The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) has refused to release the disputed presidential results breakdown amid the scrutiny of its independence.
The embattled ZEC is under intense pressure to furnish the electorate with presidential results that declared Zanu PF’s leader Emmerson Mnangagwa victorious ahead of Citizens Coalition for Change’s (CCC) Nelson Chamisa.
Mnangagwa won the August plebiscite posting 52.6 percent while Chamisa polled 44 percent – a result the latter has trashed.
Posting on its social media pages ZEC says it is not bound by law to release polling results of each presidential candidate.
“ZEC is not compelled by the law to publish V11 forms. The map below shows the real performance by the top two Presidential candidates during the just ended elections,” said ZEC.
The opposition feels aggrieved by ZEC which it accuses of releasing “fake” results to keep Mnangagwa in power.
Commenting on ZEC’s stance, renowned lawyer and opposition stalwart David Coltart said the election mother body was disingenuous
“There’s nothing in our law which bars @ZECzim from producing the disaggregated V11s for each Ward countrywide. If you want the Nation to believe your figures you should do so. It is within your power. If you are so confident of your figures do so. If not you are hiding something,” he said.
CCC is reportedly considering contesting ZEC results in the Constitutional court – a route that Chamisa took after the 2018 elections.
Source: New Zimbabwe
