Self-exiled former Cabinet Minister Professor Jonathan Moyo says Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) legislators elected under the MDC Alliance are now at the risk of being recalled following the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC)’s notice suspending all national assembly and local government by-elections.
ZEC chairperson Justice Priscilla Chigumba, guided by the Constitution recently announced the suspension of by elections for vacancies that occur after November 1 2022.
Posting on Twitter, Professor Moyo said the CCC aligned legislators risk being recalled by Douglas Mwonzora and should have resigned a longtime ago.
“As notified by @ZECzim on 20 Oct, until the 2023 general election, no by-election shall be held to fill any National Assembly constituency or local government vacancy that occurs from today. #CCC MPs under MDC-A seats are now at risk of being recalled by @DMwonzora’s @OurMDCT!
“Clearly, the 20 Oct @ZECzim notice particularly benefited #CCC MPs who are inexplicably still clinging onto MDC-A seats in Parliament, when the reasonable and strategic thing to do would have been to resign and cause by-elections ages ago.
“Now it’s jeopardy time. Amazing! With the 2023 general election due within nine months, this would be the worst time for an MP to be kicked out of Parliament, without the opportunity of a by-election. This is because sitting MPs enjoy the advantage of incumbency in the campaign period ahead of an election! #CCC MPs under MDC-A seats are now at risk of being recalled by @Mwonzora’s @OurMDCT!,” posted Moyo
MDC national spokesperson Witness Dube said the party has no intention to break the law or the party’s constitution.
“Section 129k of our national constitution forbids anyone from floor crossing while holding a public office. We have no intention of breaking the law as a party, let alone our own constitution which counts it as an automatic expulsion for anyone to join another political party,” said Dube.
