MDC Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa says he will not allow his victory in the 2023 presidential election to be stolen again as was the case in 2018.
Chamisa contested the 2018 presidential election and came second to President Emmerson Mnangagwa who narrowly won the highly disputed poll.
However, the opposition leader contested the result insisting the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) had tampered with the outcome in favour of Mnangagwa. He took the matter to the Constitutional Court but the judges dismissed the matter.
Chamisa still insists he was rightful winner of the election and has adamantly refused recognise Mnangagwa as President.
Addressing mourners Saturday at a memorial service for late MDC Alliance Glen View North MP Kennedy Dinar in the same suburb in Harare, Chamisa told hundreds of mourners gathered, he would in 2023 ensure that the will of the people who vote for him is respected.
“We don’t want to get into a useless election. The people’s vote should be respected and that is the fight we are having with Zanu PF,” Chamisa said.
He said if he failed to guard his victory in the next presidential election, Zimbabwe’s political and economic crisis would never end.
“Once we fail to deal with that issue then none of the country’s challenges will be solved. I even told that to South African President Cyril Ramaphosa about this,” he said.
However, the opposition leader did not explain how he intended to protect his victory.
Chamisa added the interference by Mnangagwa and the ruling party, Zanu PF on the electoral system had made the majority of Zimbabweans to believe that elections were unnecessary.
Recently, Vice President Constantino Chiwenga banned the holding of by-elections as a measure to stop the spread of Covid-19.
Chamisa also described allegations by outgoing US President Donald Trump that elections in that country had been rigged as utterances by a man under pressure.
“Look at what is happening in America, even the incumbent is crying foul that he has been rigged. He is under pressure,” said Chamisa amid laughter from mourners.
“It is a just system though and it allows that. Here the issue is that Mnangagwa did not forgive us for the 2018 elections when we took him to court contesting the outcome of the presidential election.”
Trump lost the US presidential election held last week to a rival Democrat candidate Joe Biden.
