The ruling ZANU-PF party has issued a rebuttal to Nevers Mumba, the Head of Mission for SADC, who raised concerns about the Zimbabwe Electoral Management Body’s failure to fulfill constitutional obligations, adhere to the Electoral Act, and uphold SADC principles during the recent elections.

Mumba also highlighted how FAZ had been reportedly intimidating voters in both rural and urban areas.

In a candid address to journalists on Friday evening, the Zanu PF Spokesperson Chris Mutsvangwa rebuked Mumba, accusing him of associating with officials from the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) and singling out FAZ while neglecting other civic society organizations.

Mutsvangwa vigorously defended the operations of FAZ, categorizing it as a Civic Society Organisation (CSO) with a focus on security.

Mutsvangwa

He drew parallels between FAZ and colonial-era groups that spied for Zanu PF and other revolutionary parties, stating that understanding the enemy was crucial for survival. He stated, ‘If you did not know your enemy, you would die.’

Mutsvangwa said,

“We want to make it very clear the SADC Observer Mission is a product of members state of SADC and not administered by a particular individual who may become the head of a delegation, he is only in a delegated role.

“Without prior consultation with members of his mission and without them having given reports to their countries or secretariat he decides to delve into matters which have nothing to do with his mandate.

“It is not the duty of a particular individual to arrogate to himself the role of a constitution review committee of Zimbabwe, so Mr Nevers Mumba, we call you to order if you have issues tell it to relevant institutions.

“He was seen hobnobbing and accosting himself with the CCC, he even goes further to try to make an issue about CSOs, choosing others in favour of others.

“He favours the Zimbabwe Election Support Network (ZESN) and others and castigates FAZ on the other hand, this is a bias. To make an issue of FAZ is to question the origin of this state.”