Speaker reverses CCC appointments

Farirai Machivenyika  Senior Reporter

Speaker of the National Assembly Advocate Jacob Mudenda has rescinded the appointments of legislators from the CCC to various parliamentary committees after noting that their secondment to the positions by former Senator Jameson Timba, was unprocedural.

Adv Mudenda told the National Assembly on Tuesday that he made the announcement of the appointment of the CCC legislators on February 15 based on a letter written by former Senator Timba purporting to be the interim leader of the CCC Party.

The Speaker said on reflection, he should not have acted upon that letter as facts show that Mr Timba had no locus standi to represent the party in such a manner.

“Jameson Timba was recalled from the Senate by the CCC party on 7th November, 2023, the party which he purported to represent as the acting leader and administrator. Jameson Timba challenged the recall in the High Court under case number HCH 6684/23 with other former members of the CCC party and lost the court case.”

Adv Mudenda said Mr Timba was also among the former members of the party whom the High Court barred on December 9, last year from contesting the February 3 by-elections under the CCC following Sengezo Tshabangu’s application to block them from participating in the polls under the opposition party’s banner.

“Considering that Jameson Timba had been recalled by the same CCC party he was purporting to represent, and that he was also banned by the courts from contesting under the banner of the same party, his communication to Parliament and the appointments made thereafter, are therefore null and void.

“Accordingly, I am rescinding the announcement on the 15th of February, 2024 and referring the matter back to the CCC party to make the appropriate appointments,” he said.

The CCC imploded due to factionalism soon after the August 23 harmonised elections resulting in Mr Tshabangu recalling legislators and councillors across the country.

Other legislators affected are Mr Martin Mureri who was appointed to the Parliamentary Legal Committee, Mr Prosper Mutseyami who was a member of the Inter-Parliamentary Union delegation, Ms Gladys Hlatshwayo who was a member of the African Caribbean Pacific-European Union delegation, Senator Maggie Chakabuda who was member of the Association of Senates, Shoora and Equivalent Councils of Africa and the Arab world and Ntandoyenkosi Gumede who chaired the Portfolio Committee on Higher and Tertiary Education, Innovation, Science and Technology Development.