Opinion / Columnist
Zanu-PF trying to win via the back door
21 Jul 2023 at 16:35hrs | Views
Last night I was briefed by my law partner Josephat Tshuma who is part of the CCC legal team opposing the spurious application brought by Zanu-PF surrogates to set aside the nomination of the 12 CCC MP candidates for Bulawayo.
Zanu-PF's intention is threefold:
1. Zanu-PF knows it cannot win a single seat in Bulawayo where recent opinion polls show it has minimal support and is trying to win via the back door of the Courts.
2. In any event the case is designed to distract CCC in its stronghold and drain it of resources needed for campaigning.
3. Even if Zanu-PF loses the case it will then be able to tout that as evidence of a fair ZEC and independent courts, which it desperately needs to do for much bigger legal battles to come especially the Presidential elections, which it can only win through rigging on an unprecedented scale.
Several preliminary objections to the case have been brought by our team. Some concern procedural errors which on long established Supreme Court rulings are FATAL to the case. The High Court will have to overturn these rulings to even get to the merits of the case.
Even if the Court takes the astonishing step of overturning these Supreme Court judgments there is simply no case on the merits. Zanu-PF's case in essence is that our candidates had not submitted their nominations before the 4pm deadline. Both the candidates and ZEC rebut this.
Here we have Zanu-PF surrogates, clearly interested parties who stand to gain if CCC MPs can't stand, who weren't even in the nomination court, arguing against both our candidates and the ZEC officials who all say the papers were submitted in time. The case is utterly spurious.
Comments:
1. Zanu-PF is working in cahoots with the courts. The captured courts may pass a judgement after elections. If Zanu-PF loses which is inevitable the courts will then pass a judgment against CCC and throw the whole Bulawayo election into a by-election.
2. I see that even Mthuli Ncube has abandoned Cowdray Park campaign and is spending all day at the courts in Bulawayo trying to influence the outcome, for an obvious automatic ticket to parliament for him uncontested. Zanu-PF knows they will get zero seats in Bulawayo
3. Bongani Ndlovu is not experienced enough to handle a case of this nature, it's being decided at the Shake Shake building, competence and political meddling will determine outcome. The courts are Mnangagwa's only defence, a captured judiciary impedes democracy, nothing new!!
4. Jonathan is trying so hard to impress ED by following the case and try to help the surrogates
5. He ignited the case. He wants the case to give him a ticket to come home
6. As long as the opposition continues to go into elections without reforms being implemented Zanu-PF will remain in power. The question that Citizens should be asking is why is the opposition not pushing for reforms first. My own opinion is tirikuitiswa nevaviri Ava.
7. The simple answer is that there is no such opportunity for the opposition to push for reforms. The best opportunity was during GNU. U'll recall, the GNU was a fight, more focus was turned into writing the constitution. Since 2013, the opposition did not have the numbers for that
8. Too simplistic. Do you think Zanu-PF will agree to reforms? Why is the same reform not asked of Zanu-PF?
9. Too simplistic. Do you think Zanu-PF will agree to reforms? Why is the same reform not asked of Zanu-PF?
10. Reforms are overrated because they will not make Zanu-PF give up power easily. The fight for taking power should be the main focus because Zanu-PF has lost all elections from 2008 but refused to give up power.
11. Saka why go into an election without reforms if those in power will maintain the status quo? My point is Zanu-PF will never be removed from power through a democratic process without reforms. Pushing for reforms is way much cheaper than going into an election that is predetermined
12. Do you even understand what the opposition is up to against Zanu-PF? I think they have done the best understand the circumstances.
The only other option available is to start a civil disobedience and war.
I don't if this is what you want them to do.
13. Tell me something, what reforms and who will grant those reforms do you actually think Zanu-PF cares if the opposition contest or boycott how many bogus political parties were formed recently
14. If any, Zanu-PF will reverse to gains of GNU so as to retain power. But I have a feeling that God will do something this time around. The way ED is being made to run around, he will peacefully rest in his sleep out of fatigue, incident or accident. I smell independence, not so far
15. If any, Zanu-PF will reverse to gains of GNU so as to retain power. But I have a feeling that God will do something this time around. The way ED is being made to run around, he will peacefully rest in his sleep out of fatigue, incident or accident. I smell independence, not so far
Zanu-PF's intention is threefold:
1. Zanu-PF knows it cannot win a single seat in Bulawayo where recent opinion polls show it has minimal support and is trying to win via the back door of the Courts.
2. In any event the case is designed to distract CCC in its stronghold and drain it of resources needed for campaigning.
3. Even if Zanu-PF loses the case it will then be able to tout that as evidence of a fair ZEC and independent courts, which it desperately needs to do for much bigger legal battles to come especially the Presidential elections, which it can only win through rigging on an unprecedented scale.
Several preliminary objections to the case have been brought by our team. Some concern procedural errors which on long established Supreme Court rulings are FATAL to the case. The High Court will have to overturn these rulings to even get to the merits of the case.
Even if the Court takes the astonishing step of overturning these Supreme Court judgments there is simply no case on the merits. Zanu-PF's case in essence is that our candidates had not submitted their nominations before the 4pm deadline. Both the candidates and ZEC rebut this.
Here we have Zanu-PF surrogates, clearly interested parties who stand to gain if CCC MPs can't stand, who weren't even in the nomination court, arguing against both our candidates and the ZEC officials who all say the papers were submitted in time. The case is utterly spurious.
Comments:
1. Zanu-PF is working in cahoots with the courts. The captured courts may pass a judgement after elections. If Zanu-PF loses which is inevitable the courts will then pass a judgment against CCC and throw the whole Bulawayo election into a by-election.
2. I see that even Mthuli Ncube has abandoned Cowdray Park campaign and is spending all day at the courts in Bulawayo trying to influence the outcome, for an obvious automatic ticket to parliament for him uncontested. Zanu-PF knows they will get zero seats in Bulawayo
3. Bongani Ndlovu is not experienced enough to handle a case of this nature, it's being decided at the Shake Shake building, competence and political meddling will determine outcome. The courts are Mnangagwa's only defence, a captured judiciary impedes democracy, nothing new!!
4. Jonathan is trying so hard to impress ED by following the case and try to help the surrogates
5. He ignited the case. He wants the case to give him a ticket to come home
7. The simple answer is that there is no such opportunity for the opposition to push for reforms. The best opportunity was during GNU. U'll recall, the GNU was a fight, more focus was turned into writing the constitution. Since 2013, the opposition did not have the numbers for that
8. Too simplistic. Do you think Zanu-PF will agree to reforms? Why is the same reform not asked of Zanu-PF?
9. Too simplistic. Do you think Zanu-PF will agree to reforms? Why is the same reform not asked of Zanu-PF?
10. Reforms are overrated because they will not make Zanu-PF give up power easily. The fight for taking power should be the main focus because Zanu-PF has lost all elections from 2008 but refused to give up power.
11. Saka why go into an election without reforms if those in power will maintain the status quo? My point is Zanu-PF will never be removed from power through a democratic process without reforms. Pushing for reforms is way much cheaper than going into an election that is predetermined
12. Do you even understand what the opposition is up to against Zanu-PF? I think they have done the best understand the circumstances.
The only other option available is to start a civil disobedience and war.
I don't if this is what you want them to do.
13. Tell me something, what reforms and who will grant those reforms do you actually think Zanu-PF cares if the opposition contest or boycott how many bogus political parties were formed recently
14. If any, Zanu-PF will reverse to gains of GNU so as to retain power. But I have a feeling that God will do something this time around. The way ED is being made to run around, he will peacefully rest in his sleep out of fatigue, incident or accident. I smell independence, not so far
15. If any, Zanu-PF will reverse to gains of GNU so as to retain power. But I have a feeling that God will do something this time around. The way ED is being made to run around, he will peacefully rest in his sleep out of fatigue, incident or accident. I smell independence, not so far
Source - Twitter
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