Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) spokesperson Fadzayi Mahere has said political elites cannot delay the 2023 general elections.
Mahere also said CCC is opposed to the idea of postponing elections to form a Government of National Unity (GNU).
She was quoted by <a href="https://tellzim.com/ccc-laughs-off-gnu-election-postponement/">TellZim News</a> as saying elections when done properly, are a true expression of the will of the people. Mahere said:
<blockquote>
The constitutional requirement that elections be held every five years can’t be suspended by political elites who have no support from the citizens and are afraid of electoral loss.
ZANU PF and its proxies are terrified of how much support they have lost and are seeking to use whatever hare-brained plan they can think of to try and stop the process.
We call upon citizens to continue to demand adherence to the Constitution. Elections are like Christmas, you can’t postpone them as they will come whether or not you have new clothes.
Elections are a Constitutional non-negotiable. Citizens must be at the centre of all national processes.
We reject the notion of elite pacts or a Government of National Unity or whatever basis put forward.
Done properly, elections are a true expression of the will of the people and a total necessity in a democracy.
</blockquote>
MDC-T leader Douglas Mwonzora recently challenged the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC)’s delimitation report.
Some commentators have suggested that the court challenge may lead to the deferment of the elections, which may lead to a GNU as the country prepares for another election.
In his court application, Mwonzora argued that the final delimitation report did not take into account the final results of the population census among other issues.
He argued that such issues will affect the credibility of the elections and thus his application seeks to ensure credible elections are held using a credible delimitation report.
Mwonzora goes on to say that in the event that elections are held with the report in question, the results can be easily challenged before a court of law and be invalidated.
A political analyst, Alexander Rusero dismissed claims that Mwonzora’s court challenge is a tactic by ZANU PF to postpone the general elections.
Since Mwonzora controversially took control of the MDC in 2020, critics claim he has been working with the ruling ZANU PF party to derail the “democratic project”. Said Rusero:
<blockquote>
I think people have to understand why Mwonzora had taken the case to the court beyond the conspiracy theories doing circles that he is Mnangagwa’s blue-eyed boy intending to delay elections, that is a misleading statement and fallacy which is very costly to the opposition because ZANU PF wants those elections, they are not afraid and are prepared regardless of all such claims doing rounds in the misguided opposition rank and file.
Politics is the ability to determine outcomes and Mwonzora might be politically irrelevant in as much as the gravitas on the grassroots on the ground is concerned but you cannot take away his legal talents and prowess as he is one of the best lawyers produced in Zimbabwe since 1980.
So I am very sure he picked certain loopholes in the whole delimitation exercise that warrants court attention and that is why the case was given the green light that it warrants a hearing by the full bench.
There is really nothing to take away from that since it is not the first time a case has been granted such kind of attention by the courts.
Suppose Mwonzora wins that does not have a bearing on issues politically or at law to do with the proclamation of election dates or some possibilities of delaying an election.
The whole idea is, should he win because the case has been positively perceived to have some merits, ZEC can be directed to do certain things right and not necessarily to delay or stop the process of elections.
Elections are conducted when they are constitutionally due and not when a country is ready or ZEC has exposed certain incompetences or not political parties are ready. Elections are done within the prescribed time frame.
</blockquote>
Rusero argued that the way ZANU PF has been campaigning does not indicate that the ruling party is considering the possibility of delaying elections.
More: <a href="https://zero.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Pindula News

Elections Are Like Christmas, You Can’t Postpone Them - Mahere

Political analysts say the Al Jazeera “Gold Mafia” documentary which exposed alleged gold smuggling and money laundering by individuals who named-dropped President Emmerson Mnangagwa may not have any impact on voting patterns in forthcoming general elections.
In a recent interview with <a href="https://www.newzimbabwe.com/al-jazeera-expose-can-bolster-eds-popularity-among-electorate-says-political-analysts/">NewZimbabwe.com</a>, political researcher Alexander Rusero said Gold Mafia trended on social media platforms but a greater part of the electorate was not on those platforms. Said Rusero:
<blockquote>
As much as you cannot downplay the role of social media in electoral politics, Zimbabwe’s political balance of forces is still pretty much offline, and not online.
The country’s political gravitas is offline. Online discourses, exposes on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube where this documentary has been popularized remain elitist in the current scheme of things.
There is nothing much. I would not want to go into the documentary’s shortcomings but to then say, people would change their voting patterns or perception will be desperation.
This documentary can actually bolster Mnangagwa’s position in terms of loyalty in his party (ZANU PF); in terms of the Haves and Have Nots etc.
</blockquote>
Another political analyst, Eldred Masunungure told the publication that corruption by the elites has been normalized and as a result, the Al Jazeera documentary did not induce enough shock to alter voting patterns. Said Masunungure:
<blockquote>
Because corruption has been routinized in the country, there is not enough shock attendant on the ‘Gold Mafia’ exposés and therefore the impact on voting intentions may be muted.
The impact of the ‘Gold Mafia’ documentary depends on multiple factors, one of which is that the revelations are not entirely new except that people/voters did not have solid, irrefutable evidence as was provided by the documentary.
The corruption in the country, especially involving the ruling elite, has been so embedded and systemic that most Zimbabweans have become numb to the pervasive problem.
The other vital factor is the extent to which the revelations have been published beyond the urban areas and beyond the more politically sophisticated block of voters.
Is there a critical mass of politically conscious and alert citizens who can speak truth to power in the ballot box?
</blockquote>
The Gold Mafia documentary exposed an alleged series of gold smuggling gangs in Southern Africa that help criminals launder hundreds of millions of dollars.
The gang members get rich while plundering their nations and keeping millions in abject poverty.
They use gold to turn dirty cash into clean, seemingly legitimate money for those with large amounts of unaccounted wealth.
The criminals do so by using a complex web of companies, counterfeit identities and fake documents.
More: <a href="https://zero.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Gold Mafia Al Jazeera Documentary Won't Influence Voting Patterns - Analysts

Political analysts have said Zimbabweans have lost hope in local elections since the current political landscape favours the ruling ZANU PF.
In an interview with <a href="https://www.theindependent.co.zw/2022/07/22/disillusionment-grips-most-zim-voters-ahead-of-2023/">the Independent,</a> political commentator and academic Alexander Rusero noted that elections in Zimbabwe never delivered people’s expression since 1980. He said:
<blockquote>
You talk of ZANLA’s intimidation of the rural electorate in 1980 that anything outside a ZANU PF victory meant a return to war, the annihilation of ZAPU between 1980 and 1987, the violent decimation of ZUM in 1990, and the sham election of 1995. 
From 2000 onwards, following the end of ZANU PF’s de facto status of a one-party state, elections have been further reduced into a site of struggle, an extension of war.
Zimbabweans have since retired from deriving any hope from the plebiscite because they know under the current realities of a securitised election and a militarised state, elections are merely a formality, it’s a choice-less democracy or rather voting without choosing.
</blockquote>
He said the final nail to the feasibility of regime change ushered through an election had been delivered through the calibre of recently nominated <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/Zimbabwe_Electoral_Commission">ZEC</a> commissioners.
Rusere said the removal of the late former president Robert Mugabe “by the bullet and not the ballot” eroded all hopes of elections as a democratic alternative to installing a government in Zimbabwe.
Political analyst Methuseli Moyo said there were too many counter accusations and allegations about electoral manipulation more than is being done to raise awareness around voter registration. He added:
<blockquote>
The opposition is partly to blame for preaching that election results are always rigged. People, therefore, do not see the reason to register and vote. It is a self-defeating strategy for the opposition.
</blockquote>
Another political commentator Effie Ncube said the youths, “are not registering as voters because there is nothing for them that the government has done to the extent that the executive has failed to live up to the expectations of young people.”
He said the youths are reluctant to register as voters hence the need to bring in the diaspora vote to ensure maximum participation of all potential voters.
A professor of World Politics Stephen Chan noted in an interview that Zimbabweans are disillusioned after voting since 1980 without seeing any change.
 ZANU PF pledged five million votes for President Emmerson Mnangagwa with the Citizens Coalition for Change saying they would give Nelson Chamisa six million votes.
Zimbabwe has more than 7.8 million eligible voters out of a population of more than 16.3 million people, according to worldpopulationreview.com.
<h2><a href="https://news.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a></h2>

"Zimbabweans Know Under Current Realities, Elections Are Voting Without Choosing" - Analysts

Political analysts say Vice President Constantino Chiwenga’s recent claims that ZANU PF would initiate a constitutional amendment to give President Emmerson Mnangagwa life presidency should not be taken seriously.
Analysts who spoke to NewZimbabwe.com concurred that Chiwenga’s remarks were mere political banter aimed at easing tension between him and his principal following reports he is manoeuvring to wrest power from him.
Addressing ZANU PF supporters in Beitbridge on Wednesday, Chiwenga claimed that the party would rule forever and would change the constitution to allow Mnangagwa to rule for life.
READ MORE: <a href="https://news.pindula.co.zw/2021/11/20/we-can-make-mnangagwa-life-president-says-vp-chiwenga/">We Can Make Mnangagwa Life President, Says VP Chiwenga</a>
Political analyst Alexander Rusero described Chiwenga as an excitable character trying to give his boss the impression that he had no presidential ambitions. Said Rusero:
<blockquote>
I don’t see anything outside political banter, excitable characters trying to allay allegations of factionalism and divisions which are rocking the party.
I think in all earnest, the VP is trying to please his boss. After all, we are in an election mood. The election season is already upon us where one can say anything.
I do not think we can depict a national mood looking at what Chiwenga uttered on a podium or a platform where he was showering heaps of praises to his boss ED.
I do not see any innuendos beyond that, but it becomes problematic when a whole VP who is supposed to be the epitome of policymaking parroting such sentiments.
</blockquote>
SAPES director, Ibbo Mandaza noted the muted response by the crowd to Chiwenga’s utterances, saying no one would be foolish to be moved by Vice President Chiwenga’s remarks. Mandaza said:
<blockquote>
l think it was sheer rhetoric meant to conceal a lot of things happening behind the scenes. I saw the video; the response of the crowd is muted. There was no cheering.
It was a very mute response. Even the audience is not lost to the noise behind it all. People will be foolish if they get moved by that.
</blockquote>
But renowned academic Nhamo Mhiripiri believes the ruling party, which enjoys an overwhelming majority in Parliament, change amend the Constitution if it decided to do so. He said:
<blockquote>
Any majority party can make claims that they are doing the changes. There is a possibility ZANU PF can do that and it’s constitutional when there is a need to involve everybody, like in a referendum which is more universal as compared to the elected MPs.
With elections, you can never be sure. There might be lobbyists who might think they might have mire vision and insights on why extensions might be problematic but as long as those people are in the minority, it becomes a problem, so is it a popular will? That is the question.
</blockquote>
This comes after ZANU PF, using its parliamentary majority, passed the Zimbabwe Constitutional Amendment Bill (Number 2) in May.
The law scraps the running mate clause in the supreme law and gives the President power to appoint judges.
<h4>More: <a href="https://www.newzimbabwe.com/analysts-dismiss-chiwengas-mnangagwa-life-presidency-claims/">NewZimbabwe.com</a></h4>

Chiwenga's Mnangagwa President-for-life Claims Insincere - Analysts

Political analysts have warned MDC-T president Douglas Mwonzora that his party’s support for controversial amendments to the constitution is a mistake that could destroy his political career because the changes to the supreme law are not popular among the electorate.
The MDC-T voted with ZANU PF in the Senate to pass Constitution Amendment Number 1 in March, which, once signed into law by President Emmerson Mnangagwa, will give the President unfettered powers in the appointment of senior judges.
Eldred Masunungure, a University of Zimbabwe political science lecturer, opined that Mwonzora took a huge gamble in supporting ZANU PF’s mutilation of the constitution that he helped to craft. He said:
<blockquote>It’s very odd and sad for a party that claims to be the main opposition party in Zimbabwe to be supporting an obviously odious amendment to the supreme law of the country particularly because the MDC-T leader was one of the architects of that constitution during the constitution-making process.
The constitution received overwhelming approval during the referendum and this may be politically expedient in terms of crafting engagement with the ruling party for whatever benefit we don’t know, but it is a perilous move from the perspective of the popular will and the electorate.
It is taking a huge gamble, which is not likely to pay off positively during the forthcoming by-elections and 2023 elections.
… The whole thing affects the supremacy of our supreme law, which is our social contract that (Mwonzora) was a leader in crafting.
It is a negative development and I think it will boomerang very badly on him in terms of electoral processes and outcomes.</blockquote>
Harare-based political analyst Alexander Rusero said Mwonzora had been exposed as a ZANU PF project through his push for the constitutional amendments.
South Africa-based political commentator Kefas Mtimande said Mwonzora’s behaviour was that of a politician, who had made his mind to work with ZANU PF. Mtimande told The Standard:
<blockquote>I think for him the die is cast and he knows he has no place in the opposition anymore and it is all over for him, hence he is seeking political asylum in ZANU PF.
He now cares less about what people will say and is just making it clearer through his rational disputation narrative, but otherwise, he is no longer an opposition to ZANU PF, but an ally.</blockquote>
Mwonzora has tried to justify his support for the amendments by saying they were protecting the quota for female legislators, but women’s groups have rejected the provisions for affirmative action as useless.
<h4>More: <a href="https://www.thestandard.co.zw/2021/05/02/constitution-amendments-mwonzora-could-be-digging-his-own-grave/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">The Standard</a></h4>

Mwonzora Digging His Own Political Grave - Analysts

The MDC Alliance has accused the ruling party Zanu PF of making false defection claims and even said the ruling party is printing fake regalia and fake party cards and giving them to people who are posing as defectors to sell the narrative that the opposition is imploding, Newsday reports.
This was revealed by MDC Alliance spokesperson Fadzayi Mahere who said the defections that were being paraded by the ruling party were nothing but a charade and the said defectors were just hired Zanu PF people posing as former MDC Alliance members.
Speaking to the publication, Mahere said:
<blockquote>Those fake party cards paraded by Zanu PF don’t belong to the MDC Alliance. We have nothing to do with that fraudulent charade. Zanu PF is printing fake party cards and regalia to support their false defection claims. Zanu PF is faking defections from the MDC Alliance. It’s an act of desperation.
Those are hired Zanu PF members. They are desperate to paint a false theatrical picture that they are recruiting our members when the reality is that our base is growing exponentially.
They have even banned elections because they are afraid of our popular support. The people are tired of the bad governance crisis, the broken economy, joblessness and crippled basic services. People want change, not suffering.</blockquote>
However political commentator Alexander Rusero said if defections were occurring <a href="https://news.pindula.co.zw/2021/03/05/timveos-chebundo-set-for-chitepo-school-of-ideology/">at the executive level</a> what will stop them from occurring at the grassroots level:
<blockquote>Those defecting to Zanu PF are better than those who are defecting and remaining in the MDC Alliance. You can’t downplay the defections and I think that is where MDC Alliance is losing the plot. The issue of parading defectors is what Zanu PF is good at. You should understand how Zanu PF does its things. We have gone back to the time of pungwes (overnight political vigils), at the height of the liberation struggle. For one to survive you have to show allegiance to Zanu PF by attending these pungwes.
Defections have been happening at the senior level and what will stop them at the grassroots? We don’t know who makes up the MDC Alliance now. What the party should do is to find a quick fix and go down to re-activate the grassroots as the quick fix is not found on Twitter.</blockquote>
When contacted for comment Zanu PF Spokesperson Simon Khaya Moyo said the ruling party is not responsible for any other party lacking oxygen.
More: <a href="https://www.newsday.co.zw/2021/03/zanu-pf-printing-mdc-cards-regalia/">Newsday</a>

Zanu PF Is Printing Fake Party Cards And Regalia To Support False Defection Claims - MDC Alliance

A political observer from Harare George Makoni has said MDC T claiming to be MDC Alliance shows their camp is desparate just before by-elections commence, The Standard reports. said Makoni:
<blockquote>It is testimony of desperation on the part of Khupe and her cronies after having realised that they have no capacity to win an election. Now that ZEC is announcing election dates, they are panicking knowing they don’t have people on the ground. They want to further cripple the MDC Alliance and, sadly, they stand to benefit Zanu PF deliberately or otherwise.</blockquote>
Another individual a Harare Lawyer who spoke on condition of anonymity echoed Makoni’s sentiments and said:
<blockquote>It is strange that Khupe would claim the title MDC Alliance when in fact they are known at law to exist as MDC-T. They went to elections as MDC-T.</blockquote>
While Alexander Rusero said Chamisa and his needed to act because it was now a necessity:
<blockquote>It is a strategic and practical necessity. You achieve two steps ahead by taking one step behind.</blockquote>
Morgen Komichi while at an event celebrating the party’s 21st anniversary boldly declared they will win elections and contest at MDC Alliance yesterday.
More: <a href="https://www.thestandard.co.zw/2020/09/20/khupe-drops-chamisa-party-name-bombshell/">The Standard</a>

Khupe Claiming The MDC Alliance Name Is A Testimony Of Desperation On Her Part - Political Analysts

President Emmerson Mnangagwa has dispelled rumours that he does not see eye to eye with his deputy Constantino Chiwenga.
Rumours swirled in January that senior ZANU PF officials were hatching a plant to impeach Mnangagwa while he was on a trip to Eurasia. Speaking to the press at State House on Wednesday, Mnangagwa scoffed at the reports that Chiwenga was after his job. He said:
<blockquote>I have known Chiwenga and his colleagues [in the military] since the struggle years. We are comrades and understand each other better than you think.</blockquote>
Political analysts said that another coup will not be possible so soon after the putsch that forced former president Robert Mugabe to resign. Alexander Rusero, a political commentator had this to say:
<blockquote>The said rift between Mnangagwa and Chiwenga has not reached such levels. There is disharmony and discord but the two need each other.
It is all about political stakes. One has got a command in the military, the other has the support of members of parliament and party functionaries. So they have to balance their power.</blockquote>
Chiwenga was the commander of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces when the military briefly took over power from Mugabe in November 2017. Mugabe eventually resigned after he lost the support of his MPs.
<h4>More: <a href="https://www.newzimbabwe.com/mnangagwa-denies-rift-with-deputy-as-coup-rumours-continue-to-swirl/">NewZimbabwe</a></h4>

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