THE swearing-in ceremony of newly-elected National Assembly members and Senators has paved the way for the election of presiding officers this Friday, to set the tone for the opening of the 10th Parliament of Zimbabwe.
Story by Fungai Jachi, Courts Reporter
The Speaker’s chair remains empty pending the election of the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly this Friday.
Clerk of Parliament, Mr. Kennedy Chokuda said, “Now that they have been sworn in, it paves the way for the election of the presiding officers, that is the Speaker and the deputy. The ones sworn in today are the ones who are eligible to vote in the election.”
Mr Chokuda also gave an insight it who is eligible to be elected.
“The Speaker can be nominated from within the members of parliament or outside parliament as long as they are eligible to hold office. A candidate must be a registered voter who appears on the voters roll. But, if one is elected as a Speaker from within the MPs they will relinquish their seat but it does not apply to the one elected as deputy speaker,” he said.
The date for the official opening of the 10th Parliament will be set by his Excellency, President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
According to the constitution, the official opening should be set within 30 days of the inauguration of the President. – ZBC News
