MDC Says Constitutional Court Challenge to CAA3 Postponed

THE Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) says its Constitutional Court challenge against Constitutional Amendment Act No 3 (CAA3) has been postponed, with the opposition party demanding clarity from the court over the delay.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, MDC secretary for information and publicity and presidential spokesperson Lloyd Damba said the party had not yet been officially informed why the hearing was deferred.

“Our legal team was ready. Our structures were ready. The people were ready to come and witness the defence of the Constitution,” Damba said.

“We are yet to be officially informed by the court why the hearing has been postponed.”

The party claimed the postponement followed a week of threats, harassment, and intimidation of its officials over alleged efforts to mobilise citizens to attend the public court hearing.

“This comes after a week of threats, harassment and intimidation of our party officials for allegedly ‘mobilising’ citizens to attend a public court hearing,” the statement read.

The MDC accused authorities of attempting to restrict public access to the judicial process and preventing constitutional scrutiny of CAA3.

“The MDC condemns this as another attempt to deny Zimbabweans access to justice and to shield CAA3 from constitutional scrutiny,” Damba added.

The opposition party said it had instructed its legal team to approach the Registrar of the Constitutional Court for clarification and to seek a new hearing date.

“We have instructed our lawyers to seek urgent clarity from the Registrar of the Constitutional Court and to demand a new date for the hearing,” the statement said.

The MDC maintained that the postponement would not halt its campaign against the constitutional amendment.

“Zimbabweans must not be denied their day in court. The fight to defend the Republic continues,” Damba said.