End of the road for Biti and company

The Constitutional Court today threw out the case in which former Movement for Democratic Change- Tsvangirai Secretary-General Tendai Biti and 20 other legislators were challenging their expulsion from Parliament because it had no merit.

Biti and his colleagues, who had formed the Renewal Team, were expelled from Parliament after the MDC-T recalled the seats arguing that the legislators had crossed the floor by joining another party when they were elected on an MDC-T ticket.

Biti and his group, led by Sekai Holland, had joined forces with another former Secretary-General Welshman Ncube to form the United Movement for Democratic Change.

President Robert Mugabe has already called for by-elections to fill the vacancies on 10 June. Nominations close on Thursday, 16 April.

Although 21 seats were at stake, by-elections will only be held in 14 constituencies. Three seats were filled by proportional representation and the other four seats were for the Senate.

These seats have already been bagged by the MDC-T but the party is facing a dilemma on whether to fill them because it has vowed to boycott all elections until the government implements electoral reforms.

Those who lost their seats were:

1. Tendai Biti (Harare East)
2. Willias Madzimure (Kambuzuma)
3.  Lucia Matibenga (Kuwadzana East)
4.  Paul Madzore (Glen View)
5. Reggie Moyo (Luveve)
6. Solomon Madzore (Dzivarasekwa)
7. Bekithemba Nyathi (Mpopoma Pelandaba)
8. Albert Mhlanga (Pumula)
9. Moses Manyengavana (Highfield West)
10. Samuel Sipepa Nkomo (Lobengula)
11. Roseline Nkomo (Tsholotsho North)
12. Settlement Chikwinya (Mbizo)
13. Gorden Moyo (Makokoba)
14. Anorld Tsunga (Chikanga Dangamvura).
15. Evelyn Masaiti  (proportional representation)
16. Judith Muzhavazhe (proportional representation)
17. Gladys Mathe (proportional representation)
18. Sekai Holland (Chizhanje)
19. Rorana Muchihwa (Chikomo)
20. Watchy Sibanda (Matabeleland South)
21. Patrick Chitaka (Manicaland)

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