SOME of the candidates contesting the Headlands and Chikanga-Dangamvura by-elections on June 10 have expressed reservations at the manner the polls would be conducted, saying the environment was heavily tilted in favour of the ruling Zanu PF.
Independent candidate for Chikanga, James Mundenda, said the voters’ roll was still to be availed to all contestants.
“’We are using the old voters’ roll and l believe it is not in a good state. The old voters’ roll has about 40 000 registered voters in the constituency. But among the registered voters, you will see that some of them have since died and it has not been updated for a long time. So it can be easily manipulated,” the human rights activist said.
“And also the campaigns have been going on well until recently as some of the candidates are sticking their posters on top of others, but at the moment, l am not at liberty to name them as l am in the process of filing my complaint with the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec).”
Mundenda accused Zanu PF candidate Esau Mupfumi of vote-buying after recently re-donating an ambulance he allegedly withdrew after losing the 2008 senatorial elections.
“They (Zanu PF) have proved for the past 35 years that they cannot do anything for the development of the country. So I might be a better option for the constituency and l am confident of beating the other candidates since l have many development projects to implement,” he said.
“If elected in the constituency, I will try to protect the remaining workforce in the country, protect, and observe all labour rights and laws.”
National Constitutional Assembly (NCA) candidate for Headlands constituency David Mukunda on Thursday walked out of a meeting organised by Zec, accusing the electoral body of favouring Zanu PF.
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The Headlands seat fell vacant after Zanu PF recalled from Parliament axed former secretary for administration Didymus Mutasa. Mukunda accused Zec of supporting Zanu PF candidate Christopher Chingosho.
“I walked out of the meeting because the Zec officials were listening to the Zanu PF candidate only while other candidates were ignored. The officials were not accepting our arguments and ideas, so I saw it not necessary to remain in the meeting,” he said. Mukunda accused Zanu PF of manipulating the voters’ roll and delimiting ward boundaries, among others things, in favour of the ruling party.
“Zec has removed polling stations in wards 6 and 12 where it is clear that Zanu PF would lose. Some voters have not been registered in these areas. I have tried to have answers from Zec, but to no avail,” he alleged District elections officer Joel Mutambirwa referred questions to Moffatt Masabeya, the Manicaland province elections officer, who could not be reached for comment.
