The military is under close scrutiny following its brief takeover in November that led to the resignation of former president Robert Mugabe.
Previous elections under Mugabe were marred by violence, intimidation and fraud – often alleged to involve the security forces.
“The Zimbabwe Defence Forces has no direct role in the upcoming elections,” said army spokesperson Overson Mugwisi at a media conference in Harare ahead of the presidential, parliamentary and local polls later this month.
“We are disturbed by false reports alleging that the Zimbabwe Defence Forces is going to be used by (the ruling) Zanu-PF to rig the posted vote.”
The army appeared to have staged its media briefing in response to a report in the Standard daily that it had deployed active service personnel to rural areas to campaign for candidates in Zanu-PF primary contests.
The Standard reported that it had received complaints from defeated contenders for the Zanu-PF slate who reported that some winning candidates who were former senior military officers had been “roping in the army to win the primary elections”.
“If some serving members are participating in the ongoing political campaigns, they will be doing so illegally and not as a result of an instruction from their commanders,” said Mugwisi.
“The conduct of the Zimbabwe Defence forces after elections is going to be guided by the constitution.”
President Emmerson Mnangagwa, 75, has pledged to hold free and fair elections as he seeks to mend international relations.
July’s polls will be the first ballot box test for Mnangagwa, and the first since Mugabe was forced to resign after 37 years in power.
Post published in: Featured
“The Zimbabwe Defence Forces has no direct role in the upcoming elections,” said army spokesperson Overson Mugwisi at a media conference in Harare ahead of the presidential, parliamentary and local polls later this month.
“We are disturbed by false reports alleging that the Zimbabwe Defence Forces is going to be used by (the ruling) Zanu-PF to rig the posted vote.”
The Army, Police and CIO have been deployed to campaign for Zanu PF in the past, particularly in 2008 and 2013 and so for the Army to now claim that it is innocent is a lie! The idea that the Army is as innocent as a rose is laughable.
This idea of trying to reform Zimbabwe piece-meal is just another foolish notion the nation has come to expect from our inapt opposition. If we are serious about moving Zimbabwe out of this hell-hole then we must bite the bullet and implement all the democratic reforms. We must stop wasting time, energy and treasure on such gimmicks as the Peace Pledge or asking clowns like Mugwisi pretending they are reassuring the nation with blatant lies.
President Mnangagwa and his junta promised to hold free, fair and credible elections, we all know they have failed to deliver on that promise and we must use that as the stepping stone to finally dismantle this corrupt and oppressive dictatorship Zanu PF imposed on the nation. If there was ever a time for the nation to be firm and decisive then it is now. History will not judge us kindly if we let this golden opportunity slip through our fingers.