Parties hail judgment

are eyeing the presidency, expressed readiness for elections in the wake of last week’s Constitutional Court ruling that directed President Mugabe to proclaim dates and hold the harmonised elections not later than July 31.

The Constitutional Court ruled with a huge majority of seven judges assenting to two dissenting that election dates should be proclaimed and harmonised elections held by July 31 this year.

The judgment followed an application by Mr Jealousy Mawarire of the Centre for Election Democracy in Southern Africa who wanted the court to compel President Mugabe to proclaim election dates by June 29 when the life of the Seventh Parliament lapses.

Among the active parties that have been attending meetings convened by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission to resolve political disputes ahead of the elections are Zanu-PF, MDC-T, MDC, Mavambo Kusile Dawn, Zanu Ndonga, Zimbabwe African People’s Union, Free Zim Congress, Rebuilding Party of Zimbabwe, Voice of the People, African National Council, Progressive and Innovative Movement for People’s Prosperity, Zimbabwe Youth Alliance, Democratic Alliance-United People’s Party, United Movement for Democracy, Zimbabwe Organised Open Political Party, Multiracial Open Party Christian Democrats, Zimbabwe Development Party, Zimbabwe Progressive Party, Popular Democratic Front and the African National Party led by Mr Egypt Dzinemunenzva.

Zanu-PF national spokesperson Cde Rugare Gumbo welcomed the Constitutional Court ruling, saying his party was raring to go.

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“We cannot keep postponing the elections and remember we were supposed to have these elections in March. As a party we welcome the decision by the courts suggesting that we should hold elections by July 31. We have been waiting for this judgment,” he said.

Cde Gumbo said his party had always been ready for the elections and was finalising rules and regulations that will govern the primary elections.

Zapu leader Dr Dumiso Dabengwa also welcomed the Constitutional Court ruling, saying Zapu was comfortable with any date set for the elections as long as the country was ready to conduct the polls.

“We are ready for elections even if we say let us have them tomorrow for as long as the country is ready. However, we have heard a lot of complaints about the ongoing voter registration process. We would want Zec to come up with a new voters roll so that we have free and fair elections,” he said.

Zanu-Ndonga leader Mr Gondai Vuituza also welcomed the judgment saying what the highest court in the land had decreed should bind all stakeholders.

“We want to get on with these elections and they were long overdue. The ruling was good in that it was a compromise that encompasses concerns by all parties that wanted elections by June 29 and those preferred a postponement,” he said.

Mr Vutuza said his party would field candidates in Chimanimani, Chiredzi and Bikita constituencies.
African National Party leader Mr Dzinemunhenzva concurred with Mr Vhutuza saying he was throwing his hat into the presidential ring though he would have wanted at least four months to campaign.

Multi Racial Open Party Christian Democrats spokesperson Mr Mathias Guchutu said all stakeholders should abide by the court ruling.

He said the court did not proclaim election dates but just a timeframe.

“Our position is very clear that we should abide by the decision of the Constitutional Court. All parties wanted elections but it was clear that June 29 was no longer possible because of the time frame and what the court did was to come up with a reasonable timeframe within which elections should be held.

“What should be clear is that the Constitutional Court did not fix an election date and we should be happy that we are now more focused as to when elections will be held.

“There is no more politicking and Principals should now sit and come up with election dates,” he said.
Mavambo leader Dr Simba Makoni said he was yet to receive the full judgment of the Constitutional Court.

“We are still looking for the full judgment and we cannot say much at the moment. When our lawyers get the full judgment that is when we are going to inform the nation of our position,” he said.

The MDC formations that have been lobbying for an October poll, however, differed with others saying they had reservations about the Constitutional Court’s ruling.

MDC-T spokesperson Mr Douglas Mwonzora said his party had ‘’serious misgivings’’ with the judgment as it felt election dates should be process driven while MDC secretary for policy and research Mr Qhubani Moyo said in his party’s view the earliest date for elections was supposed to be August 17.

“We are flabbergasted, astonished, perplexed and astounded by the by this judgment which is not in sync with the realities of the new constitution,’’ he said.

President Mugabe has since said he would comply with the Constitutional Court’s ruling and would discuss with Justice and Legal Affairs Minister Patrick Chinamasa to set the polling dates as soon as he returns home from the Tokyo International Conference for African Development which ended in Yokohama, Japan yesterday.