Resignation of ZEC commissioners casts doubt over credibility of elections

By Alex Bell

The resignation of two commissioners from Zimbabwe’s electoral body, both within the week since the elections took place, has raised even more doubts about the credibility of the polls.

The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) has denied that the July 31st election was in any way fraught with difficulties, despite widespread reports of irregularities and suspected vote rigging.

These reports have come from observer missions stationed in Zimbabwe over the election period and from the opposition parities, with the MDC-T saying the process was a “farce.” Civil society groups and other observer teams have also insisted that the vote was not free, fair or credible.

A number of Zimbabwean citizens have also been sharing their experiences on polling day with SW Radio Africa, including many reports of pre-election intimidation and voter fraud. A growing list of incidents is beginning to paint a clearer picture of how the polls were manipulated to result in a ‘landslide’ ZANU PF victory.

But it is the resignation last week of ZEC commissioner Mkhululi Nyathi which has provided the most incriminating evidence that the vote was not above board. Nyathi, who handed in his resignation letter on the day of the polls, said he was quitting ZEC over the way it managed the vote. He also insisted his decision had nothing to do with the outcome, which saw Robert Mugabe re-elected as President.

“While throughout the whole process I retained some measure of hope that the integrity of the whole process could be salvaged along the way, this was not to be,” Nyathi said in his resignation letter.

His resignation was followed shortly afterwards by that of fellow commissioner Geoff Feltoe, who has only said he was stepping down to pursue his academic work.

Bulawayo Agenda Director and Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition spokesperson Thabani Nyoni said ZEC has serious questions to answer, saying the group “wants to sweep this (the election chaos) under the rug.”

“The damage is clear, the chaos is clear and a lot of suspicion has been raised about ZEC itself, its secretariat and its independence,” Nyoni said. SW Radio Africa