Zimbabwe Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube today said the 2 percent tax that he introduced in October last year will remain in force despite the High Court ruling which nullified it saying the tax was validated by Parliament under the Finance Act number 1 of 2019.
Some Zimbabweans this morning celebrated the High Court ruling praising Movement for Democratic Change vice-president Tendai Biti who argued the case.
Movement for Democratic Change-Tsvangirai vice-president Obert Gutu was bashed left, right and centre when he tweeted that the High Court ruling was of no significance.
“In law, there’s something called a ‘brutum fulmen’…Essentially meaning an empty or ineffective threat or put alternatively, a judgement that is incapable of being enforced, mostly because it would have been overtaken by events. I thought it’s important to clarify a few issues,” he tweeted.
There was a barrage of attacks on Gutu with Tynofire tweeting: “Nyika haisi kuenda mberi nekuti panembwa dzinopikisa effort yevamwe just for the fun of it. Opposition of the opposition. Foolish.”
Gutu stood his ground, responding: “I’m simply explaining the well-established principle of ‘brutum fulmen’. This has got absolutely nothing to do with politics……
“At law, it’s a Pyrrhic victory, a ‘brutum fulmen’, a loud noise signifying absolutely nothing. Just wanted to put the record straight.”
Gutu’s argument was validated by a statement from Mthuli Ncube which said the 2 percent tax will continue to be levied.
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