Mutare Central legislator Innocent Gonese has resigned from the Parliamentary Committee on Standing Rules and Orders.
Speaker of National Assembly Jacob Mudenda made the announcement when Parliament met briefly to further adjourn its sitting due to COVID-19.
“I have to inform House of the resignation of Honourable Innocent Gonese from the Committee on Standing Rules and Orders. Section 151 (7) of the Constitution provides that, “Whenever a vacancy occurs in the Committee on Standing Rules and Orders, a Member must be elected or appointed, as the case may be, as soon as possible to fill the vacancy”.
“Accordingly, the MDC-T has nominated Honourable Senator Douglas Mwonzora to fill the vacancy.
“The nomination complies with Section 151 (1) of the Constitution and Honourable Senator Mwonzora is duly a Member of the Standing Rules and Orders,” he said.
Reasons for the resignation have not been availed. There is speculation that Gonese was pushed out by Mwonzora who wants to consolidate his power in opposition politics.
Mwonzora normally uses the power of recall to threaten those that maybe deemed to be against his ascendance.
He is also currently battling with Thokozani Khupe for the role of the leader of the opposition in Parliament.
Khupe who lost to Mwonzora at the party’s congress still maintains that she is the rightful leader of MDC-T.
Parliament extends adjournment
Meanwhile, the National Assembly has further adjourned its sitting to the 16th of February to curb the spread of COVID-19.
The date is in line with the current lockdown which is expected to end on the 15th of February.
However, some Zimbabweans are not happy with Parliament’s decision to continue with its break in the middle of a crisis.
People want Parliament to play oversight in the formulation of the COVID-19 vaccine rollout program.
Zimbabwe is trying to come up with a policy that will guide how the life-saving vaccines will be rolled out.
Other countries such as South Africa have already started receiving their batches of the vaccines.
Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube, however, said it has set aside about US$100 million for the program. Get more Covid-19 Stats on CovidZW.info
Gonese resigns from CSRO, as Mwonzora takes over
