High Court reserves judgement in CCC legislators’ recall fight

HARARE – A case brought forward by 14 Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) legislators challenging their recall from parliament by the party’s self-imposed interim secretary general, Sengezo Tshabangu, has seen High Court judge Munamato Mutevedzi reserving judgment.

This move follows ongoing legal battles by the affected MPs who assert that Tshabangu does not have the legal standing to recall them, arguing that he is not even a member of the primary opposition party, CCC.

The legal proceedings have drawn the attention of numerous party supporters and recalled CCC lawmakers, who eagerly await the judgment.

Speaking on behalf of some of the affected MPs, Advocate Amanda Sihle Ndlovu, the legal representative, expressed satisfaction with the proceedings, emphasizing the importance of the forthcoming judgment.

“Now the matter is safely before the court’s hands and we have been promised a determination before the nomination court sits, which is very relevant to us because that is going to determine where we go from here,” she stated.

Mutevedzi has informed the involved parties that his ruling will be issued prior to November 7.

During the course of the legal battle, the MPs initially cited the Parliament Speaker and Senate president, as well as the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) as respondents.

However, the legislators later withdrew their case against these entities, contending that the responsibility to prove Tshabangu’s case was solely on the interim secretary general.

Tshabangu’s recall letters, issued to parliament last month, alleged that the legislators had ceased to be CCC members, prompting the legal challenge from the recalled MPs and senators.

The final judgment will play a crucial role in determining the political landscape ahead and the legislators’ fate within the CCC.