MDC, ZEC fight escalates as Chamisa’s team meets various ‘key embassies’, SA President Ramaphosa rec

MDC, ZEC fight escalates as Chamisa’s team meets various ‘key embassies’, SA President Ramaphosa receives MDC letter.
MDC Alliance presidential candidate Nelson Chamisa yesterday disclosed that he had triggered a regional diplomatic offensive to pressure Sadc to convene an urgent extra-ordinary summit on “the Zimbabwean crisis”, particularly on issues around transparency in the printing of the ballot paper and voters’ roll.

Chamisa told journalists that Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) chairperson Justice Priscilla Chigumba’s “intransigence” over the printing of the ballot paper and voters’ roll had forced the opposition to seek regional intervention as the election date was fast drawing closer.

“We had noted 10 demands and scaled this down to two minimum flash points or red line issues, including the voters’ roll and the ballot. These are crucial that we will not negotiate. Chigumba has said these issues are water under the bridge, but she is mistaken if she thinks these issues will go away,” Chamisa said.

“We will not take anything lying (down). We will not accept a ballot paper that is not to our satisfaction. If we are to agree to an election, we must have a ballot paper printed according to the law.
“This is the dispute, we have a stalemate and we have a crisis. We cannot have an election when we don’t know where the ballot paper is, who has printed it and its quality. I have no evidence that the ballot paper was printed in Zimbabwe. That makes it a very serious matter.”

High-level sources within the MDC Alliance also revealed that Chamisa’s team had met various “key embassies” representing regional countries and written to Sadc chairperson, South Africa President Cyril Ramaphosa, who acknowledged receipt.

“Initially, we wanted to send out envoys, but the situation deteriorated so quickly, especially after the Bulawayo incident (police postal voting fiasco) to the point where we now want direct diplomacy,” NewsDay heard.

Ramaphosa’s spokesperson Khusela Diko could not be reached for comment yesterday and had not responded to questions e-mailed to him by the time of going to print last night.

While Zec insists it has acted within the confines of the law and has no legal obligation to allow political parties access to the ballot printing, Chamisa argued the Constitution allowed for candidates to have “reasonable access” to voter material and information, including the ballot.

“If I don’t have access to processes on the ballot paper printing, then I have been denied my constitutional rights. That must be respected,” he said.

The 40-year-old opposition leader said besides the Sadc approach, he would continue engaging Zec, other political parties as well as convening a nationwide consultative process to resolve the impasse.

The opposition, Chamisa said, was also consulting stakeholders across the country to find a solution to “the crisis.”

Chamisa said he had dedicated this week to dealing with the electoral conundrum.

“We are utilising this week for that process, hoping there will be an understanding, particularly on the ballot paper. We will not boycott this election. We are going to use our constitutional rights to make sure any negated or perforated process will not take place,” he said.

The opposition leader dismissed claims that he was sending mixed signals to his supporters.

“Our people are clear and they are with us. We don’t want to educate our people on cheating and deception,” he said.

But Zanu PF spokesperson Simon Khaya Moyo said Zanu PF was not bothered by Chamisa’s antics.

“It is not our responsibility to direct Chamisa on who to write letters or send envoys to. He can write to anyone, including hell for all we care. It is also not our responsibility to teach Chamisa words to describe our electoral processes. He can describe them whichever way he feels, we can’t teach him English,” he said.

Harare lawyer and political analyst Sitembile Mpofu said while Chamisa had a right to appeal to anyone, local or international, Zimbabwe needed a chance to move forward after decades of political impasse.
———————————————————————————————————–
►Mugabe:
https://goo.gl/7eknBE
►Mnangagwa:
https://goo.gl/Fv731w

►Chamisa:
https://goo.gl/HtGeBg
► Hot news:
https://goo.gl/J7mUhU
► ANC:
https://goo.gl/x9xRAu
► Scandal:
https://goo.gl/YGe8cw
► Zimbawe updates:
https://goo.gl/2MJUjp
………………………………………………………………………………
If you feel good, please support the author by subscribing to our channel to track the next video.
* SUBSCRIBE TO OUR CHANNEL: https://goo.gl/cmiueF
———————————————————————————————————–
► See More: https://goo.gl/cmiueF

MDC, ZEC fight escalates as Chamisa’s team meets various ‘key embassies’, SA President Ramaphosa rec

Related Post:

About The Author

Kane Dane