By Paul Nyathi|President Emmerson Mnangagwa has set Tuesday next week as the day on which the Speaker of the National Assembly, the Senate President and their deputies will be elected.

In a statement yesterday, Parliament said the Head of State and Government had set Tuesday next week as the day on which presiding officers would be elected.

“The President of the Republic of Zimbabwe has fixed Tuesday, 11th September 2018 at 0900 hours at Parliament Building as the date, time and place for the first sitting of Parliament in terms of Section 145 (1) of the Constitution, mainly to elect Presiding officers,” reads the notice from Parliament.

Section 145 of the Constitution reads: “First sitting of Parliament following general election, (1)The first sitting of Parliament after a general election must take place at a time and date determined by the President, but the date must not be later than thirty days after the President-elect assumes office in terms of Section 94.

“(2) Until the election of a President of the Senate or a Speaker, as the case may be, the first meeting of a House of Parliament must be presided over by the Clerk of Parliament.”

The election of presiding officers will be preceded by swearing-in of Members of Parliament to take place on Wednesday. Both events will be presided over by the Clerk of Parliament, Kennedy Chokuda.

Advocate Jacob Mudenda has been Speaker of the National Assembly in the Eighth Parliament, deputised by Marble Chinomona, while Edna Madzongwe was President of the Senate, with Chen Chimutengwende as her deputy.