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Mujuru, Chombo drag Mugabe to court over importation ban
31 Jul 2016 at 11:32hrs | Views
Zimbabwe People First (ZimPF) leader, Joice Mujuru has dragged her former boss President Robert Mugabe to court saying the importation ban was negatively affecting her survival as a widow.
She said the ban on imports had affected her informal trading business saying "The statutory instrument is the most insensitive piece of legislation ever to be enacted in independent Zimbabwe."
Marian Chombo, the former wife of Home Affairs minister, Ignatious Chombo also backed Mujuru by deposing her own affidavit.
"In terms of section 134 of the Constitution, a statutory instrument can only be made directly in terms of an Act of Parliament. Statutory instrument 64 of 2016 is ultra vires the Control of Goods Act and therefore illegal, null and void and of no force or effect," reads Mujuru's application filed on Friday.
"When the economic situation in the country deteriorated in the last few years, most Zimbabweans resorted to importing goods and reselling them at a modest profit," Mujuru said.
"The goods listed by the second respondent [Bimha] starting from 24 to 36 formed the bulk of those imports. Importers only had to pay import duty, where applicable."
"By stroke of a pen, the second respondent [Bimha] effectively banned the importation of almost all goods that sustained the lives of millions of Zimbabweans, who, because of the severe economic difficulties, survive by engaging in the informal trade.
"I can say with absolute confidence that statutory instrument 64 of 2016 has injected poverty in informal traders' lives and has brought misery to the ordinary and suffering Zimbabweans.
"I am pained to note that the second respondent has had no qualms in resorting to a piece of legislation authored by Ian Douglas Smith of Rhodesia."
She said the ban on imports had affected her informal trading business saying "The statutory instrument is the most insensitive piece of legislation ever to be enacted in independent Zimbabwe."
Marian Chombo, the former wife of Home Affairs minister, Ignatious Chombo also backed Mujuru by deposing her own affidavit.
"In terms of section 134 of the Constitution, a statutory instrument can only be made directly in terms of an Act of Parliament. Statutory instrument 64 of 2016 is ultra vires the Control of Goods Act and therefore illegal, null and void and of no force or effect," reads Mujuru's application filed on Friday.
"When the economic situation in the country deteriorated in the last few years, most Zimbabweans resorted to importing goods and reselling them at a modest profit," Mujuru said.
"The goods listed by the second respondent [Bimha] starting from 24 to 36 formed the bulk of those imports. Importers only had to pay import duty, where applicable."
"By stroke of a pen, the second respondent [Bimha] effectively banned the importation of almost all goods that sustained the lives of millions of Zimbabweans, who, because of the severe economic difficulties, survive by engaging in the informal trade.
"I can say with absolute confidence that statutory instrument 64 of 2016 has injected poverty in informal traders' lives and has brought misery to the ordinary and suffering Zimbabweans.
"I am pained to note that the second respondent has had no qualms in resorting to a piece of legislation authored by Ian Douglas Smith of Rhodesia."
Source - Byo24News
