Zimbabwe has scheduled parliamentary by-elections on December 9 after nine opposition MPs were controversially recalled by their party, the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC).
Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa gazetted the date on Friday in compliance with the Electoral Act.
Zimbabwe's nomination court is expected to receive aspirants' applications on November 7.
Nine MPs were recalled by CCC, but the party leader Nelson Chamisa dismissed the recalling of the lawmakers earlier October, saying an "impostor" wrote a letter to Zimbabwean National Assembly Speaker Jacob Mudenda claiming the party had ejected the nine.
Zimbabwean law allows the speaker to declare a parliamentary seat vacant if its holder ceases to be a member of a political party and the party writes a letter to either the Senate or Lower House confirming the deregistration.
Chamisa rejects recalling of CCC MPs
The nine Zimbabwean constituencies where by-elections will be held are Beitbridge West, Lobengula-Magwegwe, Binga North, Bulawayo South, Lupane East, Cowdray Park, Mabvuku-Tafara, Nketa and Mpopoma-Mzilikazi.
President Mnangagwa said Speaker Mudenda wrote to him on October 9 notifying him of the vacancies in parliament.
The speaker also announced that six opposition nomination seats in parliament were vacant after CCC recalled its holders.
Chamisa has vowed to fight back to ensure the ousted MPs are reinstated, saying CCC members will "disengage" from parliamentary activities until their grievance is addressed.
