Nicola Watson
{{short description|Zimbabwean accountant and politician}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Nicola Watson
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| office = Member of the National Assembly of Zimbabwe
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| term_start = 2013
| term_end = 3 October 2023
| constituency = Bulawayo South (2023)
Bulawayo Central (2018–2023)
Women (2013–2018)
| birthname = Nicola Jane Watson
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1955|07|10|df=y}}
| birth_place = Bulawayo, Matabeleland, Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe)
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| nationality = Zimbabwean
| party = Citizens Coalition for Change (2023)
| otherparty = MDC (2000–2005)
MDC–T (2005–2018)
MDC Alliance (2018–2023)
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| alma_mater = University of Cape Town
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| predecessor = Dorcas Sibanda (Bulawayo Central)
Raj Modi (Bulawayo South)
}}
Nicola Jane Watson (born 10 July 1955) is a Zimbabwean accountant and politician who served as a Member of the National Assembly of Zimbabwe from 2013 until 2023. She was first elected to one of the seats reserved for women, then as the MP for Bulawayo Central in 2018, before defeating the Zanu-PF incumbent Raj Modi in Bulawayo South in 2023.
Early life
Nicola Watson was born on 10 July 1955 in Bulawayo, Matabeleland in what was then Southern Rhodesia. She attended Hillside Primary School and then Townsend Secondary School. She received her tertiary education at the University of Cape Town.{{cite web |title=HON WATSON NICOLA JANE |url=https://www.parlzim.gov.zw/component/k2/hon-watson-nicola-jane |website=Parliament of Zimbabwe |accessdate=19 April 2020}} Her mother served as an MP.{{cite news |last1=Watson |first1=Nicola |title=Zim needs new fiscal policy: Watson |url=https://www.newsday.co.zw/2018/06/zim-needs-new-fiscal-policy-watson/ |accessdate=19 April 2020 |agency=newsday.co.zw}}
Watson joined the Movement for Democratic Change in 2000.
Parliamentary career
In 2013, she became one of the designated women MPs elected through proportional representation. She was elected the MP for Bulawayo Central in 2018.{{cite web |title=MPs and Senators declared elected after 30 July 2018_harmonised elections |url=http://veritaszim.net/node/3107 |website=veritaszim.net |accessdate=19 April 2020}}
On 20 June 2023, Watson was announced as the Citizens Coalition for Change's candidate for Bulawayo South as healthcare practitioner Surrender Kapoikulu was selected by the party to contest Watson's Bulawayo Central constituency in the 2023 general elections.{{Cite web |date=2023-06-20 |title=Bloodbath: CCC announces Matabeleland and Bulawayo candidates |url=https://www.thezimbabwemail.com/zimbabwe/bloodbath-ccc-announces-matabeleland-and-bulawayo-candidates/ |access-date=2023-08-26 |website=The Zimbabwe Mail |language=en-GB}}
The Bulawayo High Court nullified Watson and eleven other Bulawayo CCC parliamentary candidates' candidatures in a court judgement on 27 July 2023, ruling that their nomination papers were submitted after the 21 June deadline and the Zimbabwean Electoral Commission's decision to accept their nomination papers was null and void.{{Cite web |last=Chronicle |first=The |date=2023-07-27 |title=CCC candidates barred from elections – High Court |url=https://www.chronicle.co.zw/ccc-candidates-barred-from-elections-high-court/ |access-date=2023-08-26 |website=The Chronicle |language=en-GB}}{{Cite web |last=Mandivengerei |first=Paidashe |date=2023-07-27 |title=High Court disqualifies 12 CCC aspiring MPs in Bulawayo |url=https://www.newzimbabwe.com/high-court-disqualifies-12-ccc-aspiring-mps-in-bulawayo/ |access-date=2023-08-26 |website=NewZimbabwe.com |language=en-GB}}
However, the Supreme Court set aside the High Court's decision on 3 August, allowing Watson and the other CCC candidates to contest their respective constituencies at the general election on 23 August.{{Cite web |date=2023-08-03 |title=Supreme Court gives green light for the CCC's 12 candidates |url=https://newzwire.live/supreme-court-gives-green-light-for-the-cccs-12-candidates/ |access-date=2023-08-26 |website=newZWire |language=en-US}} Watson went on to defeat the incumbent Zanu-PF MP for Bulawayo South, Raj Modi at the election.{{Cite web |title=Zimbabwe Elections 2023 Results: Deputy Minister Raj Modi Loses Parliamentary Seat To CCC's Watson |url=https://www.pindula.co.zw/2023/08/25/zimbabwe-elections-2023-results-deputy-minister-raj-modi-loses-parliamentary-seat-to-cccs-watson/ |access-date=2023-08-26 |website=Pindula |language=en}}
On 3 October 2023, Sengezo Tshabangu wrote a letter to the speaker of the National Assembly Jacob Mudenda in which he purported to be the interim secretary-general of the CCC and notified Mudenda that Watson and fourteen other CCC MPs had been expelled from the party.{{Cite news |title=CCC fingers Zanu PF in its fresh internal woes |url=https://www.thezimbabwemail.com/zimbabwe/ccc-fingers-zanu-pf-in-its-fresh-internal-woes/ |access-date=29 October 2023}} The CCC dismissed Tshabangu's letter and denied that he was a party member. However, Mudenda acknowledged Tshabangu's letter and wrote to the electoral commission on 9 October and informed them that Watson and the fourteen other CCC MPs had ceased to be parliamentarians.{{Cite news |date=10 October 2023 |title=CCC MPs officially recalled from parliament |work=Harare Live |url=https://hararelive.com/2023/10/10/ccc-mps-officially-recalled-from-parliament/ |access-date=29 October 2023}} On 5 November 2023, the Harare High Court threw out Watson and the other CCC MPs to be reinstated, meaning that a by-election was to be held in Watson's constituency.{{Cite web |author=Staff Reporter |date=2023-11-04 |title=CCC loses High Court application on recalled parliamentarians |url=https://www.thezimbabwemail.com/main/ccc-loses-high-court-application-on-recalled-parliamentarians/ |access-date=2023-11-06 |website=The Zimbabwe Mail |language=en-GB}} Watson filed to run in the by-election in her constituency on 9 December 2023 as a member of the CCC, however, the Harare High Court barred her from running on 7 December.{{Cite web |title=Recalled CCC MPs File For Re-election As Tshabangu Fields Parallel Candidates |url=https://www.pindula.co.zw/2023/11/08/recalled-ccc-mps-file-for-re-election-as-tshabangu-fields-parallel-candidates/ |access-date=2023-12-09 |website=Pindula |language=en}} She was succeeded by Raj Modi of ZANU–PF in the by-election.{{Cite web |last=ZimSitRep_M |date=2023-12-10 |title=ZEC Releases 09 December 2023 By-election Results |url=https://www.zimbabwesituation.com/news/zec-releases-09-december-2023-by-election-results/ |access-date=2023-12-12 |website=Zimbabwe Situation |language=en-US}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Current members of the Zimbabwe House of Assembly}}
{{Members of the 8th Parliament of Zimbabwe}}
{{Wikiquote}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Watson, Nicola}}
Category:Members of the National Assembly of Zimbabwe
Category:Movement for Democratic Change – Tsvangirai politicians
Category:University of Cape Town alumni
Category:White Rhodesian people
Category:White Zimbabwean politicians