By Munesu Chigada
Harare, Zimbabwe (News of the South)-ZANU PF appointed State Procurement Board directly influenced the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) to select a Chinese company to supply the biometric voter registration (BVR) kits according to the MDC-T.
In a statement released in the aftermath of the ZEC announcing that Laxton Group Limited, a Chinese firm had trumped a German firm competing to provide the same kits, the MDC-T said the move is part of the rigging plot by President Mugabe’s party.
“This award is in stark contradiction to the recommendation of the political parties that observed the BVR validation process”.
“The MDC is aware that the ZANU PF appointed State Procurement Board directly influenced ZEC to award this tender to the Chinese company”
“It does not escape us that the beleaguered and faction ridden ZANU PF has strong bonds of friendship with the Communist Party of China (CPC)”, is said.
The Morgan Tsvangirai led party however urged the citisens of the country to defy the biased move by register to vote.
“Notwithstanding this biased and politically inspired award of the BVR kits supply contract to Laxton Group Limited, the MDC is calling upon Zimbabweans, living in the country and in the diaspora, to register to vote in their millions when the voter registration exercise begins in due course”.
The opposition party has promised to keep on the lookout for any rigging moves by the ruling ZANU PF saying it has mechanisms in place to deal with that.
“We derive comfort from the fact that our technical experts are firmly on the ground and that they are keeping an eagle’s eye on all the shenanigans that are being created ny ZEC”, it said.
The issue of the BVR has become contentious in the Southern Africa country as it gears for the 2018 elections with previous accusations of rigging by President Mugabe providing a drama filled run-up to the elections.
The previous elections in 2013 were synonymous with the infamous Nikuv company from Israel which is suspected of having masterminded another ZANU PF win, a move which the opposition has been fighting to stem.
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