Zapu rules out boycotting elections

ZAPU has ruled out boycotting the upcoming elections despite what it described as an uneven political field favouring Zanu-PF, coupled with a shoe-string budget that has seen the opposition party failing to hold mass rallies.

The MDC Alliance has also run short of announcing a poll boycott citing failure by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) to ensure a transparent process leading to the elections.

The MDC Alliance has embarked on a regional offensive to raise concerns that the elections will not be free and fair, and Zapu spokesperson Iphithule Maphosa said the party feared the same.

Maphosa, however, said boycotting the elections was not an option, adding that they were going to participate under protest.

The People's Rainbow Coalition (PRC), breakaway MDC-T faction led by Thokozani Khupe and other parties and independent candidates have also ruled out a poll boycott despite expressing fears of a disputed election outcome.

"Zapu will not boycott the polls, but we are doing all that needs to be done to expose the incompetence, unpreparedness and bias by Zec. We have always raised concerns, especially on the processes in preparation for this election, namely biometric voters' roll (BVR) exercise, voters' roll compilation, handling and release to stakeholders," Maphosa said yesterday.

"We specifically raised concerns over violation of both electoral laws and people's privacy when Zec released voters' roll information to Zanu-PF recently. We also picketed over the manner in which the postal ballot was handled.

"However, we cannot throw away the baby with bath water. We will participate in this election, albeit in protest over these and many more issues pertaining Zec partiality and outright disregard of the constitution."

President Emmerson Mnangagwa on Tuesday told Zanu-PF supporters in Chinhoyi that the ruling party was already preparing election victory celebrations, describing the opposition as small parties facing imminent defeat.