THERE is growing consensus that Wednesday’s harmonised elections were anything, but credible despite premature endorsements by the Southern African Development Community (Sadc) and African Union (AU) observer missions.
Southern Eye Editorial
Despite the relative calm across the country, voting was characterised by chaos and confusion.
Some areas ran out of ballot papers while some election agents were barred from polling centres.
In Gwanda, voting had to be suspended in Wards 3 and 5 after ballot papers for the council candidates ran out.
The Zimbabwe Electoral Commissioner (ZEC) allowed voting to proceed without the council elections, however, this was soon stopped.
There was also an unusually high number of people who were assisted to vote reportedly by Zanu PF officials stationed at polling stations.
Local poll observers have also noted that millions of Zimbabweans could have been deliberately disenfranchised through the manipulation of the voters’ roll.
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The Zimbabwe Election Support Network (ZESN) yesterday claimed that over 750 000 urban voters were missing on the voters’ roll compared to rural voters.
ZEC also failed to ensure that the final voters’ roll was made available in an electronic format prior to election day.
Following the chaos in Wednesday, those alleging that there was a premeditated plan to steal the elections appear to have a valid argument.
If ZESN’s assertion that at “82% of urban polling stations many potential voters were turned away and not permitted to vote for reasons which include names not appearing on the voters’ roll and turning up at the wrong ward for voting” are true then these elections cannot pass the minimum credibility test.
This is was in sharp contrast to rural areas where only 38% of polling stations turned away many potential voters.
As Zimbabweans await the final outcome of the elections they should start reflecting on how they allowed themselves to be cheated again.
Disputed elections have become part and parcel of Zimbabwe and it is shame that we remain Africa’s bad boy. The inclusive government failed to redeem Zimbabwe.
