PDP hails Mliswa win, but warns Zanu PF will use its loss to resist reforms

By Tatenda Dewa | Harare Bureau |

The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has hailed Temba Mliswa for winning the Norton by-election that was held on Saturday but warned Zanu PF could use the result to resist electoral reforms.

Mliswa, an independent, beat Zanu PF’s Ronald Chindedza by close to 2,000 votes, marking a return to parliament after having been expelled from the ruling party and forced to vacate the Hurungwe West seat last year.

“The People’s Democratic Party…congratulates Temba Mliswa for convincingly winning Norton in parliamentary by-elections held last Saturday.

“However, as the PDP, our position is that the election results released on Sunday, 23 October 2016, are not in any way a reflection that the election was held in a free, fair and credible manner,” said Settlement Chikwinya, the PDP secretary for elections, in a statement.

He warned that Zanu PF might use its loss to Mliswa to give the impression that Zimbabwean elections were credible.

“Basing on Saturday’s election results, Zanu PF will now have a platform to falsely claim that elections in Zimbabwe are held in a free and fair manner and there is no need to for electoral reforms.

“We should be aware that Mliswa managed to win the Norton parliamentary seat because of internal factional fights in Zanu PF where even its candidate was imposed.

“For the first time since 1980, this election is the only one where the securocrats stayed clear from the process,” said Chikwinya. .

In past elections, state security agents have been heavily involved in the voting process in clear contravention of the country’s constitution and the Electoral Act,

“Therefore, the PDP reiterates its position that in order to create an environment for a free and fair election, there is need for a National Transitional Authority (NTA).

“Without the NTA, Zimbabwe is likely to see the manifestation of the vulture or chaos scenario in which unconstitutional and undemocratic, violent options become real.

“To avert the crisis, the NTA will unlock an inclusive transition that will reconcile the competing issues of peace and stability against democracy and change,” added Chikwinya,

There was a heavy presence of an allegedly partisan police and army during the June 2015 Hurungwe West by-election, with Mliswa citing this as one of the reasons why he lost to Zanu PF’s Keith Guzah. Nehanda Radio