CCC interim secretary general Mr Sengezo Tshabangu and 13 others are expected to be sworn in as Senators and members of the National Assembly next week after the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission confirmed them as legislators.
The group will fill the vacant CCC seats in the Senate and National Assembly assigned for the women’s and the youth quotas, and the party list seats in the Senate after the incumbent were recalled by their party.
ZEC has since published their names in a Government Gazette, saying they have become legislators with immediate effect.
This means they will be sworn in as legislators when Parliament resumes sitting next week.
“The public is hereby notified, in terms of section 39(7)(a) of the Electoral Act [Chapter 2:13], that the persons specified in the Schedule below, who were nominated by the CCC party to fill the vacancies in the Senate by virtue of section 120(1)(a) of the Constitution that occurred following the recall of incumbent members, have been appointed as Senators with effect from the date of publication of this notice,” reads the notice by Zec Chairperson, Justice Priscilla Chigumba.
For Bulawayo, the CCC has nominated for the Senate; Lilian Mlilo, Kucaca Ivumile Phulu, Linda Sibanda and Collet Ndlovu, while Mr Maxwell Mdhluri fills the single Manicaland vacancy and Mr Sam Chapfudza Masvingo province.
Teresa Kabondo, Tshabangu and Grace Mumpande will fill the Matabeleland North vacancies.
They will be replacing the following; Hellen Zivira, Gideon Shoko, Siphiwe Ncube, Felix Magalela Sibanda, David Antony Chimhini, Godfrey Mativenga Madzikanda, Anastasia Moyo, Gabbuza Joel Gabuza and Tendai Sibanda.
Those nominated for the vacant CCC women’s quota seats in the National Assembly are Nomvula Mguni, Otilia Sibanda, Lungile Ncube, Sibongile Maphosa, and Sikhuphukile Dube.
The vacancies arose when Mr Tshabangu wrote to the Speaker of the National Assembly, Advocate Jacob Mudenda and Senate president Cde Mabel Chinomona, recalling the legislators.
The elected National Assembly legislators and elected local authority councillors who were recalled triggered by-elections, with Zanu PF winning a good block of the seats previously held by the CCC.
But for those elected under the party lists, the CCC just has to send in the name of the replacement to the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission and they are automatically in Parliament without having to face any election.
Initially, ZEC had gazetted the names of CCC nominees and said those who wished to object had 14 days to do so in writing.