News / National
'Chamisa cannot announce election results'
17 Jul 2018 at 15:26hrs | Views
THE under-fire chairperson of the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec), Priscilla Chigumba, has said that her commission has the sole mandate to announce and declare election results in terms of Section 66A of the Electoral Act.
This comes after MDC-Alliance leader Mr Nelson Chamisa last week threatened to announce the results of the July 30 elections.
In a press release, ZEC said, "Contrary to what a leader of a political party is alleged to have said in the print media, ZEC would like to advise all stakeholders and the public that it is the Commission that has the sole mandate to announce and declare election results in terms of Section 66A of the Electoral Act.
"Further, the Electoral Code of Conduct for political parties and candidates, which binds political parties, candidates and other stakeholders, prohibits declaration or announcement of the results of an election before it has been declared officially by an electoral officer.
"Any person who purports to announce the result of an election as the true or official results; or purports to declare any candidate to have been duly elected; before an electoral officer has announced the result of that election or declared a candidate to have been duly elected in that election, shall be liable to a fine or imprisonment for a period not exceeding six months or to both fine and imprisonment. The public should thus note that it is only the prerogative of the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission to announce election results."
This comes after MDC-Alliance leader Mr Nelson Chamisa last week threatened to announce the results of the July 30 elections.
In a press release, ZEC said, "Contrary to what a leader of a political party is alleged to have said in the print media, ZEC would like to advise all stakeholders and the public that it is the Commission that has the sole mandate to announce and declare election results in terms of Section 66A of the Electoral Act.
"Further, the Electoral Code of Conduct for political parties and candidates, which binds political parties, candidates and other stakeholders, prohibits declaration or announcement of the results of an election before it has been declared officially by an electoral officer.
"Any person who purports to announce the result of an election as the true or official results; or purports to declare any candidate to have been duly elected; before an electoral officer has announced the result of that election or declared a candidate to have been duly elected in that election, shall be liable to a fine or imprisonment for a period not exceeding six months or to both fine and imprisonment. The public should thus note that it is only the prerogative of the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission to announce election results."
Source - Byo24News
