Regai Tsunga

Service/Career

In the 2013 Elections, (see A History of Zimbabwean Elections) Mutasa South returned to Parliament:

• Irene Zindi of Zanu PF with 8 963 votes or 46.45 percent,
• Misheck Kagurabadza of MDC–T with 7 932 votes or 41.10 percent,
• Regai Tsunga, Independent, with 1 694 votes or 8.78 percent,
• Godfrey Munyamana of MDC–N with 708 votes or 3.67 percent.

Total 19 297 votes

In the 2018 elections, Tsunga contested for the Mutasa South Parliamentary seat as a member of the MDC Alliance. He won the election. On 17 March 2021, Regai Tsunga and five others were recalled from Parliament after the People's Democratic Party (PDP) announced that they were no longer members of the party.

Speaker of Parliament Advocate Jacob Mudenda made the announcement after receiving the notice from the Secretary-General of the PDP Benjamin Rukanda.

Other recalled Members of Parliament included Willias Madzimure MP for Kambuzuma, Settlement Chikwinya MP for Mbizo, Tendai Biti, Member of Parliament for Pumula Constituency Sichelesile Mahlangu and Kucaca Phulu MP for Nkulumane.

In October 2021, High Court judge Justice Mafusire ordered the reinstatement of the six former opposition Members of the National Assembly. ^[1]

On 26 January 2022, High Court judge Justice Never Katiyo cancelled Justice Tawanda Chitapi's ruling stopping by-elections in six constituencies that allowed Tsunga and his colleagues to return to Parliament without being subjected to an election.

On 25 January 2022, Chitapi had ruled that the recall of Regai Tsunga and five others was illegal.

But another High Court judge Justice Never Katiyo issued a provisional order directing the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) to reopen nominations for the six constituencies. The ruling by Katiyo came after one Paul Rukanda, claiming to be PDP secretary-general filed an urgent chamber application challenging Chitapi's ruling. ^[2]

Tsunga and his colleagues filed their nomination papers for March 26 parliamentary by-elections. ^[3]

In the 2022 By-Elections, (see Zimbabwe By-elections (March_2022)) Mutasa South returned to Parliament:

• Misheck Mugadza of Zanu PF with 5 818 votes,
• Regai Tsunga of CCC with 5 269 votes,
• Eurydice Lynette Ndoro, Independent, with 90 votes,
• Pedzisai Tauzeni of MDC Alliance with 162 votes.

Events

Arrest (2020)

On 21 April 2020, Regai Tsunga was arrested by police in Palmerstone, Mutare while donating maize-meal to members in his constituency.

Tsunga confirmed the arrest, saying he was arrested while giving the residents maize-meal. He was taken to Mutare Central Police station where he paid a $500 fine for contravening Statutory Instrument 83 of 2020 which prohibits unnecessary movement during the national lockdown.

Questions were raised why Ellen Gwaradzimba was not arrested after she distributed rice in Sakubva high density. ^[4]

Further Reading

References