News / Regional
'We must celebrate that the court has gone against Mugabe's intentions'
13 Jul 2012 at 12:46hrs | Views
The Movement for Democratic Change led by Morgan Tsvangirai said Zimbabweans must celebrate the mere fact that for the first time in its history, the Supreme Court has gone against the true intentions of Robert Mugabe and Zanu-PF.
MDC-T said it welcomes the Supreme Court ruling ordering the holding of by-elections in three Matabeleland constituencies.
This is one of the rare times that President Robert Mugabe has lost a case against aggrieved citizens of Zimbabwe.
"As a party, the MDC-T believes in the rule of law and we expect the President to comply with the ruling in as far as it relates to the three constituencies where the Supreme Court has ruled that by-elections must be held," said MDC-T in a statement.
"The MDC hopes that the executive will not stand in the way of this clear ruling by the Supreme Court. However, we insist that these by-elections must be conducted in terms of the clear guidelines to free and fair elections. In other words, they must be held in circumstances that guarantee the secrecy of the vote, the security of the vote and the security of the voter.
"The holding of these by-elections will test the sincerity of the parties to the GPA. We hope to see and we insist on seeing free and fair by-elections without violence. We also hope and will insist on equal access by all contestants to the media, especially the public media."
The Supreme Court ordered President Robert Mugabe to call by-elections by the end of August, a ruling that could alter the balance of power in parliament between his Zanu-PF party and its rivals.
The case was taken to court by three opposition MPs who lost their seats in 2009 when they were expelled from Welshman Ncube's Movement for Democratic Change (MDC).
The High Court ordered by-elections to be held but Mugabe appealed to the Supreme Court, arguing the government had no money to conduct the polls.
However, in a unanimous decision made public on Friday, the Supreme Court dismissed Mugabe's appeal and ordered "new elections to fill the vacancies as soon as possible, but no later than 30 August 2012".
It gave no reason for the decision and did not say whether elections should be held only for the three expelled or for another 30 seats vacant in the upper and lower houses of parliament because of the deaths of sitting members.
MDC-T said it welcomes the Supreme Court ruling ordering the holding of by-elections in three Matabeleland constituencies.
This is one of the rare times that President Robert Mugabe has lost a case against aggrieved citizens of Zimbabwe.
"As a party, the MDC-T believes in the rule of law and we expect the President to comply with the ruling in as far as it relates to the three constituencies where the Supreme Court has ruled that by-elections must be held," said MDC-T in a statement.
"The MDC hopes that the executive will not stand in the way of this clear ruling by the Supreme Court. However, we insist that these by-elections must be conducted in terms of the clear guidelines to free and fair elections. In other words, they must be held in circumstances that guarantee the secrecy of the vote, the security of the vote and the security of the voter.
"The holding of these by-elections will test the sincerity of the parties to the GPA. We hope to see and we insist on seeing free and fair by-elections without violence. We also hope and will insist on equal access by all contestants to the media, especially the public media."
The Supreme Court ordered President Robert Mugabe to call by-elections by the end of August, a ruling that could alter the balance of power in parliament between his Zanu-PF party and its rivals.
The case was taken to court by three opposition MPs who lost their seats in 2009 when they were expelled from Welshman Ncube's Movement for Democratic Change (MDC).
The High Court ordered by-elections to be held but Mugabe appealed to the Supreme Court, arguing the government had no money to conduct the polls.
However, in a unanimous decision made public on Friday, the Supreme Court dismissed Mugabe's appeal and ordered "new elections to fill the vacancies as soon as possible, but no later than 30 August 2012".
It gave no reason for the decision and did not say whether elections should be held only for the three expelled or for another 30 seats vacant in the upper and lower houses of parliament because of the deaths of sitting members.
Source - Byo24News
