Zimbabwean High Court has dismissed an application by 23 MPs and nine senators from the opposition Citizen Coalition for Change legislators seeking their instatement in the parliament.

The MPs were recalled last month by Sengezo Tshabangu, who claims to be the party’s interim secretary general but the party says it did not authorise the recall.

However, it has been approved by the speaker of the parliament who declared their seats vacant.

The lawmakers at the centre of the dispute include 14 MPs and nine senators.

They had initially listed the National Assembly Speaker, the Senate President and the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission as some of the respondents in their case but later withdrew their action against them.