And so the circus continues
David Coltart has complained about ZEC assuming the role of the Constitutional Court, something that sets it own precedence as we approach what many have written off as a poll that will have a disputed outcome – again.
Coltart was commenting on the special vote where ZEC says those who failed to vote will be allowed to vote on the 31st despite the Electoral Act saying those who applied for the special vote cannot vote if they missed that first opportunity.
The problem with these latest developments is that as long as there are disagreements on what course to follow, this only becomes yet another pointer of ZEC’s own poor preparedness for the poll, something which has been the major talking point ever since that Jealousy Mawarire fellow sprang from the wilderness like a locust eating and honey sucking savior.
The concerns Coltart raises are yet another example of how legal processes have merely become symbolic in this country where the rule of law has been an area of bitter contestation because one political party simply chooses to ignore what does not favour it.
In a functioning democracy, there is no doubt that disgruntled political parties would take their case to the courts, but here they know too damn well that they will be pissing in the wind. So what do they do? They go ahead and participate under protest! What a big joke.
Zimbabwe desperately needs all sorts of reforms, from not-so-bright judges, to not-so-bright military men to even death-wishing kombi drivers!
And the fact that the results of the special vote are still to be announced is telling enough and portends more chaos for the 31 July vote.
A curious response was given by ZEC spokesperson Shupikai Mashereni on being asked about the veracity of the special voter numbers given by Patrick Chinamasa who is “however, not the authority mandated to make such official announcements,” Newsday helpfully pointed out.
Said Mashereni: “You think the minister could have lied about those numbers? He is a minister.”
Well?