MDC-T Files Court Papers Challenging Mugabe Election Win
Mwonzora claimed that his party has evidence that some members of the security forces voted on July 31 although they had already cast their ballots in the early vote conducted two weeks before the elections
HARARE — Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) founding president Morgan Tsvangirai on Friday took his challenge of President Robert Mugabe's victory in the July 31 national elections to the Constitutional Court citing several irregularities. Speaking to journalists flanked by lawyers representing Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, MDC-T spokesperson Douglas Mwonzora, said Mr. Tsvangirai and his party were challenging the outcome of the July 31 national elections on 15 grounds. President Mugabe won the election with 61 percent of total votes cast and Mr. Tsvangirai got 34 percent. But the MDC-T says the polls were not credible. Mwonzora said his party has furnished the court with evidence that the electorate was intimidated by Zanu PF before and during voting day. He added the MDC-T is yet to receive a copy of the voters roll even after the polls have been conducted. Mwonzora claimed that his party has evidence that some members of the security forces voted on July 31 although they had already cast their ballots in the early vote conducted two weeks before the July 31 polls. The MDC-T spokesman told reporters that several people’s names are duplicated in the voters roll, adding over half a million citizens were disenfranchised of their right to vote. President Mugabe, the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission and Registrar General Tobaiwa Mudede, were cited as respondents in Mr. Tsvangirai's application. Mr. Mugabe cannot be sworn in as president until the Constitutional Court delivers judgment on Mr. Tsvangirai’s application. In terms of the new constitution, the court has 14 days within which to dispense of the matter. Meanwhile, the MDC-T on Thursday approached the High Court seeking an order compelling the electoral body to furnish it with the voters roll that the commission used during the July 31 polls. The case will be heard next Wednesday.