It’s not true, we are not working with Chamisa says ZESN
Election watchdog, Zimbabwe Election Support Network (ZESN) has refuted claims that it is planning violent protests if election results announced by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) are inconsistent with their findings.
According to a statement issued by ZESN last Monday, the ZanuPF central committee report released during the party’s elective congress late last month suggested that the election watchdog was recruiting Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) members as election observers who will double as election agents.
The report further suggests that ZESN will conduct a parallel voter tabulation during the 2023 elections but will roll out our violent protests if results announced by ZEC do not tally.
ZESN denied these claims and further emphasized the non-partisan nature of its operations.
“ZESN is a law-abiding organization that seeks to promote the conduct of peaceful democratic elections in Zimbabwe.
“In its quest to promote democratic principles, the Network is apolitical and does not promote the cause of any political party, neither does it endorse any candidate or political party.
“Therefore emphatically denies any links with the CCC or working with the CCC to conduct a Parallel Voter Tabulation exercise.
2018 Tally
In the 2018 election ZESN released an analysis report of the results announced by the election management body highlighting that the results were almost similar to their own voter tabulation.
Therefore, the election watchdog was not surprised by the constitutional court ruling that dismissed an application by Nelson Chamisa who challenged the election results announced by ZEC in 2018.
Despite being accused of planning violent protests ZESN has made numerous calls denouncing violence and encouraging political party leaders to prohibit their members from engaging in violence.
Furthermore, the election watchdog clarified that opposition political parties were free to conduct voter tabulation.
“Of cause, nothing stops political parties from conducting their own tallying or verifying the official results,” read the statement.
It’s not true, we are not working with Chamisa says ZESN
