ZEC Was Okay Before 'Election Fraudster' Priscilla Chigumba Came - MDC Vice President
MDC co-vice president Morgen Komichi on Wednesday characterised the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission chairperson Justice Priscilla Chigumba as an election fraudster. Komichi said that even the other ZEC commissioners were shocked by the election results which Chigumba announced.
Komichi further alleged that he was in constant communication with other ZEC officials such as acting chief elections officer Utoile Silaigwana. He claimed that Chigumba was in another room where she fixed election results with the help of “boys”.
Komichi said this while leading evidence during cross-examination by his lawyer Obey Shava. He said:
Our relationship with Zec had been okay in the past despite not approving their figures. We have been working well as chief election agents of MDC with the former Zec elections officer Lovemore Sekeramayi, Justice George Chiweshe, Justice Rita Makarau and Silaigwana.
When we had a problem, we would come to Zec and if we found them in a meeting, they would adjourn the meeting and attend to us in the past. We had a relationship of brothers.
But things started to change when Chigumba took over. She would tell us she is busy, especially to us MDC members. Even other commissioners like Silaigwana who were apprising us of the developments during the announcement of the results did not know the programme of events.
Komichi is facing charges of violating section 186 of the Electoral Act by going to the podium and disrupting the announcement of the Presidential election result. Section 186 of the Electoral Act criminalises interrupting, obstructing or disturbing proceedings related to the announcement of election results.
