BY MIRIAM MANGWAYA THE Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) has blamed Parliament for failing to ensure credible polls and electoral reforms because it is its responsibility to legislate the necessary electoral reforms.
Electoral watchdogs and opposition parties have been piling pressure on Zec to ensure free, fair, transparent and accountable elections as the country heads towards 2023 polls.
Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) spokesperson Fadzayi Mahere has accused Zec of being evasive in terms of engaging electoral stakeholders on the need to discuss electoral reforms that are of concern to the public, as well as its failure to avail a credible voters roll for public scrutiny.
In response to Mahere’s complaint, Zec spokesperson Jasper Mangwana tweeted yesterday saying the commission had submitted its recommendations on electoral reforms to Parliament through the Justice ministry.
He said: “There was no formal invitation to the discussion, furthermore Zec has already submitted recommendations through the Justice ministry and parties in Parliament have the primary responsibility of ensuring that reforms are taken through to their logical conclusion.”
Mangwana requested questions in writing when NewsDay contacted him for further comment on the matter, but he had not yet responded to the questions at the time of going to print.
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The European Union observer mission has, however, noted that the country has managed to implement only two of its 23 electoral reform recommendations made after the 2018 polls.
Electoral watchdogs have warned that the 2023 polls could likely produce another contested result as Zimbabwe is increasingly running out of time to implement reforms.
Observers blamed legislators, the majority being Zanu PF, of lacking enthusiasm to push for the implementation of the electoral reforms.
Data analysts, Team Pachedu that has been poking holes into the voters roll tweeted: “Our political parties push more rallies and freebies than laws that make the ground even. Going into 2023 without reforms will produce another disputed outcome, the same as in 2008, 2013 and 2018. No one bothered to take recommendations from observers and the Motlanthe Commission.”
Constitutional law expert Lovemore Madhuku said the opposition MPs could use their legislative powers and draft a Private Members’ Bill to push for the implementation of electoral reforms that they want.
“Having a majority in Parliament is only relevant at the voting stage of the Bill,” Madhuku said.
“Opposition MPs can come up with a Private Members Bill where they will introduce the provisions of their desired electoral reforms. In the United Kingdom, laws are introduced by individual senators, who can, however, then be supported by representatives from across the political divide. The same can apply here. If the opposition comes up with its own Bill, who knows, members of the majority party can even support them and the Bill can sail through. Even if it fails to pass, it is the effort and the push that counts,” he added.
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