By staff reporter
Harare East legislator Tendai Biti, Settlement Chikwinya (Mbizo), Willias Madzimure (Kambuzuma) Kucaca Phulu (Nkulumane) Regai Tsunga (Mutasa South and Sichelesile Mahlangu (Pumula) have been recalled from Parliament.
According to a letter written by Benjamin Rukanda who is the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) secretary-general, the legislators ceased to represent the party.
The affected seats were won by a faction of PDP that is led by Biti, while the other faction led by Lucia Matibenga failed to get anything during the election.
Matibenga led faction contested under the People’s Rainbow Coalition that was fronted by Joice Mujuru. The one led by Biti contested under the MDC-Alliance.
Although Matibenga and her faction lost dismally, they still claim to have control over the seats won by the other faction.
The situation was made worse when the High Court ruled that Matibenga has power to recall Biti and other legislators from the PDP faction.
This saw the Rukanda writing to Jacob Mudenda (Speaker of National Assembly) indicating that Biti and others no longer represent the party interests and therefore stand recalled.
Efforts to contact Rukanda were fruitless as his phone rang unanswered.
However, PDP spokesperson Nqobizitha Khumalo said Biti and other legislators were recalled from Parliament because they stopped being members of the party which they used to get into Parliament.
“Biti and other legislators got to Parliament on a PDP ticket, and since they have ceased to be members of the party there were recalled on the basis of Section 6(4)(a) of our constitution.
“Our national Constitution actually purports that if a Member of Parliament won on a particular party’s ticket and then rejoins another he is subject to recalls,” said Khumalo.
Before the recall, Biti was chairperson of the Public Accounts Committee that has been probing ZESA for awarding Sakunda Holdings a US$250 million tender it did not win.
Biti, Chikwinya and Madzimure recalled from Parliament
