News / National
'Mnangagwa never sought to postpone polls'
13 Sep 2023 at 18:57hrs | Views
President Mnangagwa never entertained the idea of postponing this year's harmonized elections, firmly adhering to constitutional principles, according to Mr. George Charamba, Deputy Chief Secretary in the Office of the President and Cabinet (Communications).
This stance contradicts assertions made by academic and government critic, Dr. Ibbo Mandaza, who claimed in March that the President had dispatched emissaries to opposition leader Mr. Nelson Chamisa, proposing a two-year postponement of the elections.
Mr. Charamba, who also serves as the Presidential spokesperson, emphasized that the President, being a lawyer with a profound understanding of the Constitution, prioritized the fulfillment of constitutional obligations. He asserted that there was no constitutional basis for considering an election postponement.
Zimbabwe held synchronized elections on August 23, resulting in President Mnangagwa's decisive victory, debunking Dr. Mandaza's unfounded claims. The ruling party's victory was never in doubt.
Dr. Mandaza's assertions, reported widely by a local tabloid, lacked substantiated evidence. He alleged, "Looking back, a few months ago I got information from a very reliable quarter that Mnangagwa did not want elections because he knew it would be messy. He sent emissaries to (Nelson) Chamisa in March saying that he wanted elections to be postponed by two years and have a GNU (government of national unity) and he will hand over power in two years."
Dr. Mandaza's unsubstantiated claims appear self-contradictory, given President Mnangagwa's well-documented commitment to preventing violence and his open invitation for observers, even from adversarial countries, to witness the democratic process in action.
This stance contradicts assertions made by academic and government critic, Dr. Ibbo Mandaza, who claimed in March that the President had dispatched emissaries to opposition leader Mr. Nelson Chamisa, proposing a two-year postponement of the elections.
Mr. Charamba, who also serves as the Presidential spokesperson, emphasized that the President, being a lawyer with a profound understanding of the Constitution, prioritized the fulfillment of constitutional obligations. He asserted that there was no constitutional basis for considering an election postponement.
Dr. Mandaza's assertions, reported widely by a local tabloid, lacked substantiated evidence. He alleged, "Looking back, a few months ago I got information from a very reliable quarter that Mnangagwa did not want elections because he knew it would be messy. He sent emissaries to (Nelson) Chamisa in March saying that he wanted elections to be postponed by two years and have a GNU (government of national unity) and he will hand over power in two years."
Dr. Mandaza's unsubstantiated claims appear self-contradictory, given President Mnangagwa's well-documented commitment to preventing violence and his open invitation for observers, even from adversarial countries, to witness the democratic process in action.
Source - The Herald
