adminElectoral Commission to gazette the dates for the by-election and to conduct the polls within 14 days.
Before the expiry of the 14-day ultimatum, President Mugabe, through Justice and Legal Affairs Minister Patrick Chinamasa, has filed an application to extend the period within which to comply with the High Court order.
The application, which was filed on Friday, came hardly a week after the same court extended the by-election period for three constituencies in Matabeleland to March 31. Judge President George Chiweshe is expected to hear the matter in his chambers today.
Mrs Fortune Chimbaru from the Attorney General’s Civil Division is representing the President and ZEC, while Mr Allex Mambosasa is acting for ZNYSGA.
In the founding affidavit deposed by Minister Chinamasa on behalf of the President, it was stated that the same court had already granted a related order in respect of Lupane East, Nkayi South and Bulilima.
The by-election for the three constituencies will be held together with the harmonised elections in March next year.
Minister Chinamasa said there were 16 vacancies in the House of Assembly, 11 in the Senate and 164 local authority seats countrywide and that the costs involved were too high considering harmonised elections are expected in March next year.
He said the process involved enormous resources and that the President was applying for the order to be covered by the harmonised election slated for end of March to cut costs.
The order in question was granted by Justice Lavender Makoni on September 26.
It read: The first respondent (President Mugabe) be and is hereby directed to publish a notice in the Government Gazette ordering by-elections in all the vacant parliamentary and senatorial constituencies within 14 days of being served with this order.
“The second and third respondents (ZEC and its chairman) are hereby directed to conduct by-elections in all the vacant parliamentary and senatorial constituencies subsequent to the gazetting thereof by the first respondent.
“The second and third respondents are hereby directed to conduct elections in all vacant rural and urban wards in terms of Section 121 of the Electoral Act,” ruled Justice Makoni.
Online Reporter