The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) earlier this week closed doors on opposition parties after announcing that they are only open to grievances after polls.
By Charles Lotara
MDC Alliance, a coalition of eight opposition political parties has been at the forefront in calling for electoral reform, repeatedly threatened to boycott the polls if their calls remain unheeded.
Unfazed by the development, ZEC through its Chairperson Justice Priscilla Chigumba said once President proclaims an election date, nothing short of earthquake that can stop the plebiscite.
“The first thing you should take note of is that when the president proclaims the election date, there is nothing short of an earthquake that can stop election. Whether the candidates scrutinize the voters roll, whatever the anomalies are, whatever legal recourse they might have, that will not stop election. I want this to be very clear, nothing stops an election,” said Chigumba
“If there is any anomalies in the voter’s roll, candidates can avail themselves to possibly challenge the outcome of the election but whatever legal recourse is at hand cannot stop election and I think the Chief Justice was quite clear in his interpretation of the law that nothing stops an election after the proclamation of election date.
“What candidates can do for whatever reason, for whatever their opinions and views are, is to use anything that they will come up with to challenge the election,” she reiterated.
Chigumba was appointed by President Emmerson Mnangagwa to replace Supreme Court judge Justice Rita Makarau who resigned in December last year.
