Last week, the ConCourt dismissed a related application by
Mwonzora.
He had sought nullification of a delimitation report on new
constituency boundaries that was gazetted in February arguing it was done
unprocedurally
His application was heard by a full Constitutional Court
bench led by Chief Justice Luke Malaba.
On Friday, he filed yet another application seeking to have
the final delimitation report declared invalid.
In his application, Mwonzora claimed the delimitation
report was flawed and contained irregularities such as opaqueness of the
exercise in coming up with new boundaries.
“The delimitation report, because of its invalidity is not
sufficiently informative,” Mwonzora submitted.
“I also will need to plan where to hold rallies and other
meetings.
“The current delimitation report does not inform me, for
example, how many people were 17 years old at the time of delimitation, but who
are now 18 years old this year.
“This information will help me concentrate on where to
encourage voter registration for my campaign.”
There has been controversy surrounding the delimitation
report, with opposition parties and election watchdogs accusing the Zimbabwe
Electoral Commission (Zec) of using a wrong formula to redraw electoral
boundaries.
The last delimitation was done ahead of the 2008 elections.
“The current delimitation report does not show, for
example, how many people are 13 years of age and who will be 18 years in 2028,”
Mwonzora said.
“This will help me to plan for that election as
well…because of its non-compliance with section 161 of the constitution, the
current delimitation report is invalid and cannot be the basis of a free and
fair election as contemplated by our constitution.”
President Emmerson Mnangagwa on Friday said elections were
going to be held in August.
Mwonzora last week reacted angrily to the ConCourt ruling.
In an interview with Heart and Soul TV, Mwonzora accused
the ConCourt of making a political ruling.
“Judges in this country have made political decisions and I
could say it in front of the Constitutional Court itself,” Mwonzora said.
“It was not a sensible judgment and it is certainly
political.
“It is meant to avoid an embarrassment on the electoral
body and therefore if judges do that, we must point that out and we must
condemn it and that is why we are saying that we don’t agree with what the
Constitutional Court did.”
Analysts accused Mwonzora of trying to torpedo the
constitution on the holding of general elections.
“He was aware that elections can’t be postponed and is
trying to ride on a good cause to achieve an evil outcome,” said human rights
activist and Project Vote 263 founder, Youngerson Matete.
Harare-based lawyer Edwin Saungare said Mwonzora’s
application was likely to be overtaken by events.
“If it’s an ordinary application, by the time it will be
heard the president would have announced date for elections and the elections
would be done and this application will be moot,” Saungare said. Standard
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