BY GARIKAI MAFIRAKUREVA
SPEAKER of the National Assembly Jacob Mudenda has been petitioned over the recent recall of six MPs aligned to the MDC Alliance by the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) led by Lucia Matibenga.
The petition, dated March 23, 2021 was made by a human rights activist Marko Shoko of Tshovani in Chiredzi, who said the recalls were against the people’s will.
Clerk of Parliament Kennedy Chokuda yesterday confirmed receiving the petition.
The six recently recalled MPs included Tendai Biti (Harare East), Willias Madzimure (Kambuzuma), Settlement Chikwinya (Mbizo), Regai Tsunga (Mutasa South), Kucaca Phulu (Nkulumane) and Sichelesile Mahlangu (Pumula).
About 40 MDC Alliance legislators and 80 councillors have been recalled by the MDC-T led by Douglas Mwonzora and the PDP.
Shoko demanded that the august House should exercise its constitutional mandate to enact a law which provides legislative guidance on the interpretation of section 129(1)(k) of the Constitution to do with recalls.
He said Parliament should facilitate participatory democracy to improve public faith in the political system in the country.
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Shoko said recalls were detrimental to participatory democracy and ensured the country remained in perpetual election mode, as well as bleeding the fiscus.
“The recalls short-change constituents represented by recalled MPs as they have no say in the process, despite having elected their representatives. It is critical that accountability to voters should take place systematically throughout the parliamentary term, rather than just at election time,” Shoko said.
“As presently couched, the recall provision has made the MPs solely answerable and beholden to the political party and not to the people they represent in the constituency that elected them.
“Herefore, your humble petitioner prays that Parliament will be pleased to take the petitioner’s case into favourable consideration and grant any other such relief as it may deem fit.”
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