Own Correspondent|Zanu-PF national spokesperson Simon Khaya Moyo has scoffed at what he called the MDC’s attempt to involve the ruling party in its internal affairs after the High Court nullified the appointment of Nelson Chamisa and Eng Elias Mudziri as party co-vice presidents and directing the party to hold an extraordinary congress a month after the date of the order.
Speaking to state media after the shock High Court Ruling, Khaya Moyo, claimed the ruling by the High Court was purely an internal matter of the MDC and his party has no role in it.
“The court ruling by Justice Edith Mushore ordering the MDC party to hold an extraordinary congress within a month to elect a substantive leadership is purely an internal matter within the MDC,” he said.
“It has absolutely nothing to do with Zanu-PF and its visionary leader Cde ED Mnangagwa as insinuated by its spokesperson Mr Jacob Mafume. It is clear from the court proceedings that the applicant is an MDC member. Zanu-PF is too principled a party with a revolutionary history to engage in MDC shenanigans.
“President ED Mnangagwa is too pre-occupied with matters of the state economy as evidenced by the ‘Zimbabwe is open for business’ mantra and vision 2030.”
The High Court ruled that the decision by the late MDC-T president Morgan Tsvangirai to hand-pick two additional vice presidents was illegal and that the party should hold an extraordinary congress within a month using 2014 structures.
This follows an application by Gokwe district organising secretary Elias Mashavire challenging the 2016 decision by the late MDC-T leader who chose Chamisa and Engineer Mudzuri as his other deputies on top of Dr Thokozani Khupe, who had been voted in the congress of 2014 .
Chamisa and Khupe went their separate ways following the death of Mr Tsvangirai in February, last year.
At the time, Khupe insisted she was the bona fide MDC-T leader because she was the only one elected party vice president at congress.
Yesterday, Justice Edith Mushore ruled that the appointments by Tsvangirai Chamisa and Mudzuri as party co-vice presidents three years ago was invalid.
Chamisa and Mudzuri were listed as second and third respondents in the matter.
“The appointment of second (Chamisa) and third (Mudzuri) respondents as deputy presidents of the MDC party were unconstitutional and therefore null and void,” said Justice Mushore.
“The appointment of the second respondent as acting president and president of the MDC party were unconstitutional and therefore null and void.”
In addition, the judge ruled that all the decisions made under the Nelson Chamisa administration are invalid and he cannot preside over party matters.
“All appointments and or reassignments and all actions of the second respondent in his purported capacities as deputy/acting or incumbent president were unconstitutional.
“The first respondent (MDC) be and is hereby ordered to hold an extra-ordinary congress after the lapse of at least one month after the date of this order.”