In Past Elections Relationship Between ZEC, ZRP Was Acrimonious: Justice Chigumba

Justice Priscilla Chigumba, the chairperson of the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) has said that the electoral body and the ZRP must work together to ensure that the 2018 elections are fair and credible. She called on the two bodies not to make the same mistakes they made in the past elections, where the relationship between the two was acrimonious. Speaking at a workshop at Morris Depot on Thursday, Justice Chiogumba said,

The attitude and behaviour of statutory bodies such as Zec and the ZRP is significant in shaping perceptions of fairness and ultimately the credibility of elections. There are reports from previous elections where the relationship between electoral and police officers could be best described as acrimonious as the former felt as if the latter was there to oversee the running of the election.

We cannot afford to have this happen during the 2018 harmonised elections because it sends the wrong signal to the observers as it undermines the independence of the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec)…We need to work together in order to create an environment where the people of Zimbabwe are free to contribute to the democracy of their country.

More: Chronicle, Image Credit: Privilege Musvanhiri (@Musvanhiri)