The ManicaPost
Senior Reporter
DESPITE being involved in the significant amendments that led to the signing of the Electoral Amendment Act, MDC-T chief whip Mr Innocent Gonese still insist that the electoral management body — ZEC — is not complying with law in its administration of the processes leading to the harmonised plebiscite set for July 30.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa signed the Electoral Amendment Act on May 28 this year after rigorous debates and adjustment of the piece of legislation by all political players in Parliament.
However, of late, the MDC-T has been pestering the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) with court applications in spite of successfully contributing in recent amendments to the Electoral Act, which brought the changes the party is now contesting.
It emerged that the two MDCs led by Mr Nelson Chamisa and Professor Welshman Ncube successfully caused changes to more than 10 Sections of the Electoral Act, some of which they are now exerting pressure on ZEC to disregard.
MDC-T chief whip Mr Innocent Gonese and MDC-N’s then representative Ms Priscilla Misihairabwi-Mushonga made extensive contributions which saw a lot of sections being amended in the Act.
The pair was instrumental in the amendment of Section 4 of the electoral law, with Mr Gonese taking a leading role in changes made to sections 18, 20, 21, 35, 40, 56, 59 and 133.
The whole of section 171 was amended at the behest of Mr Gonese.
Mr Gonese, for instance, pushed for the insertion of sub-section 4(a) which confirms the independence of ZEC by giving the electoral body the leeway to prepare and keep the voters’ roll.
However, in an interview this week, Mr Gonese said the pieces of legislation referred to were being quoted out of context.
He said ZEC was not complying with the law.
“It is clear that ZEC is not complying with the law at all. The areas that are being quoted, wherein we are said to have participated in amendments, are being used out of context.
“Our previous elections were characterized by shenanigans, skulduggery and manipulation. The voters roll is a key instrument and ZEC has not complied with Section 21 (4) which obliges them to avail the voters roll before nomination day. They fall foul of this provision and have no reasonable explanation. We could go on and on but the bottom line is that ZEC has not shown commitment to hold free and fair elections,” said Mr Gonese.
However, ZEC chairperson Justice Priscilla Chigumba has said “only an earthquake can stop the July 30 harmonised elections”. She advised aggrieved candidates that if there were anomalies in the voters, candidates could possibly challenge the outcome of the election, adding that whatever legal recourse at hand could not stop the election.
