The Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) has accused the ruling Zanu PF party of using its muscle to gain political dominance in Zimbabwe.
In a paper unpacking the National Electoral Reform Agenda (NERA) titled; NERA, The Genesis MDC president Douglas Mwonzora’s presidential spokesperson Lloyd Damba said
Zanu PF was running State institutions such as Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec), security sector, judicial service and traditional leaders.Mwonzora is the NERA national spokesperson.
He said all the institutions were working under Zanu PF’s close scrutiny.
“The independence and impartiality of Zec is more compromised now than ever before because five of its commissioners are children of Zanu PF politburo members.
“[This is] making the Zimbabwean election a Zanu PF show and nothing but just a five-year formality to return Zanu PF to power. Zec itself has members of the above bodies in its rank and file including the chief elections officer Utloile Silaigwana who has been a thorn in the flesh of opposition political parties and one of the ‘outstanding issues’ of the Global
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Political Agreement and the Electoral Reforms demanded by the MDC in the GNU [Government of National Unity]. Silaigwana is a member of the military whose allegiance is also well-known,” he said.
Damba said Zimbabwe’s security sector was being monopolised by the ruling party to the detriment of the opposition.
“The police have been used also to curtail political activities across the country using archaic draconian laws, arbitrary arrests to instil fear and compliance among the citizens.
“The Central Intelligence Officers of late have been stuffed in Zec subcommittees for the sole purpose of manipulating the vote.
“These State organs have weaponised the distribution of food aid and agricultural inputs thereby quashing dissent. Against certain sections of the Constitution we have seen the abovementioned, directly involved in the running and at the same time swearing allegiance to the ruling party, unleashing terror and harvesting fear among the electorate rendering the election exercise illegitimate,” he said.
The MDC spokesperson also accused traditional leaders of being affiliated to Zanu PF, thereby, eroding their independence.