HARARE,
(CAJ News) – THE deadlock between the government and civil society organisations over the holding of by-elections in Zimbabwe remains unresolved and is playing out in the courts.
By-elections have been postponed indefinitely because of the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak early last year.
The High Court Justice Siyabona Musithu earlier this week quizzed lawyers representing President Emmerson Mnangagwa, Health and Child Care Minister, Constantino Chiwenga, and Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) for their alleged bureaucratic stance in not lifting the suspension of by-elections.
This is despite the government easing the lockdown.
Chiwenga, then in his capacity as the acting president, announced the ban, which was challenged in the High Court.
quizzed lawyers representing President Emmerson Mnangagwa, Health and Child Care Minister Constantino Chiwenga and Zimbabwe Electoral
Commission (ZEC) for their bureaucratic foot-dragging in not lifting
the indefinite suspension of by-elections.
Government in 2020 suspended the holding of by-elections with Chiwenga
issuing Statutory Instrument 225 of 2020 which indefinitely banned the
holding of all by-elections claiming that it was a precautionary
measure to contain the spread of coronavirus.
But Chiwenga’s ban of by-elections was challenged at the High Court on
13 October 2020 by Women’s Academy for Leadership and Political
Excellence (WALPE), Election Resource Centre (ERC) and six Harare and
Marondera residents namely Ellah Tayengwa, Moud Chinyerere, Agnes
By Mary Taruvinga
THE High Court on Monday reserved judgement on an application by Women’s Academy for Leadership and Political Excellence (WALPE) seeking an order to compel President Emmerson Mnangagwa and the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) to set dates for by-elections in compliance with the Constitution and Electoral Act.
The court challenge follows the suspension of by-elections last year by the Ministry of Health and Child Care citing the Covid-19 threat.
This was despite ZEC having developed a Covid-19 policy on electoral activities with clear guidelines on how by-elections and other electoral processes would be conducted without exposing those involved to health risks.
High Court Judge Justice Siyabona Musithu on Monday 24 May 2021 quizzed lawyers representing President Emmerson Mnangagwa, Health and Child Care Minister Constantino Chiwenga and Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) for their bureaucratic foot-dragging in not lifting the indefinite suspension of by-elections.
Government in 2020 suspended the holding of by-elections with Chiwenga issuing Statutory Instrument 225 of 2020 which indefinitely banned the holding of all by-elections claiming that it was a precautionary measure to contain the spread of coronavirus.
But Chiwenga’s ban of by-elections was challenged at the High Court on 13 October 2020 by Women’s Academy for Leadership and Political Excellence (WALPE), Election Resource Centre (ERC) and six Harare and Marondera residents namely Ellah Tayengwa, Moud Chinyerere, Agnes Togarepi, Gracious Matsunga, David Gwanzura and Loice Gwangwara.