Hurdles cleared for Gono’s Senate post

via Hurdles cleared for Gono’s Senate post – DailyNews Live 7 September 2014 by Chengetai Zvauya

HARARE – Government yesterday removed the last hurdle for retired Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe governor Gideon Gono to replace Kumbirai Kangai as Buhera Senator.

The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) officially gave notice of senatorial vacancies in Buhera and Chegutu in a government gazette.

Zec’s notice was meant for members of the public and respective political parties.

Gono has  been  nominated by Zanu PF Manicaland leadership to become a Senator for Manicaland to replace Kangai, who died in  September last year.

Presidential Affairs minister Didymus Mutasa said last week at the memorial of Kangai in Harare that Gono —  a staunch President Robert Mugabe loyalist had been chosen to replace the late politburo member since “he fits the profile and had also served the nation well”.

Despite facing resistance and some tough questions from the Zanu PF leader on whether they were not dictating to the people of Buhera, Mutasa said the province “was resolute in its choice and would not be dissuaded in its nomination” — just as the people had to be guided in that process.

At Kangai’s memorial, Gono said he was humbled to have been chosen senator-designate for the area, but would wait for the party and government to finish all necessary procedures before taking up the position.

The extraordinary gazette says: “The public  is hereby notified in terms  of section 39 (4) (a) of the Electoral Act chapter 2-13 of vacancy among the party list members of the Senate following  on 24th August 2013, the death of Kumbirai Manyika Kangai  a senator for  Manicaland.”

The other notice under the same Act announced a vacancy in Chegutu following the election of the incumbent Edna Madzongwe as president of the Senate.

Zec chairperson Justice Rita Makarau told the Daily News they were looking forward to an official presentation of candidates from Zanu PF.

“We are following the law and we have gazetted the notice for everyone to see and this is the beginning of an electoral process of replacing the two senators in Manicaland and Mashonaland West provinces respectively,” Makarau said.

Mugabe last week signed the Electoral Amendment Bill into law thereby enabling it to make changes to the principal Act concerning the election of members to the Senate and the National Assembly as well as establishment of provincial councils.