Sengezo Tshabangu, asserting his position as the interim secretary general of the opposition CCC, has put forward five candidates, with Murisi Zwizwai among them, to occupy empty seats in the Senate. This move follows the recall of five senators from the party. Priscilla Makanyara Chigumba, chairperson of the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC), unveiled the names of the nominees through General Notice 460 of 2024 on Friday, April 12, 2024.
Chigumba, in accordance with the Electoral Act [Chapter 2:13], publicly announced CCC’s nomination of registered voters listed in the First Schedule to fill the vacancies in the Senate resulting from the recall of individuals identified in the Second Schedule. These recalled members previously represented their respective provinces in the Senate by virtue of section 120(1)(a) of the Constitution.
Any member of the public wishing to contest the nomination of any nominee listed in the First Schedule can lodge their objections in writing with the Chief Elections Officer, located at the Mahachi Quantum Building, situated at the corner of Kaguvi Street and Jason Moyo Avenue in Harare. Alternatively, objections can be sent by post to Private Bag 7782, Causeway. Objections must be submitted within a 14-day period from the date of publication of this notice, accompanied by the reasons for contesting the nomination.
The nominees listed in the First Schedule include Zwizwai, Tambudzai Kunaka, and Moses Manyengavana from Harare Province, as well as Spiwe Munemo and Tawanda Bvumo from Mashonaland West Province.
Amidst the factional divides within the CCC, the origins of the nominations for the five candidates remain uncertain. However, it is plausible to assume that Tshabangu, being the only CCC member with the authority recognized by state institutions to recall Members of Parliament, submitted their names to the ZEC.
Previously, Tshabangu had recalled former CCC senators listed in the Second Schedule during the preceding year. These senators, namely Vongai Tome, Webster Maondera, and Jameson Timba from Harare Province, as well as Editor Eremenziah Matamisa and Ralph T. Mangunje from Mashonaland West Province, were removed from their positions as senators.
