ZEC confirms MDC-T Senator appointment

THE Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) has confirmed the appointment of Ms Ndiweni Marilyn Nobuhle by the opposition MDC-T party as Senator representing Bulawayo Metropolitan province to replace Ms Mildren Dube who died in June this year.

ZEC chairperson, Justice Priscilla Chigumba, made the announcement in a Government Gazette published last Friday.

Senator Dube death created the vacancy in the Senate.

The MDC-T led by Mr Douglas Mwonzora eventually wrote to ZEC nominating Ms Nobuhle to replace Sen Dube.

“It is hereby notified, in terms of section 39(7) (a) of the Electoral Act Chapter 2:13], that Ndiweni Marilyn Nobuhle, a registered voter of No. 5, Helyn House, 139, Robert Mugabe Road, in Ward 12 of Bulawayo Metropolitan Province, who was nominated by the Movement for Democratic Alliance party to fill the vacancy in the Senate that occurred following the death of Honourable Mildred Season Dube, has been appointed as a Senator with effect from the date of publication of this notice,” reads the notice from Justice Chigumba.

Sen Dube was a national executive member in the MDC-T women’s assembly.

In a related matter, Justice Chigumba has notified of a vacancy in the National Assembly following the death of Bulawayo Proportional Representative member, Cde Ophar Ncube in February this year.

“The public is hereby notified, in terms of section 39(4)(a) of the of the Electoral Act — Electoral Act (Chapter 2:13), of a vacancy that has occurred among the party-list members of the National Assembly following the death, on February 25, 2022, of Ophar Ncube who was a member of the National Assembly for Bulawayo Metropolitan Province by virtue of section 124 (1)(b) of the constitution,” reads a notice by Justice Chigumba.

Cde Ncube, a Zanu PF Central Committee member died at United Bulawayo Hospitals (UBH) aged 69 after a short illness.

ZEC has since suspended all fresh by-elections in terms of the Constitution ahead of the 2023 harmonised elections slated for next year.