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Madhuku urges Tsvangirai to accept defeat
05 Aug 2013 at 19:50hrs | Views
The National Constitutional Assembly chairperson Professor Lovemore Madhuku has urged MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai to accept defeat to President Mugabe in last week's harmonised elections.
Addressing a press conference in Harare today, Professor Madhuku dismissed claims that the elections were rigged saying the votes cast were the votes that were counted. He applauded the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission for a job well done.
"The NCA notes with satisfaction the peaceful atmosphere that characterised the period before, during and after the elections. All Zimbabweans have a responsibility to nurture this peaceful environment and desist from any actions which may directly or indirectly interfere with the peace prevailing in the country.
The election results have been announced. There are winners and losers. Every election has its winner and loser. Given the peaceful nature of these elections and the compelling need to move forward, the NCA urges the losers to concede defeat and take the country out of the permanent election mode it has been for several years now," he said.
Professor Madhuku dismissed complaints raised by Mr Tsvangirai and other political parties that lost the election to Zanu-PF.
"It is the NCA's firm view that the complaints raised against the 31 July 2013 poll by the losers do not raise anything new and cannot be used as a basis for rejecting the results of an election in which they participated voluntarily. It is not desirable to encourage a state of affairs in our country where political parties participate in an election with only two scenarios: either they win or they dispute the result. Losing must always be one of the scenarios.
In the circumstances for this particular election, the complaints must be taken into account for the next elections and for the reform agenda which remains very much incomplete," he said.
Addressing a press conference in Harare today, Professor Madhuku dismissed claims that the elections were rigged saying the votes cast were the votes that were counted. He applauded the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission for a job well done.
"The NCA notes with satisfaction the peaceful atmosphere that characterised the period before, during and after the elections. All Zimbabweans have a responsibility to nurture this peaceful environment and desist from any actions which may directly or indirectly interfere with the peace prevailing in the country.
Professor Madhuku dismissed complaints raised by Mr Tsvangirai and other political parties that lost the election to Zanu-PF.
"It is the NCA's firm view that the complaints raised against the 31 July 2013 poll by the losers do not raise anything new and cannot be used as a basis for rejecting the results of an election in which they participated voluntarily. It is not desirable to encourage a state of affairs in our country where political parties participate in an election with only two scenarios: either they win or they dispute the result. Losing must always be one of the scenarios.
In the circumstances for this particular election, the complaints must be taken into account for the next elections and for the reform agenda which remains very much incomplete," he said.
Source - herald
