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(HERALD) MDC-T MP loses seat

MDC-T MP loses seat
Herald Reporter

THE MDC-T has lost the Chimanimani West House of Assembly seat, and with it its simple majority, after its legislator — Lynette Karenyi — was on Monday convicted by a Mutare magistrate of forging signatures on nomination papers ahead of the March 29 harmonised elections.

MDC-T won 100 House of Assembly seats, Zanu-PF 99 and MDC 10 during last year’s harmonised elections. The other seat went to independent candidate Professor Jonathan Moyo.

In terms of the Electoral Act, Karenyi ceases to be a Member of the House of Assembly forthwith.

Magistrate Mr Billard Musakwa convicted Karenyi of forgery and sentenced her to a wholly suspended 20 days’ imprisonment.

She was ordered to pay $20 billion fine and was disqualified from representing the people of Chimanimani West with immediate effect.

Karenyi was also suspended from contesting any elections in Zimbabwe for the next five years.

She was arrested and appeared in court in April last year for breaching Section 46 (20) of the Electoral Act after she forged the signatures of four villagers to secure her nomination to contest the House of Assembly election.

According to the Electoral Act, "any person as a candidate or otherwise who forges any signature purporting to be that of a nominator shall be guilty of an offence not exceeding level 14 or to imprisonment".

In the case of a candidate, the Act says he or she shall be disqualified from being nominated as a candidate or from election as a Member of Parliament for a period of five years from the date of conviction.

Karenyi had her warned and cautioned statement recorded on March 20, nine days before the elections.

She is said to have moved around the Chimanimani West constituency with her nomination papers so that the people who had nominated her could sign.

Karenyi then forged the signatures of Jotham Dziwandi, Zorodzai Thodhlana, Kwadzanai Gudyana and Dorcas Kupirayi Gonorenda after entering their particulars on the nomination papers.

During trial Karenyi tried unsuccessfully to secure a High Court order barring Mr Musakwa and prosecutor Mr Malvern Musarurwa from handling the case claiming they were Zanu-PF sympathisers.

Labels: MDC

posted by MrK @ 4:27 AM