Zanu-PF wants recount in 21 constituencies (Zimbabwe)
Herald Reporters
ZANU-PF has increased the number of House of Assembly constituency results it is contesting from 16 to 21 amid indications that the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission has agreed to recount ballots of five constituencies.
The ruling party’s chairman of the sub-committee on information and publicity, Cde Patrick Chinamasa, announced this at a Press conference in Harare yesterday.
The move by Zanu-PF comes at a time when the party is gearing for a re-run of the presidential election as it is understood that the contestants — President Mugabe, Morgan Tsvangirai, Simba Makoni and Langton Towungana — failed to garner more than 50 percent of the votes cast.
The party has also turned down overtures for a government of national unity arguing that only the ballot box could produce the country’s leadership.
Zanu-PF has also raised complaints with regard to more than 8 600 votes that were allegedly stolen from its presidential candidate Cde Mugabe in Mberengwa West, South, North and East constituencies.
"We have asked ZEC to investigate and allow for the announcement of the final results," he said.
Cde Chinamasa told journalists that ZEC had agreed to recount votes in Mutare West, Bikita West, Chimanimani West, Zhombe and Gutu South House of Assembly constituencies.
He called the Press conference to pronounce Zanu-PF’s position on the just-ended elections.
Complaints by Zanu-PF come in the wake of allegations of vote counting manipulation by ZEC officials, some of whom have since been arrested.
Recounting is expected to begin today.
Cde Chinamasa said ZEC had rejected requests for recounting in Bulilima East, Buhera South, Chegutu West, Chinhoyi, Bulawayo East, Hurungwe West and Gutu Central constituencies forcing Zanu-PF to approach the Electoral Court for redress.
He said Zanu-PF was awaiting a response from ZEC on the other seven constituencies.
"We have, as a party, raised issues in 21 constituencies where our individual members made requests within the statutory 48 hours.
"There are two routes that can be followed in terms of the electoral laws which include recounts and petitioning through the Electoral Courts," he said.
Cde Chinamasa said despite losing in the House of Assembly elections to the MDC-Tsvangirai with 97 seats against 99, Zanu-PF enjoys the popular vote in that it got the most votes representing 45 percent against 42 of the MDC-Tsvangirai faction.
The same trend obtained in the Senate elections where Zanu-PF garnered 30 seats, representing 45,49 percent against 24 of the MDC-Tsvangirai, which is 43,56 percent of the total votes cast.
"We remain the most popular party," he said.
He said the MDC-Tsvangirai formation was wrong to announce it had won the presidential election when all parties know that none of them managed the required 51 percent.
"We are disappointed with the posturing. While posturing they have approached Zanu-PF with proposals for a Government of National Unity saying they have no problem with President Mugabe remaining as Head of State. That is not the position of a winner," he said.
Cde Chinamasa said the MDC had even appealed all over the world for an issue that does not warrant international intervention.
He said the MDC was simply echoing what the British and American leaders had already said.
He said it was disturbing to note that in Kenya where more than 2 000 people were killed there were no appeals for the Security Council’s intervention.
However, the MDC-Tsvangirai faction has denied that its leader asked Zanu-PF to consider him as one of the Vice Presidents and give his party Cabinet posts in a Government of National Unity.
In a statement yesterday, MDC-Tsvangirai secretary for information and publicity Mr Nelson Chamisa denied approaching Zanu-PF saying it could not possibly do that since in its view, it won the presidential election.
He said at no time did its officials, Mr Elton Mangoma and Mr Ian Makone, approach Zanu-PF officials Cde Patrick Chinamasa and Cde Nicholas Goche with the request.
Mr Chamisa said Mr Joe Mtizwa, the Delta Beverages chief executive officer who was said to be part of the team that approached Zanu-PF, had no contacts with the MDC and was not even in the party structures.
Cde Chinamasa warned white former farmers to stop interfering with the land reform programme saying any further attempts to destabilise a legal and constitutional resettlement programme would be dealt with accordingly.
"We started with 4 000 white farmers and we have now replaced them with 350 000 black farmers. By promising a reversal of the land reform exercise the MDC is sowing seeds of destabilisation. There is no way 350 000 household farmers can leave," he said.
He said seeking a reversal of the land reform exercise was not in the interest of either the MDC or white former farmers.
"We have asked our farmers to exercise restraint," he said.
He said some of the farmers had even telephoned and threatened Cabinet ministers with bombing.
ZANU-PF has increased the number of House of Assembly constituency results it is contesting from 16 to 21 amid indications that the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission has agreed to recount ballots of five constituencies.
The ruling party’s chairman of the sub-committee on information and publicity, Cde Patrick Chinamasa, announced this at a Press conference in Harare yesterday.
The move by Zanu-PF comes at a time when the party is gearing for a re-run of the presidential election as it is understood that the contestants — President Mugabe, Morgan Tsvangirai, Simba Makoni and Langton Towungana — failed to garner more than 50 percent of the votes cast.
The party has also turned down overtures for a government of national unity arguing that only the ballot box could produce the country’s leadership.
Zanu-PF has also raised complaints with regard to more than 8 600 votes that were allegedly stolen from its presidential candidate Cde Mugabe in Mberengwa West, South, North and East constituencies.
"We have asked ZEC to investigate and allow for the announcement of the final results," he said.
Cde Chinamasa told journalists that ZEC had agreed to recount votes in Mutare West, Bikita West, Chimanimani West, Zhombe and Gutu South House of Assembly constituencies.
He called the Press conference to pronounce Zanu-PF’s position on the just-ended elections.
Complaints by Zanu-PF come in the wake of allegations of vote counting manipulation by ZEC officials, some of whom have since been arrested.
Recounting is expected to begin today.
Cde Chinamasa said ZEC had rejected requests for recounting in Bulilima East, Buhera South, Chegutu West, Chinhoyi, Bulawayo East, Hurungwe West and Gutu Central constituencies forcing Zanu-PF to approach the Electoral Court for redress.
He said Zanu-PF was awaiting a response from ZEC on the other seven constituencies.
"We have, as a party, raised issues in 21 constituencies where our individual members made requests within the statutory 48 hours.
"There are two routes that can be followed in terms of the electoral laws which include recounts and petitioning through the Electoral Courts," he said.
Cde Chinamasa said despite losing in the House of Assembly elections to the MDC-Tsvangirai with 97 seats against 99, Zanu-PF enjoys the popular vote in that it got the most votes representing 45 percent against 42 of the MDC-Tsvangirai faction.
The same trend obtained in the Senate elections where Zanu-PF garnered 30 seats, representing 45,49 percent against 24 of the MDC-Tsvangirai, which is 43,56 percent of the total votes cast.
"We remain the most popular party," he said.
He said the MDC-Tsvangirai formation was wrong to announce it had won the presidential election when all parties know that none of them managed the required 51 percent.
"We are disappointed with the posturing. While posturing they have approached Zanu-PF with proposals for a Government of National Unity saying they have no problem with President Mugabe remaining as Head of State. That is not the position of a winner," he said.
Cde Chinamasa said the MDC had even appealed all over the world for an issue that does not warrant international intervention.
He said the MDC was simply echoing what the British and American leaders had already said.
He said it was disturbing to note that in Kenya where more than 2 000 people were killed there were no appeals for the Security Council’s intervention.
However, the MDC-Tsvangirai faction has denied that its leader asked Zanu-PF to consider him as one of the Vice Presidents and give his party Cabinet posts in a Government of National Unity.
In a statement yesterday, MDC-Tsvangirai secretary for information and publicity Mr Nelson Chamisa denied approaching Zanu-PF saying it could not possibly do that since in its view, it won the presidential election.
He said at no time did its officials, Mr Elton Mangoma and Mr Ian Makone, approach Zanu-PF officials Cde Patrick Chinamasa and Cde Nicholas Goche with the request.
Mr Chamisa said Mr Joe Mtizwa, the Delta Beverages chief executive officer who was said to be part of the team that approached Zanu-PF, had no contacts with the MDC and was not even in the party structures.
Cde Chinamasa warned white former farmers to stop interfering with the land reform programme saying any further attempts to destabilise a legal and constitutional resettlement programme would be dealt with accordingly.
"We started with 4 000 white farmers and we have now replaced them with 350 000 black farmers. By promising a reversal of the land reform exercise the MDC is sowing seeds of destabilisation. There is no way 350 000 household farmers can leave," he said.
He said seeking a reversal of the land reform exercise was not in the interest of either the MDC or white former farmers.
"We have asked our farmers to exercise restraint," he said.
He said some of the farmers had even telephoned and threatened Cabinet ministers with bombing.
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