News / National
Constitutional court biased towards Zanu-PF, claims MDC-T
05 Jul 2013 at 06:52hrs | Views
PRIME Minister Morgan Tsvangirai's MDC-T party has said Thursday's Constitutional Court ruling upholding President Robert's proclamation for elections to be held on July 31 was evidence of the court's Zanu-PF bias.
"This was a predictable ruling by the constitutional court because it was clear it was going to make a political decision rather than a legal decision," MDC-T spokesman Douglas Mwonzora said in an interview with SWRadio Africa.
"This application was destined to fail anyway because it was poorly written by the Minister of Justice who wanted this particular outcome. The Constitutional Court did not want to displease the emperor."
The court unanimously rejected a series of appeals – including one by Tsvangirai - to delay the elections in order to allow more time for reform of the country's security services and state media.
"For the avoidance of doubt, elections should proceed on the 31st of July in terms of the proclamation by the President of Zimbabwe in compliance with the order of this court. Reasons for judgment are to follow," said Chief Justice Godfrey Chidyausiku.
Lawyers for Tsvangirai argued Thursday that Mugabe's poll call was illegal because Tsvangirai had not agreed to the July 31 date under the terms of the coalition deal that required consensus on major policy decisions in Zimbabwe.
The MDC-T leader, had applied for a 25-day delay from the July proclamation by Mugabe last month.
But the court said Thursday that Tsvangirai should have sought the delay soon after the judgment instead of waiting for Mugabe to announce the date.
"He left it to the President to do want he wants or else he could have come to the court sooner," said one of the nine-judge court, Justice Luke Malaba.
Malaba said Tsvangirai's reluctance to approach the courts earlier "meant he was happy with the date."
Still, Tsvangirai's spokesman Luke Tamborinyoka said the MDC-T leader would abide by the court ruling.
"Since the court has ruled, it means we have to go by that date," Tamborinyoka said.
President Robert Mugabe's lawyer, Terrence Hussein, said there had been lengthy arguments during the hearing but all the nine judges eventually made a unanimous decision which "reaffirmed that the constitution of Zimbabwe prevails."
"This was a predictable ruling by the constitutional court because it was clear it was going to make a political decision rather than a legal decision," MDC-T spokesman Douglas Mwonzora said in an interview with SWRadio Africa.
"This application was destined to fail anyway because it was poorly written by the Minister of Justice who wanted this particular outcome. The Constitutional Court did not want to displease the emperor."
The court unanimously rejected a series of appeals – including one by Tsvangirai - to delay the elections in order to allow more time for reform of the country's security services and state media.
"For the avoidance of doubt, elections should proceed on the 31st of July in terms of the proclamation by the President of Zimbabwe in compliance with the order of this court. Reasons for judgment are to follow," said Chief Justice Godfrey Chidyausiku.
Lawyers for Tsvangirai argued Thursday that Mugabe's poll call was illegal because Tsvangirai had not agreed to the July 31 date under the terms of the coalition deal that required consensus on major policy decisions in Zimbabwe.
But the court said Thursday that Tsvangirai should have sought the delay soon after the judgment instead of waiting for Mugabe to announce the date.
"He left it to the President to do want he wants or else he could have come to the court sooner," said one of the nine-judge court, Justice Luke Malaba.
Malaba said Tsvangirai's reluctance to approach the courts earlier "meant he was happy with the date."
Still, Tsvangirai's spokesman Luke Tamborinyoka said the MDC-T leader would abide by the court ruling.
"Since the court has ruled, it means we have to go by that date," Tamborinyoka said.
President Robert Mugabe's lawyer, Terrence Hussein, said there had been lengthy arguments during the hearing but all the nine judges eventually made a unanimous decision which "reaffirmed that the constitution of Zimbabwe prevails."
Source - sw radio
