We’ve nothing to hide, Zec tells EU
representatives led by Mr Nelson Chamisa.
Speaking after the meeting, Zec acting chairperson Mr Emmanuel Magade said the electoral body had nothing to hide.
“The full Commission minus the chairperson (Priscilla Chigumba) who is in Russia and one other Commissioner had a lengthy discussion with the EU team and we categorically told them that we have nothing to hide and as a public entity we are more than happy to subject ourselves to scrutiny,” he said.
“Where we do things right we expect commendation and where we have shortfalls we take warranted criticism graciously. They asked a number of questions and we went out of our way to explain the minute details of the processes. My impression is that they were reasonably satisfied with our explanations.”
Mr Magade added: “We told them that we are not living anything to chance and we are prepared for a run off in the event that there is no outright winner as provided for by the law. We also assured them of our determination to scrupulously observe the law in terms of management of elections. Not only are we servants of the people, we are also servants of the law. Ultimately we are accountable and answerable to the people of Zimbabwe.”
He said the EU team gave the electoral body the processes that would be involved if the bloc decided to send an Observer Mission.
“This involves when the teams would be expected to come and that they would be dotted all over the country and that our interface with them would be predicated upon a Memorandum of Understanding between EU and ourselves,” Mr Magade said.
“The MoU would spell out the rules of engagement. They wanted to know if we had a detailed roadmap for the elections but we gave them a general outline of the roadmap underscoring that some of the processes are dependent upon a proclamation having been made by the President. They wanted to know about the diaspora vote and we told them that we are waiting for the courts to make a determination.”
The EU is meeting various stakeholders and have already met traditional leaders, Chief Justice Luke Malaba, Foreign Affairs and International Trade secretary Ambassador Joey Bimha among other interested parties.
President Mnangagwa has opened up the electoral processes to ensure credible, free and fair elections, a move that has seen Government inviting the EU for the first time in 16 years.
Government has also given other international observers, including the United Nations, the green light to monitor the elections. Today the team is expected to meet Zanu-PF officials, the police and and Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission.
Meanwhile, politcial parties yesterday welcomed the visit by European Union election observers.
In separate interviews, political parties said the invitation of international observers was important if the country is to hold free, fair and credible elections.
Zanu-PF secretary for legal affairs, Cde Paul Mangwana, said the EU’s visit confirms President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s commitment to holding free and fair elections. “We’re meeting them tomorrow probably at 5PM. We are simple emphasising on what our President told the world that he is determined to ensure that this election is free, fair and credible. He has invited the world to come and observe, even the Western world. So it’s actually fulfilling the promises the President made to the world,” said Cde Mangwana.
He said the EU’s visit was also an indication that the world is ready to monitor the country’s elections. — @nqotshili