Honourable Minister, Professor Amon Murwira
By Dickson Bandera
The Government of Zimbabwe has dispelled claims that there will be fresh elections or possibly a Government Of National Unity (GNU) saying the 23-24 August elections were free and fair hence the next elections will be conducted in 2028.
In his statement titled, “Facts On the Current Political Developments”, presented to the Southern African Development Committee (SADC) diplomats this Friday afternoon, Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Professor Amon Murwira said the country recently held credible elections hence next polls will be held in 2028 as provided by the Zimbabwe Constitution.
“True to the dictates of the Constitution, Zimbabwe holds free and fair elections regularly, namely after every 5 years. The most recent harmonized elections were held on the 24-25th of August 2023. The next harmonized elections will be held in 2028,” he said.
Since the announcement of election results by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) on 26 August 2023, the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) president Nelson Chamisa and the party spokespersons have been issuing statements of poll results rejection and have promised their supporters that there will be fresh elections run and monitored by external institutions, SADC, AU, COMESA, and other regional and international institutions.
Some rumours of a GNU have been circulating, but Minister Murwira said that all this is not possible as only ZEC can run elections in Zimbabwe.
Said Minister Murwira, “The Constitution of Zimbabwe does not expressly provide for a GNU or any election run by external institutions. The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission is the only lawful body mandated to run our elections.”
Minister Murwira also said Zimbabwe as a constitutional democracy have adequate internal instruments that can be utilised to resolve disputes and one such instrument is Parliament.
Commenting on the recent recalls of 15 CCC legislators at the behest of a request by one Sengezo Tshabangu who styled himself as the interim Secretary General of the CCC, Professor Murwira distanced Government and ZANU PF from the recalls saying only the party to which members belong can initiate a recall.
“Government takes note of statements from some political outfit in the wake of recent recalls of Members of Parliament from a certain political party in terms of our laws.
“The unfounded aspersions and outright falsehoods seeking to embroil Government and ZANU PF into the recall processes are without merit,” said Professor Murwira.
He said lack of organisational structures was self defeating and this was haunting the opposition.
“While it is conceded that there is no law that compels political parties to have bonafide constitutions, structures and a democratically elected leadership, the absence of such instruments create room for confusion and conflict with no available instruments and mechanisms for dispute resolution.
“No amount of scapegoating can cure that. It therefore comes as a surprise that the formations claim to be democratic and enjoying all-round support (political, financial, diplomatic, organizational) from external.”
Responding to the claims of a constitutional crisis and political prisoners, the government said there is none of these problems in Zimbabwe.
“Where a political is opposition and represented in Parliament, of its own volition, decides to remove it whether temporarily or permanently from processes of the legislature, no constitutional crisis arise. Parties or individuals reserve the right to participate or otherwise in national processes. Zimbabwe has no law compels participation by person(s) or organisation(s),” he said.
Further added the Minister : “In an attempt to dignify their falsehoods, the opposition claims that Zimbabwe has political prisoners. Government wishes to state categorically that there are no political prisoners in Zimbabwe.”
“The opposition also claims that its supporters are being harassed, intimidated or persecuted. This is patently untrue and meant to cover up for their violent acts witnessed in Midlands and Manicaland provinces in the just-ended general elections and local by-elections. The Constitution clearly stipulates that all are equal before the law, and that nobody is above the law. Government condemns the politicization of such criminality,” said Prof Murwira.
The government also advised diplomats that political parties who wished to dialogue were invited through the POLAD, although CCC has always snubbed that invitation.
“Zimbabwe`s body-politic provides for dialogue at all levels; in parliament, before, during and and after elections. This dialogue crystallized into the Political Actors Dialogue (POLAD) at which all contesting parties and personalities meet regularly to engage in the interest national. This facility, which meant to engender collaboration politics for national development, continues to snubbed by one party and one player.”
He added that, “Overall, it is not a coincidence that Zimbabwe is under attack less than two weeks before we observe the SADC Anti- Sanctions Day. Government notes a concerted effort by actors sympathetic to those who imposed unilateral sanctions to undermine this important regional initiative for the unconditional removal of the illegal sanctions.
“Zimbabwe reiterates its call for the immediate and unconditional removal of these heinous sanctions. Allow me. Your Excellencies, to take this opportunity to reiterate the Government of Zimbabwe’’s profound gratitude to SADC for the continued support in calling for the immediate and unconditional removal of the illegal sanctions,” Prof Murwira said.
The SADC Observer Mission which observed the just concluded elections have since submitted its final report which overall indicates that the elections went well, although there were areas that fell short of the standards and needed to be corrected in future elections.
