(Last Updated on October 3, 2020 by Editor)
ZIMBABWE – The Zimbabwe government has now announced that by-elections are suspended indefinitely due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The announcement came at the back of a declaration made by the Health Minister, Vice President Constantine Chiwenga of “Covid-19 as a Formidable Epidemic Disease.”
“Pursuant to subsection (2), the holding of any by-election to fill a casual vacancy in Parliament or in a local authority is, for the duration of the period of the declaration of COVID-19 as
a formidable epidemic disease, suspended, and if such vacancy occurred while such declaration is in force, no part of the period from the date of such vacancy to the date of the end of the
declaration shall be counted for the purposes of section 158(3) of the Constitution.”
Recently ZEC had notified the public that by-elections will be held on 5 December 2020 with many vacancies pending as a result of the massive recalls of MDC-Alliance’ MPs and Cllrs by Thokozani Khuphe’s MDC-T.
Most local authorities have been left almost dysfunctional after the recalls and yesterday Mwonzora continued the purge, this time recalling 10 MPs including the current MDC-Alliance vice president, Lynnet Kore.
This suspension is shocking given that government had made a decision to start reopening the economy with International flights already given the green light.
Meanwhile schools have also reopened for examination classes with other classes expected to follow soon.