Komichi Warns Opposition Of Possible Worst-ever Defeat In Upcoming Elections
MDC-T chairman Morgen Komichi has warned that opposition political parties in Zimbabwe may suffer the heaviest defeat since independence in 1980, in upcoming general elections.
Kaomichi argued that President Emmerson Mnangagwa will likely win by a far much bigger margin than his predecessor, the late Robert Mugabe ever achieved.
He based his argument on a study by the Zimbabwe Democracy Institute (ZDI) titled “Electoral Impregnability of the rural constituency in Zimbabwe”.
Komichi argued that traditional leaders are now in charge of ZANU PF affairs at the local level, leaving the opposition with no room to make inroads, especially in rural areas. NewZimbabwe.com quoted Komich as saying:
Right now, the village chairman is the headman. Whilst we might think Mnangagwa was less popular than Mugabe, the results might be different in which Mnangagwa might actually win the best results ever in the history of this country.
We might actually face the worst opposition defeat. We are worse off than ever before. We can face disaster whilst people have high hopes.
The research by the Zimbabwe Democracy Institute (ZDI) shows that:
- 76% of the respondents viewed rural constituencies as inaccessible to the opposition and CSOs to conduct electoral-related programmes.
- 82% of the respondents said traditional leaders were at the forefront of blocking opposition and CSOs from accessing rural constituencies.
The report also showed that commandeered voting, intimidation of opposition supporters, and the exclusion of opposition supporters from food handouts were rife in rural areas.
The majority of the 2 000 people from selected rural areas who were interviewed by ZDI researchers said the military was a major hindrance for the opposition to penetrate rural areas.
More: Pindula News
