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Cde Madzongwe’s remarks concluded the day’s proceedings that started in the morning with the swearing in of 268 members of the Lower House before adjourning. A total of 80 senators were sworn in after the resumption of the ceremony. The conclusion of the swearing in ceremony marked the  birth of 8th Parliament of Zimbabwe.

1542: Cde Madzongwe invites senators to accompany her when she will present herself to the Head of State and Government and Commander-in-Chief of the Defence Forces President Robert Mugabe at a date to be announced.

1538: Cde SK Moyo now giving  congratulatory  speech together with Chief Fortune Charumbira. Chief Charumbira implores senators to continue with cultured debates and cultured language.

1517: MDCT senators remain in the chamber during Senator Madzongwe’s acceptance speech despite the fact that their colleagues in Lower House boycotted the election of presiding officers and subsequent proceedings. She says the 8th Parliament will be unique as it operates under a new constitution. Urges the two parties to work together in delivering their duties.

1516: Cde Chimutengwende takes oath.

1502: Senator  Madzongwe takes oath and appends signature to parly book while the Chief Justice swears in  Senator Chimutengwende

1500: Justice Chidyausiku has now arrived in the chamber to conduct the swearing in.

1453:  Senate now awaits the arrival of Chief Justice Chidyausiku to swear in the two newly elected presiding officers in terms of  the Constitution

1451:  Cde Charles Tawengwa rises to nominate Cde Chen Chimutengwende as deputy president of senate. Cde  Tsitsi Muzenda seconded and Clerk of Parliament declares  Cde Chimutengwende duly elected after no further nominations made

1449:  Cde Madzongwe duly elected unopposed after no further nominations were made. Mr Zvoma now calls for candidates for deputy president of senate

1447: Mr Zvoma invites  nominations. Cde Thokozile Mathuthu rises to propose Cde Edna Madzongwe and Cde Josiah Hungwe seconds

Mr Zvoma announces that all senators have taken oath and prepares for the next stage of electing senate president and deputy

1450: The last batch, which  includes Cde Sydney Sekeramayi has now been sworn in. They are now queuing to append their signatures in the parly book.

1445: Clerk of  Parly Mr Austin Zvoma says he is now calling for the last batch of  ten senators, among them Cde David Parirenyatwa and Cde Charles Tawengwa

1435: Most senators have now taken oath. They include Chief  Charumbira. Outgoing Senate president Cde Edna Madzongwe has also taken her oath since she was elected in terms of the constitution which says senators shall be elected through proportional representation

1430: Swearing in of senators has started. They are being sworn in alphabetically  in batches of ten. Clerk of Parliament Mr Austin Zvoma is presiding.

1245: 268 MPs from Lower House were sworn in save for two- MDC-T’s  Joel Gebuzza and Arnold Tsunga who were absent. Each parliamentarian was allowed to bring three family members or friends for the occasion. There are 210 constituency MPs, 60 from  the women’s quota.

Swearing in of Senate

1240: Parly breaks into songs

1239: Cde Mudenda says he will present himself and his deputy to the President on a date to be announced. House adjourned.

1237: VP Mujuru says there are no special areas or areas that are more important than others,the remote areas also deserve development

1232: Vice President Joice Mujuru says sometimes people look down upon those from the rural areas such as Binga where the speaker comes from and other areas like Dande and Malipati, which are remote. There are are no roads and electricity. Communication is difficult

1228: Cde Obert Mpofu gives an emotional congratulatory speech in Ndebele

1225: Cde Sithembiso Nyoni gives her congratulatory message. Says Cde Mudenda was the first Governor in Matabeleland North. During his time in office, the area witnessed  a lot of development. Also points out that Cde Mudenda supports indigenization and creates employment -he is a business man, a holder of a degree in law degree and runs a  law firm

1223:  Says he expects members of Zanu PF  (who make up the majority ) to get along with the speaker in order to achieve progress

1216: Cde Didymus Mutasa gives his congratulatory messages. Says in his days as Speaker of Parliament, it was difficult to control the MPs

1215: Promised to perform according to electorate’s expectations.  The floor is now open to members.

1213: Says he will guarantee freedom of speech but within the rules set out by the House. The chamber is not a chamber for assaulting or shouting out obscenities

1207: Speaker Cde Mudenda says the House should not be a rubber stamping body although the House should respect the three arms of the state

1206: The Speaker of Parliament gives his first speech. He congratulates his fellow MPs for winning and points out that the executive is there to implement public programs while the judiciary concerns itself with justice.

1201: Deputy Speaker of Parliament Mabel Chinomona awaits her turn to take oath of loyalty before Chief Justice Chidyausiku

1157: Cde Jacob Francis Mudenda sworn in as Speaker of Parliament

1155: Chief Justice Godfrey Chidyausiku officiating

1140: Parly to move motion to elect speaker

1121: Families and relatives celebrate the MPs’ victory during the harmonized elections

1119: Parliament Officials now going through papers (MPs appended their signatures after taking oaths)

1102: Cde Nicholas Goche seems to be the last person to take the oath after he missed it initially. He takes it alone, indicating that everybody has had their turn.

1058: Cde Saviour Kasukuwere  and Elias Mudzuri are now taking their oaths.

1052: Mr Zvoma is inviting 10 MPs at a time to take the oath with respect to those who missed their turns. Harare West MP Jessie Majome, Mbizo MP Mr Settlement Chikwinya, Glen View South MP Paul Madzore among others have come forward.

1047: Clerk of Parliament now  through  with calling names but has invited those whose names have not been called to come forward or those who failed to avail themselves in time. Thokozani Khupe  walks forward with Mkoba MP Amos Chibaya and Mbire MP Cde David Butau.

1043: Dangamvura Chikanga MP Mr Arnold Tsunga misses swearing in. He has not yet arrived.

1033: Mudzi South MP Jonathan Samkange shakes hands with Cdes Emmerson Mnangagwa and Kembo Mohadi soon after he  (Samkange) had finished taking his oath. Samkange stood as an independent after Mashonaland East Zanu PF leadership barred him from contesting on a party ticket

1029: Clerk of Parliament orders Nkayi South MP Abednico Bhebhe and Mbire MP Cde David Butau to sit down. The two had gone to the front in an attempt to join others taking oath after they missed their turn when names were called out.

1025: Samuel Sipepa Nkomo and wife Rose now on the floor to take oath. Some backbenchers can be heard shouting ” Shumba ya Jonathan Moyo”, apparently in reference to Rose Nkomo who beat Professor Moyo in Tsholotsho North constituency

1021: Outgoing Tourism and Hospitality Minister and Masvingo South MP Cde Walter Mzembi and Norton MP Cde Chris Mutsvangwa have taken oath. Now on floor to take oaths are Cdes Francis Nhema and Sylvester Nguni

1017: Outgoing Minister for Presidential Affairs and Headlands member of National Assembly Cde Didymus Mutasa and outgoing Defence Minister and Chirumhanzi Zibagwe MP Cde Emmerson Mnangagwa have taken oath

1003: Outgoing Mines Minister Cde Obert Mpofu and wife now taking oath.

1001: Outgoing Defence Minister Cde Emmerson Mnangagwa walks into the chamber but his name has not yet been called.

0958: Clerk of Parliament Mr Austin Zvoma directs that Murewa South MP Cde Biggie Matiza re-take the oath. Mr Zvoma said Cde Matiza was quiet when others were taking their oaths.

0950: Tendai Biti, Kudakwashe Bhasikiti and Nelson Chamisa have been successful, they have finally been sworn in. Madzore remains unsworn

0941: Clerk of Parliament, Austin Zvoma who is conducting the swearing in has ordered Dzivarasekwa MP Solomon Madzore of MDC-T to sit down. This was after he had walked forward in a bid to have himself  sworn in as he had not yet arrived when his name was called out.

0935: Some members of the National assembly have missed the swearing in ceremony. These include Tendai Biti, Kudakwashe Bhasikiti and Nelson Chamisa. They are trying to persuade parliament officials to have them sworn in.

Swearing in of Members of the National Assembly has started. They are taking the oath in batches of nine in alphabetical order. Clerk of Parliament, Austin Zvoma is presiding.