Zanu PF accuse Chamisa of threatening judges




Finance Minister Patrick Chinamasa
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HARARE – The beleaguered ruling party Zanu PF on Monday said it has noted with concern continued attempts by Nelson Chamisa to intimidate the Constitutional Court bench ahead of his election results challenge hearing beginning on Wednesday.

Zanu PF National Secretary for Finance, Patrick Chinamasa said a statement by Chamisa issued this afternoon which has no legal basis, builds on many well documented utterances and threats which he made throughout the campaign period.

He said utterances made by Chamisa include declaring himself the winner ahead of the polls and well before vote counting and the announcement of the results, threatening violence should the vote go against him and threatening to spoil matters for the eventual electoral winner.

Chinamasa also said Chamisa’s latest statement shows that the threats were not empty, given the tragic events of the 1st of this month in which six people lost their lives while 14 others were injured.

“His latest pronouncements which are very much character show a continued pre-disposition towards political violence, and well calculated attempts at poisoning the environment for a fair trial by instilling fear in judges so that they may subvert the law in his favour. It defies legal sense why a person who is an officer of the court seeks to make extra-judicial pronouncements while still making court submissions at the same time, and ahead of due processonly two days away,” said Chinamasa.

He added that Zimbabweans should reject litigants who try to make up for a bad case through public violence and intimidation of the bench and by having doubts on the country’s well regarded judicial system.

“Indeed this leaves right-thinking people wondering why he submitted himself to court processes in which he lacks confidence and what is more, when he disrespectfully seeks to be at once a complainant and a judge in his own case. Confident litigants respect court processes and avoid running propaganda campaigns against the bench and their opponents. Such unlawful conduct further fortifies the long held view that Chamisa and his alliance are not looking for justice but to subvert and reverse the verdict which the people of Zimbabwe expressed through the ballot box on 30 July 2018,” said Chinamasa.

He added that Zimbabwe’s peace will not be under-mined by bitter losers who think they can secure through acts of lawlessness what people of Zimbabwe have denied them through a free, fair and transparent credible democratic process.

Chinamasa said victory is certain to millions of Zimbabweans who voted President Emmerson Mnangagwa into office and gave Zanu PF more than two thirds majority in parliament, adding that Chamisa has no valid case and is very much aware of this.

Chinamasa also said in terms of the law, Chamisa was entitled to apply for the reopening of the ballot boxes within 48 hours after the announcement of the results for a recount, adding that the MDC Alliance leader knows that the best evidence is in the ballot boxes.

“He did not make the application because he knew he had lost the election. Instead, he has chosen to go on a smear campaign tarnishing the electoral and judicial systems. In Chamisa’s own words, he has chosen to throw sand into the meal [kukanda majecha musadza],” he said.

Chinamasa urged those who voted for Chamisa to accept defeat for the country to move on, adding that they should not succumb to the incitement by MDC Alliance leaders.

He then called on Zimbabweans to be ready for great jubilation at the inauguration of Mnangangwa as president of the country’s second republic, adding that the event will take place within 48 hours from the pronouncement of the court verdict.