Justice minister, Patrick Chinamasa told journalists at the party’s headquarters that Tsvangirai should wait for the announcement of results and ‘prepare his case for the constitutional court’.
“Start preparing your case if you have any. Feel free to employ the best lawyers, I know that you have very good lawyers at the MDC,” said Chinamasa.
“If you are dissatisfied with what happened, the courts are there. This is why we set them up and we have instructed them to give decisions expeditiously,” he said.
Chinamasa said Zimbabwe was the only country that had incorporated the Southern Africa Development Community guidelines on elections and Tsvangirai’s claims that elections did not meet SADC principles were baseless.
“It is like those guidelines were targeted at Zimbabwe because we are the only country that incorporated them into our law,” said Chinamasa.
He told journalists that statements indicating that close to a million voters had been turned away were false.
“To say that a million voters were turned away is a false claim. Show us the evidence. All voters who were turned away have their names captured in the stationery that was being used by ZEC, you can come and verify,” he said.
Chinamasa questioned why the MDC was doubting the credibility of the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission if it had managed to ensure that a ‘record 3,95 million people had voted’.
“By what standard do you call this a sham election if 3,95 million voters braved the chilly weather to cast their vote? Anyone raising that issue should not be taken seriously,” said Chinamasa.
He revealed that his party had refused to accredit observers from European countries to show them that Zimbabwe does not need ‘their unwarranted interference in the country’s internal affairs.’
“We know that you are sponsoring illegal pirate radio stations such as Studio 7, Short Wave Radio and Voice of America with the objective of seeking to eliminate Zanu (PF),” he said.
He accused the stations of demonising President Robert Mugabe.
Chinamasa expressed dissatisfaction with how the special voting process was conducted and said ‘his party would investigate the reasons behind the challenges faced by the ZEC during the voting process’.
“MDC- T finance minister, Tendai Biti sabotaged all ministries headed by Zanu (PF) ministers. For now, we cannot put it beyond suspicion that someone sabotaged the printing of the special votes,” he added.
He indicated that in the event that Mugabe is proclaimed the winner of this year’s harmonised elections, he will be sworn in on the 9th day from proclamation.
“If his victory is challenged within seven days, then it means that he will be sworn in 48 hours after the constitutional court verdict regarding that challenge. Remember, the constitutional court decision is final,” he emphasised.
Post published in: News