- Version
- Download 43
- File Size 87 KB
- File Count 1
- Create Date May 5, 2020
- Last Updated September 22, 2021
NATIONAL ASSEMBLY HANSARD 5 MAY 2020 VOL 46 NO 37
PARLIAMENT OF ZIMBABWE
Tuesday, 5th May, 2020
The National Assembly met at a Quarter-past Two o’clock p.m.
PRAYERS
(THE HON. SPEAKER in the Chair)
ANNOUNCEMENTS BY THE HON. SPEAKER
PARLIAMENT BUSINESS IN THE WAKE OF COVID-19
THE HON. SPEAKER: I would like to thank the Hon.
Members who have come from the designated areas because of the Coronavirus pandemic which is ravaging human kind throughout the world. It is important therefore, that we as legislators observe the World Health Organisation Injunctions as well as our own national strategy as pronounced by Government to observe the requirements that may help in containing, to some degree, the impact of the Coronavirus. We, as Parliament are obligated to play our oversight role in the circumstances and accordingly, the Committee on Standing Rules and Orders has exercised its mind regarding the arrangements that will make it possible for Parliament to function with minimum degree of disruption while at the same time fulfilling its constitutional mandate. That is why as you will notice, your Order Paper is extremely thin and business will be restricted accordingly today and Parliament will engage the stakeholders, particularly the hotels so that adequate arrangements are made for Members of Parliament to be accommodated accordingly. It is hoped that we will get further direction in the next two weeks from the Government on the way forward. Meanwhile, administrative measures are being worked out by the Clerk and Staff of Parliament to ensure that the wheels of function in Parliament do take place accordingly.
VACANCIES IN THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
THE HON. SPEAKER: On the 3rd April 2020, Parliament was notified by the Movement for Democratic Change-Tsvangirai Party (MDC-T) that Hon. C. Hwende, Member of Parliament for
Kuwadzana East Constituency; Hon. T. Khumalo, Proportional
Representation for Bulawayo Province; and Hon. P. Chapfiwa Mutseyami, Member of Parliament for Dangamvura-Chikanga have ceased to be the Members of the MDC-T Party and therefore, no longer represent the interest of the Party in Parliament – [HON.
MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections.]
Section 129 (1) (k) of the Constitution of Zimbabwe provides that, “The seat of a Member of Parliament becomes vacant if the member has ceased to belong to the political party of which he or she was a member when elected to Parliament and the political party concerned, by written notice to the Speaker or to the President of the Senate as the case may be, has declared that the Member has ceased to belong to it”.
Pursuant to the above, I do hereby inform the House that vacancies have arisen in the constituencies stated above by the operation of the law. The necessary administrative measures will be taken to inform His Excellency, the President of the Republic of Zimbabwe and the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) of the existence of the vacancies in line with Section 39 (1) of the Electoral Act [Chapter 213] as amended – [HON. MEMBERS: Inaudible
interjections.]
On the motion of THE MINISTER OF JUSTICE, LEGAL
AND PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS (HON. ZIYAMBI), the
House adjourned at Twenty-Five minutes to Three o’clock p.m. until
Tuesday, 19th May, 2020.