SADC report casts doubt on fairness of Zimbabwe election
By Never Kadungure | Nehanda Harare Bureau |
The Southern African Development Community (SADC) has cast doubt on the fairness of the July 31 elections held in Zimbabwe noting that although they were free and generally credible, some irregularities had cast doubt on fairness.
The SADC observer mission to Zimbabwe was headed by Tanzanian Foreign Affairs Minister Bernard Membe and today they released their report congratulating Zimbabweans for holding free and peaceful elections.
The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission dominated by Mugabe apologists and former state security operatives, declared Mugabe the winner with 61 per cent of the vote against Tsvangirai with 34 per cent. Tsvangirai refused to accept the result arguing that Mugabe abused his control of the electoral process.
The MDC-T raised issues of a skewed voter registration exercise, a doctored voters’ roll which was kept secret, overprinting of ballot papers (more than 35%), use of fake ink and double voting by Zanu PF supporters.
No UV lamps were used to detect removal of visible ink that allowed double voting, use of fake registration slips obtained from Zanu PF officials, high number of assisted voters, and bussing in of people from other constituencies.
Zanu PF threatened to evict resettled families, used soldiers to intimidate villagers, traditional leaders to force bloc voting, abused and monopolised the state media and the chaotic special vote allowed double voting of its supporters.
The Southern African Development Community (SADC) who brokered a power sharing deal in 2008 after Mugabe lost elections have called this year’s “free and peaceful” but have avoided saying the election was fair.
The MDC-T meanwhile has demanded a forensic audit of the electoral processes in particular the voters’ roll, the ballot papers, where they were printed, the special vote; voter displacement and voter registration certificates.
The party said it is determined to pursue all peaceful, legal, political, constitutional and diplomatic remedies to resolve the current crisis and once all the remedies have been exhausted, Zimbabweans should be allowed a fresh opportunity to freely and fairly elect a government of their choice.
