MDC-T calls on Zimbabwe Electoral Commission to fire all CIO and security agents for free and fair elections

The situation on the ground, however, is pointing to the fact that ZEC is terribly ill – prepared and ill – equipped to conduct a free and fair election in Zimbabwe. ZEC chairperson, Justice Rita Makarau, was recently quoted in the public domain announcing that the electoral reforms will cost about US$30 million and that both the government and donors will fund this program. We all know that the government of Zimbabwe is nearly bankrupt and that it will most likely be unable to make any significant financial contribution to meeting the said cost. Thus, it is incumbent upon ZEC to make a full public disclosure of the names of the donors who will be funding this process. As the MDC, we are extremely concerned about the lack of transparency pertaining to the manner in which ZEC generally conducts its affairs.

There is a very disturbing and worrisome veneer of secrecy surrounding such issues as where and who prints ballot papers, who supplies the indelible ink that is used at polling stations etc. We robustly demand and declare that all these essential matters pertaining to the running of free and fair elections should be fully and adequately disclosed and discussed with all political parties that are participating in the electoral process. More importantly, ZEC should immediately proceed to terminate the contracts of employment of all CIO and other State security agents who are presently running the ZEC secretariat. The ZEC secretariat has been the engine room of the electoral rigging process in Zimbabwe. Previous experience has taught us that certain key figures within the ZEC secretariat do not report to the Commissioners. They actually report directly to their political masters at Munhumutapa and Chaminuka buildings.

ZEC is also disturbingly powerless when it comes to dealing with the rampant vote buying gimmicks of ZANU-PF. Just a few days ago whilst addressing a ZANU-PF campaign rally for the Norton by – election, Vice President Phelekezela Mphoko boasted that ZANU-PF Cabinet Ministers and other top ruling party politicians will continue to 'take' financial and other resources from State corporations and dish out this loot to ZANU-PF supporters and other ruling party operatives; particularly during election campaigns.

Surprisingly, ZEC did not come up with any public denunciation of this patently unlawful and unconstitutional utterance by Mphoko. The impression that is, therefore, created amongst ordinary Zimbabweans is that ZEC is just a toothless and powerless election management body that is effectively under the control and command of the ZANU-PF regime. This is contrary to the provisions of Section 232 of the Constitution of Zimbabwe that lists ZEC amongst five of the country's independent constitutional commissions.

There is still a very long way to go for ZEC to gain the confidence and trust of the majority of Zimbabweans. For now, ZEC is coming across as a lame duck and weak organization that is routinely bullied around by the ZANU-PF regime.

The MDC calls upon Justice Rita Makarau and all her other commissioners in ZEC to immediately wake up and smell the coffee !

MDC: Equal Opportunities For All
Obert Chaurura Gutu
MDC National Spokesperson

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