By A Correspondent| Expelled NetOne Chief Executive Officer Lazarus Muchenje’s bid to bounce back at the mobile network operator has collapsed after the High Court refused to entertain his appeal on the basis that it had no jurisdiction to poke its nose in purely employment matters.

Muchenje approached the High Court to challenge his expulsion from NetOne which was confirmed by President Emmerson Mnangagwa.

In delivering her judgment, Justice Esther Muremba ruled that Muchenje’s application was misplaced as the constitution had created Labour courts whose sole mandate is to handle employment matters.

“This court has no jurisdiction to deal with purely employment matters, its jurisdiction having been restricted by the Constitution which created the Labour Court as a Specialist Court to handle employment matters,” ruled Muremba.

“Clearly, this is not a matter for an interdict and a declaratur, the applicant is actually challenging the termination of his employment contract and seeking reinstatement as CEO of sixth respondent (NetOne) through the back door,” she added.

Muchenje was also ordered to pay the costs incurred by the respondents.