Published: 13 September 2018

NEWLY-sworn-in Chegutu West MP Dexter Nduna (Zanu-PF) still faces the threat of losing his seat as the Electoral Court is set to hear the case in which the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) allegedly mixed up results to disadvantage MDC Alliance candidate Gift Konjana.

Nduna yesterday confirmed to NewsDay that the case will be heard on September 17.

The Chegutu West legislator said he was sworn in last week with other MPs because the case had not yet been concluded by the courts.

Zec had initially announced Nduna as the winner with 10 932 votes, and Konjana with 10 828 votes. But while Zec reportedly admitted to have made an error, the electoral body advised Konjana that the results could only be overturned by the Electoral Court.

Konjana alleged a tabulation error occurred and prejudiced him of 120 votes erroneously awarded to one Simon Kache of UCADPGPZ, who got a single vote at a polling station, while the MDC Alliance candidate polled 121, but the data was mixed up.

Nduna had a torrid time on Tuesday during elections of the Speaker of the National Assembly as MDC Alliance MPs heckled him, labelling him a fraud as he tried to nominate Jacob Mudenda to retain the post.

"Those were just reports from social media by ill-informed people who were made believe that I was erroneously announced by Zec as the winner," Nduna alleged. "I am now a fully-fledged sworn-in MP and my name appeared in the Government Gazette on August 21."

Nduna said MDC Alliance MPs did not necessarily have to call him a fraud in the House, as there were means to challenge the results through petitions if they were aggrieved.

"When the results were announced, there was no request for a recount. But now the matter is before the courts and we are waiting for a determination on the case, which will be heard on September 17 at the High Court in Harare," he said.

Nduna claimed that the fact that he had already been sworn-in meant he had won.

"Actually, if the dogs are barking, the lion will not even look back because it knows that the dog will not harm it.

What I am saying is that I am not moved by what the opposition is saying and I know that my name will continue to be recorded in the Hansard. I will not be swayed by imaginary thinking that I am in the National Assembly erroneously," he said.
- newsday