The High Court judge, Justice Munamato Mutevedzi has dismissed an urgent application to review nomination fees gazetted by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) under Statutory Instrument 144/22 saying the applicants should wait for their turn to be heard by the court.
The application was filed by Obey Shava of the Shava Law Chambers on behalf of Egypt Dzinemunhenzva, an aspiring 2023 presidential candidate, Tapiwanashe Chiriga a human rights defender and Harare North legislator Norman Markham and Vongai Katamhondoro.
The applicants wanted the High Court to hear their case before the nomination court sits on Wednesday 21 June, arguing that the application relates to their constitutional rights to participate in the 2023 general elections, which rights would be violated if they’re unable to participate due to exorbitant nomination fees.
“To the extent that the nomination court is sitting on 21 June 2023, the determination on whether or not ZEC pegged nomination fees were constitutional should be done before the nomination date,” reads part of their application.
The four further argued that by amending the nomination fees for the 2023 general elections, ZEC did not follow the constitution, was unreasonable and blocking aspiring candidates from participating in elections.
Justice Mutevedzi however ruled that their case was not urgent and should be treated as an ordinary matter.
In August 2022, ZEC gazetted nomination fees requiring aspiring presidential candidates to pay US$20 000 to contest in the presidential elections while aspiring legislators fork out US$1 000.
Aspiring candidates for local authority elections will also pay a nomination fee of US$200.
