ZEC,political parties rift widen

The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) aborted a planned meeting with political parties at its headquarters this morning on media claims that the electoral body wants to intimidate the parties against an intended demonstration.
ZEC has been holding meetings with the various political parties with the intention of sharing notes and clarifying issues pertaining to electoral issues, but media reports attributed to the political parties said a panicking state machinery had called the meeting to try and stop their demo.
ZEC chairperson Justice Rita Makarau said the political parties forum had nothing to do with their planned demonstration and that ZEC is a state institution and not what the parties were calling state machinery, ZBC reported.
"ZEC is willing to engage the political parties but is willing to do so on the basis of mutual respect and honest,"  Makarau is quoted saying.
According to the Herald, Makarau told several political party representatives at the meeting at ZEC head office that the commission could not continue to be abused by the political parties.
 Makarau, together with Zec commissioners and members of the secretariat, walked out of the meeting in protest over the behaviour of the political parties.