President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s allies that are members of a platform ostensibly set up to improve the country’s electoral environment after the disputed 2018 polls have turned their swords on the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) after it produced a contentious delimitation report.
Zec is finalising the delimitation report after a
parliamentary ad-hoc committee raised a number of alleged anomalies in the
delimitation process.
The Political Actors Dialogue (Polad), which is composed of
fringe opposition party leaders that contested the 2018 polls and was set up by
Mnangagwa, said the divisions in Zec that arose after the draft delimitation
report did not bode well for credible elections.
Seven commissioners refused to append their signatures to
the report after claiming that it violated the constitution. The commissioners
accused Zec chairperson Justice Priscilla Chigumba of not consulting them.
Chigumba cut a lone figure during appearances in Parliament
and at State House where she received Mnangagwa’s recommendations on the
delimitation report last week.
Polad’s governance and legislative agenda chairperson
Lovemore Madhuku said there must be evidence that the delimitation outcome was
a collective effort from Zec commissioners.
“The preliminary delimitation report doesn't pass the test
set out in the constitution. Polad regards it as a failure on the part of Zec,”
Madhuku said.
“Polad is concerned about the internal governance of Zec.
Under our constitution, Zec is a corporate body consisting of nine
commissioners.
“The delimitation process cannot be the work of one or two
commissioners; there must be clear evidence that all commissioners are involved
at every stage of the process.
“This is essential for the integrity and credibility of
Zec. Polad would like to see public appearances of Zec commissioners at all
platforms where Zec is either presenting to, or receiving from, the president
reports relating to the delimitation process.
“Zec must use all the remaining stages to demonstrate in
public the involvement of all commissioners.”
Since it was set up, Polad has been measured in its
criticism of Mnangagwa’s administration and institutions such as Zec. Its heavy
rebuke of the commission could indicate that it has achieved little in its
efforts to change Zimbabwe’s election landscape.
Citizens Coalition for Change leader Nelson Chamisa, who
narrowly lost to Mnangagwa in the disputed 2018 polls refused to join Polad
saying it was a waste of time.
Madhuku said Polad
also queried the formula used by Zec in drawing constituency boundaries.
“In addition, Polad reiterates that the equality of votes
principle enshrined in our constitution must be fully respected and that the
20% variance permitted must be correctly applied,” the respected constitutional
lawyer said.
“We emphasise that the total and final population figures
from the 2022 census must be taken into account.
“The delimitation process must be an opportunity for
Zimbabweans to demonstrate their commitment to peace, political dialogue,
constitutionalism, democratic participation by citizens and respect for the
rule of law."
Bulawayo-based political analyst Effie Ncube said the
divisions at Zec were not a good sign.
“The fact that other commissioners, the majority for that
matter, distanced themselves from the report while only two commissioners were
for the report is not a good sign for the efficient, effective and smooth
functioning of such a crucial constitutional body,” Ncube said.
“There is a need for them to quickly learn and implement
the art of consensus building and democratic decision making.
“More than anybody else, it is the chairperson who must
show leadership and make sure there is internal unity.
“Zec is one of the institutions and agencies which
determine whether the country holds a free and fair election.
“Therefore, the country cannot ignore what is happening
there.”
Meanwhile, Chigumba is said to be heavily relying on the
Zec secretariat to finalise the delimitation report as the seven commissioners
remain frozen out.
The ‘rebellious’
commissioners are Rosewita
Murutare, Kudzai Shava, Jane Mbetu-Nzvenga, Shepherd Manhivi, Abigail Mohadi,
Jasper Mangwana and Catherine Mpofu.
They wrote to Mnangagwa and Parliament accusing Chigumba
and her deputy Rodney Simukai Kiwa of unilaterally imposing the delimitation
report on the electoral body .
Chigumba referred all questions to Zec CEO Utoile
Silaigwana who had not responded to questions sent to him by the time of going
to print.
Zec spokesperson Mangwana requested questions in writing,
but did not respond as well. Standard
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