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workshops and seminars to improve his skills and to plan for his bank.
He says his bid to apply for a passport two years before the expiry of the travelling document failed after the RG’s Office opposed it arguing that he was not Zimbabwean.
According to the RG’s Office, although Mr Piroro was born in Zimbabwe some 44 years back, the fact that his father was born in Mozambique meant he now had dual citizenship.
The registry argued that the law required Mr Piroro to renounce his Mozambican citizenship before he applies for a passport in Zimbabwe.
But the High Court in March declared Mr Piroro a Zimbabwean citizen on the grounds that he was born in Zimbabwe.
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The same court ordered the RG’s Office to issue him with a passport within 14 days of service of the order.
But to date, the RG’s Office has not complied with the order.
In his application, Mr Mudede was listed as the responded together with the Registrar-General of citizenship.
Acting for Mr Piroro, the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights argued that the office was in contempt of the High Court and that the cited respondents should be sent to jail.
While the application for imprisonment was still pending, the ZLHR filed an urgent chamber application at the High Court for the contempt of court application to be set down on an urgent basis.
Justice Chinembiri Bhunu is expected to hear the urgent application in his chamber tomorrow.
According to the court papers, one of the lawyers Mr Alec Muchadehama said the conduct of the RG’s office was in contempt of court and the registrars should be jailed.
“First respondent (Registrar-General of Citizenship) is in willful contempt of this Honourable Court in that he is blatantly flouting and acting in defiance of the court order dated March 31 2011 in case Number 7248/11 ordering him to renew the applicant’s passport within 14 days.
“This willful contempt by first respondent is persisting despite repeated efforts by the applicant’s legal practitioners to enforce compliance of the said order.
“I respectfully submit that in the circumstances, the application for contempt of court in the case number HC8313/11 is an urgent matter and should be set down as a matter of urgency in order to uphold the dignity and integrity of this Honourable Court,” said Mr Muchadehama.
However, the RG’s office has not yet responded to the application.
Deputy Registrar-General Mr Mpala said the response would be heard in court on Thursday.
“Our legal division is handling the matter, but we cannot say anything because the matter is before the court. You simply have to come to court on Thursday and hear for yourself our side of the story,” said Mr Mpala.
Online Reporter