Chidyausiku blasts lawyer

The by-election for Chitungwiza's Ward 25 will now go ahead following the dismissal of a constitutional application filed by fired councillor Dr Fredrick Mabamba challenging his ouster.

While delivering the ruling yesterday, Chief Justice Godfrey Chidyausiku blasted Dr Mabamba's lawyer, Charles Chikore, for gross negligence which contributed to the failure of the application.

Dr Mabamba's case had stalled the holding of the by-election for Ward 25 to replace him.

The Nomination Court sat in July and four aspiring candidates filed their papers to fill the vacancy left by Dr Mabamba who was ousted on charges of gross mismanagement of council affairs.

The process was conducted following a court order that allowed the nomination to go ahead, but deferred the by-election date from August 23 pending determination of Dr Mabamba's constitutional challenge.

Justice Chidyausiku took a swipe at the conduct of Chikore of C. Mutsahuni, Chikore and Partners, who wrongly cited Local Government MinisterIgnatius Chombo in his personal capacity in the constitutional application.

He ordered  Chikore to pay costs of the suit on a higher scale because Dr Mabamba had not contributed to the error that the court viewed to be "too elementary".