Former CCC leader Nelson Chamisa has commended South Africa’s Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) for its professional and accountable approach in the 29 May 2024 National and Provincial elections, contrasting it with the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC)’s alleged inefficiencies and lack of transparency.
Speaking at the funeral wake of opposition stalwart, CCC senator and former MDC Harare Central MP, Murisi Zwizwai, Chamisa accused ZEC of being “incompetent and biased” and called for its disbandment, reported Nehanda Radio. Said Chamisa:
I must say that there are lessons to be learnt, the key lesson being that institutions that are independent and professional are important for the stability and progress of nations.
If you look at the conduct of the Independent Electoral Commission, it has been exemplary, professional, integrity, and of course accountability.
There are a lot of challenges when you have such a process, but if you look at it, they were able to answer those concerns. If you compare that with ZEC, you give them your complaints, they don’t answer.
What is clear from South Africa is that ZEC must be disbanded and be disbanded urgently; there can never be a proper election with ZEC in this country.
Chamisa also praised South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and his governing ANC party for accepting the election results despite taking only 40% of the vote. He said:
The ANC, I’m sure they have respected the outcome; that’s how we should behave, that’s being exemplary. I want to thank President (Cyril) Ramaphosa and the ANC for giving democracy a chance and for accepting what the people want.
Chamisa reiterated his call for SADC to intervene in Zimbabwe’s disputed 2023 general elections which failed to meet regional and international standards. He said:
We hope that SADC will play a prominent role in adjudicating the dispute in Zimbabwe because we have not agreed on the issue of the election.
In fact, it’s not about our agreement; the people of Zimbabwe know that the election was not conclusive in terms of choosing the leader who should be governing this country, hopefully, that issue is going to be resolved.
Zwizwai reportedly complained of flu before he died in a Harare hospital early Saturday. He was 54.
Zwizwai was one of the first MPs of the Movement for Democratic Change elected in a by-election in 2003 before leaving the party in 2022 when the CCC was formed.
He was the Media, Information, and Publicity Deputy Minister during the Government of National Unity (2009-13).
Zwizwai was among five CCC candidates appointed to the Senate in April by Sengezo Tshabangu.
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