Presidential candidate Saviour Kasukuwere is not on the ballot paper alleged leaked information from members of the security services who have votes has revealed.
According to the news filtering through, some police officers have leaked information indicating that postal voting has started in the absence of election observers.
Children of Zimbabwe War Veterans Association (COZVWA) has posted a rigging alert: “BREAKING NEWS:-
KASUKUWERE not on the ballot paper, as ZRP officers in Mutare and Rusape leaks marked ballot papers in favour of President Chamisa. Snubbing Police bosses orders to vote for Zanu pf.
“ZRP Rusape! rigging is in progress. Police officers are being forced to vote fo Zanu pf now. NO observers & No media they are voting under the watchful eye of the Dispol rusape at ZRP Rusape DHQ.”
Meanwhile, Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) spokesperson Fadzayi Mahere has confirmed receiving the alert:
“Alert Police Officers: report that they’re being forced to vote under the watch of their bosses as we speak. There are no agents or observers allowed to monitor the process. They report that they’re being forced to vote for Zanu PF.”
However, President Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa’s spokesperson George Charamba refuted the claims.
“MUSANYEPERWA BY LOSERS: There is a phoney ballot paper showing wishful postal voting. It is fake, deep fake, evidenced by the picture used on the Zanu PF Presidential candidate which isn’t the one going to be used in this election. EDWins,” he tweeted using one of his ghost Twitter account Toedza Zvimwe.
Meanwhile, some watchers have queried as to why the process is allegedly being done in secrecy, they ask:
1. How is postal voting regulated under electoral act. As an ex cop I know for sure that in the absence of agents, voting in cantonment areas can be very unfree like I remember vividly well 2008, we were forced to vote for zanupf under the watchful guard of armed Senior cops
2. I honestly think this matter can be settles by a court process, the cops and all military persons must be given same voting environment as all other citizens, their postal votes must be monitored, observed by all stakeholders
3. You can say that again. In 2008 I remember vividly voting under the watch of an Assistant Commissioner, and then handing over the ballot paper. It is very unfair for them to vote in the absence of agents.
4. They must Rebel,they’re grown men with families who are suffering like the rest of us. They are the law enforcement, they must follow the law and the constitution.
However, President Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa’s spokesperson George Charamba refuted the claims.
“MUSANYEPERWA BY LOSERS: There is a phoney ballot paper showing wishful postal voting. It is fake, deep fake, evidenced by the picture used on the Zanu PF Presidential candidate which isn’t the one going to be used in this election. EDWins,” he tweeted using one of his ghost Twitter account Toedza Zvimwe.
Former cabinet minister Jonathan Moyo says:
ZEC HAS PRINTED AND DISTRIBUTED BALLOT PAPERS IN VIOLATION OF PEREMPTORY PROVISIONS OF THE ELECTORAL ACT IN BREACH OF THE CONSTITUTION OF ZIMBABWE TO RENDER 2023 POLL NEITHER FREE NOR FAIR IN ADVANCE
With the evidence of copies of votes being illegally circulated on social media by some postal voters who voted today [see attachment], it is clear and of grave concern that the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission [ZEC] has illegally and unconstitutionally printed and distributed the ballot papers for the local authority, parliamentary and presidential elections set for next week on 23 August.
Section 52A of the Act directs ZEC as follows:
(1) The Commission shall ensure that the number of ballot papers printed for any election does not exceed by more than ten per centum the number of registered voters eligible to vote in the election.
(2) The Commission shall without delay provide the following information to all political parties and candidates contesting an election, and to all observers—
(a) where and by whom the ballot papers for the election have been or are being printed; and
(b) the total number of ballot papers that have been printed for the election; and (c) the number of ballot papers that have been distributed to each polling station.
It is common cause that ZEC has not provided political parties and candidates contesting the 23 August election or election observers, information on where and by whom the ballot papers for the election have been printed; and the total number of ballot papers that have been printed for each of the three elections [local authority, parliamentary and presidential]; the total number of ballot papers that have been printed for the harmonised general election; and the number of ballot papers that have been or will be distributed to each polling station.
Section 52A(2) is peremptory, in that it does not give ZEC any discretion on the matter, it says the “the Commission shall, not may but shall, without delay provide the stipulated information on the printing of the ballot papers.
The fact that ZEC has printed the ballot papers in blatant violation of section 52A(2) is a gross illegality whose impact can only dent the integrity and credibility of the lection to render it neither free nor fair in terms of sections 56(1) and 67(1)(a) of the Constitution of the Republic of Zimbabwe as read with section 239(a)(iv) whose constitutional imperative is that ZEC must ensure that:
…elections and referendums are conducted efficiently, freely, fairly, transparently and in accordance with the law.
Ballot papers for the 2023 harmonised general election have been printed opaquely, secretly and in unknown quantities to make it impossible for the all too important political right to vote to be exercised freely and fairly.
Zwnews
