THE Supreme Court has ruled that Nelson Chamisa is not the legitimate MDC leader in a judgment that settles the drawn out leadership wrangle between him and Thokozani Khupe.
In his ruling, Chief Justice Luke Malaba also reinstated the MDC (then MDC-T)’s 2014 structures.
The ruling could also be triumph for tormented top MDC politician Douglas Mwonzora, who was then secretary general.
THE Supreme Court has ruled that Nelson Chamisa is not the legitimate MDC leader in a judgment that settles the drawn out leadership wrangle between him and Thokozani Khupe.
THE Supreme Court has ruled that Nelson Chamisa is not the legitimate MDC leader in a judgment that settles the drawn out leadership wrangle between him and Thokozani Khupe. https://www.newzimbabwe.com/breaking-khupe-triumph-as-supreme-court-chamisa-not-legitimate-mdc-leader/
Posted by New Zimbabwe.com on Tuesday, March 31, 2020
The ruling by Malaba followed an appeal by the now dethroned opposition leader against a High Court ruling that had also confirmed that he was not the legitimate MDC president.
The application was filed last year at the High Court by Elias Mashavira, an MDC Gokwe Sesame member.
In the judgment last year, High Court judge Edith Mushore found Chamisa not be the legitimate MDC president.
She further nullified late founding MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai’s 2016 appointment of Chamisa and Elias Mudzuri as deputy presidents.
The ruling ordered the MDC to return to its 2014 structures and conduct an extra-ordinary congress within the next three months to elect a party leadership as dictated by their constitution.
Chamisa appealed against the ruling at the Supreme Court.
Following Tsvangirai’s death in 2018, Chamisa railroaded party organs to declare him acting president as a temporary measure to fill up the leadership vacuum, creating fierce fights with Khupe and Mudzuri who were also eyeing the position.
A congress was held in Gweru last year in which Chamisa was elected president unopposed.
The Supreme Court ruling means Khupe is now the acting president of the MDC with Komichi as deputy chairperson and Mwonzora, famed for defeating Chamisa in 2014 retains the post of secretary general.
