NELSON Chamisa’s MDC-T party will Wednesday meet for a crucial indaba that could decide the fate of watershed election set for next week, it has been learnt.
Chamisa is set to represent the opposition MDC Alliance in the presidential poll in which he is viewed as the most formidable rival to President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s bid for a first full term after taking over from former President Robert Mugabe last year.
In the aftermath of a stormy multi-party liaison meeting Tuesday from which Zanu PF representative Paul Mangwana walked out, MDC-T secretary general Douglas Mwonzora, Tuesday said his party’s national council and national executive would meet to make critical decisions.
Mwonzora said he was not “ruling out the possibility of pulling out of the election” in light of “earlier developments”.
“The national executive and national council are going to debate two things. The first one will be to give a report on what came out from ZEC… regarding the security of certain electoral material,” Mwonzora said.
ZEC, after consideration, rejected demands made by Chamisa, in particular access to the ballot paper printing, design, storage and distribution.
The election management body also dismissed Chamisa’s claims of “migrating marks” put on ballots in favour of President Mnangagwa.
Worse still, police also turned down a plan by Chamisa to hold a series of vigils against ZEC at its Harare head offices.
Mangwana who has also been appointed Zanu PF election spokesperson poured scorn at the threat of pull-out by Chamisa.
“We are not surprised. They have been pulling out of elections since losing miserably in 2013,” said Mangwana.
Initially, there were 23 candidates with two fringe ones including Devine Mhambi having indicated they would no longer take part.
ZEC Commissioner Qhubani Moyo said: “Its’ too late to quit the election. Your names are already on the ballot.”
