Zimbabwe opposition leader Nelson Chamisa on Wednesday filed a petition challenging President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s July 30 election victory.
His Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) alleges electoral fraud and rigging in favour of President Mnangagwa.
MDC lawyer Thabani Mpofu told journalists in Harare that the party has a strong legal team in place to proof its case.
“We are working with a huge team of local lawyers and internationally recognised constitutional lawyers on this petition,” he said.
Chamisa is accusing the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) doing a poor job in supervising over a free and fair election.
Last month’s historic polls was marred by post election violence. Six supporters of the MDC were shot and killed by Soldiers.
The protesters were disputing the election results. Some of these supporters were arrested and charged for the deaths.
They secured a bail this week but Zimbabwe officials are still hunting leaders of the MDC.
Hunting down MDC leaders
On Wednesday a senior opposition figure, Tendai Biti was arrested while crossing the border with Zambia.
He was seeking asylum in that country but was deported and now in custody in Zimbabwe.
His lawyer Gilbert Phiri told the BBC that Zambian officials defied a court order not to deport him.
Phiri says Biti has now been handed over to Zimbabwe police.
“They quickly opened the border around 06:00 [04:00GMT] and took loads of paramilitary officers there. We had obtained a court order late last night but the Zambian authorities refused us to serve it on them.
After some time, we just saw a convoy exiting on the Zimbabwean side and [Mr] Biti was immediately not reachable on phone. That’s how he has gone,” Phiri is quoted by the BBC as saying.
UN condemns deportation
The U.N. refugee agency in a statement said it was concerned by reports that Biti was refused asylum in Zambia.
It said the action was a serious violation of international law.
“It is reported that the authorities handed him over to his country of origin today despite a court order to the contrary,” the UNHCR said.
Why are opposition activists wanted?
The Zimbabwe police unit mounted a search for Biti and other opposition activists for allegedly inciting their members to protest last week.
Police are now searching for nine senior officials of the opposition MDC Alliance with a warrant issued for them.
Source: Africafeeds.com
