Just appeal don’t lambast judge or court official, Gutu tells MDC

Former Movement for Democratic Change spokesman Obert Gutu, who left the party over the way Nelson Chamisa had hijacked the party leadership last year, today said any decent lawyer will simply lodge an appeal against a court ruling when he or she does not agree with a ruling.

Commenting on the reaction by the MDC to the High Court ruling which nullified Chamisa’s leadership, Gutu tweeted: “Any decent lawyer worth his/salt will tell you that when you don’t agree with the ruling of a court of law, you don’t lambast the judicial officer and/or any other court official for that matter. You simply lodge an appeal against the court’s ruling to a superior court. Simple!”

High Court Judge Edith Mushore today ruled that Chamisa’s presidency of the MDC was unconstitutional and she ordered the party to hold an extra-ordinary congress within a month.

MDC spokesman Jacob Mafume dismissed the ruling saying the choice of leaders of any political party, the world over is the sole preserve of the members of that party.

“It can never be a judicial process. Equally, the actions, activities and programmes of a political party, being a voluntary organisation whose existence is protected by the Constitution, is the sole preserve of the members that party,” he said.

Mafume said the MDC was therefore going ahead with its congress scheduled for 24-26 May.

Mafume like Chamisa, Welshman Ncube, Tendai Biti and Gutu are all lawyers.

Chamisa has not yet commented on the judgment but his supporters are livid.

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