by Brightface Mutema
The swearing in of members of the National Assembly and Senate is scheduled to take place today at 10am and 14:30hours respectively. The ceremonies will take place at parliament building in Harare.
Many had already been talking about a delay that has been witnessed before this was conducted but the President was still within the dictates of the law to swear in legislators.
The Clerk of Parliament, Mr Kennedy Chokuda, gave a notice in the Government Gazette [General Notice [GN] 685/2018, published on 31st August in a Gazette Extraordinary, that members of Parliament would be sworn in on Wednesday the 5th of September. True to this notice, the event is proceeding today.
Traditionally Zimbabweans had been accustomed to seeing the Head of state leading proceedings but for this 9th session of Parliament, it is going to be different. The President who is in China is expected to hold a bilateral meeting with the Chinese Premier, Xi today. Automatically he will not be here to superintend the swearing in.
Our Constitution is, however, clear on who discharges the swearing in duties in such a scenario. According to the Third Schedule of the Constitution, “The Clerk of Parliament presides over the proceedings.” The Clerk administers the oath of office for the legislators.
Mr Kennedy Chokuda will indeed be the man in charge.
