Citizens Coalition for Change leader Nelson Chamisa is risking confrontation with Zimbabwean authorities after making statements that may trigger unrest after the much-awaited 2023 elections.
At a rally in Bulawayo, Chamisa made the audacious claim that he will not accept any result that does not wake him the winner against the incumbent President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
Read Also: Chamisa Tells Supporters To Revenge Chitsunge’s Death
He informed party supporters at a gathering on Sunday at the White City Sports Stadium in Bulawayo that their agents had been stationed strategically at all 12,374 polling places.
He made the audacious claim that the party would have the election results by August 24 with absolute confidence.
I am briefing all the [observer] delegations. I told them that ANY result that puts Mnangagwa ahead of Chamisa is a fake result.
See the video down below.
#BREAKING CCC leader Nelson Chamisa, addressing rally at White City Stadium in Bulawayo, says they have deployed agents to all 12,374 polling stations, and they will have election results by August 24 "and we will tell the world what we got" pic.twitter.com/EqGP7m5RLA
— ZimLive (@zimlive) August 20, 2023
Meanwhile, the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) has issued a strong warning regarding the premature disclosure of election results. Emphasizing the gravity of the matter, the ZEC firmly states that it is strictly prohibited for any individual or organization, apart from the commission itself, to reveal or disseminate the election results.
In a statement, ZEC said,
Presidential Election results will be announced within five (5) days after the polling day at the ZEC National Collation Centre
It is illegal to announce election results verbally or in print before they are announced by ZEC. Violators of this electoral offence will face legal consequences, including fines, imprisonment, or both.
This is not the first time that Chamisa has challenged the authority of the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) over election results. In the 2018 presidential election, Chamisa contested the narrow victory of President Emmerson Mnangagwa, alleging that the election was rigged.
However, it was later revealed that Chamisa did not have polling agents at all polling stations, despite earlier claims.
