By Farai D Hove | ZimEye | South African President Jacob Zuma, now the leader of the recently formed MK party, has issued a stark warning to officials of the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC). Speaking late Saturday, Zuma cautioned the IEC against declaring the results of the latest election on Sunday, asserting that the outcomes are flawed and should not be finalized prematurely.
Zuma’s statements came amid tensions following the MK party’s placement as the third in the latest electoral standings. He expressed dissatisfaction with the results, suggesting that his party deserved a larger share of the votes. In his announcement, Zuma said:
“Nobody must force us to say now this is what are the results for the results are not correct. I think the institutions must satisfy us, that they did look into the issues; the first time ever since Freedom we had people arrested doing wrong things, first time, I am sure we all know that people got arrested, you don’t know? You are not Journalists then, you are something else. Journalists must know everything. Don’t you know? Huh? Yes! We are going to need the time nobody must declare tomorrow; no. If that happens, people will be provoking us because we know what we are talking about. We are not guessing, we know and why should they write to count? And I’m hoping whoever is responsible is hearing what we are saying: don’t start trouble when there is no trouble.”
Zuma’s heated rhetoric has raised concerns about potential unrest if the IEC proceeds with the announcement. His claims that irregularities were detected, and arrests made during the electoral process, have yet to be substantiated with specific evidence. Nevertheless, his statements have already stirred significant controversy.
The IEC, responsible for ensuring free and fair elections, has not yet responded to Zuma’s threats. The commission faces the challenging task of balancing transparency and accuracy with the urgent need to maintain public order.
As of Saturday evening, the results reflect a significant shift in the political landscape. The African National Congress (ANC) leads with 40.19% of the votes, translating to 6,444,202 votes. The Democratic Alliance (DA) follows with 21.80%, amounting to 3,494,750 votes. The newly formed MK party, led by Zuma, has secured 14.58% of the votes, which totals 2,338,381 votes [❞] [❞] [❞].
These results indicate a challenging outcome for the ANC, which has historically dominated South African politics. The substantial support for the MK party reflects significant political realignment and voter sentiment. However, these results are not without controversy, as Jacob Zuma has publicly disputed the fairness of the election process and has warned against prematurely declaring the final results [❞].
The IEC has acknowledged receiving numerous objections and has ordered recounts in several instances. They plan to finalize and announce the results officially on Sunday, with President Cyril Ramaphosa expected to address the nation during the
As the situation unfolds, the country watches closely, bracing for potential repercussions. The implications of Zuma’s threats could be far-reaching, potentially undermining the integrity of the electoral process and inciting further political instability.- ZimEye