Mugabe threatens SADC pullout

He was speaking at Zimbabwe Grounds in Highfields during the launch of Zanu (PF)’s manifesto entitled ‘Taking back the economy: Indigenise, Empower, Develop and Create Employment’ahead of the general election set for July 31.

Mugabe said SADC had no power to cancel a judgement made by the Mugabe said the regional block had no power to meddle in the Constitutional Court ruling that prescribed that he proclaim the election date.

The Concourt on May 31 said Zimbabwe should hold the general election by July 31.

At the last SADC Extra Ordinary Summit held in Maputo Mozambique last month, Africa’s regional bloc recommended that Mugabe through Justice Minister, Patrick Chinamasa seek an extension of election dates from the July 31 deadline from the Constitutional Court.

The presidents of the two MDC formations, Morgan Tsvangirai and Welshman Ncube rejected Mugabe’s July 31 date, accusing their coalition partner of breaching the constitution and creating a political crisis.

Tsvangirai and Ncube appealed to SADC to intervene on Zimbabwe’s poll date and extend the July 31 deadline to August 14, to enable the country to implement media and security sector reforms for credible, free and fair elections.

The Constitutional Court, last Thursday, dismissed the application from the two MDC formations. Chief Justice Godfrey Chidyausiku said all the nine members of the bench unanimously found no merit in applications brought up by Tsvangirai and Ncube.

Mugabe scoffed at Tsvangirai and Ncube and said their move to engage SADC was in vain because the regional bloc had no power to interfere with the judiciary in Zimbabwe.

Mugabe said: “SADC has no power to command what our courts have ruled. Let it be known that we are in SADC voluntarily and if SADC decides to do stupid things, we can move out. No outsider is allowed to intervene in a situation where our courts have made a ruling.”

For several years, SADC played a crucial role in the formation of a power sharing deal between Mugabe and his coalition partners, Tsvangirai and Arthur Mutambara after the disputed 2008 elections.

Mugabe dismissed the possibility of consulting his coalition partners on election date, even when the Government of National Unity was still valid and said: “I am given the authority to make proclamations and I did not have to consult anyone.

Mugabe described as “stupid and idiotic”, Lindiwe Zulu from South Africa, who is President Jacob Zuma’s advisor in the mediation process for her pronouncements made last week that SADC hoped that Zimbabwe’s election date would be extended by a month.

“Make no mistake, we cannot take heed of stupid and idiotic utterances from street women saying things against our courts. We are a fully independent country and we will defend our rights, sovereignty against any interference from any quarter,” said Mugabe.