The two have since paid the hefty US$2 000 court fees
considered by many as prohibitive. The cases will be heard anytime depending on
the petitioners.
According to the results released by ZEC, Mudisi lost to
Zanu PF’s Mecky Jaravaza by a small margin of 517 votes (11 607 to 12 124)
while Mudzingwa lost to Court Zevezai by 2 336 votes (7 544 votes to 9 880
votes).
Of particular interest in Mudisi’s case is that there is a
video of intimidation that will be produced against Jaravaza in Ward 19. It is
in that same Ward where Mudisi made a dramatic loss; getting a paltry 10 votes
against Jaravaza’s 570. Mudisi appears to attribute his total election loss of
517 to Ward 19.
Both petitioners contend that their opponents were not duly
elected and are seeking orders to either declare the process null and void or
to declare them winners of the election.
These two are the first reported election petitions coming
out of the 2023 harmonized elections held on August 23, 2023, the lowest in
many years after CCC declared that the Judiciary is captured and it has no
confidence in its judges.
There are two respondents in both court cases; Zanu PF
candidates and ZEC.
Both candidates are arguing that the results should be
nullified because the elections were neither free nor fair and there are videos
and other evidence that will be presented in court.
In the videos Jaravaza allegedly told villagers of voting
party procedures that they would follow at polling stations. He also told them
that their names would be recorded outside polling stations and they would be
given numbers that will match those that they will be given in polling
stations. He allegedly said that Zanu PF will be able to trace their votes
through those numbers.
Indeed, according to the petition, the villagers found that
all that Jaravaza had said was being followed at the polling stations, says the
petitioner.
Jaravaza warned the villagers not to play tricks and try to
vote CCC because they would be caught.
Mudzingwa alleges that his opponent, Zevezai used
intimidation, violence, vote buying, voter suppression, disenfranchisement and
threats to force villagers into voting for Zanu PF. There was also a faulty
voters’ role. He also alleges that Zanu PF in violation of the law continued to
campaign up to the election day and at the polling station in violation of the
law and the code of conduct for candidates.
He says a shadowy organization allegedly run by the Central
Intelligence Organisation (CIO) had tables at the polling stations and within
300 metres of the stations which is prohibited by the law.
It cites some names of the perpetrators of violence
including Zevezai, Zanu PF provincial youth chairperson, Delight Mandebvu of
Nyika Growth Point, Tinashe Mufari of Mufari Village Ward 31 Bikita, Albert
Mufunda also of Mufari Village, Dunmore Mutsauri of Ward 31 Bikita, Stanley
Kupeta of Ward 21 Bikita, Zivanai Nhongo of Ward 31, Chikuku Business Center
and Oliver Dzinokuvara of Dzinokuvara Village, Chief Mukanganwi Ward 20.
Masvingo Mirror
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