President Emmerson Mnangagwa has set 26 March 2022 as the date for Parliamentary by-elections.
There are about 28 Parliamentary constituencies that are vacant. Most of them became vacant due to recalls by Zanu PF, MDC-T, and PDP. A few of them are due to the death of the MPs who held them.
Some of the constituencies have gone as far as two years without replacing their legislators. This was because all electoral processes were once put on ice by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC).
Statutory Instrument 2 of 2022 listed the following constituencies as being due for the by-elections:
Pumula, Nkulumane, Epworth, Glen Norah, Harare Central, Highfield East, Highfield West, Kuwadzana East, Kuwadzana, Mufakose, St Marys, Glen View North, Kambuzuma, Harare East, Dangamvura-Chikanga, Mutasa South, Marondera Central, Marondera East, Murewa South, Chivi South, Mwenezi East, Binga North, Tsholotsho South, Mkoba, Kwekwe, Mbizo, Mberengwa South and Gokwe Central
The SI said seats ‘’have become vacant by reason of members of the National Assembly having ceased to belong to a political party which they were members when elected to the National Assembly, by reason of the death of the members of the National Assembly and by reason of appointment of a member to another post,” it read.
SI2 operationalising Section 39(2) of the Electoral Act
The SI is operationalising Section 39(2) of the Electoral Act [Chapter 2:13], which reads ‘’that after the President has been notified in terms of the said section of vacancies in the membership of National Assembly, he shall issue a proclamation ordering a new election to fulfill the vacancies in the same manner, mutatis mutandis, as is provided in section 38 of the said Act in regard to a general election”.
The proclamation for the by-elections however skirted the vacancies that in local authorities.
Currently, there are about 103 local government vacancies that are awaiting by-elections. In previous interviews, the affected councillors and legislators have expressed optimism that they will retain their seats.–
