to ZImbabwe’s persistent electoral dispute and political crisis.
However, writing on his X (Twitter) social media account, the Government’s spokesperson, Nick Mangawana, also the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services dismissed assertions that Zimbabwe was facing a constitutional crisis.
“There is no Constitutional Crisis in Zimbabwe at all. Let’s stop posturing with high sounding nonsense. Zimbabwe will not stop developing because some are trying to externalize their internal internecine strife and contradictions. Let’s focus on building our country,” Mangwana said.
