Chamisa slams Zimbabwe electoral body ahead of vote

Opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) leader Nelson Chamisa gestures during the launch of his party's election manifesto in Harare

Opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) leader Nelson Chamisa gestures during the launch of his party's election manifesto in Harare

Published Jul 4, 2018

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Harare - Zimbabwe's main opposition leader, Nelson Chamisa, on

Wednesday accused the electoral body of trying to manipulate upcoming

polls in favor of the ruling party, saying he would "rather die" than

participate in a rigged vote.

"I would rather die than participate in an election that is not free

and fair," said the 40-year-old leader of the Movement for Democratic

Change (MDC).

"The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission ... has shown that it is either

incapable or unwilling to provide Zimbabweans with a verifiable,

secure and transparent election," said Chamisa.

"There will no election in this country if our concerns are not

addressed," he added.

The MDC wants the electoral commission to halt the printing of ballot

papers until a common position on the design and structure of the

ballots has been agreed upon. They argue the current design favours

incumbent President Emmerson Mngangagwa as his name has been put at

the top.

Chamisa also wants the body to provide his party with an electronic

voters' roll containing photographs of registered voters. He contends

that there are several anomalies.

Zimbabweans go to the polls on July 30 - the first time they have

done so in almost 40 years without former president Robert Mugabe on

the ballot. He was ousted in a coup last year.

Priscilla Chigumba, the chairwoman of the Zimbabwe Electoral

Commission, defended the body.

"Whatever we do is guided by the laws of this country," she said.

All political parties were free to collect copies of the voters roll

at the ZEC offices, she added.

DPA

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