Self-styled secretary general of the opposition CCC, Sengezo Tshabangu has withdrawn his Supreme Court appeal in which he was challenging his ban from recalling members of the party by the High Court.
The withdrawal was done just before the hearing of the appeal at the Supreme Court.
Reasons for the withdrawal were not immediately available.
“Take notice that the applicants hereby withdraw their appeal against the respondents on 9th January 2025 with a tender of wasted costs,” read the brief notice by his lawyers.
The development reaffirms High Court judgement which has become fully operational.
This means that the reshuffle and deployment by Tshabangu of various elected members of parliament in different portfolio committees that they were duly deployed to by the party is null and void and of no force or effect.
“Accordingly, all the reshuffled chairpersons of committees remain in office.
“The removal of Hon Lynette Karenyi and Hon Edwin Mushoriwa from their membership of the SROC in their ex-official capacities as leader of the opposition in the National Assembly being unlawful and ultra vires the Constitution of Zimbabwe is null and void Accordingly the two remain in their positions.
“The appointment of Nonhlanhla Mlotshwa as overall chief whip is unlawful and a legal nullify and of no force or effect,” said CCC in a statement.
The High Court has indefinitely reserved its judgement in a matter in which Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) leaders, recently sacked by the self-proclaimed secretary general of the party, Sengezo Tshabangu are suing him for his decision.
Last year CCC leaders including the interim party leader, Welshman Ncube and his deputy, Lynette Karenyi Kore, Sesel Zvidzai and Edwin Mushoriwa filed an application citing their party as the first applicant.
Tshabangu had dismissed the leaders from their parliamentary roles and appointed his selections in their place.
Tshabangu, the Speaker of the National Assembly, and Senator Nonhlahla Mlotshwa were cited as respondents in court papers.
Ncube and his colleagues sought a court declaration that Tshabangu’s decisions to oust them from the Standing Rules and Orders Committee (SROC) were unlawful and exceeded his constitutional authority,
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They also challenged Mlotshwa’s appointment as the CCC chief whip, claiming that such a position is not recognised under Section 151 (2) of the Constitution.
They also said the reshuffling of various CCC members across different parliamentary committees to which they were originally assigned.
They sought an order to prevent the Speaker from announcing these changes in the National Assembly which was upheld by High Court Judge Justice Neville Wamambo last week.
