News / National
Candidates cry foul over electoral malpractices
04 Mar 2022 at 05:43hrs | Views
ASPIRING opposition parliamentary and council candidates in Marondera have filed a police report over the defacing of their campaign posters ahead of the March 26 by-elections.
Marondera Central Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) candidate Caston Matewu claimed that his posters were being defaced on daily basis.
The case is being investigated under RRB 5033552.
"My posters are being defaced or removed on a daily basis and replaced with those of a Zanu-PF candidate. This is a violation of the Electoral Act. I have since reported the matter to police and nothing has been done yet," Matewu said.
The Marondera Central seat fell vacant after the recall of Matewu by the Douglas Mwonzora-led MDC-T. Six councillors were also recalled.
Matewu will contest against Zanu-PF's Ignatius Mateveke, MDC Alliance's Witness Muzavazi and independent candidate Carlos Pindire.
Pindire said the removal of posters was dealing a major blow to his campaign.
"I have three posters left in Marondera. This is unfair, the ground is not even. I am an independent candidate who is campaigning using personal funds where do I get money from to print posters daily? I have since resorted to campaigns using fliers instead of posters," he said.
Muzawazi described the removal of posters as unfair.
Efforts to get a comment from Zanu-PF were fruitless.
Opposition parties have been complaining of unfair electoral practices which they said favoured the ruling party.
Speaking during an Open Parly discussion yesterday, CCC deputy spokesperson Ostallos Sibiza said the electoral environment was uneven.
"Zanu-PF does its rallies without application from the police. State securocratic institutions, in particular, the police at Zanu-PF rallies provide security securing everyone at a programme that is a party one and not a government one and so forth," Siziba said.
Lead secretary-general Precious Musarurwa said: "While we believe that the regime's style of doing business during elections has always remained the same, I believe we are at a stage as opposition parties to claim our space and work towards achieving the goals we promised the electorate."
Marondera Central Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) candidate Caston Matewu claimed that his posters were being defaced on daily basis.
The case is being investigated under RRB 5033552.
"My posters are being defaced or removed on a daily basis and replaced with those of a Zanu-PF candidate. This is a violation of the Electoral Act. I have since reported the matter to police and nothing has been done yet," Matewu said.
The Marondera Central seat fell vacant after the recall of Matewu by the Douglas Mwonzora-led MDC-T. Six councillors were also recalled.
Matewu will contest against Zanu-PF's Ignatius Mateveke, MDC Alliance's Witness Muzavazi and independent candidate Carlos Pindire.
Pindire said the removal of posters was dealing a major blow to his campaign.
"I have three posters left in Marondera. This is unfair, the ground is not even. I am an independent candidate who is campaigning using personal funds where do I get money from to print posters daily? I have since resorted to campaigns using fliers instead of posters," he said.
Muzawazi described the removal of posters as unfair.
Efforts to get a comment from Zanu-PF were fruitless.
Opposition parties have been complaining of unfair electoral practices which they said favoured the ruling party.
Speaking during an Open Parly discussion yesterday, CCC deputy spokesperson Ostallos Sibiza said the electoral environment was uneven.
"Zanu-PF does its rallies without application from the police. State securocratic institutions, in particular, the police at Zanu-PF rallies provide security securing everyone at a programme that is a party one and not a government one and so forth," Siziba said.
Lead secretary-general Precious Musarurwa said: "While we believe that the regime's style of doing business during elections has always remained the same, I believe we are at a stage as opposition parties to claim our space and work towards achieving the goals we promised the electorate."
Source - Newsday Zimbabwe
