MDC Alliance leader Mr Nelson Chamisa yesterday revealed
that he played a crucial role in the appointment of commissioners to the
Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC), which today he condemns as lacking
capacity to run a credible election.
Addressing a Press conference in Harare, where he raised a
litany of charges against ZEC, Mr Chamisa claimed during interviews for the job
the ZEC commissioners proved intelligent and capable of running elections.
He now accuses the same of lacking in everything to run the
polls 25 days before election day. Zimbabweans vote on July 30.
“By the way I want to share with colleagues, I was
responsible for the interviews of most of ZEC commissioners, but from a
parliamentary perspective,” said Mr Chamisa.
He added: “But I am now doubting them. Some of the
credentials they were showing when we were interviewing them are not
manifesting . . . They are beginning to show a huge gap.”
Mr Chamisa conducted the interviews on May 9, 2016 and the
panel of interviewers also comprised academics, former ZEC commissioners,
educationists, lawyers and a member of the clergy.
The interviewing panel was co-chaired by a sub-committee of
SROC chaired by Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly, Cde Mabel Chinomona
and Mr Chamisa.
Mr Chamisa played a crucial role during interviews to
select ZEC commissioners in his then capacity as the chairperson of the legal
and procedure sub-committee of the Standing Rules and Orders committee.
The confession by Mr Chamisa, which exposed his hypocrisy,
came as political parties yesterday scoffed at calls by the MDC Alliance leader
for sadc, African Union and the United Nations to intervene in the forthcoming
elections saying only ZEC was mandated by the constitution to run the election.
Mr Chamisa yesterday told a Press conference that he would
be sending an envoy to sadc and the AU, and also called for their intervention
in the running of the elections, accusing ZEC of failing to manage the
electoral process.
“We, therefore, call upon SADC, the AU and the
international community to intervene and save a collapsing process and abate an
imminent legitimacy crisis,” he said.
The ruling Zanu-PF said the only role the AU and sadc or
any other international body could play was observing the election.
“Since when have the AU and sadc taken over the conduct of
elections in any country?” said Zanu-PF spokesperson Cde Simon Khaya Moyo.
“They are all coming as observers. The whole world has been invited, so why
should they come to conduct the elections? We are a sovereign State.
“If there are issues, they should raise them with ZEC, it
is an independent body.”
Cde Khaya Moyo dismissed issues raised by the MDC Alliance
as “tired”.
MDC-T spokesperson Mr Obert Gutu said only ZEC had the
responsibility to run elections.
“ZEC has the constitutional mandate to run elections in
Zimbabwe,” he said on his Twitter handle. “Anyone who dreams that SADC and the
AU will come to run elections in Zimbabwe is obviously out of their mind, they
would have taken leave of their senses.”
Rebuild Zimbabwe presidential candidate Mr Washington
Chikanga said they had no problems with ZEC.
“As a party, we have no problems with ZEC because it is an
independent body,” he said. “They produced the voters’ roll and people went to
inspect and those who had problems were given an opportunity to make
amendments.
“So, for us there are no problems and no need to call
outsiders to run our elections.”
United Democratic Front presidential candidate Mr Peter
Gava said while they had concerns with ZEC over some issues, it was not proper
to involve foreigners in the running of elections. Herald
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