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This article participates on the following special index pages:
2008 harmonised elections - Index of articles
Church
leaders meet ZEC
The Herald
(Zimbabwe)
April 12, 2008
http://www.herald.co.zw/inside.aspx?sectid=33103&cat=1
Church leaders met the
Zimbabwe Electoral Commission yesterday and expressed satisfaction
with ZEC's explanation over the delay in announcing results
of the presidential election.
The heads of Christian
denominations met ZEC in Harare to seek an explanation over the
delay and urged the nation to maintain peace while the election
body does its work.
Speaking to journalists
after a closed-door meeting with ZEC chairman Justice George Chiweshe,
Bishops Trevor Manhanga and Patrick Mutume expressed satisfaction
with the explanation they got.
"It was a free meeting,
church leaders expressed the concerns they have and Justice Chiweshe
answered the issues raised. He said he could not go into detail
as the matter is before the courts," Bishop Manhanga said.
ZEC has publicised results
of House of Assembly and Senate elections but is yet to announce
the outcome of the presidential election contested by President
Mugabe of Zanu-PF, Morgan Tsvangirai (MDC-T) and independents Simba
Makoni and Langton Towungana.
Bishop Manhanga urged
the nation to maintain peace as witnessed before, during and after
the country's first harmonized elections.
"We appeal to the
people to remain peaceful. We are confident it is going to be a
fair process to determine who is the ultimate winner. We thank the
nation for the maturity they have shown. A nation cannot go forward
when there is violence," said Bishop Manhanga.
Bishop Mutume said they
wanted to understand why there was a delay in announcing the results.
"He (Justice Chiweshe)
told us that he is not under Zanu-PF, MDC-T or any other party.
He said his organisation is free to make decisions. If we did not
push him to the wall, it (meeting) could have taken 10 minutes.
Important questions were asked," he said.
"As pastors, we
are the ones who start receiving blows. This has pushed us to say
let's go and see the man in charge," said Bishop Mutume.
Justice Chiweshe said
he discussed the "elections in general" with the clergy.
He said it was not true
that ZEC had not announced the results because of a High Court application
by the MDC-T.
"No, that is not
the correct position. We said we are unable to discuss issues because
the matter is pending in the High Court."
He said ZEC had not stopped
its functions simply because there was a case before the courts.
"We have not stopped
what we are supposed to do. If ready with the results, we will release
them," Justice Chiweshe said.
Justice Chiweshe
said ZEC was fully responsible for all electoral issues and anyone
with queries should approach the commission.
"ZEC is responsible
for running elections and people should be directed to us. They
should refer them to us," he added.
The commission, Justice
Chiweshe said, was not working under pressure from anyone.
After the results of
three other elections were announced, he said there was no need
to keep staff at the National Command Centre.
Justice Chiweshe said
the anomalies discovered in some constituencies were unearthed by
ZEC, political parties and contesting candidates.
High Court judge Justice
Tendayi Uchena will deliver judgment in the case in which the MDC-T
is seeking an order for ZEC to announce presidential results on
Monday next week.
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