Zanu PF says it does not depend on the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) to win elections following accusations that the electoral body has been helping the ruling party to win polls.
Zimbabwe has had a history of contested elections since 2000. In 2018, the then MDC Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa refused to concede defeat to Zanu PF’s President Emmerson Mnangagwa claiming that the presidential election results had been tampered with.
Contributing to an Election Resource Centre and ProjectVote263 Twitter space discussion last Friday, Zanu PF information director Tafadzwa Mugwadi said: “Our electoral fortunes as the ruling party depend on what we do as an organisation. For Zanu PF, it doesn’t matter who is at the vehicle or who is not there, or what Zec has done or not done. Our focus as a major player in these elections is to engage the people of Zimbabwe with the aim of taking this country forward in developmental terms.
“Here and there, we hear about electoral reforms. Reforms are a continuous process. We believe our electoral process must continue to adapt and condition itself to the changing environment. In doing so, we expect that what happens will be partially a contribution towards opening up our society.”
Last month, the opposition Citizens Coalition for Change led by Chamisa launched a seven-pillar electoral blueprint, which, among several demands, wants the voters roll to be audited ahead of the 2023 elections.
The opposition said it would not accept election results if its demands are not met.
Mugwadi said despite complaints by other political parties in the past and present, Zec had conducted itself independently and delivered credible elections.
“We have enabling legislation that established the electoral commission and that legislation is very clear and unequivocal and categorical that Zec must conduct itself independently, impartially and has the mandate to conduct elections that should be free, fair and credible. Zec has done that to the extent that we are satisfied. Zec has been able to stay true to its mandate,” Mugwadi said.
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He said electoral victory was not delivered from Zec offices.
“We believe as the ruling party that our electoral fortunes are at the polling station depending on how much we would have fared in engaging people at the grassroots.”
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