Opposition political parties under the banner of Coalition of Democrats (Code) do not believe that the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) is capable of delivering a free and fair election next year, NewsDay has learnt.
Source: Opposition parties lose confidence in Zec – NewsDay Zimbabwe March 18, 2017
BY TALENT GUMPO
Addressing a Press conference on Thursday, MDC leader Welshman Ncube said Zec was not independent and lacked credibility.
“As Code, we are unhappy with the work done by Zec. It has failed to remain an independent entity as mandated in the Constitution. It has also failed to develop an accurate voters’ roll,” he said.
Ncube accused Zec of attempting to rig elections by excluding eligible voters from the voters’ roll.
“The voters’ roll has already been manipulated through exclusion of qualified voters in areas where Zanu PF is not very popular. About 15% of the people below the age 25 are only included,” he said.
“The direction of the country should be determined by young people, but they are not being included in the voters’ roll.”
Ncube said Zanu PF had shown no interest in solving the continuous problems that the country was facing.
“We have had a continuous economic crisis and poverty is endemic throughout the country. People are jobless and businesses are closing as if there is no government because no one is doing anything about the situation,” Ncube said.
“We have to come together to replace the tired government which is not doing anything to save Zimbabwe.”
The MDC leader said Code wanted internationally-supervised elections as Zec was posing a threat to free and fair elections.
“We want to break the legitimacy crisis and we are not convinced that we will as long as Zec runs the elections without international supervision. We are not confident that Zec is in a position to deliver free and fair elections,” Ncube added.
In 2008, Zec was accused of massive ballot manipulation after it failed to release presidential elections results for six weeks.
Leaders of political parties in the Code who attended the event included Zapu leader Dumiso Dabengwa, Renewal Democrats Zimbabwe leader Elton Mangoma, Farai Mbira of Zunde, People’s Democratic Party secretary-general Gorden Moyo, MDC vice-president Edwin Mushoriwa and secretary-general Miriam Mushayi, among others.
COMMENTS