Outrage As Mnangagwa Rewards ZEC Boss Priscilla Chigumba With “Dubious” Service Delivery Award – Eduzim News

Tinashe Sambiri – President Emmerson Mnangagwa has faced a wave of criticism after presiding over a ceremony that recognized senior government officials, including the embattled head of the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC), Priscilla Chigumba.

The ceremony, held in Harare on Monday, was presented as an evaluation of ministers and senior officials’ performance, with contracts signed and awards handed out.

Observers, however, say it appeared more like a political showpiece than a genuine effort to improve accountability, especially given the controversial figures being lauded.

Chigumba was named first runner-up for excellent service delivery in 2025 in the category for chairpersons of independent commissions.

Critics immediately questioned why the electoral commission’s leader, whose impartiality has repeatedly been called into question, was being honoured.

Chigumba has also been accused by opposition parties and civil society groups of manipulating polls in favour of President Mnangagwa, a charge that has intensified public scepticism of the commission.

Government officials defended the awards as objective and based on performance metrics.

“The ZEC Chairperson, Hon. Justice P. M. Chigumba, has been awarded the first runner-up prize for performance excellence in service delivery for the year 2025 in the Chairpersons of Independent Commissions category,” a government official said.

At the same event, the ZEC chief executive officer, S. Tongayi, was recognised as the overall best performer in the Executive Secretaries and CEOs category for independent commissions.

“At the same occasion, the ZEC CEO, Mr. S. Tongayi, emerged as the overall best performer in the Executive Secretaries/CEOs for Independent Commissions category for the year 2025,” the official said.

Meanwhile, Tendai Bare, a commissioner at the Zimbabwe Land Commission, took first place for outstanding performance in the same category of independent commissions.

Despite these accolades, the decision to reward the ZEC leadership has sparked heated debate, with critics arguing that honouring electoral authorities accused of bias risks further eroding public trust in institutions that are supposed to operate independently of government influence.

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