CLAIM: NERA blocks Sengezo Tshabangu from Signing MOU in Bulawayo
SOURCE: Spikedmedia and Zimeye
VERDICT: False
On 25 January 2024, an online media publication, Spikedmedia, carried a story headlined: “NERA Blocks Sengezo Tshabangu from Signing MOU in Bulawayo.” The article by one Edward Makuzva, claims the National Electoral Reform Agenda (NERA) on 24 January 2024 blocked Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) interim secretary-general Sengezo Tshabangu from signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in Bulawayo.
The MOU was signed by opposition political parties primarily based in Bulawayo, who are committed to collectively pushing for electoral reforms. Other political parties had signed in Harare on January 18. The article claims there was no way Tshabangu could have been allowed to sign the MoU on behalf of CCC since he is not the principal. ZimEye, another online publication, also carried a similar story.
Tshabangu has dismissed the story as unfounded. “Not true,” said Tshabangu. “I was never invited to join NERA. This is again another attempt to soil my name.”
NERA spokesperson, Douglas Mwonzora, also said they never barred Tshabangu from joining NERA. “NERA is for all political parties and individuals who want to join it, so we have not barred anybody from joining NERA. We are aware of course that there was talk about Tshabangu coming to sign at NERA. He did not turn up on that day. I think it was because of the confusion regarding the venue, but they are welcome to join NERA. Everybody is welcome, and I think now that their president has resigned, anybody who has sufficient authority from the CCC can join NERA, so there is no problem with that. We did not bar them from joining NERA at all. That’s not correct.”
Conclusion
Tshabangu was not barred from either joining NERA or signing the MoU in Bulawayo. Some opposition political parties excluding the CCC have signed NERA (MoU) as a way of reviving the fight for electoral reforms in the country following last year’s disputed elections which saw ZANU-PF emerging the winner.
