National Electoral Reform Agenda (Nera) legal secretary, Douglas Mwonzora, accused Zanu PF of bribing people to vote for its candidate, Ronald Chindedza, while the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission just watched by the sidelines. He said,
It is a violation of the Constitution and the Electoral Act.Giving the electorate something in return for votes is bribery and, as such, an electoral malpractice, which Zec should have noted and stopped. There is no willingness on the part of government to initiate electoral reforms. Further, there is no intention by Zec to enforce the Electoral Act. Zec and (chairperson, Justice Rita) Makarau are accomplices in this gross violation of electoral rules.
Zimbabwe Election Support Network director, Rindai Chipfunde-Vava, said they had noted with concern the vote-buying, intimidation and violence that was playing out in the constituency.
Dishing out stands, as we have seen happening in Norton, is indeed in violation of the electoral laws and giving voters things ahead of elections amounts to vote-buying and it exerts undue influence on the electorate, thereby, creating an unlevel playing field.
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