CCC party cleared all outstanding issues with ZEC
CCC leader Nelson Chamisa
THE Nelson Chamisa-led Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) party last night said it had cleared all “outstanding issues” with the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) amid fears there was a sinister plot to block the new party when the nomination court sits today to verify candidates for the March 26 by-elections.
This comes as Zec yesterday said there would be no by-elections in six constituencies after High Court judge Justice Tawanda Chitapi ruled that the recall of six legislators, including Tendai Biti, by a faction of the People’s Democratic Party, was illegal.
According to the ruling, the MPs now linked to Chamisa’s party, including Biti, Willias Madzimure (Kambuzuma), Settlement Chikwinya (Mbizo), Kucaca Phulu (Nkulumane), Sichelesile Mahlangu (Pumula) and Regai Tsunga (Mutasa South), are supposed to be reinstated without being subjected to any by-election.
Zec on Monday reportedly demanded CCC documents including the party’s constitution to be allowed to submit nomination papers, a development Chamisa said was unheard of, and a plot to frustrate them.
But the electoral body’s spokesperson Joyce Kazembe told NewsDay that she was not aware of the demands that Chamisa claimed were made by Zec.
“Anybody who is presenting the papers before the nomination court is allowed to do so as long as the papers are right and are in order as stipulated in the appropriate Electoral Act, but whether they submitted the nomination papers, I don’t know because I am in Mashonaland West now. You might need to go to the district officer for Harare,” Kazembe said.
On Chamisa’s claims, she said: “Who said so? I wasn’t there and I wouldn’t know and you can call the head office on that.”
The CCC party said it had no issues with Zec and was ready for today’s nomination court, where candidates would present their papers to participate in the March 26 by-elections.
“We have given them all the documents as required by law and we have established that we are the only party that has been registered under this name at this point. There are no other outstanding issues with Zec as far as this issue is concerned,” party executive Jacob Mafume said.
Chamisa unveiled the CCC after MDC-T president Douglas Mwonzora claimed the MDC Alliance name and symbols, leaving Chamisa with no official party.
Over 100 parliamentary and council seats are up for grabs following the recall of MDC Alliance MPs and councillors by the MDC-T.
Zanu PF and the CCC have said they will use the polls as a dry run for the 2023 harmonised elections.
– NewsDay
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