PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa yesterday warned that
opposition MDC Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa could be arrested if he continues
to incite his supporters to picket at the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec)’s
offices in a bid to disrupt Monday’s general elections.
The threat came as police blocked Chamisa’s planned mass
demonstrations scheduled for today, with the law enforcers citing manpower
shortages.
The opposition presidential candidate has vowed to block
the holding of elections until Zec has guaranteed transparency and security of
the vote.
Addressing a Zanu PF campaign rally at Mubaira growth point
in Mhondoro, Mnangagwa said the law would deal with any malcontents bent on
disturbing the peace obtaining in the country ahead of the polls.
“As political parties, we signed a pledge for peace ahead
of elections. All 55 parties taking part in the elections signed, but to my
surprise, some little boy and a small party turns around to say he wants to
shut down Harare.
Oooooh, my father Shumba! How does he want to achieve that?
As who? Getting support from where?” he queried rhetorically.
“I heard that he changed his heart and said he wanted peace
and if he does that, we welcome him. He is our son, we allow him to traverse
throughout the country asking for your vote, but if he chooses chaos, law and
order will prevail.”
The Zanu PF presidential candidate warned his arch-rival,
saying: “If you act in a peaceful manner, we will not touch you. You will stay
in opposition doing your things while time moves and we will continue ruling
over you. We can’t close out opposition because we need it. If it’s not there,
then we won’t have anyone to rule over.”
The threats of arrest also came as Zec and opposition
parties yesterday reached a deadlock over how next week’s elections would be
conducted, with the electoral body insisting there was no more room for further
concessions on the electoral roadmap.
Tempers flared during a multi-party-liaison committee
meeting in Harare after Zec commissioner Qhubani Moyo shot down demands made by
the MDC Alliance, prompting a heated debate, with opposition officials accusing
the electoral management body of colluding with Zanu PF to run a sham poll in
favour of Mnangagwa’s government.
The remarks drew the ire of two Zanu PF representatives,
Munyaradzi Paul Mangwana and Nick Mangwana, who immediately stormed out of the
meeting.
“If you have issues, talk to Zec, not Zanu PF. You cannot
continue to accuse my party without substantiation. People do not understand
how these things work. You raise the issues to the constitutional body, not
Zanu PF,” Munyaradzi, the Zanu PF legal secretary, said before he walked out.
Nick weighed in, saying: “Why do you accuse Zanu PF when
you are not happy with the referee?”
Norton independent parliamentary candidate, Temba Mliswa
tore into the MDC Alliance, blasting it for its threats to picket at the Zec
offices over electoral reforms while not doing much on the ground to win the
polls.
“The election situation is way better than ever before. We
cannot have a perfect election, but let us appreciate that it is way much
better than of any other country in the world. Rallies and demonstrations will
not work. Candidates should go on the ground to talk to people, and I am the
one doing that, while the MDCs are busy marching in the streets. We do not want
cheap politics here,” Mliswa said.
He also attacked both the MDC Alliance and Zanu PF for
fielding candidates with tainted backgrounds.
Chamisa has since called for an emergency meeting with his
close lieutenants today to review the situation.
In turning down the MDC Alliance demonstration, Harare
police boss, identified as Chief Superintendent A Ncube, said they were now
busy with election preparations and could not spare some officers to escort the
demonstrators.
“You are advised that currently, the district is engaged in
final preparations for elections deployment scheduled for July 30, 2018. Our
members are engaged in training and collection of kit as well as final
deployment strategies/other political rallies,” Ncube said.
“You are advised that the venue at which you intend to
gather, i.e. the Africa Unity Square, is currently being utilised by the
Ministry of Sport, Arts and Recreation from Tuesday July 17, 2018 to Saturday
August 4, 2018, who are celebrating the arts, culture and heritage policy of
Zimbabwe.”
Chamisa has bitterly complained about the way Zec has
handled the pre-election process, especially the printing of ballots, which he
described as controversial.
According to MDC-T secretary-general Douglas Mwonzora, the
party’s national executive will meet today to decide their next course of
action following the latest developments.
“This (ban) is totally unfair and uncalled for. It’s a ploy
by Zanu PF to slow us down. Our previous demonstrations have been peaceful and
exemplary. There was no need to ban it, as if there would be violence,” he
said.
“Given this latest development, our party national
executive will meet tomorrow (today) to review the political environment as
well as participation in the election.” Newsday
0 comments:
Post a Comment