Chinamasa slams Nera, Code

Government has the sole responsibility of funding electoral processes in the country and foreign organisations have no role to play in the conduct of those polls, Zanu-PF secretary for legal affairs Patrick Chinamasa has said. Chinamasa said the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission had a constitutional right to conduct elections without interference from any quarter.

Chinamasa's remarks came after a meeting between ZEC and political parties under the banner National Electoral Reform Agenda (NERA) and the Coalition for Democracy (CODE) failed to take off yesterday. ZEC chairperson Justice Rita Makarau called off the meeting, protesting "continued abuse at the hands of some political parties."

The electoral body has been engaging political parties to brief them on the implementation of its key programmes ahead of the 2018 harmonised elections.

Said Chinamasa: "It is Government's responsibility to fund the electoral process. It is ZEC's constitutional obligation to conduct or run the Presidential, Parliamentary and Local Authority elections and it must do so without interference from any quarter.

"It would be a shame on Zimbabweans to feel that foreign governments or organisations have a role to play in the funding or conduct of our elections. Such notions are a denial of the principles of independence and sovereignty."

He went on: "It is important to note that a Six (6) member Steering Committee representing all political parties held a very fruitful and constructive meeting with Justice Makarau who emphasised that Government was taking over the funding of the acquisition of the Biometric Voter Registration (BVR) equipment."

Chinamasa said the demonstrations being plotted by NERA and CODE had a hidden agenda and should be ignored by peace loving Zimbabweans.

"Instead of engaging ZEC, these groups have chosen the path of direct confrontation to the extent of using ZEC offices to plot and organise demonstrations against it," he said.

"It is incomprehensible that NERA and CODE are going ahead or threatening to go ahead to call for demonstrations against ZEC and the Government tomorrow notwithstanding that this issue had been laid to rest to their satisfaction.

"As Zanu-PF, we therefore, strongly condemn these demonstrations and call on all our party members and all peace — loving Zimbabweans to desist from participating in these demonstrations. We also urge that normal business should continue without any hindrance."

He said Zanu-PF welcomed the initiative by ZEC to create a platform for political parties to make constructive contributions to the electoral processes in the country.

"However, Zanu-PF has observed that of late this noble gesture by ZEC is being abused by some elements from the opposition parties masquerading as NERA and CODE who both are hell bent on disrupting the country's electoral process and undermining ZEC's independence," he said.