Judge defers judgement in CCC MPs recall matter

The High Court has reserved judgement in the case of recalled CCC MPs and Senators who are challenging  Sengezo Tshabangu’s authority to recall them. Justice Munamato Mutevedzi said the  ruling will be out before November 7, which is nomination day for by-elections slated for 9 December.

Tshabangu wrote to parliament in September advising the Speaker that the affected MPs had been recalled on account that they had ceased to be members of the party. He also wrote to the local government minister to effect recalls on certain party councillors.

Briefing journalists after the court session, Advocate Amanda Sihle Ndlovu, who represents some of the aggrieved legislators, said her legal team was so far content with court proceedings.

“It was a long battle, there have been many legal minds that have been involved in reaching the point that we are at now. Now the matter is safely before the courts’ hands and we have been promised a determination before the nomination court sits which is very relevant to us because that is going to determine where we go from here,” she said.

In their initial application, the MPs and senators had also cited the Speaker of the National Assembly and Senate president as respondents but later removed the two as respondents together with the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) as they focused and challenged Tshabangu to prove that he has authority to recall. They also insist that Tshabangu is not a member of the CCC.

Scores of CCC supporters were in attendance at the hearing in support of the recalled MPs.