PRESS STATEMENT:
NPP UK notes and welcomes EU Statement on positive, mutually respectful and beneficial re-engagement with the Zimbabwe government following the departure of president Mugabe and subsequent take over of president Mnangagwa.
The major points highlighted are self explanatory and echo the desire of most Zimbabweans in ushering a new truly democratic dispensation. In this regard NPP will co-operate and participate in all nation building endeavours with all stake holders including the EU whose attached conclusions rhyme very well with our party position and that of the Rainbow Coalition of which our party president is Presidential Candidate for upcoming harmonised Elections. In this regard we urge the Mnangagwa led new dispensation to allow for local independent and SADC observation and monitoring of the electoral process. From current construction of new voters roll through the BVR programme underway all the way to results announcements when elections are eventually held.
Concurrent to this we urge the government to harmonise all the laws to the constitution as a matter of priority before mandatory dissolution of Parliament. This will allow citizens to exercise their full rights under the Rule of Law. We as a opposition party are very concerned at uneven electoral field and domination of supposedly independent electoral institutions by known ruling party apparatchiks and members of the security services. We are also very concerned by reports of widespread coercion of rural voters through abuse of traditional leaders by gathering them and taking their ZEC registration slips and noting their details with insinuation that will enable governing incumbent ZANUPF to know whom they had voted for. This is not only a violation of the law and spirit of fair play the EU is alluding to. We urge the EU to openly engage with opposition parties to ensure timely attendance to such clear electoral fraud already underway. As a party we will Be liaising with SADC, other opposition parties and local civil society on these matters of mutual concern. They are also reports of members of the security being deployed in rural areas to campaign for President Mnangagwa and his party. This is very frightening given the mayhem of torture and murder witnessed in the 2008 elections, this must be avoided at all costs and if any security services have deployed for partisan reasons be withdrawn forthwith and government make a public undertaking this will not happen again. We share with the EU all the concerns and advisory notes they gave and thank them for such a principled stand.
We hope our regional mother body will also insist on constitution harmonisation and adherence to SADC and AU elections guidelines.
NPP BATO REVANHU IBANDLA LABANTU THE PEOPLE’S PARTY
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