National Constitutional Assembly (NCA) leader Professor Lovemore Madhuku has said his party will not take part in the by-elections slated for March 26, 2022 as it is a waste of resources.
Last week President Emmerson Mnangagwa proclaimed by-elections date with the nomination courts sitting on January 26 while voting will be held on 26 March.
Speaking to journalists in Harare today, Madhuku said the elections had no significance given that the country is only a year away from the next general elections.
“This particular set of by-elections which have been called at this particular point in time are a real waste of resources. In our view as the NCA we believe that the by-elections being called at this particular point do not have much political value for the country particularly because of the timing of the by elections.
“We are all preparing for the 2023 harmonised elections which are slightly more than a year from now. Our view as a party is that as a country we should be geared towards 2023 and that the whole country must be doing a number of things and the first set that must be done as we look towards 2023 is to look at our electoral law and focus on the electoral reforms,” said Prof Madhuku
Asked on whether there was a legal basis to challenge the proclamation, Prof Madhuku said it was an irrational decision.
“I think there is a sufficient basis the only problem we have in the country is that people think that a challenge only comes through a legal challenge and that is a weakness of our country, people want to go to the courts. The courts have limited frameworks, so legally it might be difficult to do that although I think that there is a basis.
“We are already outside the framework set by the Constitution which says that we must hold these elections within 90 days that is did not happen and so we went on for more than a year. The President’s proclamation now is not based on any law.
“He did not do it when he was supposed to do it, so what he is doing now is completely arbitrary on the basis of the President, remember he came out of the Zanu PF politburo meeting and said I will be coming back to proclaim in January that’s the first we heard about it so they show what I can say that it is an irrational exercise of power. An irrationality is a basis of attacking any decision at law.” said Prof Madhuku.
