ZANU PF Pushes For Mamombe's Ejection From Parly

ZANU PF legislator for Mberengwa North, Tafanana Zhou on Thursday proposed to the National Assembly that Joana Mamombe of MDC Alliance be recalled from Parliament on health grounds.

His recommendation came after Mamombe’s doctors had claimed that the Harare West legislator had mental disorders, a condition that was confirmed by two government doctors. Zhou said:

Mr. Speaker Sir. My point of privilege arises from our national Constitution, Section 129 (1) (m) that states that, ‘The seat of a Member of Parliament becomes vacant if the Member is certified to be mentally disordered or intellectually handicapped under any law in force in Zimbabwe’…Honourable Joanna Mamombe was certified as mentally ill by two government doctors.

I therefore honourable Speaker Sir, ask that a Privileges Committee be set to look into the matter.

The Speaker of Parliament Advocate Jacob Mudenda responded saying it was significant to first attain an official response from the judiciary and the doctor’s reports accordingly and compare with Mamombe’s party. He added:

However, because the matter is still with our courts and the courts have not pronounced themselves as to the results of the medical findings, we shall have to be cautious in proceeding accordingly until such time that the matter has been fully ventilated by the courts.

MudendaMamombe’s health condition was made public after her legal counsel had told the court that she was not fit to stand trial in a case she is co-accused with fellow party colleagues, Cecilia Chimbiri and Netsai Marova of staging their abduction in May this year.

The state was sceptical of the report by Mamombe’s doctors that it recommended that two government doctors examine her and they confirmed the result that had been initially issued.

More: The Herald