Government has defended the appointment of Zanu PF Vice President Kembo Mohadi’s daughter, Abigail, as a Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) commissioner, saying she has a right to serve the nation just like anyone else.
Abigail Millicent Ambrose’s appointment has raised questions on the election body’s impartiality and independence.
She is Mohadi’s daughter from his marriage with ex-wife, Tambudzani, and was sworn in by President Emmerson Mnangagwa on Thursday at State House alongside five other commissioners.
“Children and relatives of high-profile people have the right to employment and service to their country as everyone else. That’s why it is called, “equal opportunities,” Mangwana said.
Mangwana dismissed claims there could be a conflict of interest, with fears Abigail could be biased in favour of her father’s political party.
He added: “It is called professionalism. Secondly, no single commissioner can override the work of the whole commission, they work as a collective.
“Thirdly, is it not that people were openly interviewed by parliament? Was there a more qualified applicant who was excluded?”
Opposition Citizen’s Coalition for Change (CCC) has demanded that the appointment be reversed as it betrays independence of the election management body.
Children and relatives of high profile people have the right to employment and service to their country as everyone else. That’s why it’s called, “Equal Opportunities”.
— Nick Mangwana (@nickmangwana) July 7, 2022
ZEC is already under heavy scrutiny from civic society organisations (CSOs) and opposition parties, who accuse it of attempting to rig the 2023 polls in favour of the ruling party.
Its independence has been a constant issue, with the 2018 elections eventually settled in court after it was accused of failing to handle the plebiscite.
Much recently, comments that Zanu PF will lead ZEC’s delimitation process further raised questions of its impartiality.