By Xinhua,
Harare : The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) said on Wednesday the presidential run-off set for June 27 is still on, dismissing the opposition MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai’s withdrawal from the race.
ZEC Chairperson Justice George Chiweshe told journalists that it was too late for the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) leader to pull out of the election.
Chiweshe said the commission met earlier in the day to deliberate on the issue, following the submission of the withdrawal letter by Tsvangirai on Tuesday.
“It was unanimously agreed that the withdrawal had inter alia been filed well out of time and for that reason the withdrawal was of no legal effect. Accordingly, the commission does not recognize the purported withdrawal and is therefore proceeding with the presidential run-off election as planned,” he said.
Chiweshe said ballot papers had since been printed and dispatched.
Tsvangirai, who is pitted against ZANU-PF candidate President Robert Mugabe in the election, announced Sunday his withdrawal from the race, saying political violence and intimidation made the run-off difficult to be a free and fair poll.
Justice Chiweshe told observers and other stakeholders on Monday that the country would still hold credible elections despite the various incidences of political violence that occurred.
“We do not have a war in the country, generally there is peace,” he said. “You never have an election (anywhere in the world) that is 100 percent perfect and I believe we can hold a free and fair election.”
He said the commission was ready for the election as logistics had been put in place.
The Friday run-off follows failure by both candidates to garner a majority vote in the harmonized elections held on March 29.
Three by-elections are also to be held on Friday.