HARARE – The recently-concluded elections were a “scandal” and a betrayal of Zimbabwe’s independence war heroes, MDC Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa said Monday.

Chamisa, who has gone to the Constitutional Court to dispute an election narrowly declared for incumbent Emmerson Mnangagwa of Zanu PF, used a message to commemorate Heroes Day to make a scathing swipe at his rival.

“The time has come to commemorate and honour the heroes and heroines of the liberation struggle by defending the one ideal and value they selflessly fought for: one person one vote,” Chamisa said.

“The unsatisfactory and in fact scandalous way this election was conducted is an indictment of the ruling elite who have monopolised state politics in our country for 38 years, and a betrayal of the heroes and heroines who made an independent Zimbabwe possible in 1980.”

Chamisa said a multi-party democracy remained elusive to Zimbabwe because of a “militarised clique who call themselves Zimbabwe’s stockholders” and who “unleash brute force against unnamed civilians in pursuit of electoral theft”.

The 40-year-old Chamisa disputes election results announced by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission giving Mnangagwa 50.8 percent of the vote to his 44.3 percent. Mnangagwa avoided a runoff by just over 38,000 votes, according to the results.

In court papers, Chamisa says he had an over 56 percent share of the vote, and accuses ZEC of manipulating the result in favour of Mnangagwa, who came to power following a military coup last November.

In the protests that followed delays in announcing election results after the July 30 vote, Mnangagwa sent in soldiers who killed at least six people and wounded dozens others.

Mnangagwa said at the Heroes Acre on Monday that he blamed the MDC Alliance for the deaths.

And in a message that appeared directed at Mnangagwa, Chamisa said they would not be vindictive if they came into power, but warned: “Those who have sinned against our people must commit to sin no more, this is the pathway to forgiveness. Our nation is broken, our people are divided and our society is tormented. Zimbabwe needs truth, healing and reconciliation.”