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Nyemudzai Kakore Herald Reporter
The MDC Renewal Team has reiterated it will not contest in the forthcoming 14 by-elections following the recall of 21 MPs by MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai, saying Speaker of the National Assembly Advocate Jacob Mudenda erred in interpreting the Constitution when he declared the seats vacant.

The Renewal Team joins the MDC-T which has also said it will not participate in any elections before so-called reforms are carried out.

The 14 seats, together with seven others won by MDC-T on proportional representation in the July 31 2013 harmonised elections, were declared vacant after MDC-T wrote to Adv Mudenda indicating that the legislators were no longer representing its interests in both the National Assembly and the Senate after they joined the MDC Renewal Team.

The 21 legislators first joined the Renewal Team led by Mr Tendai Biti before a merger with the MDC faction led by Professor Welshman Ncube to form the United Movement for Democratic Change.

President Mugabe has since proclaimed April 16 as the date when the Nomination Court will sit in five provincial capitals to receive names of those who intend to contest in the 14 by-elections set for June 10.

The Renewal Team has since gone to court contesting the expulsion of the legislators and its urgent application is set to be heard on April 14.

Renewal Team spokesperson Mr Jacob Mafume on Tuesday said there was no need to contest in the by-elections since they believed the legislators were unfairly treated because they never crossed the floor.

“The true position is that we did not form a new party, we expelled a few leaders from MDC-T,” he said. “We believe that the Speaker of the National Assembly Advocate Jacob Mudenda erred in his ruling, so the question of by-elections does not arise.

zanu-pf is getting ready for the by-elections, with a number of its prospective candidates having submitted their curriculum vitaes which are now awaiting vetting before primary elections are held. Of the 21 vacant seats, MDC-T will nominate people to fill the seven won through proportional representation using the party’s share of the vote in the July 31 2013 harmonised elections.

The 14 by-elections will be held on the same day as those for Headlands and Hurungwe West to replace expelled zanu-pf legislators Mr Didymus Mutasa and his nephew Mr Temba Mliswa, respectively.