ZEC chairperson Justice Priscilla Chigumba invited voters with objections to lodge them with her office before the nominations are confirmed. A fortnight ago, the electoral body declared the seats vacant after Parliament notified it of a decision by the MDC-T to recall 15 of its legislators.
Dr Khupe is set to take up a seat in the National Assembly, while the MDC-T spokesperson, Mr Kalpani Phugeni, will be in Senate, as their names form part of the list that include former legislators who were gazetted as replacements.
“The public is hereby notified, in terms of section 39 (6) of the Electoral Act (Chapter2:13) that the MDC party has nominated party list members of the National Assembly and the Senate listed in the schedules below to fill in the vacancies in the National Assembly and the Senate that occurred following the recall by the MDC-T of the incumbent on the grounds that they had ceased to be members of that party,” reads the notice published by Justice Chigumba.
“Any voter wishing to object to the nominations of the members may lodge them in writing with the Chief Elections Officer, at Mahachi Quantum Building, corner Kaguvi Street and Jason Moyo Avenue, Harare or post them to Private Bag 7782, Causeway within a period of 14 days from the date of publication of this notice, setting forth the reason(s) for the objection(s).”
Besides Dr Khupe and Mr Phugeni, other names published are Yvonne Winfielda Musarurwa, Lindani Moyo, January Sawuke, Memory Munochinzwa, Lwazi Sibanda, Sipho Mokone, Molly Dorothy Ndlovu, Tamani Moyo, Gertrude Moyo, Piniel Denga, Chief Ndluvu, Nomalanga Khumalo and Teti Chisorochengwe.
Mrs Khumalo was elected Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly in 2008 on an MDC-T ticket, while Mr Denga and Ms Sibanda are former legislators.
Senators elected on the party lists and the extra women Members in the National Assembly elected by proportional representation are chosen by political parties in proportion to the votes received by their candidates in the constituency elections to the National Assembly. If one of these seats falls vacant, the original party nominates the successor.
Those being replaced in the National Assembly are: Thabitha Khumalo, Virginia Zengeya, Anna Myambo, Bacillia Majaya, Machirarwa Mugidho, Francisca Ncube and Nomathemba Ndlovu.
In the Senate, Siphiwe Ncube, Gideon Shoko, Helen Zivira, Keresencia Chabuka, Tapfumaneyi Wunganayi, Herbert Sinampande, Meliwe Phuti and Lilian Timveous will be replaced.
The legislators were recalled in terms of a constitutional provision that declares seats held by members of the party that sponsored them in the last election vacant if the party writes to the Speaker of the National Assembly or to the Senate President to declare that the persons no longer represent that party.
The recall followed a Supreme Court ruling which restored the 2014 status quo in the party following an unconstitutional grab of power by Mr Nelson Chamisa after the death of party founder Mr Morgan Tsvangirai.
The ruling meant that there was no party called the MDC Alliance, which is a pact of several political parties, including the MDC-T which is now controlled by Dr Khupe.
Dr Khupe was the elected vice president at the death of Mr Tsvangirai, and was constitutionally the successor before a congress to chose a substantive leader.
