News / National
'Constitutional Court ruling was pre-determined,' says MDC-T
20 Aug 2013 at 20:14hrs | Views
The MDC-T claims today's judgement that the July 31 elections were conducted in a free, fair and credible manner was pre-determined and meant to facilitate the inauguration of President Robert Mugabe on Thursday.
Mugabe, on his arrival from the 33rd Ordinary Summit of SADC Heads of State and Government in Malawi on Sunday told Zanu-PF supporters at the Harare International Airport that he would take oath on Thursday, after which he would set up a new cabinet.
According to Zimbabwe's constitution, in the event that a petition challenging the results of a presidential election is dismissed, the winner of that election would be sworn in after 48 hours.The Constitutional Court dismissed the MDC-T application with costs and today's judgement means that Mugabe would be sworn in on Thursday; exactly 48 hours after the Constitutional Court delivered the judgement.
Addressing journalists after today's Constitutional Court ruling, MDC-T spokesperson, Douglas Mwonzora, said: "The Constitutional Court should have made the decision yesterday. Strangely enough, the court reserved judgement to today and coincidentally the 48 hours lapse on Thursday, which is the date Mugabe announced he would be sworn in. That is a very strange coincidence," said Mwonzora.
He said today's judgement by the Constitutional Court would affect ruling in the matter in which MDC-T losing House of Assembly members are seeking to have the results reversed.The Constitutional Court said Zimbabwe's elections were conducted in a free, fair and credible manner and declared Mugabe the duly elected President.
"What is disturbing is that the Constitutional Court made a decision affecting 95 other petitions filed within the electoral Court. We will continue to fight against injustice in this country. We have not run out of options and as the MDC-T, we are actually preparing to govern this country," said Mwonzora.
Initially, the MDC-T had hinted that they would be taking legal, democratic and political routes to dispute the results of the July 31 poll. However, the diplomatic route, just like the legal one, seems to have failed for the MDC-T after SADC endorsed Mugabe's election victory last week in Malawi. Mwonzora said his party would be intensifying its political route although he would not be drawn into divulging the strategy his party would take.
Mugabe, on his arrival from the 33rd Ordinary Summit of SADC Heads of State and Government in Malawi on Sunday told Zanu-PF supporters at the Harare International Airport that he would take oath on Thursday, after which he would set up a new cabinet.
According to Zimbabwe's constitution, in the event that a petition challenging the results of a presidential election is dismissed, the winner of that election would be sworn in after 48 hours.The Constitutional Court dismissed the MDC-T application with costs and today's judgement means that Mugabe would be sworn in on Thursday; exactly 48 hours after the Constitutional Court delivered the judgement.
Addressing journalists after today's Constitutional Court ruling, MDC-T spokesperson, Douglas Mwonzora, said: "The Constitutional Court should have made the decision yesterday. Strangely enough, the court reserved judgement to today and coincidentally the 48 hours lapse on Thursday, which is the date Mugabe announced he would be sworn in. That is a very strange coincidence," said Mwonzora.
He said today's judgement by the Constitutional Court would affect ruling in the matter in which MDC-T losing House of Assembly members are seeking to have the results reversed.The Constitutional Court said Zimbabwe's elections were conducted in a free, fair and credible manner and declared Mugabe the duly elected President.
"What is disturbing is that the Constitutional Court made a decision affecting 95 other petitions filed within the electoral Court. We will continue to fight against injustice in this country. We have not run out of options and as the MDC-T, we are actually preparing to govern this country," said Mwonzora.
Initially, the MDC-T had hinted that they would be taking legal, democratic and political routes to dispute the results of the July 31 poll. However, the diplomatic route, just like the legal one, seems to have failed for the MDC-T after SADC endorsed Mugabe's election victory last week in Malawi. Mwonzora said his party would be intensifying its political route although he would not be drawn into divulging the strategy his party would take.
Source - online
