By-The Zanu PF government has said that the rebel CCC, calling himself the party’s secretary general, Sengezo Tshabangu, can dismiss the opposition’s elected officials.

Stabangu last week recalled of the party’s 15 MPS, 9 senators and 17 councillors.

Self-declared CCC interim secretary-general wrote to the Speaker of the National Assembly, Jacob Mudenda, notifying him that the elected officials had ceased to be members of the party resulting in their expulsion.

In a statement on Friday, Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Amon Murwira said the State had nothing to do with the recalls. He said:

Government takes note of statements from some political outfits in the wake of recent recalls of Members of Parliament from a certain political party in terms of our laws.

The unfounded aspersions and outright falsehoods seeking to embroil Government and the ruling ZANU PF party in the recall processes are without merit.

For the avoidance of doubt, and for the benefit of those unfamiliar with Zimbabwean laws, in terms of Section 129(1)(k) of the Zimbabwe Constitution, recalls of Members of Parliament are done by the political party to which the affected member belongs by way of written notice to the Speaker of the National Assembly or President of Senate, and not by Government.

Against that background, it is incorrect and downright deceitful for any political formation so affected by recalls to blame it on the other. Simply, no other party enjoys such a standing or mandate over the other on matters of recall.

Neither official can or may cause, amend, or block any such communication once placed before them.

Again, it is downright false to impute responsibility for any recalls on the two presiding officers; or even to suggest that they have the remit to withdraw any such communication. Only authors of such communication can cause a reversal.

However, political analysts have queried how Tshabangu, an unknown individual until early this month, could claim to be a holder of a position that does not exist in CCC and use that non-existent position to recall elected officials against the stated position of the party’s leader Nelson Chamisa.