HARARE – President Mnangagwa has responded to the Nelson Chamisa’s urgent court application seeking an order compelling Zanu-PF not to engage in electoral malpractices by seeking to the support or assistance of chiefs and making them to act in a partisan manner or further the interests of their political party or cause.
MDC-T argued that Mnangagwa had early this month urged party members to bribe chiefs and traditional leaders to procure their support in the elections. Responding to an urgent chamber application, Mnangagwa, through Zanu-PF’s secretary for legal affairs Paul Mangwana said the application was a way of undermining the elections before they were even held.
Mnangagwa also argues that the Chamisa faction cannot file an election-related challenge because it did not register to participate in the forthcoming election saying only the MDC-T led by Dr Thokozani Khupe and the MDC Alliance led by Mr Chamisa are participants.
They argued that the MDC-T leadership issue is still pending before the High Court and Chamisa and his faction cannot argue they are the legitimate MDC before a ruling.
Mnangagwa’s lawyers also argue the law does not allow a sitting President to be sued in his personal capacity in matters of that nature and that the court should simply refuse to hear the matter. President Mnangagwa denied ever encouraging candidates to bribe traditional leaders.
More: Herald
