The Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition (CiZC) has called for credible electoral processes, including the delimitation of electoral boundaries, to ensure that the 2023 elections are free and fair.
Speaking during an election resource centre-hosted delimitation meeting in Harare on Saturday, CiZC spokesperson Obert Masaure claimed that the upcoming elections have already been rigged in favour of ZANU PF. He said:
Are we going to sheepishly submit ourselves to an election when we know that these are flawed processes?
People are going to say no let’s rationalise and allow this process to go. Allow an election that has already been rigged?
We all know that everything is pointing toward rigging the elections. We have a State media which remains biased and a military factor as well.
Why are we participating? Are we doing it in the sense that we want development and democracy in Zimbabwe?
If we want democracy we have to say enough is enough and get to a point where citizens say away with this delimitation process.
We will go to an election when the voters roll and the State media is accessible to all players and when the military is no longer part of our politics.
These reforms are serious and must be done. We, therefore, submit that Zimbabwe isn’t ready for elections and we urge those who want to participate in the process to call for credible electoral processes.
The Zimbabwe Democracy Institute (ZDI) also alleged, in its January 13, 2022 review paper titled: Zec Delimitation Report: Electoral Rigmarole and Elite Discohesion accused the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) of gerrymandering to benefit ZANU PF.
Gerrymandering is the manipulation of the boundaries of (an electoral constituency) so as to favour one party. | NewsDay