Source: Elsa Buchanan, IB Times
Zimbabwe’s citizen-led activism campaign Tajamuka will file an application asking the Constitutional Court to make a finding that there is enough evidence to show that President Robert Mugabe is no longer capable of running the country and must step down, IBTimes UK can reveal.
Tajamuka, a non-partisan campaign of young people from various political backgrounds, hopes to unite under one umbrella to mobilise other fearful citizens to hold Mugabe‘s government accountable for socio-economic and political challenges plaguing the nation.
The movement claims it is not looking to topple the regime, rather to “ensure we restore (governance) sanity in our country, the urgent exit of Robert Mugabe from the political scene (as his departure) will open a window to a transitional process to take place”, Promise Mkwnanzi, Tajamuka’s spokesperson told IBTimes UK in an exclusive interview.
Mkwnanzi: ‘The courts are very pliant but we want to do it’
While the campaign has been carrying out peaceful “spontaneous and sporadic” actions (see boxout What is Tajamuka?), it is well on track to use a constitutional clause “that allows to call back an elected leader to step down if he has failed to take this country forward”.
Speaking over the phone, Mkwnanzi confirmed he is in the final stages of preparing to file the application.
“We are working on a constitutional application for the court to rule Robert Mugabe to step down,” he said.
The UK Foreign & Commonwealth Office describes “political interference is indicative of theproblems in the justice system in Zimbabwe“, but Mkwnanzi said Tajamuka’s defence team is confident the court may rule in its favour.
“We know that the courts are very pliant but we want to do it. Our lawyers told us that time would come and that the law could do that. It is one of the processes that we are following (to ensure Mugabe steps down). We are putting together all the things and I intend to sign it off on Monday (1 August). By Monday evening or Tuesday morning, it will be submitted,” he added.
Previous applications filed against Mugabe
It is not the first time Zimbabweans have used clauses of the relatively progressive constitutionto try and remove the president, using the Section 97 stating that a president can be removed from office due to physical or mental incapacitation.
In February this year, prominent lawyer Tinomudaishe Chinyoka filed a similar application asking courts to rule that there existed enough evidence to show that Mugabe lacked the mental and physical capacity to carry on in his seat.
In his application, the lawyer argued that Mugabe’s health and mental issues were well documented. In May, however, it emerged that the Sheriff’s Office had not served the papers, having claimed the paperwork had “disappeared” and could no longer be found, according to local media.
As it awaits the due process to be followed, Mkwnanzi said the campaign would be escalating its peaceful actions in the country “if Mugabe does not step down”, adding, “It will be very difficult for him to continue to govern the country in the way that he has done.”
Source: Elsa Buchanan, IB Times