Press Release
MDC legal challenge to elections
Statement by the President of the Movement for Democratic Change, Morgan Tsvangirai, on the MDCs legal challenge to the March 2002 Pesidential elections.
On Friday, April 12, 2002, the Movement for Democratic Change will file an election petition in Zimbabwe's High Court seeking the nullification of Robert Mugabe's purported re-election in the March 9 and 10 Presidential elections.
It is common cause that the MDC rejected the outcome of the March 2002 presidential elections and categorically views Robert Mugabe's presidency as illegitimate.
We should restate our salient position that the issue of the election that was stolen from the people of Zimbabwe and the consequent illegitimacy of the sitting government is fundamentally a matter that falls within the province of political dispute requiring a political solution.
We are bringing this legal action in the full knowledge of the above. In the light of this, we view the legal process as complementing the political process. The hearing of this matter in court, will in fact, expose overwhelmingly shocking evidence of electoral fraud and a complete picture on how the will of the people of Zimbabwe was subverted with impunity on the 9th and 10th of March.
We have an overwhelmingly strong case. The MDCs legal machinery has been working on this case, 24 hours around the clock in anticipation of the MDC leadership's decision to complement the political process on the stolen election through legal action. Our lawyers have uncovered mountains of hardcore and powerful evidence of electoral fraud, which if presented to an independent and impartial court would undoubtedly result in Robert Mugabe's electoral victory being set aside.
We however hasten to add that we are not under any illusions that despite the overwhelming evidence at hand, the complimentary legal action may face a hurdle, given that Zanu PF has now subverted Zimbabwe's judicial system.
Finally, we wish to state that whilst we appreciate that there are talks taking place between the MDC and Zanu PF, we only had 30 days within which to file this election petition. We simply could not forfeit the remedy given to the MDC by law, by failing to file the election petition within the time limits prescribed by the electoral law.
As MDC, we have entered in these talks in the full knowledge that we have a national responsibility to find a solution to the Zimbabwean crisis. In the event that Zanu PF acts in good faith in these talks, and a solution is found to the crisis, then, the court action may not be necessary.
Morgan Tsvangirai
MDC President Harare,
11 April 2002
|
|
You can make a difference
|
|
 |
Make a donation |
|
Support Zimbabwe at an event |
|
Lobby your local Government member |
|
Become a member of the ZIC |
|
