News / National
Mukupe - Gumbo saga, ruling reserved
05 May 2015 at 16:27hrs | Views
The electoral court will give its ruling over the fight to represent Zanu-PF in the forthcoming June 10 by-elections for the Harare East constituency in two days.
The seat is hotly contested by Terrence Mukupe and Mavis Gumbo who both believe they are the rightful candidates.
Gumbo, the respondent in the electoral court challenge which arose after the last minute withdrawal of Mukupe's candidature accuses the National Political Commissar Saviour Kasukuwere of unilaterally imposing Mukupe.
Through her papers before the electoral court she says the authority to disqualify candidates is vested in the national elections directorate composed of the central committee and members of the politburo which was never consulted.
She further argued that Mukupe did not meet the party criteria for standing as a candidate as he never voted for Zanu-PF as he only registered as a voter on the 2nd of April this year just before the sitting of the nomination court.
She also alleges that Mukupe was not in the party structures for the 5 years preceding the primary elections for Harare East constituency as required in the party primary elections regulations.
She added that communication of Mukupe's withdrawal came from the highest administrative authority Dr Ignatious Chombo who was only complying with a request from Zanu-PF Harare province, the sponsoring province for the applicant in compliance with the Electoral Act.
Justice Chinembiri Bhunu reserved his ruling over the matter which will be released within 2 days.
The seat is hotly contested by Terrence Mukupe and Mavis Gumbo who both believe they are the rightful candidates.
Gumbo, the respondent in the electoral court challenge which arose after the last minute withdrawal of Mukupe's candidature accuses the National Political Commissar Saviour Kasukuwere of unilaterally imposing Mukupe.
Through her papers before the electoral court she says the authority to disqualify candidates is vested in the national elections directorate composed of the central committee and members of the politburo which was never consulted.
She further argued that Mukupe did not meet the party criteria for standing as a candidate as he never voted for Zanu-PF as he only registered as a voter on the 2nd of April this year just before the sitting of the nomination court.
She also alleges that Mukupe was not in the party structures for the 5 years preceding the primary elections for Harare East constituency as required in the party primary elections regulations.
She added that communication of Mukupe's withdrawal came from the highest administrative authority Dr Ignatious Chombo who was only complying with a request from Zanu-PF Harare province, the sponsoring province for the applicant in compliance with the Electoral Act.
Justice Chinembiri Bhunu reserved his ruling over the matter which will be released within 2 days.
Source - zbc
