D-Day for Kudakwashe Bhasikiti

Politics
THE Constitutional Court will today hear former Masvingo Provincial Affairs minister, Kudakwashe Bhasikiti’s case where he is suing President Robert Mugabe for contempt of court.

THE Constitutional Court will today hear former Masvingo Provincial Affairs minister, Kudakwashe Bhasikiti’s case where he is suing President Robert Mugabe for contempt of court.

By Everson Mushava

The ConCourt will also hear an appeal by Bhasikiti against a High Court ruling dismissing a case where he challenged his dismissal from Zanu PF by Mugabe and his subsequent recall from Parliament.

The former Mwenezi East MP was dismissed from Zanu PF together with several party stalwarts in May over allegations of working with former Vice President Joice Mujuru in an alleged plot to oust Mugabe.

The boot was followed by his recall from the National Assembly by Speaker of Parliament Jacob Mudenda.

But Bhasikiti dragged Mugabe to court challenging his ouster from the party and recall from Parliament.

The ConCourt ruled that Mugabe should not proclaim a date for by-elections in Mwenezi East Constituency before Bhasikiti’s matter was resolved by the court before July 30.

Despite the ruling, Mugabe on July 2 proclaimed that the nomination court would seat on July 20, forcing Bhasikiti to file an urgent chamber application on July 7 seeking to stop the sitting. He also pressed contempt charges against Mugabe.

The High Court threw out Bhasikiti’s case claiming that the former Zanu PF politburo member was supposed to exhaust internal remedies available in Zanu PF before approaching the court.

But Bhasikiti on July 10 filed another urgent chamber challenging Justice Bhunu’s entire ruling. Bhasikiti is represented by Tendai Biti in both cases.