THE Welshman Ncube-led Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) has scored a major legal victory after the party's self-imposed secretary-general Sengezo Tshabangu withdrew his application challenging a High Court ruling that he has no power to recall or reshuffle opposition legislators.
The dispute stemmed from Tshabangu’s controversial reshuffling of parliamentary committees, the removal of key CCC leaders from their positions, and the appointment of Mlotshwa as the party's overall chief whip.
After Tshabangu's withdrawal of his Supreme Court application, Justice Neville Wamambo’s January 8,2025 ruling, which declared the actions as unlawful, has now been upheld.
“The reshuffle and deployment by Sengezo Tshabangu of various elected Members of Parliament in the different portfolio committees that they were duly deployed to by the party is null and void and of no force or effect,” CCC spokesperson Willias Madzimure said in a statement Monday.
Additionally, the High Court ruling means that the removal of Lynette Karenyi as leader of the opposition and Edwin Mushoriwa as opposition chief whip was unconstitutional.
“Accordingly, the two remain in their positions,” Madzimure said.
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The court also declared Nonhlanhla Mlotshwa’s appointment as overall chief whip “a legal nullity and of no force or effect.”
The matter came before the High Court on Monday morning as the CCC sought an urgent chamber application to enforce the earlier judgment.
However, just before the hearing, Tshabangu withdrew his appeal in the Supreme
Court, effectively rendering the CCC’s application unnecessary.
Method Ndlovu represented the CCC, while Advocate Lewis Uriri appeared for Tshabangu and Mlotshwa.
Madzimure lauded the court's decision, saying that it “restores order and ensures that the will of the electorate is respected.”