Too early for Grace Mugabe’s supporters to celebrate

According to a legal expert, so far the special congress seems to have been called to endorse Mugabe as the party’s presidential candidate next year, something that could have been done at the usual annual conference. If that is the case, the expert argues, then the case of VPs does not arise.

It will therefore not be a walk over for G40 and Grace Mugabe’s supporters.

Perhaps their only weapon is that, according to the party constitution, no one can take the party to court for violating its own constitution.

The constitution states: “Any issue or matter arising in connection with the interpretation or application of this Constitution which cannot be resolved otherwise under this Constitution shall be referred for determination to the Central Committee whose decision thereon shall be final.”

Here is what the ZANU-PF constitution says, unless amended in 2014

Extraordinary Congress

23. An extraordinary session of Congress may be convened .whenever it is deemed necessary and at the instance of:-

(1) the majority of the members of the Central Committee; or

(2) the President and First Secretary, at the instance of not less than one third of members of the Central Committee, or

(3) the President and First Secretary, at the instance of at least five Provincial Executive Councils by resolutions to that effect;

24. the President and First Secretary, on receipt of a resolution requesting an extraordinary session of Congress, shall forward the same to the Secretary for Administration.

25. The Secretary for Administration shall, on receipt of the said resolution, give at least six weeks notice convening an extraordinary session of Congress.

26. The Central Committee shall formulate the necessary procedures for the execution of the business of the extraordinary session of the Congress.

27. The extraordinary session of Congress shall deliberate only on those matters for which it has been specifically convened.

28. Three-quarters of the members of Congress shall ' form a quorum for the convening of the extraordinary session.

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