Kasukuwere and Binga MP clash over what an office bearer is

Local Government Minister Saviour Kasukuwere says serving on the Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front Central Committee is not being an office bearer because there is no office which is called the central committee.

He was responding to a question by Binga North Member of Parliament Prince Sibanda who wanted to know when corrective action would be taken on the chief executive officer of Binga Rural District Council Joshua Muzamba because he was also a member of the ZANU-PF central committee.

Kasukuwere said that there was nothing in the law that prevented Muzamba from being the Binga Council CEO and in his private capacity be a member of the ZANU-PF central committee.

Sibanda said the constitution specifically stated that: “Employees of provincial and metropolitan councils and local authorities must not be office-bearers of any political party.”

Kasukuwere responded: “With all due respect, a member of the party, who serves as a member of the Central Committee, is not an office bearer. He is just serving in a position as a member of the Central Committee. There is no office which is called Central Committee.”

Q & A:

CORRECTIVE ACTION ON MR. JOSHUA MUZAMBA

MR. P. D. SIBANDA asked the Minister of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing to explain why the ministry is not taking corrective action on Mr. Joshua Muzamba who is both the Chief Executive Officer of Binga Rural District and a ZANU PF Central Committee Member as this is in contravention with Section 266 (3) of the Constitution and to further explain when the corrective action will be taken.

THE MINISTER OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT, PUBLIC WORKS AND NATIONAL HOUSING (MR. KASUKUWERE): Thank you very much Mr. Speaker Sir. Nothing in the law excludes or precludes Mr. J. Muzamba from working as CEO and in his private capacity be a member of any voluntary organisation.

MR. P. D. SIBANDA: Mr. Speaker Sir, I am holding a copy of the Constitution of the Republic of Zimbabwe. In case of any doubt, let me read what Section 266(3) of the Constitution says. It reads, “Employees of provincial and metropolitan councils and local authorities must not be office-bearers of any political party.” Therefore Mr. Speaker, I am not so sure whether the minister is therefore telling us that, when he says there is no law that precludes Mr. Muzamba in his private space to occupy a political office, the Constitution of Zimbabwe is not a law and therefore his ministry does not intend at all to comply with the provisions of the Constitution.

MR. KASUKUWERE: With all due respect, a member of the party, who serves as a member of the Central Committee, is not an office bearer. He is just serving in a position as a member of the Central Committee. There is no office which is called Central Committee.

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