Tsvangirai can use civil disobedience

A close confidante to the outgoing Premier said the court challenge had been withdrawn on the realisation that this was not a legal problem but rather a political one.

"This is a political issue and not a legal one," the confidante said. "The political onslaught should have commenced when Sadc directed the parties to go back to the Constitutional Court following the Mawarire hearing."

The source said the legal route was not tenable, as it could be overtaken by political dynamics.

The source said peaceful civil disobedience was one of the approaches the MDC-T could follow in their quest to seek political change.

"The new Constitution explicitly guarantees freedom of assembly and freedom to petition, so civil disobedience can be used so that they are heard," the confidante said.

"He [Tsvangirai] is a political leader and says he has people who follow him and he can show that by directing them on what to do."

However, Tsvangirai's previous attempts to force change through civil disobedience have been fruitless, particularly with the Final Push of 2003.