Citizens Coalition for Change leader Nelson Chamisa today said he will continue to forge ahead as his party lost the battle to contest tomorrow’s by-elections after 22 legislators were recalled by self-styled interim secretary general Sengezo Tshabangu.
The High Court yesterday ruled that the candidates that were recalled could not contest tomorrow’s by-elections.
The party has appealed the High Court ruling and has written to the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission to reinstate its candidates saying the appeal with the Supreme Court nullifies the High Court ruling.
Jonathan Moyo, who some say did not complete his law degree, though he is a professor and taught political science, says yesterday’s ruling cannot be appealed against.
“As the successful application by the CCC interim secretary general was for a declaratur, and as this will be clear from the reasons, the court granted a declaratory order whose effect is not suspended by any appeal!” Moyo posted on his X handle.
In their letter to ZEC, CCC lawyers said: “We contend that the nopting of the appeal suspends the High Court judgement appealed against. Toi this end, we demand those of our clients in respect of whom by-elections are due to be held on 9 December 2023, be on the ballot papers.”
Party leader Nelson Chamisa has not publicly commented on the court ruling but posted this on his X handle: “Cowards deploy and abuse tortoises! This level of cruelty invites bad omen..”
Cindy Soko responded: “Just congratulate President ED Mnangagwa for winning 2023 presidential election.”
Chamisa said: “I don’t celebrate crime. I don’t congratulate fraud! I’m not a pretender!!”
@zigotsi told Chamisa: “chinhu chikuenda takatarisa President,” to which Chamisa responded: “Ko chakambouya seiko chatingatyira kuenda?? Chipo hachibike. Nyasha hadzibatwi chibharo kana kuitwa musenga bere..Havatipuhwe mushe. Hatipere power!”
@UnathiAfrika fired back: “Imagine this being the response of a whole party leader to such critical issues. Wena njeh you are very very unserious. I think you had just hoped that by chance you will wake up President and live the soft life from then on without putting in the fight.”
@kaseke_lazarus added: “It can be difficult for some tortoises to understand how and where to play. In this case (referring to the picture posted by Chamisa of a tortoise stuck on top of a log), one might wonder how the tortoise ended up in its current situation when it can’t climb up a tree. Additionally, one wonders why it complains every time it loses to the squirrel in a tree-climbing race…when it gets up the tree, it cries to the squirrel for help to be brought down.”
It is not clear yet what ZEC’s response will be but already, Chamisa’s supporters are arguing that the battle has already been lost as ZEC does what the Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front instructs it to.
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