Zwnews Chief Correspondent

Zimbabwe’s President-elect Emmerson Mnangagwa has indirectly threatened his contestant, and the judges who are to rule in the court application made by MDC-Alliance president Nelson Chamisa challenging his win.

Through a clause in his heads of arguments Mnangagwa said people must be aware of the consequences of having anything to do with the petition challenging his election win, this has been viewed by many as directed to Chamisa and all those supporting his petition, but this is also an indirect threat to the judges, an analyst has said.

Part of the clause reads;’ ‘Everyone aiding or concerned of an electoral petition presentation must weigh consequences…..from either success or failure of the petition.’  

Political analyst Elder Mabhunu says what this means is that all those involved with the matter, judges included are being warned that they could face the consequences if the ruling is not in his favour.

“If Mnangagwa threatens people only for being part of the petition, having anything to do with it, what more to those who will rule in that case? It is more of a direct threat to the judges than it is to everybody else,” Mabhunu said.