By Paul Nyathi| Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) has taken into an overdrive trying to dismiss on going social media claims linking commission chairperson Priscilla Chigumba to the ruling ZANU PF party.

The commission said the picture of Chigumba dressed in ZANU PF regalia circulating on social media together with one featuring a ballot paper are fake and only meant to tarnish the commission’s image.

Zec commissioner Dr Qhubani Moyo took to the same media on Friday saying the pictures of the ballot paper and Justice Chigumba wearing the ZANU PF scarf were fake.

“Desperate criminal political malcontents are on an overdrive manufacturing fake news about Zec,” he said.

“Today a fake ballot paper design was circulated & later a photoshop of Zec Chairperson wearing a scaff associated with ED (President Mnangagwa). In both instances it was fake news and the public must dismiss it with the contempt it deserves,” wrote Moyo.

“This is obviously being done by criminal political elements to destabilise the election process. These people have nothing to say because the process is running smoothly and they want to disturb it,” he added.

Moyo reproduced the photo trying to highlight the Photoshop aspects.

Opposition MDC Alliance Senate candidate David Coltart dismissed Moyo’s claims that Chigumba was Photoshopped in the ZANU PF regalia.

“If its photoshopped it’ll be easy to prove. This looks like a photo taken with a friend by a friend – so it should be simple to produce the original photo. I am surprised this hasn’t been done already given how serious the issue is – it goes to the root of ZEC’s independence,” said Coltart.

Political commentator Alex Magaisa however gave ZEC the benefit of the doubt applauding Commissioner Moyo for trying to play down the photo.

“If it’s photoshop, it’s beyond political banter but it’s good to see efforts to distance ZEC from the scarf,” he said.