NATIONAL Constitutional Assembly leader Lovemore Madhuku said the seconding of commissioners for the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) by political parties overshadowed the electoral body’s independence and credibility.
BY EVERSON MUSHAVA CHIEF REPORTER
Madhuku made the remarks yesterday while addressing stakeholders attending a Zec consultative workshop in Harare. The four-day workshop is meant to review the way the electoral body conducted last year’s referendum and general elections.
“Zec must be independent, or at least, seen to be independent,” Madhuku said.
“The appointment of Zec commissioners was not done in terms of the law as they were selected by political parties.”
The current crop of Zec commissioners including chairperson Justice Rita Makarau were seconded by the three political parties in the incusive government — namely Zanu PF, former premier Morgan Tsvangirai’s MDC-T and the MDC led by Welshman Ncube.
Madhuku said the problem started when the Global Political Agreement signed by the parties came to be viewed as a law, resulting in the parties dictating the pace at which the electoral processes were conducted.
Speaking at the same event, Justice minister Emmerson Mnangagwa applauded Zec for organising the workshop to expose themselves to public scrutiny for the benefit of future elections.
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“I am pleased at the frankness of Zec to public scrutiny,” Mnangagwa said.
The MDC-T, which refused to accept the outcome of the July polls, has repeatedly accused Zec of rigging the elections.
Justice Makarau said Zec had decided to hold the review workshop six months after the polls to allow emotions from losers to cool down.
All major parties, civic groups, regional election observer missions and media houses were being represented at the workshop.
