ZANU PF Wants Joana Mamombe Recalled Citing Mental Incapacitation.
1 November 2020
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Correspondent

Joana Mamombe

A ZANU PF Member of Parliament has called on the speaker of Parliament Jacob Mudenda to withdraw MDC Harare West legislator Joana Mamombe from Parliament after doctors confirmed that she suffers from a mental illness.

On Thursday ZANU PF legislator for Mberengwa North Hon Tafanana Zhou moved a motion for the removal of Mamombe from Parliament after state doctors confirmed to court that she has a mental disorder and thus cannot stand trial on charges of faking abductions along with two other MDC-A activists.

“Good afternoon 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… Hon. Joanna Mamombe was certified as mentally ill by two Government doctors. I therefore Hon. Speaker Sir, ask that a Privileges Committee be set to look into the matter. I thank you” – Hon Tafanana Zhou (Zanu-PF Mberengwa North)

THE HON. SPEAKER: “Thank you. We should be able to get an official response from the Judiciary and the doctor’s reports accordingly.”

Hansard

And with doctors saying she cannot stand trial, Hon Zhou said the Constitution of Zimbabwe is clear on what should happen when a person is suffering from a mental illness.

“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,” said Zhou.

In response, the Speaker of the National House of Assembly Advocate Jacob Mudenda said Parliament will get direction from the judiciary which is handling the fake abduction matter involving Mamombe.

“We should be able to get an official response from the judiciary and the doctor’s reports accordingly and compare with whosoever is the sponsor of the honourable member.

“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.”