Chronicle Editor
Harare Bureau
ZIMBABWE routinely holds elections when they are due in order to strengthen and consolidate its democracy, and attacks on State institutions by the European Union through the bloc’s 2023 Harmonised Elections Observer Mission final report are an affront to the country’s sovereignty, Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister, Dr Jenfan Muswere has said.
He also said Government will not stand by idly while the country’s institutions come under unwarranted attacks.
Addressing a press conference in Harare yesterday, Minister Muswere said the report was focused “on a closed episode of our national political cycle”. The elections, he said, met the country’s legislative requirements.
“The Government is fully aware of the EU EOM’s irregular nocturnal meetings with opposition political players outside conventional election observation parameters. We also know that the EU disbursed campaign funds to a particular opposition party in flagrant violation of the Political Parties Finance Act.
“We also have substantial evidence of the EU EOM’s clandestine operations with other Election Observer Missions (EOMs) for the purpose of manipulating their reports to discredit the election outcome.
“At the same time, the Government is aware of the colonial traditional reactionary aspersions of those perennially inclined to subvert the will of our people by misrepresenting facts about Zimbabwe’s political environment before, during and after the elections,” said Dr Muswere.
He also reiterated that none of the political parties that contested the elections filed an election petition, a development that lends legitimacy to the status quo. The EU’s report sought to impugn Zimbabwe’s democratic processes, added Minister Muswere. In addition, it also suggests that prosecution of political players translate to political persecution.
“However, no one is above the law and our law will never be selectively applied to exonerate criminality. Being a political player does not provide one with the privilege of immunity,” he said.
Minister Muswere said the independence and integrity of Zimbabwe’s Judiciary was sacrosanct.
“We also have substantial evidence of the EU EOM’s clandestine operations with other Election Observer Missions (EOMs) for the purpose of manipulating their reports to discredit the election outcome.
“At the same time, the Government is aware of the colonial traditional reactionary aspersions of those perennially inclined to subvert the will of our people by misrepresenting facts about Zimbabwe’s political environment before, during and after the elections,” he said.
Bongani Ndlovu