Quotable Quotes: Reactions to High Court ruling on Nelson Chamisa leadership of the MDC

Hopewell Chin’ono: “It is funny for this court ruling to come 5yrs after Tsvangirai appointed his VPs & only 2 weeks before the MDC Congress.

“It’s ludicrous for a court to ask 2014 MDC structures to choose a leader when those structures don’t exist. Should those who joined other parties come back?”

David Coltart: “It will be appealed. This is what is called a brutum fulmen – ‘empty thunder’, an ineffective order. By the time the appeal is heard a duly constituted Congress of the MDC will have been held and @nelsonchamisa elected. Pathetic interference with the due process of a party.”

Jacob Mafume: “We have just been advised of the High Court of Zimbabwe judgement issued by Justice Edith Mushore today. We fundamentally disagree with the judgement. The choice of leaders of any political party, the world over is the sole preserve of the members of that party.”

David Coltart: “Imagine if Mugabe or the G40 had gone to Court to argue that Mnangagwa had been illegally appointed President of ZANU PF in December 2017 after the violent ouster of Mugabe. It is hard to imagine any #Zimbabwean Court being bold enough to rule as they have today against the MDC.”

Hopewell Chin’ono: “Notwithstanding issues related to property, if I were Nelson Chamisa I would simply form another political party. The MDCA or dump that name altogether. People are following him and the causes and ideas that he represent and not a name of a political party!

“It would be truly ridiculous that the same judiciary that said a coup was legal and constitutional would today attempt to legalize political support!”

Jacob Mafume: “It can never be a judicial process. Equally, the actions, activities and programmes of a political party, being a voluntary organisation whose existence is protected by the Constitution, is the sole preserve of the members that party.

“In the past few months, over 500 000 members of the MDC have been involved in a process of electing their leaders at lower levels, from branch to the province. More particularly, over 10 200 branches, 1 958 wards, 210 districts and 13 provinces have been elected.”

Victor Karonga: “The constitutional delinquency of the captured Judiciary of Zimbabwe has come to its maximum stupidity and an embarrassment of the Zimbabwean law. The Judge has interfered with the MDC internal processes. SHAME.”

Pedzisai Ruhanya: “The MDC led by Nelson Chamisa needs both a legal and ROBUST political response to this judiciary capture masquerading as rule of law. Going by this nonsense it means the likes of James Maridadi who has joined ZANU PF and Eddie Cross now adviser to ED will attend congress using 2014 structures. We have argued before that there cant be justice in courts captured by a party/state/military complex as there was no justice under Rhodesia.”

David Coltart: “The farcical nature of life in #Zimbabwe. Next the High Court will be ruling that @nelsonchamisa is not a person. The regime truly fears him taking full and unfettered leadership of the #MDC.”

Hopewell Chin’ono: “Political support can’t be legalized or gotten on the basis of a court order. Political parties by their nature are voluntary organizations, you can’t force people to be led by someone they don’t like.

“Harvest House doesn’t belong to the MDC, so Chamisa should simply ignore the court order by not participating in a charade congress ordered by the court.”

Pedzisai Ruhanya: “Under competitive authoritarian regimes, the regime captures FOUR zones of contestation; 1. the electoral field, 2. JUDICIARY, 3. MEDIA 4. Legislature.

“That’s the charade explaining the FAKE and BOGUS HIGH COURT RULING @nelsonchamisa. Its politics masquerading as law!”