Press release 4 August 2013 Ministry of Foreign Affairs – NORWAY
“Norway is pleased that the elections in Zimbabwe passed off peacefully, in contrast to the previous elections in 2008. This is a step in the right direction. But unfortunately there are clear indications that these elections were marred by so many irregularities that they cannot be called open and fair,” said Minister of Foreign Affairs Espen Barth Eide.
Presidential and parliamentary elections were held in Zimbabwe on 31 July. The results were announced yesterday. According to the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission, current President Robert Mugabe (ZANU-PF) received 61 % of the votes in the presidential election, while Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai (MDC-T) received 34 %. In the parliamentary election, ZANU-PF is reported to have won 196 of 270 seats.
Election observers from the African Union (AU) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) have identified a number of serious flaws. The voters’ roll was not made public before the election, many people in the cities were not able to register and on election day many were turned away, which could indicate that the electoral roll was incorrect. Some 35 % more ballot papers were printed than there were voters. Contrary to the law, there was a persistent pro- ZANU-PF bias in the state media.
“After many years of insecurity and poverty, the people of Zimbabwe deserve a better life. Unfortunately, these election flaws make it difficult to view the election results as an expression of the will of the people,” said Minister of International Development Heikki Eidsvoll Holmås.
The African election observers have not yet published their final report. The opposition MDC-T will consider whether to take legal action and demand new elections.
“We are now awaiting the outcome of these processes, which will also affect Norway’s relations with Zimbabwe in the years ahead. It is very important for Norway that countries we cooperate with show a genuine willingness to promote democracy and human rights,” Mr Eide said.
via Zimbabwe elections marred by irregularities – regjeringen.no.
COMMENTS
The west should accept that with all the generalized flaws, the election was given thumbs up by international observers such as SADC and the African Union. Give Zimbabwe a chance to move on please
The AU member and SADC were obviously not impartial. The observer from Nigerea said the MDC should have complained before that the voters register was not right. I ask, “Was he asleep!” Morgan T has been shouting from the roof tops that there were a number of irregularities. If uncle Bob has nothing to hide, why does he keep Western observers out? Botswana, the least corrupt of African nations has also called the election flawed.
The elecyion was illegally called under illegally promulgated regulations prior to the full implementatin of the GPA and prior to the implementation of the SADC guidwlines producing a result that was unbelievable. There are 3 constituencies which confirm this, Mount Pleasant where thousands of illegal votes were cast because Mugabe fears the vocal Tendai Biti, Chinoyi where Philip Chiyangwa lost because he never had Mugabe’s blessing and so there was no intimidation or rigging, and Tsholotsho where the odious Jonathan Moyo lost and again Mugane did not want him around so no intimidation or rigging occurred.
We cannot give Zimbabwe a chance to move on when the mugs crowd cheated to win the election. That means the government in power is not what the people want. So think about that stupid one and lets see if this massive fraud can be corrected.
The AU and SADC jumped to conclusion and the observations are in not in tandem with the conclusion, on what basis where the conclusions derived? On one part you say there were irregularities and on the other you say it was free and fair, what nonsense is this. If this rigging is allowed to stand in Zimbabwe, the cancer will spread to all countries in SADC and NIKUV will always make good and dirt money, and the populations in some countries will not take this lightly. Let’s wait and see how the courts will judge and the reaction from the voters themselves. The mood as it stands is one of the most unpredictable, anything can happen.
So Marufu Marufu, your view is that Zimbabwe should be “allowed” to move forward irrespective of the fact that the will of the people may have been subverted? Indeed SADC and AU are entitled to their opinion but that is not to say everyone else should agree with them.
You cannot just say people should move on based on a possible faulty election result. Why do we as Africans set the bar so low then leave our countries in millions in search of a better life in European countries while we consistently allow our rulers to get away with election theft, corruption, murder unbelievable incompetence.
The question is, why cant Mugabe to answer simple questions on the shortcomings of the poll? Why was it not possible for the registrar general to accomplish the simplest of all tasks – the production of electronic copies of the roll?
These shoddy elections will not move the country forward because they leave doubt in a lot of peoples mind as to were they objectively done to obtain the views of the citizens or primarily to meet the partisan objectives of the supposed landslide victor.
Marufu:Why should anyone accept the result ,when a country has been held back for 33years by bunch of old men ,SHAME ON ZANU PF,party of crooks ,the cheating will be exposed,YOU SAY MOVE,MOVE WHERE
TO DARK AGES,because that is where Bob is taking us .
It appeared AU and SADC obsevers arrived with their text and reports of ‘free and credible’ already written for them. Former military ruler of Nigeria, Mr Obasanjo, made his approval reports on arrival at the airport in Harare. The African observers did exactly what Mugabe had invited them to do as his ‘friendly countries’. If Mugabe had nothing to hide, why did he refuse observers from any country which would have wanted to see the voting processes unfolding in Zimbabwe? What is the use of being only allowing observers from friendly countries? It’s like a football team insisting that the referee of a match should be friendly to them. And some of the countries invited to observe the elections have not the slightest idea what democratic elections are. For example, I have no idea what criteria and experience the Chinese brought to Zimbabwean elections as observers since I have never heard of a free and fair democratic elections in China.
Mr Hove your comments are well founded, what is most troubling is that African leaders continue to betray the wishes of the Zimbabwean people and treat them as children of a lessor God. As a born Zimbabwean it hurts me to see it.
We are the winning votes. If private ballot is suspicious next time lets que behind our candidate. Who are these faceless voters who failed to vote. Why dont they complain on their own. Remember we have millions of Aliens with no paper in the farms, They also should have voted
More than 200 people were killed by Zanu in 2008 elections which were given the ok by SADC&AU,so clearly they’re not to be trusted as they don’t care about the lives of Zimbabweans but are more interested in keeping their fellow dictator in power at any cost.Zimbabwe can never move on while Mugabe’s love of power keeps him and his cronies looting and destroying the economy,brutalizing Zimbabweans and stealing elections every 5 years.Don’t blame the West.Mugabe has always been President.He is in charge. He is responsible for all of Zimbabwe’s problems
After 33 years there has been nothing but misery, whether he won fairly is irrelevant, there will be no change. Surely even the dumbest of the dumb realise that if you don’t change something, nothing changes!
I just heard that people are busy withdrawing their USA dollars panicking that the country can not be having insuficients of fund people are not sure about the obama currents even the so called big fish are also drawing unusual amonts
lets surrender everything to God,but i disagree with you when you say leave zimbabwe alone ,why are they blaming the west insteading of evavaluating their mistakes ,for how long should we cotinue suffering ,what they want is to cling to power ,they do not care about the people welfare have you seen that people who are on hiv drugs are developing a lot of sideeffects because of poor quality drugs go to Botswana ,99% of the people are on these drugs but you cant see such as compared to zim they are busy clining to power without production ,insulting leaders of other countries who care for their people ,what do we benefit from that
Democracy must respond to ZanuPf,AU & SADC on the stolen election.All options are on the table guys!!LET’S FREE ZIMBABWE.No one will do it for us.
Objectively speaking, this election was fraudulent but it seems Mugabe won. From reading all comments and news in all media, the election was clearly marred by irregularities eg ballot stuffing, direct open cheating etc. However, it could not have amounted to a swing in vote towards the opposition. The judges, who are in Mugabe’s pocket, are likely to agree that the cheating could not have affected the result greatly and it is not cost effective have a rerun of elections on that basis. This is bad news for all of us and other presidents eg Museveni of Uganda and many others have done this before and others are following suit. Africans seem to be cursed with evil leaders over and over again. The clean, educated people in Africa don’t involve in politics. Cry beloved country. Africa arise.
Mugabe is so desparete to lead day light robbery shame elections
The problem with western countries is they underate zimbabweans ‘s ability to choose their leaders. The fact that their prefered candidate was beatwn its now a farce. The more they judge the more zimbabweans vote for Mugabe. Mdc did not offer practical manifesto like zanu pf. It was just juice like someone who want to top up a phone using western funds. So zimbos aremature
Silly comments of desperate losers who are bent on narrow interests not the interests of the Zimbabwean people. Now those who did not know the owners of the MDC-T are now well informed. Good for ZANU-PF more votes are coming.
Free and fair only kana MDC-T yahwina? Munopenga. Isu tanga tiri mu Zimbabwe. We know what happened. Those who did not participate, varekudiaspora, please musa zvinyepere kana kuzvifurira. MDC-T yakadyiwa fair fair. Vanhu havachadi zvimbwasungwata.
I went to the curses land over the weekend , everyone working for the government is Shona where are Ndebeles? And even SA shonas are everwhere! They destroy the country and have guts to come SA! They continiue to rig elections shameless. Ndebeles show the evil Mugabe long time ago. Zimbabbwe is a very sad story only God will set his people free through death of the evil Bob.
the people of zimbabwe have suffered for so long its now up to the LORD to save them from doom.LETS JOIN HANDS ALLCZIMBABWEANS AND PRAY FOR THE BETER TOMMORW.
ZANU PF is failing to understand one thing – that Zimbos are tired of them the sooner they see their back the better for this country to move forward. They are behaving like a woman whose husband has decided to terminate the marriage and she sticks around in the matrimonial home in the vain hope that the hubby will change his mind. Zimbos are no longer interested in them even if there was a general election every month or ever week ZANU PF can be sure of one thing – they will lose all of fbm successively.
I think your old website was better this one looks good but one has to click on every article to read it and that’s rather annoying. Unlike the last one a person would even read articles they had no intensions of reading.
Hi SADC – we’ve tried to offer the month’s headlines in one place – on the homepage. If you “browse by” –> just the “headlines” by day you’ll get just that. If you want to read a headline it takes you to the post, just click back with your browser and you’re back on the day’s headlines. Or click the homepage and you’re back at the month’s headlines similar to the old format. Hope that helps. We’re working on a subscription box – you’ll get the news by email.
But here pple have a chance to input