By A Correspondent| Firebrand lawyers Tendai Biti and Advocate Thabani Mpofu have vowed to take government head-on over moves to mutilate the constitution as witnessed by desperate attempts to extend Chief Justice Luke Malaba’s term of office.

Speaking at a press conference yesterday, the two refuted claims that they were being paid by foreign powers to capture the judiciary.

They said their main agenda for filing the High Court application was not political, but the protection of the country’s Constitution.

“We are not pursuing any political agenda. We want to protect the Constitution of the country which was approved by 93% of Zimbabweans in a referendum. We are prepared to die for that Constitution,” said Biti.

Biti and Mpofu told journalists that whilst the government could appeal against the judgment, the legal position is that an appeal does not suspend the operation of the High Court’s Saturday ruling.

“We have thought these things through. We know what may or what may not happen. We are prepared to fight, not only in defence of our consultant but the Constitution of Zimbabwe, judicial independence and democracy.”

The lawyers’ consultant is Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum director Musa Kika who engaged the legal counsel to file the High Court challenge.

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