Mahere out of Mt Pleasant by-election – says conditions that forced her resignation have remained unchanged

Mahere out of Mt Pleasant by-election – says conditions that forced her resignation have remained unchanged

FORMER Mt Pleasant legislator Fadzayi Mahere has said she will not be running in next month’s by-election in her constituency as conditions that led to her resignation remain unchanged.

In a statement Thursday, Mahere said votes cast in the August 2023 harmonised election were not respected while also accusing the Speaker of Parliament, Jacob Mudenda of refusing to hear arguments on points of national interest and dismissing points of order on sensitive matters.

Part of Mahere’s statement reads, “After many consultations and personal reflection, I have decided that I will not be running in the upcoming by-election. The conditions that drove me to resign in the first place have not changed.

“The reasons for my resignation include the gross disrespect of the votes cast by citizens in August 2023, the refusal by the Speaker to hear arguments on points of national interest, hijacking of the whipping system, the refusal by the Speaker to entertain points of order on sensitive matters, the unleashing of violent riot police to attack opposition MPs during parliamentary sessions, the illegal recall of opposition MPs, the banning of opposition candidates, the disregard of standing orders and parliamentary privilege, the selective application of parliamentary rules, the repeated illegal suspensions of MPs and the hijacking of the opposition parliamentary caucus.

“We see the further desecration of the August House by the swearing in of characters such as Sengezo Tshabangu who were front and centre of spitting on the will of the people.”

Mahere maintained that the current Parliament does not represent the will of the people but she will remain committed to the cause of a truly democratic Zimbabwe.

Mahere’s issues were raised by former CCC leader Nelson Chamisa whom she resigned from Parliament in solidarity.

Chamisa’s legislators won in most urban constituencies but this was undone after Sengezo Tshabangu claiming to be the CCC interim Secretary General recalled a majority of them from the National Assembly, senate and Local Authorities.

Through the recalls, Tshabangu succeeded in forcing Chamisa’s legislators out and giving the ruling party a majority in Parliament.

The Speaker’s mobile phone went unanswered Thursday as newzimbabwe.com tried to get hold of him to answer the allegations made against him by Mahere.