Mugabe dismisses MDC-T on Heroes Day as rigging evidence mounts

via Mugabe dismisses MDC-T on Heroes Day as rigging evidence mounts | SW Radio Africa by Tererai Karimakwenda on Monday, August 12, 2013

During Heroes’ Day celebrations on Monday Robert Mugabe dismissed the MDC-T allegations of vote rigging. But more damning evidence has emerged showing that a controversial Israeli firm was paid to manipulate the voters roll to favour him in the July 31st elections.

“Those who lost elections may commit suicide if they so wish. Even if they die, dogs will not eat their flesh,” the 89-year old Mugabe told the crowd gathered for the annual celebrations at Heroes Acre, which this year the MDC-T boycotted in protest.

Despite his denials, bank records detailing payments received by Nikuv International Projects were revealed in an MDC-T dossier, submitted with their legal papers on Friday at the Constitutional Court (ConCourt).

The dossier shows that at least 50 payments were received by Nikuv between February 4 and July 30 this year, averaging about $200,000 each. The total paid to Nikuv came to about $10,578,335.

On their own website, Nikuv acknowledge that they deal with elections in several African countries, including Nigeria, Zambia, Botswana and Zimbabwe. But MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai alleges that Nikuv worked with the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) to rig the voters roll in Mugabe’s favour.

The MDC-T spokesman Douglas Mwonzora, told SW Radio Africa Monday that they had secured the bank details from their intelligence unit, which he said has contacts “within the system” who are tired of the Mugabe regime.

Regarding Heroes Day comments by Mugabe, Mwonzora said: “That is typical of a deranged old man who always says those kinds of things. We would not go to be addressed by the same person we are accusing of stealing the election.”

Mwonzora confirmed that the MDC-T will not be a part of Mugabe’s cabinet, but would allow those who won to participate in parliament and local government, as they are “platforms where the party can further its agenda”.

The MDC-T are challenging Mugabe’s election victory on 15 grounds and seek to have the elections declared null and void under section 93 of the Constitution. They also want a fresh election within 60 days.

ZEC chairperson Rita Makarau and chief elections officer Lovemore Sekeramayi are named as respondents along with Mugabe. But history has shown the judiciary system in Zimbabwe to be highly compromised, being stacked with judges appointed by Mugabe who have ruled in his favour on most occasions.

The ConCourt has up to two weeks to rule on this crucial matter. Until this is resolved Mugabe cannot legally be sworn into office.