Zimpapers Logo

THE Constitutional Court today convenes to deliberate on a petition by MDC-Alliance candidate Nelson Chamisa challenging President Mnangagwa’s victory in the July 30 election.

The President polled 50,8 percent to Chamisa’s 44,3 percent with Zanu-PF garnering over two-thirds majority in a highly-peaceful, transparent, free, fair and credible election that has been endorsed by all progressive observer missions.

Chamisa claims the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) rigged the plebiscite in favour of Zanu-PF, a charge both ZEC and Zanu-PF have dismissed with requisite contempt.

Addressing a Press conference in Harare on Monday, Mr Chamisa said he will not accept the Constitutional Court’s verdict if it’s not in his favour. It will be remembered that during the campaign period, Mr Chamisa again vowed to make the country ungovernable if he was not declared winner of the July 30 elections by ZEC.

In fact, Mr Chamisa threatened “kudira sadza jecha” if not declared winner.

As ZEC was in the process of announcing the results and with all pointing to an MDC-Alliance loss, Mr Chamisa’s supporters acted on his instruction.

They trooped into the central business district in Harare — burnt property worth thousands of dollars before they were stopped by our security forces as they headed for the Rainbow Towers where the results were being announced by ZEC.

It is clear the rowdy elements worked on Mr Chamisa’s instruction to make the motherland ungovernable. Mr Chamisa tried to distance himself from the violence claiming the rowdy demonstrators were not members of his party.

He was to be seen visiting them in hospital at Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals.

It is therefore instructive that Mr Chamisa on Monday repeated the threat of violence if the Constitutional Court does not declare him winner of the Presidential election. He has gone to court expecting nothing, but the judges to declare him president of our nation “or else”.

In other words, he is approaching the court with very dirty hands. He has slammed the country’s Judiciary in the past as partisan. He is approaching the same institution today expecting nothing, but his victory, which in his mind is cast in stone.

We note that while it is Chamisa’s right to be overly ambitious, it is the right of every Zimbabwean too to enjoy peace without hindrance.

Mr Chamisa veils his violence threat as “defending the vote” yet it is at the Constitutional Court where he must unveil the alleged evidence of Zanu-PF rigging he has been boasting having.

We urge all Zimbabweans to ensure peace during the hearing of the petition and to respect whatever verdict would be passed by the Constitutional Court.

We are stronger when united and once peace is vandalised everyone stands to lose including those clamouring for chaos! We call on the security apparatus to rein in anyone bent on violence.

Zimbabwe is bigger than the ambitions of this little man in a big chair.