The MDC Alliance is convinced that it will prove that ZEC
inflated President Mnangagwa’s votes, especially in Harare.
Highly-placed opposition sources told NewsDay last night
that the court challenge was aimed at reversing the declaration made by Zec
chairperson Justice Priscilla Chigumba using V11 forms, mostly from Harare
polling stations, which they alleged were inflated to give Mnangagwa higher
margins.
“The idea is to nullify the result by showing that there
was an inflation of figures towards the winner. We will have to provide
evidence towards that effect to overturn the .8% which ED got to avoid a rerun.
Harare province V11 forms are sufficient to remove this .8%,” the source said.
Chamisa’s legal team will then go to the second part of the
challenge, which involves proving that Chamisa garnered more that 50% plus one
vote, which entitles him to be declared winner and sworn-in as President.
At the centre of the challenge, the source added, were the
discrepancies on the figures announced by Zec, which indicated that National
Assembly voter turnout was 75%, while that of presidential was 85%, without
giving reasons for the 10% difference and showing evidence that either 10% of
the voters only voted for the President and neglected the legislators’ ballot
papers.
The sources added this would be difficult for Zec given
that Mnangagwa was outpolled by his legislators at almost all polling stations.
Chamisa, according to Zec, polled 44,3% of the vote in the
July 30 watershed election, while Mnangagwa got 50,8% of the total votes cast.
The court challenge would likely affect Mnangagwa’s
inauguration, which has been tentatively set for Sunday at the National Sports
Stadium unless the Electoral Court fast-tracks the matter and conclude it
before the day.
The court will have at least 14 days to conclude the matter
before Mnangagwa can be sworn in if the result is not overturned.
Asked to confirm if the court application had been made,
Chamisa’s spokesperson Nkululeko Sibanda said: “We will know by tomorrow.”
There have been calls for Chamisa to accept the results and
try again in 2023 given that he still has age on his side. Internally, vultures
were already circling above him with the intention of toppling him from the
helm of the party, which he took over upon the death of leader Morgan
Tsvangirai in February this year.
Tension has been high since last Wednesday when the MDC
Alliance supporters protested against alleged rigging by Zec. The government
responded by deploying soldiers who opened fire in the crowded city that
resulted in the death of seven civilians.
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