Vote rigging allegations don’t hold water: African Christian Council International

Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

The Grand President of the African Christian Council International (ACCI), Archbishop Johannes Ndanga has said allegations of rigging by Mr. Nelson Chamisa, the leader of the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) that the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) altered figures in favour of President Mnangagwa of ZANU (PF) to give him election victory are false.

Presenting the findings on Monday, ACCI Grand President Archbishop Johannes Ndanga said the voting process was transparent though Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) failed to field agents in some polling stations in Chirumanzi-Zibagwe constituency.

“The ACCI noted that most polling stations had representatives from most competing political parties and the various law enforcement agencies. In some instances, the Zimbabwe Republic Police deployed senior officers to polling stations.
” At each polling station, polling agents would sign V11 forms which was a summation of verified results of the voting process. However, a case to note is on Chirumanzi-Zibagwe Constituency, in the Midlands province where the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) failed to assign polling agents at Huchu Primary School, Simon Muzenda Primary School, Sebakwe Game Park Tent, Moffat Primary School and at Musena Clinic, ” Ndanga said.

The ACCI also exonerated discredited FAZ from voter manipulation while accusing other civic organizations of interfering with electoral processes.

” The ACCI also engaged Forever Associates Zimbabwe which was accused of voter intimidation. This was not verified in areas that we covered as their activities were being done 300 meters away from polling stations.

” The ACCI noted reported incidents of interference from the Non-profit organization (NPOs) who were involved in activities of collating reports from certain political parties.

”This was tantamount to electioneering and subversion of Zimbabwe’s democratic processes,” added the ACCI boss.
It said the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) had ‘ logistical challenges in availing enough ballot papers on time resulting in some polling stations opening late’.