Masarira loses High Court bid to contest for presidency

Source: Masarira loses High Court bid to contest for presidency -Newsday Zimbabwe

Masarira approached the court after the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) rejected her nomination papers.

LABOUR, Economists and African Democrats (LEAD) opposition leader Linda Masarira has lost a High Court bid to contest for the presidency.

Masarira approached the court after the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) rejected her nomination papers.

High Court judge Justice Gladys Mhuri dismissed her application with costs yesterday.

Mhuri delivered the operative part of the judgment saying full reasons will follow.

Masarira told NewsDay that she will consider her next course of action after seeing the full judgment.

“The judge only read the operative part of the judgment. We will only get to know the reasons when we get a copy of the full judgment. The way forward will be determined after reading the full judgment,” Masarirra said.

Her nomination papers were rejected after she failed to pay the requisite US$20 000 nomination fee using the Real Time Gross Settlement (RTGS) due to bank limits.

In her application, Masarira cited the presiding officer of the nomination court, Zec chief elections officer Utloile Silaigwana, Zec, President Emmerson Mnangagwa and Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) leader Nelson Chamisa as respondents.

Masarira also cited other presidential candidates including Saviour Kasukuwere (independent), Douglas Mwonzora (MDC) and Lovemore Madhuku (NCA) as respondents.

Masarira was demanding that Zec should allow her to contest in the presidential race.

The matter was heard last week and the judge reserved judgment after hearing arguments from both sides.

United Zimbabwe Alliance leader Elisabeth Valerio, is the only female presidential candidate following the latest court ruling.

In 2018, there were four female presidential candidates.