Sengezo Tshabangu, a Senator from Matabeleland North Province, has been appointed as the Leader of the Opposition in Zimbabwe’s Parliament, overseeing both the National Assembly and the Senate.
This decision, announced by the Speaker of the National Assembly, Advocate Jacob Mudenda, has sparked controversy and debate. Critics, including members of the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC), have labeled the appointment undemocratic and a farce, questioning Tshabangu’s legitimacy and the ruling party ZANU PF’s influence.
The CCC, led by Prof Welshman Ncube, has called for an emergency meeting in response to the appointment.CCC led by Prof Welshman Ncube calls emergency meeting of its Standing Committee tonight after self-declared interim secretary general Sengezo Tshabangu writes to the Speaker of Parliament announcing himself as the Leader of the Opposition in parliament.
The assumption of Sen Tshabangu as the official leader of the opposition means he will be the point person for the Government and any stakeholder in the engagement or interaction with the opposition on any given issue.
This includes constituting portfolio committees, particularly the appointment of chairpersons who will occupy slots earmarked for the opposition in international organisations such as the Pan African Parliament (PAP), Sadc Parliamentary Forum, International Parliamentary Union (IPU) and African, Caribbean and Pacific-European Union (ACP-EU), among others.
Sen Tshabangu has also been appointed to be a member of the Parliament Standing Rules and Orders Committee which is the legislative assembly’s supreme decision-making body.
He is also a member of the International Parliamentary Union, the world’s Parliamentary body.
