Mpofu quits Senate
FORMER Home Affairs Minister Dr Obert Mpofu has resigned as Matabeleland North Senator and has notified the august House of his decision to leave the seat, Senate President, Cde Marble Chinomona, has said.
Cde Chinomona told Senate on Tuesday that she had received a resignation letter from Dr Mpofu and a vacancy had arisen in that province.
“I have to inform the House that I have received a resignation letter from Honourable Senator Mpofu, Senator for Matabeleland North Province. Section 129 (1b) of the Constitution of Zimbabwe provides as follows;
“The seat of a Member of Parliament becomes vacant upon the member resigning his or her seat by written notice to the President of the Senate or to the Speaker as the case may be.
“Pursuant to the above, I do hereby inform this House that a vacancy has arisen by the operation of the law. The necessary administrative measures will be taken to inform His Excellency, the President of the Republic of Zimbabwe and the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) of the existence of the vacancy in line with Section 39 (1) of the Electoral Act, Chapter 2:13 as amended,” said Cde Chinomona.
Last week, Dr Mpofu told the media that he volunteered to relinquish his Senatorial seat to pave way for Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage Minister, Cde Cain Mathema, to take his Parliamentary seat after it was noted that there were more than the constitutionally prescribed five Cabinet ministers that President Mnangagwa had appointed outside Parliament.
Meanwhile, Matabeleland South Senator, Simon Khaya-Moyo (Zanu-PF), has criticised the recent increase of prices of goods and services saying it was not justified.
Senator Khaya-Moyo said this in Senate on Tuesday while moving a motion to debate a speech delivered by President Mnangagwa when he officially opened the First Session of the Ninth Parliament last week.
“The recent increase in prices of
goods and services including bread by retailers is cause for great concern. The appetite to profiteer at every turn, in unexplained circumstances has no justification whatsoever and the consumer deserves urgent protection.
“The minister responsible has urged the retailers to reverse their prices. Let this happen with urgency or the law must take its full course,” said Cde Khaya-Moyo, who is also Zanu-PF secretary for Information and Publicity.
“The same applies to the shortage of fuel and the unwarranted pump price hikes in some areas leading to unacceptable queues and depressing inconvenience to the travelling public. Urgent solution is needed to avoid speculative conduct and illegal actors must face the full wrath
of law.”
In seconding the motion, Midlands Senator, Maybe Mbohwa (Zanu-PF), implored legislators to focus on nation building as the time for politics had gone as intimated by President Mnangagwa in his speech.
“It is pleasing because this is exactly what our country needs. We want to see our children enjoy a Zimbabwe of many opportunities. As he said, the election is behind us and we have to get out of election mode and start working. He mentioned that we have to be ‘servant leaders’, and we must work for the people that we represent. With this new dawn, Zimbabweans expect to see change in the Second Republic so we must do our part,” said Senator Mbohwa.