Chronicle Editor
Joseph Madzimure, Harare Bureau
THE opposition party, CCC, failed to meet the deadline to register 15 of its National Assembly Members in Bulawayo on June 21 and Zanu-PF is contesting the decision by the Zimbabwe Election Commission to extend the sitting of the Nomination Court into the following day to finish the nomination process for the 15.
The candidates who failed to meet the deadline were Surrender Kapoikulu of Bulawayo Central constituency, Minenhle Ntandoyenkosi Gumede of Bulawayo North, Nicola Jane Watson of Bulawayo South, Pashor Raphel Sibanda of Cowdray Park, Collins Descent Bajila of Emakhandeni-Luveve, Dingilizwe Tshuma of Entumbane-Njube, Prince Dube of Entumbane-Njube, Dereck Gono of Lobengula-Magwegwe, Desmond Makaza of Mpopoma-Mzilikazi, Obert Manduna of Nketa, Desire Moyo of Nkulumane, Sineni Moyo of Pelandaba-Tshabalala, Gift Ostallos Siziba of Pelandaba-Tshabalala, Sichelesile Mahlangu of Pumula and Albert Mhlanga of Pumula.
The candidates submitted their nomination papers on June 22.
Zanu-PF Treasurer General Cde Patrick Chinamasa said it was illegal for ZEC to receive and accept nomination papers awaiting the signature of some CCC officials in Harare at the time the Nomination Court closed at 4pm on June 21.
He said equally, it was illegal for ZEC to accept payments of nomination fees after 4pm on June 21 and to wait for the payment of a CCC member who was said to be in Harare at the closing of the Nomination Court.
“The law is an ass and must be obeyed and complied with,” said Cde Chinamasa.
Accordingly, he said, Zanu-PF had directed that litigation be instituted urgently for the nullification of the nomination of the CCC candidates whose papers were submitted out of time in contravention of Section 46 (7) and ( 8) of the Electoral Act (chapter 2:13).
The 15 CCC affected candidates were not in the nomination court with signed nomination papers and nomination fees by the time the Nomination Court closed at 4pm on June 21.
Cde Chinamasa said the ZEC had no legal right to accept the nomination papers referred to from candidates who were not within the Nomination Court by 4pm on June 21.
Further, he said, the ZEC had no legal right to sit as a nomination court on June 22 to receive and accept nomination papers from the CCC candidates mentioned above.
“We are aware the failure by CCC candidates to submit their nomination papers on time is due to the structureless, constitutionless and banking accountless organisation CCC is,” said Cde Chinamasa.
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