MDC Alliance president Nelson Chamisa says the Zimbabwe Electoral
Commission’s (Zec) declaration of President Emmerson Mnangagwa as
winner of Monday’s presidential election was a “coup against the
people”.
Chamisa told a Press briefing in Harare yesterday that he
had overwhelming evidence to overturn Mnangagwa’s slim victory. Zec yesterday
pronounced that Mnangagwa won by 50,8%, just scrapping through the
constitutional threshold of 50% plus one vote to avoid a run-off.
“As far as we are concerned, the presidential result is
fraudulent, illegal, illegitimate and characterised by serious credibility and
legitimacy issues,” he said.
“We must place it on record that we won this election and
ready to form the next government subject to the processes we will pursue in
terms of protecting the will of the people. Our people, please, don’t give up;
yesterday’s coup against your will is temporary.”
He would, however, not say when his lawyers would file
papers to seek a reversal of the poll result.
“The will of the people is not in the declaration by [Zec
chairperson Justice Priscilla] Chigumba or by Zec but at the polling station
where the people voted. That is what we are going to honour. We will not honour
something that is null and void.
“We will seek to negate and nullify that illegality for
what it is. We will pursue all the necessary measures to be able to do that.
The bar of an acceptable election result will not be lowered just to
accommodate the expediencies that have nothing to do with honouring the people
in terms of their will. Acceptance of an election result is a function of the
integrity of the result and the transparency of the process,” Chamisa said.
The MDC Alliance leader said he would be in contact with
South African leader and Sadc chairperson Cyril Ramaphosa to seek his
intervention to resolve the crisis.
“We have the majority and are challenging the election. We
want to reach an amicable conclusion to this problem,” Chamisa said.
He claimed key State institutions were supporting the “will
of the people”.
“Don’t be misled by a few who may be supporting a few. They
are actually divided among themselves. This government can no longer hold.
There are rogue elements who want to see blood on the streets, but others who
are well meaning. That is the tragedy we have,” Chamisa said, seemingly
claiming sections of State institutions were now under his command.
“We also control a significant part of government.”
The MDC Alliance leader said Zimbabwe was now at a
crossroads as was the case in 2008 after another disputed election.
“We are disappointed in some reports that this election was
free and fair. We have a very serious challenge in the country. We are facing a
divided nation, a betrayed people and a brutalised nation. Declaration of Mr
Mnangagwa as having won the 2018 presidential election is a regrettable
decision. I must say Mnangagwa did not win this election. The election was won
by the MDC Alliance candidate,” Chamisa said.
Chamisa urged Mnangagwa to reject Zec’s coronation.
“We want to advise Mr Mnangagwa that if he is a new
democrat let him honour his pledge for a free and fair election and reject
accepting the result that is not in his favour. He known the result, he lost
the election, he must accept to give way to the new order. He must allow this
young man to do the job that I was elected by the people to do.
“He must not accept corrupted result meant to disadvantage
the nation and advantage an elite,” the youthful leader said. Newsday
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