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You are here: Home / News Articles / IB Times / Tajamuka campaign to file application to probe Mugabe’s capacity to rule nation

Tajamuka campaign to file application to probe Mugabe’s capacity to rule nation

July 29, 2016

Source: Elsa Buchanan, IB Times

Original article URL

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

Filed Under: IB Times, News Articles Tagged With: activists, Promise Mkwananzi, Tajamuka

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"The determined efforts, and spirited focus by Zimbabweans from all paths and circles of life against authoritarianism as epitomised by #Tajamuka, #ThisFlag, churches, political parties, individuals etc just transmits a 'zing' of confidence, hope and dawn of a new dispensation from my skull nerves to my balls right to the tip of my foot. Authoritarianism and the despotic dispensation are under electrocution."
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" It was good and permissible when the flag since 1980 was carried by every Harry and Tom to Rufaro Stadium or National Sports Stadium to support Zimbabwe's national team the Warriors. It is good and permissible when the flag is carried about by women and children flocking to the airport to routinely receive the President from his many foreign travels. It is good and permissible if the flag is mutilated and redesigned on the party regalia of the country's self-acclaimed LIFE RULING SINGLE PARTY. It is now bad and not permissible when it is carried by those who demand that the sacrifices of those who lost their lives and years in the liberation struggle be respected by those in power through fighting corruption; practising good governance; public accountability by bringing to book those who are responsible for the missing $15 billion diamond revenues; fiscal austerity by cutting down on the many annual trips the President embarks on; by cutting on extravagance through avoiding the purchase of expensive Range Rovers when the govt is very broke to the point of asking for financial help from those it says are destabilising the economy and country."
- Zvakwana Taneta
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