Nelson Chamisa to Challenge Mnangagwa’s 2023 Election Victory in Constitutional Court
The President of the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC), Nelson Chamisa, is looking to throw a wrench into the works, potentially putting the brakes on President-elect Emmerson Mnangagwa’s upcoming inauguration and swearing-in ceremony.
Mnangagwa had originally scheduled his inauguration for Monday, September 4th, but this new development is likely to push that date further down the road.
Legal Maneuvers in Motion
Information reaching this publication is that Nelson Chamisa plans to drop a legal bombshell at the Constitutional Court on Saturday, September 2nd. He aims to turn the tables on the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC), challenging their declaration of Emmerson Mnangagwa as the duly elected President following the recent harmonized elections. ZEC declared Mnangagwa the victor with 52.6 percent of the vote, while Chamisa pulled in 44 percent.
Chamisa and his party argue that the election lacked credibility, and various electoral observer missions have raised questions about its fairness.
A History of Legal Battles
It is worth noting that when Nelson Chamisa previously challenged the election results in court, the Constitutional Court upheld ZEC’s declaration that President Mnangagwa had won the 2018 elections. Chief Justice Luke Malaba and the eight-member bench dismissed Chamisa’s case with costs.
The court handed down the ruling on August 24th, and just two days later, Emmerson Mnangagwa was inaugurated. Notably, Chamisa did not attend the inauguration ceremony despite reportedly receiving an invitation.
In addition to pursuing action in the Constitutional Court, Chamisa reportedly took his case to the African Commission on Human and People’s Rights (ACHPR), commonly known as the Banjul Commission, to challenge the August 24, 2018, Constitutional Court ruling.