THE ruling Zanu PF and opposition MDC Alliance yesterday said they were going ahead with preparations for by-elections despite the recent poll ban imposed by Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga.
In announcing the ban, Chiwenga, who doubles as Health
minister, cited COVID-19 fears, but his decision has been widely dismissed with
the World Health Organisation last week saying elections could still be safely
held as long as authorities enforce certain safety measures.
Some voters have challenged the ban in court, with
constitutional law experts saying they stood a greater chance of winning the
case.
At the weekend, both parties were in the trenches holding
primary elections in various parts of the country, saying they were confident
the ban would be reversed soon.
Several constituencies are without representation in
Parliament after Thokozani Khupe recalled 32 MDC Alliance MPs accusing them of
defecting from her MDC-T party.
Zanu PF national commissar Victor Matemadanda said his
party was on the ground for any eventuality, insisting that the people needed
representation “at all times”.
“The ban doesn’t have anything to do with the preparation
because COVID-19 will come to an end and elections will be there, but
meanwhile, people want service, so we can’t have a time we say politics is on
leave in a constituency where there are people,” Matemadanda said.
“Therefore, we are preparing until elections are called for
so we remain prepared.” Zanu PF held primary elections in Epworth where
Kudakwashe Damson emerged victorious.
This was the second primary election after Chiwenga’s
declaration, with the one held in Kwekwe Central to replace the late National
Patriotic Front MP Masango Matambanadzo being aborted due to intra-party
violence.
The Epworth seat fell vacant following the recall of MDC
Alliance MP Ethenrige Kureva by Khupe.
The MDC Alliance also held primary elections in Kuwadzana
to choose a candidate to replace Miriam Mushayi who passed on in September.
Party secretary-general Chalton Hwende said the ban was
unconstitutional and by-elections would be held anytime.
“We held a primary election for Kuwadzana where we lost
Honourable Mushayi. We are not doing primary elections for the recalled MPs
because we have maintained that the move was unconstitutional,” Hwende said.
Hwende is one of the 32 MPs recalled by the MDC-T. “We have
maintained that the ban on by-elections is unconstitutional and Parliament has
weighed in and also stated that it is unconstitutional.
“We insist the law must be upheld and that is why we are
busy preparing and also Zanu PF is preparing because they know that they cannot
violate the Constitution. Zanu PF is also holding primary elections and it
means they are preparing for elections anytime.”
Last month, Chiwenga announced postponement of the
by-elections indefinitely before Speaker of Parliament Jacob Mudenda told
Parliament on Thursday that Statutory Instrument 225A of 2020 had been deemed
unconstitutional by the Parliamentary Legal Committee.
He, however, appeared to make a U-turn saying the committee
was yet to meet over the matter and would likely make a determination in two
weeks.
Mbizo MP Settlement Chikwinya (MDC Alliance) yesterday said
the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission had already opened a voter registration
centre in the Midlands, raising fears it could be planning to register bussed
voters. Newsday
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