MASVINGO Provincial Affairs minister Ezra Chadzamira on Wednesday publicly bragged about Zanu PF’s poll-rigging machinations, saying the practice was commonly practiced globally.
By Garikai Mafirakureva
The Zanu PF provincial chairperson made the remarks during a party inter-district meeting held at Chitsanga Hall in Chiredzi, saying election rigging occurred even in developed countries such as the United States, so the main opposition MDC should stop demonising the ruling party over the handling of last year’s general elections.
“Zimbabweans should know that there was nothing like democracy under the sun, but we have guided democracy. So if you think Zimbabwe will ever be democratic, keep on dreaming,” he said.
“[Donald] Trump stole the election in America, but no one burnt or looted properties like what the opposition did in Zimbabwe. Elections are being stolen everywhere, even in the DRC (Democratic Republic of Congo), so what’s so special about the Zimbabwean situation?”
“MDC Alliance is full of thugs and crooks who want to justify looting and property destruction hiding behind a finger, claiming Zanu PF stole an election. Go and tell them that Zanu PF will continue to rule because we are going to use every trick in the book to win forthcoming elections.”
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The Zanu PF administration has often been accused by civil society organisations and opposition parties of rigging previous polls through ballot stuffing, violence, creation of fake identity cards and fake voter registration slips as well as spearheading multiple voting.
The 2018 polls were largely disputed, with the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission accused of manipulating electoral processes in favour of the ruling Zanu PF party.
Contacted for comment, MDC spokesperson Jacob Mafume said what Zimbabwe needed at the moment was dialogue to heal the nation, instead of provocative statements that would trigger hostilities.
“What we need at this moment is not saber-rattling, which will lead Zimbabweans to be injured. We need a genuine dialogue framework that deals with excesses from the security forces,” he said.