The first sitting of the Parliament of Zimbabwe following the general election will be on October 3, 2023, President Emmerson Mnangagwa has announced.
Parliament has a total of 360 Members of Parliament, that is 280 Members of the National Assembly plus 80 Senators.
In the National Assembly, Zanu PF has 176 seats while CCC has 103 seats giving a total of 279 seats with a by-election set to be held in Gutu West constituency where one of the candidates died before the elections.
In Statutory Instrument 159 of 2023, (Proclamation 7 of 2023) released Thursday, President Mnangagwa said the first sitting for parliamentarians will be held at Mt Hampden, the new parliament building.
According to Section 145 (1) of the Constitution of Zimbabwe, the president must announce the date of the first sitting within 30 days of assuming his office.
President Mnangagwa took his oath of office on September 4, 2023.
“Whereas it is provided by section 145(1) of the Constitution that the First Session of Parliament after a general election must take place at a time and place determined by the President, being a date no later than thirty days after the President elect assumes office,” reads the statutory instrument.
“Now, therefore, under and by virtue of the powers vested in me as aforesaid, I do, by this my Proclamation, fix—
(a) the New Parliament Building, Mt Hampden, as the place in which the First Session of the Tenth Parliament of Zimbabwe shall be held;
(b) twelve o’clock noon on Tuesday, the 3rd October, 2023, as the time and date on which the First Session of the Tenth Parliament shall begin.”
Section 145 (1) of the Constitution of Zimbabwe reads as follows:
145. First sitting of Parliament following general election
The first sitting of Parliament after a general election must take place at a time and date determined by the President, but the date must not be later than thirty days after the President-elect assumes office in terms of section 94.
Until the election of a President of the Senate or a Speaker, as the case may be, the first meeting of a House of Parliament must be presided over by the Clerk of Parliament.
