Tinaani Nyabereka
Gweru – Movement for Democratic Change (MDC-T) Gweru’s ward 14 candidate Silas Mutendeutswa has said the August 23 harmonized elections were already rigged accusing the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) of bedding Zanu PF.
Mutendeutswa, who is the party’s Midlands Provincial Chairperson was speaking at a press club discussion organized by the Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) in Gweru.
He said ZEC had failed to show impartiality in conducting a free and fair election saying the voter’s roll was in shambles, a clear testimony that the election body cannot run a credible election.
“If you look at the voters roll, there are voters who were registered under my ward but are not supposed to be in ward 14. There is massive displacement of voters in the voters roll, which is a clear sign that the election is already rigged,” said Mutendeutswa.
Mutendeutswa also added that the failure by ZEC to release the voter’s roll was chaotic.
He said though the party president Douglas Mwonzora withdrew from the race, they were still contesting fully aware that the elections were rigged.
“Although our president, Douglas Mwonzora pulled out of the presidential race, all other candidates for house of assembly and local authority are still participating,”
“We are participating but we already know that this is a rigged election, ZEC is failing to play a neutral role and appear to be siding with Zanu PF,” said Mutendeutswa.
MDC-T president Mwonzora pulled out of the race after citing a plethora of irregularities caused by ZEC.
Last week the Catholic Commission on Peace and Justice Midlands Chapter urged political parties to uphold peace ahead of the coming elections saying elections were a one day event.
