The European Union has pulled its funding for Zimbabwe’s Electoral Commission.
And opposition Citizens Coalition for Change points to the withdrawal, as a clear indication that President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government is illegitimate.
But the ruling Zanu PF has dismissed this, and insist the Electoral Commission, will do just fine without the EU funding.
Mnangagwa was declared the winner of the August polls in Zimbabwe, which regional body SADC refused to endorse.
This week the European Union indicated it’s suspending 5 million dollars in support of Zimbabwe’s Electoral Commission.
The funding was supposed to run until December 2024.
This move is supported by Zimbabwe’s opposition party, which agrees with the EU’s conclusion,
that the elections were riddled with irregularities.
CCC deputy spokesperson Gift Ostallos said, “our position is very clear and we have been consistent that this decision by the European Union further confirms what the observer missions have confirmed, that the election of 23rd of August was flawed and it was shambolic and failed to meet not just international standard but also domestic and constitutional standards. The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission is being caught off the guard and it failed to meet its constitutional duty.”
But ruling Zanu PF is not fazed, describing the EU’s move as a non-event.
Zanu PF information director Farai Marapira said, “the European Commission is an independent entity which has a right to make its own decisions.”
“If they chose to stop funding its their own decision. It is not serious for us to consider or to look at because ZEC is constitutional mandated organization and the government has an obligation to fund all the activities of ZEC. We are capable of doing that by ourselves. Whether EU chooses to fund or not to fund its neither here nor there with us, with Zanu PF this is a non-event.”
Political analysts says EU had no option but to suspend the ZEC funding.
Political analyst, Rashweat Mukundu said, “for EU to continue supporting ZEC it raises significant question even within their own constituencies on why there are maintaining a relationship with an organ that has failed.An organ in many respects that was political captured.”
The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission has remained mum on these latest developments.
-eNCA
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