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Morgan Tsvangirai

Senior Reporter
MDC-T leader Mr Morgan Tsvangirai says his party will wilfully break the law by unofficially announcing results for the harmonised elections set for next Wednesday before the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission does so. In terms of the Electoral Act, only ZEC has the mandate to announce election results.
Addressing his supporters at a rally held in Domboshawa yesterday, Mr Tsvangirai said despite the provisions of the law that clearly stipulate that elections results would be announced by Zec, his party would collate results posted at all polling stations and declare the results nationally.

“Maresults handiti tinenge tinawo at every polling station. Tino announcer kuti tahwina whether they like it or not. We will announce,” he said.
“Kana vachizosunga hameno kuti vanosunga ani tinenge tave mapresident. Mungatadza zvinhu zvakapusa kudaro,’’ he said.

The law says it is an offence for any unauthorised person to announce election results. Mr Tsvangirai said Zanu-PF was working in connivance with Zec to rig the elections.

He claimed that Zec had printed more than eight million ballot papers yet the country had only 6, 2 million registered voters. Mr Tsvangirai labelled Zec “thieves.” He said the electoral body was refusing to furnish them with details of the companies that printed the ballot papers.
“I was speaking to Zec chairperson asking how many ballot papers were printed and by which companies,” he said.

“Five days before the election, you cannot even say how many ballots were printed and by whom? Mbavha!”
Mr Tsvangirai claimed that Zec was clandestinely instructed that “aliens” would not vote in the harmonised elections.
He said there was also widespread intimidation by Zanu-PF in areas such as Mudzi and Rushinga.

“How can you purport to run a free and fair election with such intimidation?” he said.
Mr Tsvangirai said the elections presented the best opportunity for Zimbabweans to produce what he termed “a new Zimbabwe”. He said under the new Constitution traditional leaders should not be partisan.

“Under the new constitution traditional leaders are not allowed to openly support a political party,” he said
Mr Tsvangirai said his party had a housing policy for the rural folk if it wins the next elections.
He said he wanted to uplift the lives of the rural people.

“Handifungi kuti dzimba dzakagara vana sekuru sekuru sekuru vedu ndomatiri kungopindawo muzvitangwena izvozvo,” he said.
“Ini ndakakurira kuruzevha muchimba tichirara tiri vakoma four tobuda tichiita kunge tiri kubuda muchuru,” Mr Tsvangirai said.