by Voice of America 7 August 2013
The United States believes that the announced results of the Zimbabwean election do not reflect a credible expression of the will of the people.
A woman carrying a child casts her vote at a polling station in Domboshava, about 45 km north of Harare. (July 31, 2013) – Reuters
Electoral officials in Zimbabwe have declared President Robert Mugabe and his ZANU-PF Party landslide winners in the July 31 elections, dismissing opposition claims of balloting fraud and other irregularities. The national election commission said Mugabe received 61 percent of the vote, compared to 34 percent for Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai. International observers from the African Union and Southern African Development Community, who thus far have not used the words “fair” or “credible” in their statements, added they would look into reports of irregularities.
The United States believes that the results announced do not reflect a credible expression of the will of the Zimbabwean people, based on the scale and scope of flaws in the electoral process.
The election carried broad implications for the troubled Southern African nation. It ends the transitional government that has helped stabilize Zimbabwe following a 2008 vote that was suspended because of violence. Winning more than two-thirds of the seats in Parliament, Mr. Mugabe’s party will now have a supermajority that will enable it to make changes in the country’s new Constitution on which many hopes for democratic reforms have hung.
Though most members of the international community were restricted from observing the vote, the balance of evidence presented to date indicates that the process was deeply flawed. There were irregularities in the provision and composition of the voter rolls. Civil society, independent media, and political parties faced long-standing restrictions and politically-motivated harassment and intimidation. State media favored one party in both coverage and access. The security sector likewise was biased in the electoral process. And the government failed to implement the political reforms mandated by the new constitution, the Global Political Agreement and Zimbabwe’s neighbors.
We call on all parties to refrain from violence during this period, urging the Southern African Development Community and the African Union to address their concerns with the electoral process as well as those voiced by domestic monitoring groups like the Zimbabwe Election Support Network.
The United States shares the same fundamental interests as the Zimbabwean people: a peaceful, democratic, and prosperous Zimbabwe that reflects the will of its citizens and provides opportunities for them to flourish. For that to happen, the government should heed the voices of its people and implement the mandated democratic reforms.
COMMENTS
“For that to happen, the government should heed the voices of its people and implement the mandated democratic reforms.”
Why do people keep assuming that politicians and other sociopathic characters think like human beings?
The headline is short of Tsvangirai MDC T at the end. Ko USA whats the problem kubvisa mwana wemvana madzihwa. Its love. But if you love Zim semvana yenyu so if the kids are two you have to remove both because you love the mother. Those whom you purport to represent zim its few compared to majority who voted so becareful un your statements. The fact is you dont want to blame MDC T. Frim the first place Tsvangirai was part and is still part of the govt that prepared these election him as head of Ministers including home affairs ministry (Theresa Makone as Minister)that registered and printed the voter’s roll. There were two registrations 20days anda the mandatory 30days that ended 9July 2013 and Theresa Makone as Minister knew very well the challenges of coming up with a ward based voters roll in less than 20days. Otherwise those guys frm RG worked very hard. To complain whether its electronic or not does not change votes. What matters here is did the MDC mobilized people to vote for them its a no. Only its president tried last days. I m in Tendai Biti’constituency he never campained he busy following Tsvangirai rallies including Jameson Timba no single campaign so what do u expect. They just throw fliers no talking to the electorate. Its a shame.
Then comes independent papers they lie to the extent that a grade two chap can even see they write as if people dont think or reason as long its for mdc. Poor journalism. Thats why zanu pf triumped its because of the truth. To those outside dont take all these lies no one was rigged it was free and and unfair to zanu pf because its under sanctions. Sadc and AU are are short faie because Zanu pf raised the issue of sanctions as the unfairness. The double standarnfs of EU and America are now seen because they promised to remove sanctions after these elections. Now that their favourate horse lost rhe race they have joined in its mourning now crying fowl.
I m worried democracy means the interest of the west. In Egypt, Iraq, Afganstan , Zimbabwe, Lybia to name few. Maone but Zimbabwe will never be a colony again thank God.
And what – we should pay attention to what the #$%&* Americans think because their last election reflected a credible expression of the will of their people? I don’t think so. Obama’s campaign funding for the 2012 election exceeded 1.7 billion dollars; the highest in history. America is not a democracy, it’s a corporatocracy plain and simple. What the proletariat need to wake up and realise is that all elections are rigged by politicians to a greater or lesser extend. Some are just more sophisticated in their modus operandi. The answer? Simple. Anarchy. “Don’t follow leaders” – Bob Dylan
Kudyiwa Takatarisa Sematemba! If our electoral process does not make it mandatory to tally the actual number of people who voted at a polling station to the number of ballots counted at the counting centre(including spoilt ballots) then our elections are not fair, prone to massive rigging and that makes allegations of vote rigging are null and void & difficult to prove.
Number of people who voted = Number of ballots counted (within an acceptable margin of error) SIMPLE
We didn’t mobilise because we felt there was need to complete reforms i.e. Unfortunately the incomplete reforms namely in the security sector&the electoral commission were the loopholes through which Zanu pf managed to influence the poll result.Zanu pf hastened to the polls so they could abuse the electoral commission before reforms because an independent commission would thwart their ‘elaborate’ strategy.Will they survive the term without resorting to Draconian measures?They needed the army to cow the masses by making itimidatory remarks like,’we wont salute Tsvangirai’.I think they remarked while sharing power&in power they will act.A constitutional court composed of Zimbabwean nationals ,well aware of the outstanding issues on theGPA chose to rule in favour of Zanu pf thereby coaxing us to an election whose result they already knew.
We didn’t mobilise because we felt there was need to complete reforms i.e. Unfortunately the incomplete reforms namely in the security sector&the electoral commission were the loopholes through which Zanu pf managed to influence the poll result.Zanu pf hastened to the polls so they could abuse the electoral commission before reforms because an independent commission would thwart their ‘elaborate’ strategy.Will they survive the term without resorting to Draconian measures?They needed the army to cow the masses by making itimidatory remarks like,’we wont salute Tsvangirai’.I think they remarked while sharing power&in power they will act.A constitutional court composed of Zimbabwean nationals ,well aware of the outstanding issues on theGPA chose to rule in favour of Zanu pf thereby coaxing us to an election whose result they already knew.