ZEC urges political parties to uphold code of conduct

ZIMBABWE Electoral Commission (ZEC) has called on all political parties and candidates of the need to uphold the principles of the Code of Conduct for Political Parties, Candidates, and other stakeholders which is part of the electoral law.

The commission said Article 14(d) of the code of conduct, in particular, obliged every political party and candidate to cooperate with other parties to avoid the risk of electoral related conflict and with election authorities to protect and enhance their role to supervise and administer elections.

ZEC chief elections officer, Mr Utoile Silaigwana said they were concerned about certain statements attributed by the media to some stakeholders during the campaign period.

Mr Silaigwana said the statements were retrogressive and went against the spirit of the Code.

"Article 2(2) of the code provides that all political parties and all candidates as well as the members, and their supporters, and all stakeholders to whom it applies commit themselves in good faith to the principles spelt out therein and to promote them so that a culture of peace pervades political activity, political processes will be recognised as expressing the credible free choice of the people, and that and the result of that choice will be respected by all," he said.

Mr Silaigwana said some newspaper headlines were both distasteful and affront to the very objectives of the Code.

He said they undermined the mandate of the commission and dampened the electorate's zeal to participate in the country's electoral activities and such statements were an attack on the country's democratic principles.

"The commission does not rig elections as alleged and there is no room for that owing to measures that have been instituted over time in response to previous similar allegations," Mr Silaigwana said.

"The commission urges all stakeholders to conduct themselves responsibly and to let the commission conduct its constitutional function without interference in line with Section 235(3) thereof. Politicians ought to canvass for votes through espousing policies that attract support for their organisations and not by undermining institutions set up to administer processes.

"All parties are therefore urged to consider the implications of all they do or say to the stability of the political environment. The commission has always and always will perform its mandate guided by the legal framework of the country and international best practice."