Norton Member of Parliament (independent), Temba Mliswa, has said it will be hard for the opposition Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) to raise rigging allegations in the 2023 elections when it is accepting the outcome of by-elections.
In a Twitter thread seen by Pindula News, Mliswa said:
We have just had by-elections and the opposition @CCCZimbabwe has not commented to state any complaints of rigging. It should be aware that acceptance of these results and attendant results will make it hard to raise rigging allegations in 2023 elections.
They have shown that there is no problem as of now, so they should continue doing whatever they are doing now to protect their votes. I have also said it’s dangerous to constantly raise accusations of rigging as it creates voter apathy. You essentially rig yourself.
However, CCC has previously complained about voter intimidation and vote-buying.
Following the March 26, 2022 by-elections, the opposition party led by Nelson Chamisa, a former minister of ICT, Postal and Courier Services said it won the majority “despite the violence by ZANU PF”
In October, the party said it was not surprised by the loss in the by-elections adding that violence employed by the ruling ZANU PF party against its people contributed very much to the outcome.
the Zimbabwe Election Support Network urged the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) and
the National Peace and Reconciliation Commission (NPRC) to ensure a peaceful and enabling environment that satisfies credible elections.
Zimbabwe Election Advocacy Trust director Ignatious Sadziwa said the elections failed the credibility and legitimacy test, hence they are far from being free and fair.