Parliament likely to be summoned from adjournmen...

Parliament likely to be summoned from adjournment for delimitation report

FACTSHEET: WOMEN IN THE NINTH PARLIAMENT - ZimFact

Zim Now Writer

There is likelihood that Parliament would be summoned from adjournment to look into the matter of delimitation, whose report was handed over to President Emmerson Mnangagwa by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission this week.

President Mnangagwa, who was presented with the report by the ZEC chairperson Priscilla Chigumba, is himself on his annual leave while parliament adjourned after passing of the 2023 national budget. All things being equal, it is supposed to resume business after 24 January, 2023.

But constitutionally, there are time frames within which the delimitation matter ought to be tabled and resolved, bringing forth the likelihood that the houses of National Assembly and that of Senate may converge much earlier, specifically for the report.

In terms of law, the President has seven working days – which in this case lapse on January 6 - after receiving the report, within which he has to cause its tabling to Parliament.

Legislators are then given 14 days to study it and submit opinions back to the head of state.

While certain months had been thrown in of when the 2023 harmonised elections will he held, Section 161 of the constitution stipulates that if results of the report are to used for the ballot, they must be finalised at least six months before the polls.