Harare ‑ Zanu-PF has on Monday, laid charges against embattled President Robert Mugabe as the ruling party attempts to kick the 93-year-old -- who has been Zimbabwe's leader since independence from colonial rule in 1980 -- out of power.
Zanu-PF deputy secretary for legal affairs Munyaradzi Paul Mangwana, who is also a lawyer by profession, said they had called a caucus for Zanu-PF Members of Parliament so they could explain what will be asked from them to impeach Mugabe.
He said the whole impeachment and recall process should take a maximum of two days.
“We first call them and we discuss and see if we have reached an agreement so that when we vote tomorrow, we know we are together. We have our own motion and we have prepared charges. One of the main charges is that Mugabe is letting his wife usurp executive constitutional powers when she has no right and she has been lambasting sworn-in government officials in public,” he said.
“The other charge is that the President refused to implement Chapter 14 of the Constitution, which speaks about provincial councils. Elections were conducted but no one was put into office. He violated the Constitution.
READ MORE: Zanu-PF wants Mugabe impeachment 'done and dusted by Thursday'
“Third, he is now old and, therefore, can no longer represent us as we expect. He now dozes off during meetings. He is now incapacitated. He now walks with the aid of someone holding his hand. He can’t even stand on his own.”
Mangwana said they had discussed and were working with other political parties, including the MDC-T, which has majority members in the House on the opposition side, had agreed to support Zanu PF with the 73 needed votes “so we can reach two-thirds majority vote”.
“Zanu-PF alone can match the needed votes, but as you know, there is a G40 cabal and those are numbers we are doubtful of getting. That’s why we need the other political parties. We want 125 votes from Zanu-PF and 73 from MDC. This issue is important for everyone in Zimbabwe, hence the need to have participation by all political parties,” he said.
The former Zanu-PF legislator said there were three stages involved.
“The first stage is to move a motion and raise charges. That requires simple majority in Parliament. After that, the Standing Rules and Orders Committee will have to set up a committee of nine to investigate the allegations which must then report to Parliament,” he said.
“If the committee recommends his removal, then there must be a vote of the joint Houses, which must achieve two-thirds majority. That’s the final stage. The charges are going to be laid by the mover of the motion. One of the honourable members will have to move that motion and lay the charges.
“The process should take a maximum of two days. We are expecting the motion to be moved tomorrow, the committee to be set up tomorrow, and hopefully, by Wednesday, because the charges are so clear, we should be able to vote in Parliament.”