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Harare Bureau
THE African Union has dismissed claims of vote rigging and malpractice being peddled by some sections of the private media saying no such evidence had been produced before authorities. AU Commission chairperson, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma told journalists yesterday in her pre-election assessment that she met all presidential candidates and stakeholders and no complaints of vote rigging were raised.
However, her remarks triggered nasty lashes from the MDC-T which came out guns blazing accusing the AU chief of trying to tilt the election scale in Zanu-PF’s favour.
During Dr Dlamini-Zuma’s media briefing, a journalist from Guardian newspaper in London asked if the mission received evidence of Zanu-PF rigging plot including deployment of militias across the country. The journalist indicated that he had a document he got from his interaction with some MDC-T officials that showed how Zanu-PF wanted to rig.
Said Dr Dlamini-Zuma: “I don’t have it. I met the Prime Minister who is the leader of the MDC-T who said nothing like that. He gave me no document, so if you have it, give it to me, otherwise I don’t work on newspaper reports or speculation.
“I work on what I have heard and seen. That is why I met leaders so that I can hear what you are saying from them.” She said other leaders she held meetings with were Zanu-PF candidate, President Mugabe, Deputy Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara, Zimbabwe Development Party leader, Mr Kisinot Mukwazhe and MDC leader, Professor Welshman Ncube.
“None of them mentioned any document, none of them even used the word rigging. They tell you maybe what they think you want to hear,” she said.
Dr Dlamini-Zuma said all candidates assured them that they would accept the election result.
“If there is anything to be challenged, it should be done in the courts and not in the street,” she said.
She said they were satisfied by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission’s explanation on the challenges encountered during the special voting where thousands of police details and civil servants failed to cast their votes due to logistical challenges.
Presenting the continental body pre-election statement, AU Commissioner for Political Affairs, Dr Aisha Abudullahi said the period leading to the polls was calm but expressed concern on people who failed to register as voters due to technical challenges.
“While acknowledging the increased number of registered voters from 5.2 million to 6.4 million, the mission noted that thousands more were unable to register due to the limited time frame to regularise their citizenship status and insufficient voter education,” said Dr Abudullahi.
Addressing a Press conference Mr Tsvangirai criticised the AU chair. He said Dr Dlamini-Zuma was “barking” a Zanu-PF narrative supporting an outcome that endorsed the revolutionary party’s victory.
Mr Tsvangirai and his MDC-T party have to date failed to provide evidence of rigging despite a request to do so by Zec.
Online Reporter