By Staff Reporter
Sengezo Tshabangu, who claims to be the interim secretary general of the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC), has filed an urgent chamber application to prevent all recalled lawmakers from campaigning or running under the party’s name.
This comes after 13 MPs and five senators were recently recalled.
Last month, Tshabangu had recalled 15 lawmakers, who are now set to contest parliamentary seats in the upcoming December 9 by-elections. This move follows High Court Judge Munamato Mutevedzi’s dismissal of their appeal, stating that they were improperly before the court.
Tshabangu’s lawyer, Lewis Uriri, explained to journalists that the application is being filed because the recalled lawmakers were duly recalled by the CCC and are no longer members of the party. He argued that their nomination papers are invalid and should be expunged from the list of valid nominees.
Uriri stated, “The party that recalled them did not sign their nomination papers and they were therefore improperly nominated. We will be seeking that they be expunged from the list of those that were validly nominated such that they will not be on the ballot paper.“
This move by Tshabangu is likely to further divide the CCC and create more challenges for the party ahead of the upcoming by-elections.