HARARE – Deputy Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet, Mr. George Charamba, clarified that the proclamation of by-election dates by President Mnangagwa is not a deliberate political action but rather a matter of following the country’s Constitution and statutes, which must be adhered to without any discretion.
This clarification comes in response to the proclamation of by-elections in nine constituencies due to the recalls of CCC (Citizens Coalition for Change) legislators by the party’s interim secretary-general, Mr. Sengezo Tshabangu. President Mnangagwa declared December 9 as the date for the by-elections in compliance with the country’s laws.
Mr. Charamba, who serves as the Presidential spokesperson, emphasized that threats by the opposition to boycott the elections cannot halt a process triggered by the recalls. He explained that when an elected Member of Parliament is recalled by a political party, it initiates a legal timeline that must be followed, starting with the Speaker of Parliament and ending with the President.
Mr. Charamba stated that the President is obligated by the country’s laws and the Constitution to proclaim by-elections within a specific period once notified by the Speaker of Parliament of a vacancy in Parliament. The law does not grant the President any discretion to decide whether to proclaim the election; it is a legal requirement.
He pointed out that Zimbabwe’s laws do not make the presence or absence of opposition legislators a constitutional issue. The country’s legislation accommodates various parties in electoral processes, but the participation of an MP in Parliament is a matter of personal choice, not a constitutional or statutory requirement.
According to Parliament’s Standing Rules and Orders, a legislator can be deemed to have vacated their position due to continued absenteeism. However, participation in the electoral process, either as voters or political candidates, is voluntary under the country’s laws. Mr. Charamba emphasized that the non-participation of the CCC in the upcoming by-elections will not create a constitutional crisis.
In the event of a CCC boycott, willing political parties will participate, and the winner, even if it’s just one party, will be declared the victor.
Source – The Herald
