Zimbabwe’s Constitutional Court is today expected to rule an opposition bid to have presidential election results thrown out over alleged rigging in favour of Robert Mugabe’s successor, Emmerson Mnangagwa. Get the live updates here
According to Zimbabwe’s state-owned Herald newspaper, if the constitutional court endorses President Mnangagwa’s victory, he is expected to be inaugurated within 48 hours as postulated under the Electoral Act which has to be by 14:00on Sunday.
The ruling of the court will be final and cannot be appealed.
Zimbabwe’s vice president Constantino Chiwenga has reportedly said that nothing will change the election of Emmerson Mnangagwa as president of the southern African country, despite an opposition Constitutional Court petition challenging the vote.
According to NewsDay, speaking at Inyati Imhenyu Farm in Banket early this week, Chiwenga said Mnangagwa would remain president even after the much anticipated court ruling on Friday.
“We are happy that you voted for President-elect Mnangagwa, who will be the President of the country after the court (ConCourt) hearing… Nothing is going to change,” Chiwenga was quoted as saying.
Thembinkosi Magwaliba, representing Mnangagwa, dismissed claims that the opposition had produced any evidence of fraud.
Tight security “This application was not seriously done. The applicant is clearly flippant,” he said.Nine judges, led by Chief Justice Luke Malaba, heard the case in Harare, amid tight security. – AFP
Lawyers for the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) opposition argued that the results should be annulled due to “massive doctoring” of the July 30 vote.
“There is a massive cover-up. There has been a massive doctoring of evidence,” Thabani Mpofu, representing the MDC, told the court Wednesday. – AFP
Zimbabwe’s top court was set to rule on Friday on an opposition bid to have presidential election results thrown out over alleged rigging in favour of Robert Mugabe’s successor, Emmerson Mnangagwa.
The Constitutional Court in Harare said it would hand down its verdict at 14:00 after considering arguments put before judges on Wednesday, with analysts predicting it would rule against the appeal. – AFP
