High Court Rules In Favour Of Zvoma On Urgency Of Case

Justice Bere dismissed submissions by lawyers representing the Speaker of Parliament that the house was an autonomous arm of the state which should be allowed to operate free of any interference by other arms of the state.

Justice Bere, who made the ruling in chambers, proceeded to hear arguments from both sides and later deferred his judgement to an unconfirmed date next week.

“Basically judgement is reserved to next week,” Chris Mhike, lawyer for the respondents, later told journalists.

“The judge needs time to consider the submissions made in detail. There were very substantial submissions made by all the councils representing the parties and the judge needs sufficient time to
consider those submissions.”

Zvoma is battling to cling on to his job of 22 years, amid accusations from MDC parliamentarians he is nolonger fit for the job due to abuse of authority and bias towards Zanu-PF.

The December 15 High Court application by Zvoma was occasioned by a motion moved by MDC-T MP for Hwange Central Brian Tshuma who sought his immediate dismissal for alleged abuse of authority as chief executive officer of the country’s bicameral parliament.

Tshuma among other accusations, says Zvoma is behaving like he was owner of Parliament through taking unilateral decisions.

He singles out the March 27, 2011 case in which Zvoma postponed the sitting of the lower house when MPs had come to elect Speaker of Parliament.

This followed the nullification of Lovemore Moyo’s election by the Supreme Court a week earlier.

Zvoma stands to lose all his benefits should the house proceed to have him fired.

Listed as respondents in the matter are Speaker of Parliament Lovemore Moyo, his deputy Nomalanga Khumalo, Senate President Edna Madzongwe, MDC-T MPs Brian Tshuma and Shepard Mushonga, Willius Madzimure and Linnet Karenyi who are the chairperson of committees of Parliament and deputy.