Representatives of the three aspirants were at the nomination court and they all expressed confidence that their candidate would win.
Tsvangirai’s papers were filed on Wednesday at the same time as the rest of the party’s candidates in senatorial, house of assembly and local government elections across the country but his adviser Alex Magaisa was in court to finalise the process.
MDC-T secretary general Tendai Biti and the party’s national organising secretary Nelson Chamisa briefly appeared to pay the nomination fee of $500.
Biti told the media at the nomination court that although his party was concerned by the legal issues around the holding of elections they were also cognisant of the people’s desire to have elections and move on.
“It was such an honour to file the papers for the next president of Zimbabwe. I think that the court cases were important to restore legitimacy to all the unconstitutional and illegitimate things that we have been doing. First the proclamation was done without an Act of Parliament. Secondly there is the intensive 30 day registration period that is taking place and to make the nomination sit today has effectively cut off 14 days from voter registration which the people of Zimbabwe are constitutionally entitled to.
“We are aware that millions of Zimbabweans out there want change and they just want to get it over and done with,” Biti said.
Filing Mugabe’s papers was the Zanu (PF)’s Secretary for Legal Affairs, Emmerson Mnangagwa who refuted allegations that the President was in ill health.
“He is a careful man, he has gone for a normal medical check-up on his eye,” he said.
Mugabe is currently in Singapore for medical treatment.
MDC-N secretary general Priscilla Misihairabwi-Mushonga filed papers on behalf of her party’s candidate Welshman Ncube.
She confirmed that their papers were in order and reiterated that her party was not involved in coalition talks with any party.
“We have been very clear as a party and those that are ready to talk to us know who to talk to no one has approached us on any issue around any coalition we read it in the papers. The only discussions we have had are discussions around the issue of the constitutional court and electoral issue. We have not been in any meeting where anything to do with a grand coalition has been discussed,” she said.
Simba Makoni recently announced that he would not be running for the presidency but would instead rally around a coalition candidate.
Post published in: News