The opposition leader, CCC, Nelson Chamisa, has snubbed the inauguration of President Emmerson Mnangagwa and assured his supporters that “help is on the way” .
Chamisa rejected the presidential election result, alleging rigging after the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) declared President Emmerson Mnangagwa the winner with 52.6% of the vote against his 44%.
Chamisa has reportedly deployed aides Jameson Timba and Gladys Hlatswayo to regional countries seeking support for fresh elections.
Posting on X on Sunday, having stayed away from the social media site formerly called Twitter for about five days, Chamisa added a Bible verse to his declaration. He wrote:
HELP IS ON THE WAY…Be of good cheer Zimbabwe !! ‘He did this so all the nations of the earth might know that the LORD’s hand is powerful, and so you might fear the LORD your God forever.’ Joshua 4:24.
ZimLive quoted CCC spokesman Promise Mkwananzi as saying that there was no need for the party to approach the “biased” courts to challenge the election result. He said:
Several of our court appeals meant to ensure that the election would not be disputed were turned down.
Would the court be comfortable in being perceived as an appendage of a political party rather than a credible station of dispute resolution as enunciated by the Constitution?
It is our view in CCC that the court ought to extricate itself from this dangerous perception and uphold its independence and responsibility as encapsulated in our constitution.
Reports suggest that judges were paid US$400 000 each just before the elections. Before the payouts, Mnangagwa and ZANU PF amended the constitution to stop Chief Justice Luke Malaba from retiring after reaching the age of 70.