Zimbabwe: ZUJ bows to pressure for fresh polls

The newly elected Zimbabwe Union of Journalists (ZUJ) executive on 29 December 2009 opted to stand down and allow fresh elections to be held on 27 February 2010.

This comes in the wake of a High Court application filed by four freelance journalists on 17 December 2009 seeking the nullification of the election of the new ZUJ executive at How Mine outside Zimbabwe’s second city of Bulawayo.

 

In a consenting affidavit to the High Court, Foster Dongozi, ZUJ’s Secretary General and third respondent in the matter, said the consent was meant to protect the image of ZUJ rather than an acknowledgement that the elections were flawed. He stated that negative publicity would only scare potential partners from ZUJ.

 

Dongozi noted that the congress on 27 February 2010 scheduled for the Royal Hotel, Bulawayo would be largely dependent on the receipt of anticipated funds.

 

Background

 

Four freelance journalists Godwin Mangudya, Frank Chikowore, Conrad Mwanawashe and Guthrie Munyuki on 17 December 2009 filed a High court application in which they sought a nullification of the 4 December 2009 elections.

 

The application was premised on the grounds that the notice (for the congress and elections) was flawed and invalid. The four argued that there also had been false representations regarding the venue of the congress and that the whole process had been conducted outside the provisions of the ZUJ constitution. 

- January 12, 2010 by Reagan Malumo

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Source: www.misa.org (received via Email Alert on 12.01.2010)