TAURAI MANGUDHLA/CHENGETAI ZVAUYA
Zimbabwe’s Constitutional Court has dismissed with costs MDC Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa’s challenge against President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s July 30 election victory, on grounds that the Applicant lacked clear and sufficient evidence.
The nine member bench made a unanimous ruling against Chamisa, dismissing all of his long list of allegations for lack of evidence.
The court effectively declared President Mnangagwa the new President. Chamisa’s lawyers did not make an attempt on a recount, least cite ballot boxes as primary evidence.
“The Court finds that the Applicant failed to place clear and substantive evidence that there were irregularities that marred elections. There is no proof of irregularities as a matter of fact before this court,” Chief Justice Luce Malaba said in an abridged version of the ruling.
The main judgment with all reasons and detail is to be published later.
“The best evidence was to be from the ballot boxes which are the primary evidence,” he added.
“The court orders that the application be dismissed with costs and Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa is duly declared the winner of the presidential elections held on 30 July 2018.”
Meanwhile an inauguration is expected within 48hrs from the declaration made a few minutes ago.
