Gweru (New Ziana)– Contestants in the August 23 harmonised elections should abide by the Electoral Code of Conduct for Political Parties and candidates in order to create a level playing field.
Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) provincial manager Dorcas Mpofu said this at a provincial multi-party liaison committee meeting after the announcement of House of Assembly candidates who successfully filed nomination papers to contest in the Midlands province.
“The code is like a Bible for the 23 August race and we have to adhere to it,” she said.
Mpofu appealed to political parties to desist from violence, intimidation and other unfair practices.
She warned the political players against recording names of voters, knocking on doors or engaging in any forms of intimidation.
“People should make their choices freely without interference, fear, undue influence or bribery,” she reiterated.
ZEC, she explained, was like a referee and the onus was on the political parties to play clean.
Mpofu said placing of posters was the major cause of political violence, therefore political parties should share the limited space available.
“Parties should avoid pulling down rival parties’ posters as that will cause violence. If they give each other space, there will be no fights,” she said.
“There is limited space to put up posters like trees and walls. Other organisations do not want to see posters on their walls, so they should share the limited space available so that they do not fight.
“We want a peaceful poll in this province and arguments over posters have resulted in political parties sending their youths to fight.”
Political parties should also not put posters within 300 metres of polling stations on the day of poll.
New Ziana
