Lawyers blast Mugabe over election decree

The Law Society of Zimbabwe (LSZ) on Monday described as unconstitutional and highly irregular, President Robert Mugabe’s weekend decree making it illegal for anyone to contest the June parliamentary election results, the ‘Daily News’ reported on Tuesday. LSZ president, Sternford Moyo, said Mugabe and his Cabinet were interested parties in the challenges filed by the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) against the June parliamentary poll results in 38 constituencies. The High Court had announced that the MDC applications would be heard in the first half of next year.

Moyo said Mugabe’s action showed “a surprising and blatant disdain for fundamental principles of natural justice”. Moyo continued: “In terms of the Constitution of Zimbabwe, judicial authority rests in the Judiciary. The Executive exercises executive powers and not judicial authority,” said Moyo, whose society represents 800 lawyers in the country. The society was reacting to a government Statutory Instrument issued on Friday which declared invalid all pending litigation challenging the June election results, saying the cases were sponsored by unnamed external enemies of Zimbabwe keen to cause instability.