(TALKZIMBABWE) Moyo to challenge election of MDC-T Speaker in the High Court
Moyo to challenge election of MDC-T Speaker in the High CourtRalph Mutema
Fri, 12 Sep 2008 09:22:00 +0000
THE independent Member of Parliament for Tsholotsho North Jonathan Moyo yesterday announced that he will challenge in the High Court the election of Movement for Democratic Change party’s Lovemore Moyo as speaker of the House of Assembly as he was elected unconstitutionally.
Moyo says the new speaker was elected on a “platform of fraud” and that was acceptable in a new Zimbabwe and branded the electoral process a “circus”.
Earlier this month, Moyo, the former Zanu PF information minister, alleged that the MDC-T members openly violated the secret ballot that is required in terms of Ordinance Number 6 of the House of Assembly Standing Rules by turning the exercise into an open ballot adding that the breach “was too glaring and its implications far-reaching.”
He said they showed each other ballot papers in defiance of House rules and that “authorities in Parliament who conducted the election of the Speaker allowed a secret ballot to become an open ballot against the clear provisions of Section 30 (2) of the Constitution and Ordinance Number 6 of the House of Assembly Standing Orders”.
According to the independent MP this “was not only scandalous but also patently unlawful and needs to be addressed.”
Moyo alleged that all MDC-T members showed completed ballot papers to Innocent Gonese, the MDC Chief Whip and other MDC-T party leaders including Thokozani Khupe, the party’s deputy president, before depositing them in the ballot boxes.
The MDC-T party, however, released a statement this wee claiming that Moyo wanted to reverse the election of the Speaker “to prevent a robust and vibrant parliament” and that the “MDC would like to make it clear that the MPs’ vote for Lovemore Moyo was a true reflection of the will of the people of Zimbabwe.”
Jonathan Moyo described these claims by the MDC-T party as “a jumpy and jittery reaction of poor folks who are guilty”.
“This is a classical example that the guilty are always afraid because they know only too well the gravity of their speaker’s electoral fraud. That is why they are running scared and throwing mud all over the place,” added Moyo.
“Everyone saw what the MDC MP's were doing – showing their ballot papers to Khupe and Goneso. Somebody must tell them that their claim of plot against their embattled speaker is preposterous because an open court application cannot be a plot. It is a simple and straightforward legal matter which they should handle legally unless they know they have something to hide from the court.”
He disputed allegations that the challenge was mooted about at a strategy workshop held by MDC Mutambara faction at Kadoma Ranch Motel last weekend which he attended.
Describing those allegations as “idiotic stories” Moyo said, “As for those who are manufacturing idiotic stories about what they imagine or wish I said at the MDC-Mutambara workshop in Kadoma last weekend, I challenge them to have the courage of their idiocy and submit affidavits with their Kadoma allegations to the court in support of their speaker's indefensible electoral fraud that was committed in broad daylight with breath-taking arrogance.
“As one of Paul Themba Nyathi's election agents on the day I have legal and ethical obligation to bring the matter to justice without any fear or favour whatsoever,” Moyo said.
Moyo also said the process sets a bad precedence for the new Parliament which is supposed to discharge of its constitutional mandate of making laws for the peace, order and good governance of Zimbabwe.
Zim Guardian/Zim Independent
Labels: JONATHAN MOYO, MDC, PARLIAMENT
posted by MrK @ 4:22 PM
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