News / National
CCC candidate challenges bid to stop by-elections
09 Mar 2022 at 07:01hrs | Views
CITIZENS Coalition for Change (CCC) Highfield West constituency parliamentary candidate Happymore Chidziva has filed a Constitutional Court (ConCourt) application challenging a bid by MDC Alliance leader Douglas Mwonzora's legal adviser Tapera Sengweni to stop the March 26 by-elections.
Last week, Sengweni filed an application for joinder with Vinnah Mbele, Adfy Vushoma, and Phanuel Tsvanhu to stop the March 26 by-elections on the premise that President Emmerson Mnangagwa failed to follow the law when he proclaimed the by-elections as stipulated in sections 158 and 159 of the Constitution.
He asked the court to declare the proclamation null and void.
Chidziva, who was Highfield West MP before he was recalled by the MDC-T, challenged the application by Sengweni and others, saying if by-elections were stopped, it would deny him a chance to become MP.
In his application, Chidziva cited Mnangagwa, Sengweni, Mbele, Vushoma, Tsvanhu and the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) as the first to sixth respondents in the matter.
Chidziva said the matter was of national importance and public interest as it related to issues of electoral democracy.
He said stoppage of the elections would deprive him of an opportunity to stand for election for public office.
"In the event that the relief sought above is granted, I will be adversely affected in that I would have been deprived of an opportunity to stand for election, and if elected, to hold public office. Put differently, in the event that the relief above is granted, my political rights in terms of section 67(2)(a) will be violated," Chidziva submitted.
A total of 28 National Assembly seats and 127 local authority seats will be up for grabs on March 26. The vacancies arose following recalls, deaths and diplomatic postings.
Last week, Sengweni filed an application for joinder with Vinnah Mbele, Adfy Vushoma, and Phanuel Tsvanhu to stop the March 26 by-elections on the premise that President Emmerson Mnangagwa failed to follow the law when he proclaimed the by-elections as stipulated in sections 158 and 159 of the Constitution.
He asked the court to declare the proclamation null and void.
Chidziva, who was Highfield West MP before he was recalled by the MDC-T, challenged the application by Sengweni and others, saying if by-elections were stopped, it would deny him a chance to become MP.
Chidziva said the matter was of national importance and public interest as it related to issues of electoral democracy.
He said stoppage of the elections would deprive him of an opportunity to stand for election for public office.
"In the event that the relief sought above is granted, I will be adversely affected in that I would have been deprived of an opportunity to stand for election, and if elected, to hold public office. Put differently, in the event that the relief above is granted, my political rights in terms of section 67(2)(a) will be violated," Chidziva submitted.
A total of 28 National Assembly seats and 127 local authority seats will be up for grabs on March 26. The vacancies arose following recalls, deaths and diplomatic postings.
Source - NewsDay Zimbabwe
