Zimbabwe’s top opposition party, the Citizens Coalition for Change, CCC, has outrightly rejected the vote results of the 2023 presidential election announced by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission, ZEC, late Saturday night.
In an official statement signed by the party Spokesperson Promise Mkhwananzi and released on X (formerly Twitter), the party said it would not be buying into the declared results, describing it as “hastily assembled” and “without proper verification.”
“We reject any result hastily assembled without proper verification NOT lectureship. We will advise citizens on the next steps as the situation develops. We will not relent on the people’s victory!” The statement read.
The CCC party urged everyone on their side to remain calm while the situation was being tended to, and also promised to address everyone soon.
Recall that the European Union (EU) through the Chief Observer and Head of Mission Fabio Massimo Castaldo had noted that Zimbabwe’s elections failed to meet “many regional and international standards”.
“… ultimately the elections fell short of many regional and international standards, including key principles of equality, universality, transparency and accountability.
“The EU Election Observation Mission concludes that curtailed rights and lack of level playing field led to an environment that was not always conducive to voters making a free and informed choice in Zimbabwe’s 2023 Harmonised Elections,” Fabio Massimo Castaldo stated.
The Southern African Development Community (SADC) observer mission on the Zimbabwe polls also noted that “the election fell short of the requirements of the Constitution of Zimbabwe, the Electoral Act, and the SADC Principles and and Guidelines Governing Democratic Elections (2021).”
Consequently, CCC party leader Nelson Chamisa in a viral video, rejected the election result that saw the re-election of Mnangagwa, accusing the Zanu PF of doctoring it to suit their candidate.
“… we are rejecting the result of the election, and the (flawed) process itself.”
Chamisa said he was confident that his party had won, and was surprised when Mnangagwa was announced winner. He said the results did not reflect what Zimbabweans were saying.
“We won this election. We are in the lead. We are even surprised that Mr. Mnangagwa has been declared the lead, because he’s none.”
The party leader promised to tender proofs that the CCC, and not Zanu PF, won Zimbabwe’s 2023 presidential elections.
“A legitimate government, and a legitimate president for everyone must be put in place, and must be supported,” he said.