ConCourt dismisses bid to invite UN poll observers

Published: 13 July 2017

THE Constitutional Court (ConCourt) yesterday dismissed an application by one of next year's presidential aspirants, Ignatius Masamba, to cause Parliament to order a national referendum to find out if the country needs to invite United Nations (UN) election observers and monitors for the upcoming polls.

Masamba, who was self-acting in the proceedings, had cited Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa and the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) as respondents, arguing that the next year's election results would only be regarded as credible if they were monitored by UN agents.

However, the ConCourt bench declined to entertain the matter, saying Masamba was not properly before the court and also that the court had no jurisdiction to order Parliament to invite UN monitors.

"I am sure you may not be happy with what is happening in this country. It is your constitutional right to feel that way. But you cannot approach this court and seek an order to compel Parliament to force them to invite the UN to monitor elections. That is not our duty. You can petition Parliament yourself, if you so wish," Chief Justice Luke Malaba said in his brief ruling.

In his application, Masamba argued that he feared the upcoming polls would be rigged by Zanu-PF if international observers were excluded from the process.

"Why must events here not be under the microscopic eye of the UN directly to monitor one of the perennially disputed election results in 2018? Then, (President Robert) Mugabe will be exonerated if he wins. Those in the opposition, probably, falsely accuse him of rigging. And if Mr Mugabe wins, some of the opposition party leaders, if not all, will then look the guiltiest villains," he said.

Masamba further said Mnangagwa, as Justice minister and an MP, should lobby Parliament to order a referendum on the matter.
- newsday

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