ZANU PF And CCC Join Case In Which Tshabangu Seeks To Block Recalled MPs From By-elections
The ruling ZANU PF party and the opposition Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) have joined a legal dispute in which CCC lawmakers, who were recalled by Sengezo Tshabangu are challenging their recall. They argue that Tshabangu, the disputed interim secretary general of the CCC, is not a legitimate authority and therefore had no right to recall them.
This legal battle has been ongoing since last year, and the first group of recalled opposition legislators’ attempts to be reinstated have not been successful. In a recent development, a member of ZANU PF, the ruling party, filed an application at the High Court to prevent a recalled CCC lawmaker named Amos Chibaya from participating in the upcoming by-elections scheduled for February 3.
Tshabangu also filed an urgent application at the High Court to bar 23 candidates he recalled in November from using the CCC party’s name in the upcoming by-elections. Tshabangu insists that the recalled lawmakers should not be allowed to contest under the CCC banner.
The matters will be heard by High Court Judge Justice Pisirayi Kwenda on Thursday. The hearing was initially scheduled for Wednesday but was postponed after the CCC, led by Nelson Chamisa, requested to be joined in the proceedings. It was agreed that both applications should be heard simultaneously since they involve similar issues.
The lawyers representing the recalled lawmakers stated that they were not able to proceed with the argument due to the existence of another separate case involving Amos Chibaya and others that dealt with the same issues. The parties involved have been given time to file all necessary documents and prepare their arguments before the hearing on Thursday. Obey Shava representing the recalled lawyers told the media:
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We had returned to court for argument in a matter in which Mr Tshabangu is seeking to have members of Parliament and Council, who were participating on a CCC ticket barred from contesting.
Unfortunately the matter could not proceed because apparently there is a similar matter involving Amos Chibaya and others which was before a separate judge which was dealing with the same issues which we are dealing with.
So the decision was made that the matters be heard simultaneously. In the meanwhile, the parties have been given some time to file all their outstanding papers and prepare their arguments in advance.
Tshabangu’s lawyer told Pindula News that they had consented to the joinder of “another CCC” and confirmed that the matter would be heard on Thursday at 2:00 PM. Additionally, the High Court is expected to deliver a judgment on the legality of the recalls from Parliament, which will likely impact the determination of the case to be heard on Thursday morning.
