|
April 11, 2008 THE Zimbabwe Electoral
Commission says its hands are tied with regard to the release of
the presidential poll results because the matter is still before
the High Court.
Breaking its silence since announcing the
last Senate results, ZEC said it was not in a position to
comment on the presidential election results as the issue was
now the subject of legal proceedings in the High Court.
In a statement, ZEC said pending the
determination by the court, it was unable to comment on the
matter.
"The commission wishes to advise the
public that the question of the results of the presidential
election is now the subject of legal proceedings in the High
Court.
"Pending determination by that court, and
in line with established rules of court, norms and procedures,
the commission is unable to comment on this subject."
The commission said it had received
numerous inquiries from stakeholders, the electorate, observers,
local and foreign media with regard to the compilation and
publication of the presidential poll results, but was unable to
comment.
ZEC commended the nation for the peaceful
environment that prevailed before, during and after the
elections.
"We urge all stakeholders to remain
patient and allow the due process of the law to run its course,"
said the commission.
MDC-T has lodged a court petition seeking
an order for ZEC to announce the presidential election results.
High Court judge Justice Tendayi Uchena
will deliver his judgment next Monday.
Government yesterday said it was not
stopping ZEC from releasing results of the presidential
election.
In a statement, the Minister of
Information and Publicity, Dr Sikhanyiso Ndlovu, said Zanu-PF
was also keenly awaiting the release of the results.
"The ruling party and its presidential
candidate Cde R.G. Mugabe are also eagerly waiting for the ZEC
to complete its ballot votes verification freely without any
interference and without pressure not to release the results.
"I would like to state in unequivocal
terms that it is not true that the President nor Government is
holding the Zimbabwe election results," he said.
Dr Ndlovu said he was convinced ZEC in its
wisdom would like to do a meticulous job before it could
announce the results to the nation.
"I am sure that ZEC can speak for itself,
not Government. All questions on elections and verification
exercise must be directed to ZEC and not to Government," said Dr
Ndlovu.
His statement came in the wake of false
reports by some sections of the Western and South African media
and MDC-T, among others, who were alleging that Government had
directed ZEC not to release the results.
In a related matter, MDC-T says it will
mount a legal challenge against Zanu-PF's request for a vote
recount of parliamentary election results in five House of
Assembly constituencies, arguing the ballot boxes might have
been tampered with.
ZEC has agreed to Zanu-PF's request for
recounts in Mutare West, Bikita West, Chimanimani West, Zhombe
and Gutu South constituencies.
The commission is also considering Zanu-PF's
request for recounts in seven other constituencies.
MDC-T spokesman Nelson Chamisa said they
had since instructed their lawyers to challenge the recount.
It can be easily detected if ballot boxes
are tampered with because at the end of voting and counting,
agents of all contesting parties take down all the details such
as the number of ballot papers in the box.
They are also required to sign that the
information is correct before the boxes are sealed.
ZEC rejected requests for recounts in
Bulilima East, Buhera South, Chegutu West, Chinhoyi, Bulawayo
East, Hurungwe West and Gutu Central, compelling Zanu-PF to
approach the Electoral Court.
Meanwhile, ZEC has denied that it has
dismantled the National Command Centre, saying it had only
scaled down operations following the
successful completion of three of the four
harmonised elections held on March 29.
New Ziana reports that ZEC deputy chief
elections officer Mr Utoile Silaigwana said the election body
had removed some of its equipment from the command centre
because it was no longer necessary to keep it there.
"After the three elections, it was not
necessary to keep all that equipment," he said.
Mr Silaigwana said ZEC also found it
unnecessary to keep equipment at the National Command Centre
since the issue of the remaining presidential election results
had been taken to court and there was no indication as to when
it would be concluded. |