Citizens’ Coalition for Change (CCC) leader Nelson Chamisa has criticised President Emmerson Mnangagwa for allegedly delaying to proclaim the date of the elections saying this makes it difficult for players to prepare for the polls.
Section 38 of the Electoral Act empowers the President to proclaim the date for general elections after consultation with the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC).
The elections should be held in August this year but Mnangagwa is yet to proclaim the date for the harmonised elections.
In an interview with NewZimbabwe.com, Chamisa it is unacceptable that Mnangagwa is the only one who knows the date. Said Chamisa:
It is unfair for one player to also be a referee, a match commissioner and to be the regulatory authority.
It is wrong especially when everyone is put in suspense thereby making planning almost impossible.
National affairs and people’s lives cannot be run on an ad hoc basis upon guesswork and conjecture.
All stakeholders have to plan ahead of time. Right now Kenyan citizens know the exact date when the elections due in 2027 are going to be held.
That is good governance. Not this unilateralism where a date is used as an unfair advantage over competitors.
Others may not be able to fully plan. A date cannot be determined by one person. The fate of a nation can’t fit in one’s pocket.
Mr. Mnangagwa is saying he is the only one who knows the date. This is unacceptable.
Last month Mnangagwa revealed that he will announce the election date towards the end of May but is yet to honour his promise. Added Chamisa:
Everyone is in the dark, except for Mr. Mnangagwa and possibly his colleagues in ZANU PF.
That is not a desirable framework. It is not conducive to the holding of a proper and credible process.
That must definitely change and the law must change on that. There is a need to make sure that there is greater predictability. More certainty in terms of these criticals.
The dates are supposed to be by virtue of the Constitution and the predictability of the date is what we are emphasising.
We need to make sure that we deal with these issues as an immediate national issue and an issue of consideration.
An American credit rating agency, Fitch Solutions, recently predicted that Mnangagwa and the ruling ZANU PF will likely win in general elections.
In its new report, Fitch Solutions said the opposition CCC led by Nelson Chamisa will win key votes in low-income urban areas but ZANU PF will win the overall vote due to “overarching resources” and the advantage of incumbency.
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