Staff Reporter
The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) has urged stakeholders, particularly opposition political parties to desist from propagating misinformation, regarding issues to do with how and when to conduct elections.
ZEC’s sentiments on its Twitter handle follows accusations by the opposition political parties that the commission is responsible for the delays in conducting by-elections. The electoral body defended itself arguing that there is a Statutory Instrument (SI) which has suspended the holding of by-elections indefinitely.
“ZEC encourages stakeholders in the spirit of cooperation to discourage misinformation in the electoral management sphere and to crosscheck facts where confusion or uncertainty arises by each side the right to reply before publishing stories that discourage voters. It’s a fact that the Covid-19 Regulations suspended certain constitutional processes in the interests of public health during the pandemic,” says ZEC.
ZEC noted that it is the prerogative of the President to proclaim the date of by-elections in consultations with ZEC on its state of administrative preparedness, adding that the SI which suspended the holding of by-elections has been challenged at the High Court and the matter is pending.
The electoral body further highlighted that there is no confusion on the part of ZEC as to what its mandate is in terms of when or how to conduct by-elections.
The Commission says its mandate includes conducting elections and referendums in accordance with the laws of Zimbabwe, highlighting that it does not make or set aside the laws. ZEC says it merely implements and is bound by existing legislation until it is set aside by lawmakers.
In September 2021, ZEC launched provincial stakeholders’ engagements where all political parties and other electoral interested parties, including Civil Society Organisations are taking part. The MDC-Alliance however made headlines, claiming that it was being barred from attending the meetings, claims which ZEC dismisses stating the stakeholders’ meetings were being done in phases due to COVID-19 restrictions.
