By Staff Reporter
OPPOSITION MDC leader Douglas Mwonzora has withdrawn his Presidential candidature jus two weeks before August 23 polls, citing illegalities by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) and the ruling Zanu PF party.
Mwonzora’s decision comes after the ZEC refused to accept nomination papers for his party’s 87 national assembly candidates who failed to pay the nomination fees due to bank limits.
Only 24 aspiring MPs from the MDC will run in the next election.
Mwonzora said even if he was to win the election, he would remain powerless with less representation in parliament.
Addressing journalists in Harare Tuesday, Mwonzora described the election as a farce.
“There is no doubt ladies and gentlemen that this election is not free and fair.
“The election management body has not displayed requisite impartiality and fairness expected of it.It has acted vindictively in a partisan manner against the MDC.
“With the concurrence of my party, I have withdrawn my candidature in this election. We are boycotting this farce, we are boycotting this sham, we are boycotting this presidential election,” he said.
Mwonzora also accused the judiciary of being captured, having initially thrown out his application challenging ZEC’s delimitation boundaries and an appeal by 87 of his aspiring MPs.
The opposition MDC has been contesting all general elections since its formation in 1999.
Initially Zimbabwe had 12 presidential candidates and two of them Saviour Kasukuwere and Linda Masarira were removed from the ballot.
Kasukuwere is still appealing his removal.
