Zimbabwe’s governing Zanu-PF has urged the opposition Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) to produce evidence of its allegations of election fraud.
This follows widespread outrage at the announcement that the incumbent President Emmerson Mnangagwa, has won a second term after last week’s elections.
Election delays tarnished the process and amplified opposition claims of rigging and voter suppression.
Both the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) and European Union (EU) election observer missions say that the elections did not meet international standards and fell short of Zimbabwe’s constitutional obligations.
Zanu-PF South Africa District spokesperson Kennedy Mandaza says, “Most of the processes that were involved were done peacefully, and we believe that the elections were free and fair. The courts are very neutral, because even themselves the CCC- in the past when the 12- candidates for Bulawayo were asking to go back and campaign, they applauded the judiciary for having done their work properly.”
“It is the same judiciary to whom they should prove that elections were rigged. The onus is on CCC if they have the evidence, the channels are there.”
Zimbabwe Elections I CCC to challenge the results
Congratulations
Meanwhile, President Cyril Ramaphosa says South Africa’s congratulations to Mnangagwa on his re-election after last Wednesday’s elections was on the basis that the country’s election commission has declared him the winner.
Speaking to the SABC on the sidelines of his visit to Soweto on Tuesday, President Ramaphosa urged for patience until everything is processed.
“The SADC body has issued a preliminary report. They are still going to sit down together with many other observers and analyse everything. So, let’s wait until all that comes out but the Electoral Commission in Zimbabwe has made a declaration and it is on that basis that we have issued our congratulatory message.
“So, the rest of other things still need to be processed no doubt and everybody including the government of Zimbabwe accepts that so let’s wait until everything is well processed,” President Ramaphosa explains.
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