Mnangagwa want courts to do their work

The GOVERNMENT does not interfere with the work of the Judiciary, and those accusing it of having a hand in recent court rulings barring some opposition candidates from contesting the August 23 harmonised elections are clearly ignorant, President Mnangagwa has said.

Speaking to the media yesterday after his arrival from Russia, where he was attending the Second Summit of the Russia-Africa Economic and Humanitarian Forum, President Mnangagwa said he was not involved in any election-related court dispute.

"They should go and recover their school fees from where they went to school," he said.

"I am nowhere near the court. I have never taken anybody to court, so if they are making such allegations, it means they do not have much education."

More than a dozen opposition candidates have been barred from contesting the forthcoming polls after courts made findings that the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission erred by accepting their nominations.

Independent presidential candidate Mr Saviour Kasukuwere was blocked from contesting for the top job in the land after the Supreme Court dismissed his appeal challenging a High Court ruling that nullified his nomination.

The apex court ruled that Mr Kasukuwere's appeal "lacked merit".

On Thursday, 17 opposition National Assembly candidates, including 12 from the Citizens Coalition for Change, were stopped from participating in the polls after the Bulawayo High Court found that they had filed their nomination papers out of time.

Labour Economists and African Democrats leader Ms Linda Masarira, who wanted to contest the presidential election, also had her application to stand in the polls dismissed after she failed to pay her nomination fees on time.

Turning to the just-ended summit, President Mnangagwa said African countries, including Zimbabwe, were at the forefront of shaping a new world order.

"We were all well-received and the response by Heads of State from Africa was very encouraging," he said.

"Out of the 54 countries, the majority of Heads of State went to Russia for the Russia-Africa Summit, which shows that Africa respects Russia, and Africa is now independent and cannot be bullied as to what it must do.

"Yes, leaders from a few countries did not go, but the majority of Heads of State went."

African countries that were not represented at the Head of State level, he said, sent representatives.

"There was a lot of co-operation, especially in the area of food security across Africa," he said.

"President (Vladimir) Putin also added a donation to several countries that have insecure food situations; he made donations of several metric tonnes."

He added: "Then you are fully aware of the geopolitical situation in the country (Russia) . . . there is now a mood of creating a new world order, and it is unfolding.

"We all are contributing to a new world order, where everybody is treated equally and where international law is observed."

Addressing the summit on Friday, President Mnangagwa said there was need to dislodge the Western hegemonic rule and influence.

"For decades, sustainable socio-economic development at regional and global levels has been hindered by the escalating threat of transnational organised crime, conflict and terrorism that encroach upon global peace and security," he said.

"In Zimbabwe, we have a philosophy that ‘a country is built, developed, ruled and prayed for by its own people'. We leave no one and no place behind.

"Strengthening existing institutions, as well as carving new partnerships, remain key for a just and peaceful world order, which is unfolding.

"In this context, Zimbabwe commends the Russian Federation for its solidarity and support, guided by our shared aspirations and development objectives for convening this Russia-African Summit."