JUSTICE PRISCILLA CHIGUMBA the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) chairperson and Mnangagwa’s advisor, a Zanu-PF politburo member Christopher Mutsvangwa travelled to Russia to observe the recent Russian elections won by Vladimir Putin.

JUSTICE PRISCILLA CHIGUMBA the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) chairperson and Mnangagwa’s advisor, a Zanu-PF politburo member Christopher Mutsvangwa travelled to Russia to observe the recent Russian elections won by Vladimir Putin.

Vladimir Putin won an overwhelming victory, three days ago on Sunday in Russias presidential elections . The victory has given him the mandate to lead for another six years.

The Russian president Vladimir Putin, has led the country as either the president or the prime minister for the last 18 years since 1999.

He won the latest election overwhelmingly with more than 76% of the vote. The main opposition leader in Russia, Alexei Navalny, was barred from the election, while Putin’s nearest competitor, millionaire communist Pavel Grudinin, only managed to receive about 12% of the votes.

Ksenia Sobchak, who is a former reality TV host, and veteran nationalist Vladimir Zhirinovsky only received 2% and 6% of the vote respectively.

it is alleged that there was an element of vote buying some areas,through free food and discounts in local shops on offer near polling stations in Russia.

It is interesting that only last month, the Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov was in Zimbabwe, a country which was liberated from British, Western power rule as Russia trained and armed Zipra the Zapu military wing who jointly fought the Rhodesian British regime with Zanla the Zanu military wing which was trained and armed by China.

Sergei Lavrov’s delegation signed up lucrative agricultural, diamond, platinum mining deals, security deals worth billions with Mnangagwa on their visit.

Zimbabwe is due to hold harmonised elections in July 2018 and yet the new Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) chairperson Justice Priscilla Chigumba along with Mnangagwa’s advisor, a Zanu-PF politburo member Christopher Mutsvangwa travelled to Russia to observe the recent Russian elections won by Vladimir Putin.

Opposition and civic society in Zimbabwe are already warning that the fact that a Zec chairperson attended the Russia poll in the company of the President’s Office and Zanu-PF politburo member Christopher Mutsvangwa , indicates that the July 2018 Zimbabwe harmonised election are of major concern as Zec is clearly not an independent commission., is not an impartial organisation and not cable of overseeing a free and fair election. More news to follow. Zec is compromised. We cannot expect Zimbabwe to achieve, democracy freedom and have basic human rights and respect for the Rule of Law under the Mnangagwa, Zanu pf stalwarts and securocrats regime.

This is why I have continuously warned Zimbabwe that there is no rush to go for elections, when in actual fact what is bound to happen will be giving Mnangagwa, Zanu pf stalwarts and securocrats, a victory and legitimising his rule. We need to ensure that AIPPA and POSA are removed, the diaspora can vote, rural areas and Zec are demilitarised, the media is opened up to everyone, there is fereedom, democracy, and respect for the rule of the law amongst other things.

It is clear with the trip by the new Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) chairperson Justice Priscilla Chigumba along with Mnangagwa’s advisor, a Zanu-PF politburo member Christopher Mutsvangwa to Russia to observe the recent Russian elections won by Vladimir Putin who has been president and Prime Minister for the last 18 years,and has now won a mandate to rule for another six years is a prelude to what the 2018 ballot will be like.

Remember that back in 2013, we were part of the call for opposition to hold their ground and refuse to go for elections until Zanu pf under Mugabe, effected Electoral reforms that had already been signed up to by Mugabe and GNU opposition leaders with the former South African President facilitating the talks.

Its unfortunate that no one listened to the voice of reason, and the late MDC T president Richard Morgan Tsvangirai, being so confident that he was set to have an overwhelming victory and be in the state house to replace Mugabe and lead Zimbabwe, went blindly into the 31 July 2013 NIKUV election, and the expected, happened, namely that Mugabe won with an overwhelming victory and that was the end of Tsvangiarai and MDC T resistance .

We are facing the same chaos right now, because none of the already signed up to electoral reforms to date have been instituted, so we know that Mnangagwa, the real powerhouse behind Mugabe’s ‘lifetime’ leadership and rigging along many other things including AIPPA, POSA, genocides and open brutality against the people, is now at the helm of Zimbabwe elections. You cannot expect Mnangagwa to reform himself or Zanu pf out of power.

Right now Britain has warned that Russia is now a threat to the European Union (EU) and is now going to be a strategic enemy. The discerning eye www.newzimbabwevision.com says that only afool can expect the West to step in and help a country that is sleeping with their enemy,…Wake up Zimbabwe! By Sibusiso Ngwenya