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Zimbabwe Supreme Court To Hear Opposition 2005 Elections Challenge


Zimbabwe's supreme court will hear arguments September 20th in a constitutional challenge to the results of the 2005 general election filed by the Movement for Democratic Change faction headed by MDC founder Morgan Tsvangirai.

The party is challenging the Zimbabwe Electoral Act because it doesn’t provide for an independent court to resolve electoral disputes, among other reasons.

Jesse Majome, a member of the party's national executive and legal committee, said the case could \have a significant bearing on the upcoming March 2008 elections.

Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa asked the supreme court in June to throw out the MDC challenge, saying the opposition had taken too long to file it.

Though the supreme court has decided to hear the case, lawyer Nicholas Mathonsi of Bulawayo tells reporter Patience Rusere of VOA's Studio 7 for Zimbabwe that the legal challenge comes too late to change much in time for the 2008 elections.

More reports from VOA's Studio 7 for Zimbabwe...

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