THE Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) has has revealed that it will go ahead and fill vacant seats under the proportional representation quota which arose after the Dr Thokozani Khupe-led MDC-T recalled some of its representatives.
MDC-T has been recalling members who refuse to recognise the Supreme Court judgement declaring Dr Khupe as the interim leader of the party.
Supreme Court Judge Justice Bharat Patel, sitting with Justices Paddington Garwe and Antonia Guvava, in April ruled that Mr Nelson Chamisa is not the legitimate MDC leader in terms of the party’s constitution and subsequently ordered the convening of an extra-ordinary congress to elect a new president.
So far, 21 parliamentarians have been recalled.
In statement, ZEC chief elections officer, Mr Utoile Silaigwana said the electoral organisation would proceed with the filling of seats of those under the proportional representation quota while the other will be filled after the commission comes up with a Covid-19 Policy on Elections.
“It is important to note that the commission is not the arbiter of who may or may not recall a Member of Parliament.
It merely facilitates the filling of the resultant vacancy in the confidence that Parliament has conformed to its governing procedures and to the law in notifying it of the vacancies.
“ZEC’s stance on filling proportional representation seats has been taken noting that the process of filling these seats does not pose a threat to public health nor will it violate regulations put in place by Government to curb the spread of Covid-19. All other electoral activities which involve gathering of people with the potential to fuel the spread of Covid-19, however, remain suspended,” said Mr Silaigwana.
He revealed that ZEC would carry out its mandate of filling the vacant seats as guided by the constitution, noting if there was anyone with an objection this could be done in other avenues outside the commission.
Mr Siliagwana said once they come up with a ZEC policy on elections they can then fill in the other vacant posts as this would set out measures on conducting elections without posing a danger to public health.
