Tsvangirai has no role to play in by-election case says Judge President

Judge President, Justice George Chiweshe says Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai has no role to play in the by-election case in which three former legislators were seeking the holding of elections in their constituencies.

This follows a joinder application by Mr Tsvangirai in which he was arguing that he has to be consulted on the date of harmonised elections.

President Robert Mugabe, represented by the deputy Attorney General, Advocate Prince Machaya, indicated that he is opposing the joinder application.

Advocate Machaya said he will make some amendments on the mention of the harmonised elections, saying the matter will be centered on the by-elections for the three constituencies.

Justice Chiweshe has however indicated that the court has to deal with the issue of by-elections and that the joinder application automatically falls out as the Prime Minster has no role to play.

He said he wants both parties to deal with the merits of the case and understand the feasibility of holding general elections before June 29 this year.

The President had made an application for the extension of the 31st March election deadline for the three constituencies following an order which was granted in favour of the three former legislators.

The argument was that the President wanted the by-elections to be held together with the harmonised elections.

However, the three legislators, through their lawyer, Advocate Thabani Mpofu, are of the opinion that by elections must be held soon saying after the proclamation of the dissolution of Parliament by June 29, there is still room for extension of the life span of the legislature up to October this year.

The matter has been postponed to this Thursday when the court is expected to deal with the main matter of the by-elections.