News / Local
Bhebhe's bid to stop MDC-T Congress dealt a severe blow
17 Dec 2020 at 01:55hrs | Views
BULAWAYO High Court judge, Justice Christopher Dube Banda Wednesday poured cold water on expelled former MDC-T organising secretary, Abednico Bhebhe's bid to stop the opposition party's extraordinary congress slated for Saturday in Harare.
This week, Bhebhe filed an urgent court application to stop MDC-T congress which was ordered by the Supreme Court following the nullification of Nelson Chamisa's ascendancy to the party's presidency soon after the death of the party's founding leader, Morgan Tsvangirai in February 2018.
In his application, the former Nkayi legislator cited the party's acting president, Thokozani Khupe as first respondent while the party's chairperson Morgen Komichi and the MDC-T were cited as second and third respondents respectively.
Bhebhe wanted the court to first determine the legality of his expulsion before the holding of the congress.
Khupe suspended Bhebhe from his position on 29 October this year.
On November 4, Bhebhe wrote back to Khupe asking for the lifting of the suspension citing some irregularities.
He was, however, allowed to remain an ordinary party card carrying member.
He contested in the Bulawayo extraordinary congress provincial nomination before he was eventually expelled from the party last month over allegations of "grossly violating the constitution of the party by supporting another political party other than the MDC-T".
Justice Banda postponed the matter to next week after the respondents' lawyer, Tawanda Tawengwa argued his clients could not prepare their opposing papers because they were served with Bhebhe's court papers very late Tuesday.
"Respondents sought a postponement of this matter citing that they received the application yesterday (Tuesday) at 11:30 in the morning so the legal practitioner representing all the respondents sought an application for postponement and from our own view the application is merited because they have not been given enough time to prepare so the judge who handled the matter Justice Dube Banda intimated that the matter is going to be rolled to the next duty Judge who is going to preside over the matter," Nqobani Sithole, Bhebhe's lawyer told NewZimbabwe.com.
"We have taken into cognizance that by the time all these will happen, the congress would have taken place and our client is confident that there is a Plan B. We have discussed this option at large and we will spring something new"
Bhebhe also welcomed the judge's ruling.
"We will abide by what the court has said but we will make sure that this case is finalised up to its logical conclusion. Let us see what will happen between now and Saturday," said Bhebhe hinting that he might file another urgent application to stop the congress.
This week, Bhebhe filed an urgent court application to stop MDC-T congress which was ordered by the Supreme Court following the nullification of Nelson Chamisa's ascendancy to the party's presidency soon after the death of the party's founding leader, Morgan Tsvangirai in February 2018.
In his application, the former Nkayi legislator cited the party's acting president, Thokozani Khupe as first respondent while the party's chairperson Morgen Komichi and the MDC-T were cited as second and third respondents respectively.
Bhebhe wanted the court to first determine the legality of his expulsion before the holding of the congress.
Khupe suspended Bhebhe from his position on 29 October this year.
On November 4, Bhebhe wrote back to Khupe asking for the lifting of the suspension citing some irregularities.
He contested in the Bulawayo extraordinary congress provincial nomination before he was eventually expelled from the party last month over allegations of "grossly violating the constitution of the party by supporting another political party other than the MDC-T".
Justice Banda postponed the matter to next week after the respondents' lawyer, Tawanda Tawengwa argued his clients could not prepare their opposing papers because they were served with Bhebhe's court papers very late Tuesday.
"Respondents sought a postponement of this matter citing that they received the application yesterday (Tuesday) at 11:30 in the morning so the legal practitioner representing all the respondents sought an application for postponement and from our own view the application is merited because they have not been given enough time to prepare so the judge who handled the matter Justice Dube Banda intimated that the matter is going to be rolled to the next duty Judge who is going to preside over the matter," Nqobani Sithole, Bhebhe's lawyer told NewZimbabwe.com.
"We have taken into cognizance that by the time all these will happen, the congress would have taken place and our client is confident that there is a Plan B. We have discussed this option at large and we will spring something new"
Bhebhe also welcomed the judge's ruling.
"We will abide by what the court has said but we will make sure that this case is finalised up to its logical conclusion. Let us see what will happen between now and Saturday," said Bhebhe hinting that he might file another urgent application to stop the congress.
Source - newzimbabwe
