Zimbabwe’s opposition leader Nelson Chamisa has said that he may not take part in the presidential election slated for August 23 “without legal and constitutional guarantees” following the barring of 12 CCC candidates for MP in Bulawayo by the high Court. Earlier today the High Court ruled that 12 CCC candidates for MP in Bulawayo will not participate in the August 23 elections after justice Bongani Ndlovu ruled that they filed their nomination papers after the 4pm deadline. Speaking to this publication, Mr Chamisa said that the vote must held in an environment where the playground is level. “We know exactly what transpired in the last election, we know what ZEC did and we know that if we were to go back there will be no different results and that’s why we say there may be no elections on the 23rd of August unless there are new electoral reforms,” he said. Mr Chamisa’s CCC went to the High Court to challenge the nomination court’s disqualification of 12 of its Bulawayo MP candidates who failed to submit their papers before the 4pm deadline on the 22nd of June 2023 arguing that their candidates were already at the nomination court with their papers. They alleged that the nomination court, ZEC and the judiciary have been subjected to state capture. Chamisa said that, among other things, ZEC had committed “illegalities” in the nomination of candidates resulting in the surfacing of CCC double candidates. Chamisa added that these are some of the reasons why ZEC isn’t willing to release the votes roll. Mr Chamisa says he wants ZEC to immediately consider the nomination of 12 CCC Bulawayo MP candidates and to strictly follow the constitution’s guidance on conducting elections for the Citizens Coalition for Change to participate in the forthcoming elections He also wants some of the ZEC commissioners to be sacked, alleging that they are partisan, and he is pushing for access to ZEC’s electronic database. Mr Chamisa also said that the August 23 election should be monitored by international observers from the European Union and the United Nations. Some Citizens Coalition for Change activities have already backed Chamisa’s decision to boycott the forthcoming elections:
Pedzisai Ruhanya
BREAKING: The High Court has barred 12 CCC candidates for MP in Bulawayo barred from participating in the August 23 elections after Justice Bongani Ndlovu ruled that they filed their nomination papers after the 4PM deadline. ELECTIONS WITHOUT DEMOCRACY
The Bulawayo judgement must be understood in the theoretical and empirical framework of competitive authoritarian regimes and securocratic states. Post Mugabe, the courts have been very predictable in the manner they dispense justice. The people and not courts must elect leaders twitter.com/PedzisaiRuhany
Blessed Mhlanga This election has been more about law other than the people’s will. The courts have become the electorate. Bulawayo has had its vote cast by the High Court. twitter.com/bbmhlanga/stat
Saint Khumalo Sad day for democracy ,Chamisa should boycott these elections. twitter.com/KhumaloSaint/s
Omnics I strongly think Chamisa should boycott the elections , coz as it is the election is gonne already. twitter.com/mbondison/stat
