The High Court has ruled that the Nelson Chamisa-led MDC Alliance is a political entity with the capacity to sue and be sued.
Justice Munangati Manongwa last week granted an interim order requested by Chamisa to stop the disbursement of $7,5 million under the Political Parties Finance Act to the Thokozani Khupe-led MDC-T.
The ruling came after the MDC Alliance sought an interdict barring the government from releasing the funds under the Political Parties Finance Act to the Khupe faction.
The MDC Alliance cited the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, and Parliament of Zimbabwe as respondents.
The judgment acknowledged the MDC Alliance as a political party. The ruling read in part:
The applicant herein is a political party with the capacity to sue and be sued. The applicant has approached the court on an urgent basis seeking the following relief…
Justice Munangati Manongwa further stated that there was evidence that the government intended to give the money to another party which was not the MDC Alliance. She said:
There is evidence of publications to the effect that there is a likelihood of the applicant’s entitlement being paid to a different entity other than the applicant.
Speaking to NewsDay, MDC Alliance deputy secretary-general Jameson Timba said:
The judgment acknowledged that president Chamisa was elected as president of the MDC Alliance in Gweru last year. It also acknowledged that he contested elections as a candidate of MDC Alliance.
