Law-breakers risk missing polls: Police
POLICE have warned that anyone found on the wrong side of the law during demonstrations mooted by opposition political parties should be prepared for the consequences.
Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) commander for this year’s harmonised elections Senior Assistant Commissioner Erasmus Makodza said yesterday that demonstrations should never infringe on other people’s rights.
The Nelson Chamisa-led MDC Alliance has mooted demonstrations this week to force the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) to accede to their demands, which include being involved in the printing of ballot papers for the July 30 harmonised elections.
The MDC Alliance also wants to know the company printing ballot papers, something not provided for in the law.
Snr Asst Comm Makodza said they were ready to deal with any mischief that disturbed national peace.
“What we are saying as police is that some people might risk not voting while in custody,” he said in an interview.
“Some people might lose out for what they think they are fighting for while they are in custody. That message should be loud and clear. Generally, as police we are saying now that
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◆ the electoral courts have been set up and the dates have been promulgated, anyone found wanting in terms of violation of the law should be accounted for and should be able to face the full wrath of the law.”
He said demonstrations, if done in terms of the law, should be peaceful.
“The moment someone commits an offence during those demonstrations, he /she should be able to account for his or her actions,” he said.
MDC-T national organising secretary Mr Amos Chibaya yesterday claimed they had notified the police about their protests.
“We have notified them and we are going ahead,” he said.
Government has already said political parties craving involvement in the operations of independent commissions should first downgrade them to ordinary statutory bodies by way of a constitutional amendment.
“They (opposition parties) must go back to the Zimbabwean people and say we have had enough of the independence of these constitutional bodies because we now want to participate in tenders,” Information, Media and Broadcasting Services secretary Mr George Charamba recently said.
“But to try and suggest that their involvement in tendering process is the test of freeness and fairness of elections is preposterous and this Government will err on the side of defending the constitutional inviolability of these commissions. Besides, there is no law that accommodates these demands by the opposition,” said Mr Charamba.
“What the law provides for is not the tendering process for ballot material, rather it is the transparent management of the material once it’s done and this takes many forms,” he said.
Meanwhile, Zanu-PF has said threats by Mr Chamisa to hold demonstrations in Harare in a bid to stop the July 30 harmonised elections, are further confirmation of the opposition’s propensity for violence.
Speaking at a Press conference in Gwanda yesterday after a Zanu-PF Matabeleland South Provincial Co-ordinating Committee meeting, the party’s Secretary for Information and Publicity, Cde Simon Khaya Moyo urged citizens to ignore people bent on misleading them.
“The revolutionary party learnt with utter dismay the conduct and utterances by MDC- T leader, Nelson Chamisa and his alliance partners threatening to shut down Harare and stop elections set for July 30 should ZEC fail to accede to their demands of electoral reforms.
“In fact, the claims being made by Chamisa and crew are bare and not grounded on the position of the law. What comes out clearly is that the MDC-T is a violent and retrogressive party whose existence strives on chaos and suffering of the people hence the utterances cannot come as a surprise. These utterances are unfortunate, reckless, extremely irresponsible and uncalled for,” said Cde Khaya Moyo who is also acting Minister of Media, Information and Broacasting Services.
He urged all peace loving Zimbabweans to shun violence and remain united. He said Chamisa knew his party was not prepared to face Zanu-PF in the harmonised elections hence he wanted to cause commotion.
“Following the ushering in of the new dispensation, the country is experiencing the most peaceful pre-election moments in the post-independence era and the prevailing peace and tranquillity are the anchors for the conduct of free, fair and credible elections.
“The Zanu-PF Government under stewardship of President ED has laid the foundation for free, peaceful, fair and credible elections. Last week President ED Mnangagwa signed into law the Electoral Amendment Bill to bring legal effect on the statutory instrument on biometric voter registration carried out by ZEC and create a new code of conduct for political parties, candidates and other stakeholders in elections. This is a milestone achievement which every peace loving Zimbabwean, Chamisa included, much cherish,” said Cde Khaya Moyo. — Additional reporting by Bulawayo Bureau.