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AS the clock slowly ticks towards the July 30 harmonised elections, Zimbabweans have remained calm and an atmosphere of peace and tranquility is prevailing throughout the country. This is commendable and shows that the country has matured as a Constitutional democracy with political parties now more tolerant of each other — a clear departure from the dark past where violence preceded every plebiscite.

The opening up of the political space by the new dispensation has seen a record number of contestants running for public office be it at council, parliamentary and presidential level ensuring that indeed the will of the people of Zimbabwe will be reflected by the outcome of the forthcoming poll.

President Mnangagwa has consistently called for peace ahead of the elections and his message has largely been heeded by the majority, particularly from his ruling Zanu-PF party. Sadly, this has not been the case with the main opposition Movement for Democratic Change Alliance which appears to be struggling to move on from the politics of the past where violence, hate speech and grandstanding were rife.

The Alliance, whose principals are mainly former student leaders, has adopted a bellicose approach to the campaign and is bent on fomenting chaos, anarchy and unrest in the country as it stares imminent defeat. This is unfortunate but expected from a crop of excitable young politicians who are struggling to graduate from their stone throwing days at the University of Zimbabwe and other institutions of higher learning. At every turn, Alliance leader Mr Nelson Chamisa and his lieutenants like Messrs Tendai Biti and Charlton Hwende are in a militant mood and calling on their followers to make the country ungovernable because their outrageous demands have not been met.

Zimbabweans are yet to hear what exactly the MDC intends to do when it comes into power with its leaders using their campaign rallies to rail at the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission, Zanu-PF and President Mnangagwa without offering alternative policies to those being promulgated and implemented by the Government.

Since coming into power in November last year, President Mnangagwa has attracted investments worth billions of dollars, tied up deals on road, rail, ICT and power utilities while simultaneously implementing an aggressive re-engagement drive with the West which has borne fruit. In a nutshell, he has laid the ground for Zimbabwe’s take off which will surely happen post the July 30 polls.

His main contender, Mr Chamisa has promised spaghetti roads, airports in rural outposts and all manner of fantasies which are hard to implement. With the elections looming and prospects of a victory diminishing by the day, the MDC Alliance has resorted to attacking Zec at every turn and has threatened to storm the electoral management body’s offices and picket there until their demands are met. Mr Chamisa has also threatened to announce the results of the July 30 polls. Some of his supporters have already taken heed of his message of chaos by interrupting, obstructing and disturbing electoral proceedings.

In Zvishavane, some MDC Alliance members disrupted the issuing of postal vote envelopes to 78 applicants supposed to be deployed for electoral duties.

The Alliance should be reminded that it is a punishable offence to interfere with electoral proceedings and we urge them to adhere to the rule of law and refrain from seeking to usurp the powers of a constitutional body like Zec. By threatening to announce results of the elections, Mr Chamisa is breaching Section 66A of the Electoral Act which says Zec has the sole mandate to announce and declare election results.

In a statement on Monday, Zec chairperson, Justice Priscilla Chigumba, said the Electoral Code of Conduct, which binds political parties, candidates and other stakeholders, prohibits declaration or announcement of the results of an election before it has been declared officially by an electoral officer.

“Any person who purports to announce the result of an election as the true or official results; or purports to declare any candidate to have been duly elected; before an electoral officer has announced the result of that election or declared a candidate to have been duly elected in that election, shall be liable to a fine or imprisonment for a period not exceeding six months or to both fine and imprisonment. The public should thus note that it is only the prerogative of the Zec to announce election results” she said.

President Mnangagwa on Monday also called on Zimbabweans to reject ploys by the MDC Alliance to foment instability and chaos ahead of the polls, saying focus should be on modernising, industrialising and developing the country. “As we approach the final days before our harmonised general elections, I appeal for continued peace, harmony, unity and love among all Zimbabweans. As we canvass for political votes, let us remain alive to the reality that we are all one people, one nation, united by one flag and one national anthem.

“I urge fellow Zimbabweans to reject manoeuvres by some among us, to cause instability and mayhem in our beautiful and peaceful country. What unites us is much greater than what could ever divide us. Let us therefore remain focused on our collective goal and responsibility to modernise, industrialise, prosper and develop our country.”