HARARE – A defeated former Zanu PF MP and Deputy Minister has filed an election petition, claiming the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) cost him victory by not putting his NICKNAME on the ballot paper.
Win Busayi Juyana Mlambo, who was Deputy Minister for Information and Communication Technology, Postal and Courier Services lost to the MDC Alliance’s Mathias Mlambo in Chipinge East.
He is suing ZEC and the MDC Alliance winner demanding a re-run. He claims voters suffered name confusion as both candidates had similar surnames.
He believes the name confusion could have been resolved if ZEC had inserted his nickname, ‘Chitengwa’, before his surname.
MDC secretary general and lawyer Douglas Mwonzora, who will represent the winning Mlambo at the petition hearing, says the former Deputy Minister’s application is without basis.
Mwonzora told ZimLive.com: “It’s one for laughs, he has no prospects of success. ZEC has committed no offence. The law says that the names that must appear on the ballot paper must be as per voters roll.
“The voters roll is constructed in terms of section 9 of the Electoral (Voter Registration) Regulations SI 85/17. This does not allow nicknames.”
The Mlambo petition is one of dozens to be heard soon by the Electoral Court. The MDC Alliance accounts for most of the petitions, with 23 filed so far which could go up to 40, according to party leader Nelson Chamisa.
