Mujuru top ally blocks Mugabe

President Robert Mugabe's vicious purge of a faction linked to former Vice President Joice Mujuru was yesterday put on hold after ConCourt barred the veteran ruler from proclaiming by election dates.

They stopped Mugabe from announcing the Mwenezi East by-election date until the finalisation of a court case brought by former Provincial Affairs minister Kudakwashe Bhasikiti who is challenging his expulsion from Zanu-PF and subsequently Parliament.

Bhasikiti was fired from the government and the ruling Zanu-PF party recently for allegedly working with Mujuru to topple Mugabe through unconstitutional means.

In its judgment, the ConCourt issued an ultimatum that the High Court and the Supreme Court, if need be, should ensure that Bhasikiti's matter is resolved by July 31 to enable the sitting of a nomination court within the prescribed constitutional period in the event of Mugabe proclaiming a by-election date.

Bhasikiti last week, dragged Mugabe, Zanu-PF, the Speaker of Parliament Jacob Mudenda and the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) to court challenging his expulsion from the ruling party, arguing the party's politburo had no power to expel him.

Bhasikiti's application was, however, not heard at the High Court, as Mudenda had booted him out of the legislature, saying Zanu-PF had recalled him. This prompted Bhasikiti to approach the ConCourt seeking to interdict Mugabe from announcing a by-election date until his urgent chamber application at the High Court had been dealt with.