PRIME Minister Morgan Tsvangirai has joined the fray in opposing President Robert Mugabe’s intention to announce June 29 as the harmonised election date, arguing he was not consulted over the subject and the move by the Zanu PF leader was not feasible.
Report by Charles Laiton
Tsvangirai, in a court application, also urged the other principals in the Global Political Agreement (GPA), the Minister of Finance and the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec), to join the fight in opposing the proposed election date.
The MDC-T leader said in terms of the Global Political Agreement (GPA), it was incumbent upon Mugabe to consult and to confer with him before certain decisions of national importance were made.
“I take note that in this application the applicant (Mugabe) has indicated that he will dissolve Parliament and call for harmonised election on or before the 29th of June,” Tsvangirai said.
“This allegation came as a surprise for me as the applicant has neither conferred nor consulted me.
“I verily believe that it is my duty to illuminate the impossibility of the applicant’s proposed timelines, which timeline he bases his application.”
The PM’s remarks were contained in his Wednesday’s application for a joinder at the High Court where Mugabe was seeking an order to be excused from complying with an earlier Supreme Court order to gazette dates for by-elections in three constituencies in Matabeleland by March 31.
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“Applicant does not refer to any of his declared positions having been agreed on between himself and me as the Prime Minister of the country,” Tsvangirai said.
Presiding over the urgent chamber application Judge President George Chiweshe urged the counsels, both for the applicant and respondents, to ensure all the necessary documents were filed by next Wednesday when the matter is set to be heard.
“I want this matter out of my way as soon as possible, the matter is postponed to next Wednesday,” Justice Chiweshe said.
Last year, the Supreme Court ordered the veteran ruler to proclaim by-election dates for the three constituencies, Nkayi South, Bulilima East and Lupane East.
The constituencies fell vacant after MDC legislators Abednico Bhebhe (Nkayi South), Njabuliso Mguni (Bulilima) and Norman Mpofu (Lupane East) were expelled for allegedly working with the MDC-T.
Justice minister Patrick Chinamasa, in a founding affidavit filed on behalf of Mugabe at the High Court, said it did not make economic sense to hold the by-elections about the same time harmonised polls were expected.
He said Mugabe wanted the courts to allow him to delay the polls on condition that he “ensures that harmonised elections are held by 29 June 2013”.
Chinamasa said the timetable was dictated by the constitution-making process that he expected to be concluded by Parliament in the first two weeks of May. He said holding by-elections in the three constituencies on the eve of the general elections would strain the economy.
Tsvangirai was represented by Chris Mhike, while Mugabe was represented by Advocate Prince Machaya form the Attorney-General’s Office.
