Zimpapers Logo

Patrick Chitumba Midlands Bureau
Elections will go ahead as scheduled on July 30 and no one has the power to reverse the proclamation scheduling voting on that date, President Mnangagwa has said.

Addressing senior Government officials, who included Vice President Constantino Chiwenga and Cottco management at the Cottco Ginnery at Gokwe Centre yesterday, President Mnangagwa said questions over which presidential candidate came first or last on the ballot paper were not an issue.

He said the issue of where the name of a presidential candidate was placed on the ballot paper would not stop the elections.

“Everywhere we have been to, the people are very clear,” said President Mnangagwa.

“This confusion that there are no elections is only in Harare. The rest of the country, they are geared, they understand what they want to do.”

The President said no one was born with a name.

“This question of saying my name should be here or there or an alphabetical order must be used is null and void,” he said.

“When they saw my name on top of the ballot they said they should have used alphabetical order and therefore Mnangagwa’s name should not be on top.

“Elections will go ahead whether you start with the initial C or M on the ballot paper. Elections will go ahead. But you must remember that there is only one person who can decide to stop the elections and it’s me who proclaimed them and no one else made the proclamation. It’s only Zanu-PF which can decide whether elections are held or not.”

President Mnangagwa said election observers should be allowed to observe the polls from anywhere in the country.

He reiterated that the elections would be peaceful, transparent and free and fair.

“When election observers visit you, allow them to observe, treat them well. Explain to them how we operate and assure them that we will hold credible, peaceful and free and fair elections,” he said.