The Nelson Chamisa-led party raised concern over the
credibility of the voters roll ahead of the polls after a number of
discrepancies were uncovered by data analysts, as well as how Zec handled the
by-elections.
Angered by how the party was blocked from freely
campaigning before the by-election, CCC said Zec reneged on its constitutional
mandate to stop violence and other electoral malpractices.
In a statement, CCC spokesperson Fadzayi Mahere said the
opposition party was taking legal action against Zec to force the electoral
management body to be accountable and ensure the credibility of future polls.
Referring to section 156 of the Constitution, the CCC
statement said: “In terms of this provision, Zec has an obligation to ensure
that appropriate systems and mechanisms are put in place to eliminate electoral
violence, electoral malpractices and ensure the safekeeping of electoral
materials.
“Section 155 of the Constitution requires that elections be
free and fair. Following in-depth investigations and pursuant to taking legal
advice following the March 26 by-elections, CCC is of the view that the conduct
of Zec hitherto falls desperately short of the mandatory constitutional
standards and there have been numerous violations of the electoral law.”
The statement added: “In response to this regrettable state
of affairs, the movement is exploring (and in appropriate cases has already
undertaken) legal, political and civil mechanisms to engage Zec and hold it
accountable to avoid a repeat of these malpractices in the landmark 2023
general elections.”
But Zec disowned the flawed voters roll, claiming it was
tampered with by its critics.
Political analyst Alex Magaisa said regular scrutiny of Zec
was necessary to build confidence in the country’s electoral processes.
“It’s important to continuously hold Zec to account because
it is the political referee and as with any referee in a contest, it must enjoy
the full confidence of the contestants. Regular scrutiny of Zec is a necessary
part of the process,” he said. Newdsay
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