By Paul Nyathi|President Mnangagwa and the ruling Zanu-PF have told the High Court that the Nelson Chamisa led MDC-T has no legal right to challenge the electoral processes as the party is not taking part in the elections.

The party said this responding to an MDC court application seeking to compel the ruling party from alleged interferrence with the independence of traditional leaders ahead of the harmonised election.

Advocate Lewis Uriri of the Temple Bar (Inns of court) instructed by Mr Aston Musunga are representing the President and the ruling party in the matter.

The lawyers argued that the Chamisa-led MDC party had no locus standi to file the election-related challenge because it did not register to participate in the forthcoming election. Only the MDC-T led by Dr Thokozani Khupe and the MDC Alliance led by Chamisa are participants in the elections.

“The fact is that, for purposes of the election in issue, it (MDC) has not registered its intention to participate,” the lawyers said.

“Only two parties with the prefix “MDC” have indicated their participation. These are the MDC-T led by Dr Khupe and MDC Alliance led by Mr Chamisa.

“The applicant (MDC) is neither of these. It clearly has no interest in the election in its capacity as a participant.”

The respondents further argued that the MDC just filed a frivolous application to lay the basis for filing of petitions after the elections.

“The second object is to create one of several intended bases for election petitions after the applicant’s demise at the forthcoming polls,” reads the response.

An order has since been issued against Chief Fortune Charumbira and the Chief’s Council in another High Court matter, to stop meddling in politics, but the MDC last week filed a fresh application seeking almost the same order.

The Chamisa-led MDC party argued that President Mnangagwa had early last month urged his party’s candidates in the harmonised elections scheduled for July 30, to offer trinkets to chiefs and traditional leaders to procure their support in the elections.

The opposition party argued that President Mnangagwa’s utterances, which were made on June 9, 2018 to Zanu-PF party supporters in Mutoko in Mashonaland East province, motivated some ruling party members to engage in corrupt practices for the purposes of vote buying ahead of the elections.