News / Local

by Staff reporter

A constitutional and human rights lawyer, Dr Musa Kika who is also perceived a regime change agent by the Zanu-PF led government has been denied accreditation as a local observer by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC).ZEC is currently accrediting observers and journalists ahead of the 2023 election.In an interview with CITE, Dr Kika said they were informed via a phone call that his application was not approved.His application was under the Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum which is a membership-based organisation that is constituted of 21 human rights-based civic society organisations in Zimbabwe.The application was received by ZEC on 3 August 2023 around 12 midday."The Forum applied for accreditation for a number of people. Today we have been informed via phone that all have been approved except mine. We asked for reasons but were not given. We were simply told, ‘thus the decision," he said.Dr Kika said the denial to accredit is ridiculous and baseless."Whatever their unstated reasons, I feel sorry for them for playing politics over national duty," he said.Contacted for a comment, ZEC Deputy Chairperson, Commissioner Rodney Kiwa said there should be a reason why he was denied."There should be a reason why he was not accredited if you have done certain things which I don't know because I am not responsible for security, so if they tell us no, I can't challenge that," said Commissioner Kiwa.On 10 May 2021, Dr Kika filed an urgent High Court application suing Justice Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi and all judges of the Supreme Court and Constitutional Court over the extension of Chief Justice Luke Malaba's tenure.Malaba was set to retire upon reaching 70 years according to the Constitution before President Emmerson Mnangagwa signed the Constitution of Zimbabwe Amendment (No 2) Bill into law, which allows judges to continue serving on the bench until they reach 75.