Judgment No. CCZ 6/2016 3 Const. Application No CCZ 28/14 hurriedly placed before Parliament and that he is still in the process of carrying out the necessary consultations with the various entities as prescribed by s 267 (2) (b) of the Constitution. The respondents also contend that the applicant has not, save for a mere statement alleging an infringement of his right conferred by s 56 (1) of the Constitution, to equal protection and benefit of the law, demonstrated how that right has been infringed by the respondents. Nor has the applicant adduced any evidence to substantiate his allegation that “the State is limping” because there are no metropolitan and provincial councils as provided for in s5 of the Constitution. It is further contended by the respondents that the second respondent’s responsibility for bringing legislation before Parliament extends only to those matters which fall under his portfolio and that the bill envisaged by s 267 is not one of those matters. In any event, so averred the respondents, a reasonable period was required within which to produce the legislation in question and it could not be hurried through within the period of 45 days suggested by the applicant. It was submitted that the application was devoid of merit and ought to be dismissed with costs. LOCUS STANDI [4] The applicant states his standing to bring this application as follows: ”9.1 I believe that as an ordinary citizen and more importantly as a Member of Parliament, I have a right to bring this application before this Honourable Court. The issue of devolution is key and central in the part of the country I come from and in the Constituency I represent. I was chosen to represent my Constituency which expects me to serve in the Bulawayo Metropolitan Council and represent their interests. I want to serve in this important institution so that it can perform and execute its developmental roles as defined by the Constitution. 9.2 Moreover, I believe that any citizen has and should have a general right to bring any application before this Honourable Court where the government of the day or any other Constitutional body is disobeying or disrespecting or not enforcing

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