MDC-T leader Thokozani Khupe is set to bounce back in Parliament after her name was part of 15 others the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) gazetted yesterday as people nominated by her party to fill seats in the National Assembly and Senate that fell vacant after the recall of some legislators.

Khupe is set to take up a seat in the National Assembly, while the MDC-T spokesperson, Mr Kalpani Phugeni, will be in Senate, as their names form part of the list that include former legislators who were gazetted as replacements.

Besides Khupe and Mr Phugeni, other names published are Yvonne Winfielda Musarurwa, Lindani Moyo, January Sawuke, Memory Munochinzwa, Lwazi Sibanda, Sipho Mokone, Molly Dorothy Ndlovu, Tamani Moyo, Gertrude Moyo, Piniel Denga, Chief Ndlovu, Nomalanga Khumalo and Teti Chisorochengwe.

Mrs Khumalo was elected Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly in 2008 on an MDC-T ticket, while Mr Denga and Ms Sibanda are former legislators. Senators elected on the party lists and the extra women Members in the National Assembly elected by proportional representation are chosen by political parties in proportion to the votes received by their candidates in the constituency elections to the National Assembly.

If one of these seats falls vacant, the original party nominates the successor.

Those being replaced in the National Assembly are: Thabitha Khumalo, Virginia Zengeya, Anna Myambo, Bacillia Majaya, Machirarwa Mugidho, Francisca Ncube and Nomathemba Ndlovu. In the Senate, Siphiwe Ncube, Gideon Shoko, Helen Zivira, Keresencia Chabuka, Tapfumaneyi Wunganayi, Herbert Sinampande, Meliwe Phuti and Lilian Timveous will be replaced.

The legislators were recalled in terms of a constitutional provision that declares seats held by members of the party that sponsored them in the last election vacant if the party writes to the Speaker of the National Assembly or to the Senate President to declare that the persons no longer represent that party.

The recall followed a Supreme Court ruling which restored the 2014 status quo in the party following an unconstitutional grab of power by Mr Nelson Chamisa after the death of party founder Mr Morgan Tsvangirai.

The ruling meant that there was no party called the MDC Alliance, which is a pact of several political parties, including the MDC-T which is now controlled by Dr Khupe. Dr Khupe was the elected vice president at the death of Mr Tsvangirai, and was constitutionally the successor before a congress to choose a substantive leader.

-State Media