The integrity of the tense vote was questioned by foreign poll monitors on Friday who claimed that Zimbabwe's presidential and legislative elections did not adhere to regional and international standards.
In polling hampered by delays, Zimbabweans went to the polls on Wednesday and Thursday. The poll was held amid a backdrop of unhappiness over Zimbabwe's economic situation.
Regional and international observers expressed concern about several issues that tainted the election, including the canning of opposition rallies, the denial of accreditation to several foreign media, the absence of voters' names from the voter roll at their polling place, biased state media, and voter intimidation.
The election "fell short of numerous regional and international criteria," according to Fabio Massimo Castaldo, leader of the European Union observer mission.
He claimed that "violence and intimidation ultimately produced a climate of terror."
Amina Mohamed of Kenya, the head of the Commonwealth observation mission, noted that while the voting process was "fully conducted and peaceful" overall, "several important difficulties" affected the election's "credibility" and "transparency."
The chairman of the SADC delegation, Nevers Mumba, a former vice president of Zambia, stated that "certain aspects of the election fell short of the criteria of the Zimbabwean constitution, the electoral act, and the SADC principals and guidelines guiding democratic elections."
It was an unusual criticism from the 16-nation Southern African Development Community (SADC), whose observers typically support national elections in the member nations.
In the end, he claimed, "violence and intimidation produced a climate of terror."
Overall, the voting process was "fully conducted and peaceful," but there were "several important flaws" that affected the election's "credibility" and "transparency," according to Kenyan Amina Mohamed, the chair of the Commonwealth Observer Mission.
Nevers Mumba, a former vice president of Zambia, led the delegation for the regional group and claimed that "certain components of the election fell short of the criteria of the Zimbabwean constitution, the electoral act, and the SADC ideals and rules guiding democratic elections."
It was a rare reprimand from the 16-nation Southern African Development Community (SADC), whose observers typically support elections in the participating nations.
Due to the issues, Mnangagwa, who is running for re-election, had to issue a late-night order extending the voting period by one more day.
Rodney Kiwa, the deputy chairman of the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission, told AFP on Thursday that the authorities were still confident in their ability to announce the results before the deadline on Tuesday.
Nelson Chamisa, the leader of the CCC, expressed "grave worry" about the delays, calling them "a blatant case of voter suppression, a typical case of Stone Age... manipulation."
The major opponent to Mnangagwa, who took office in 2017 following the overthrow of former leader Robert Mugabe in a coup, is Chamisa, 45.
On election day, police detained 41 local monitors late at night and confiscated their computers and mobile devices after they were accused of "subversively and criminally tabulating" results from polling places using the equipment.
The observers, who are primarily women and men in their 20s and early 30s and who work for regional pro-democracy NGOs, arrived Friday at a Harare court crowded into the back of an open white truck to make their appearance before a magistrate.
Some waved and fought back tears as they were received by a small group of family and friends while they waited in the sun.
Some wore green t-shirts or blue caps with the words "election observer" on them.
According to the head of EU election monitors, the arrest of 41 observers "adds to our severe concerns."
Kealeboga Maphunye, a professor of African studies at the University of South Africa, stated in an online debate held on Friday by the Southern African Liaison Office based in South Africa, "At this time it's all pointing towards a disputed election."
Breakdown of the key points:
- Election Context: The elections took place against a backdrop of economic distress and unhappiness among Zimbabweans about the country's economic situation. This context likely heightened the importance of the elections and the scrutiny they faced.
- Polling Issues: The election process experienced delays, which could have contributed to an environment of uncertainty and suspicion. Zimbabweans went to the polls on Wednesday and Thursday, and there were reports of issues like canning of opposition rallies, denial of accreditation to foreign media, missing voters' names from voter rolls, biased state media, and voter intimidation.
- Foreign Observers' Concerns: Regional and international observers expressed concerns about the conduct of the election. These concerns centred around issues that could have compromised the fairness and transparency of the electoral process. These observers pointed out several aspects that didn't adhere to regional and international standards for democratic elections.
- Statements by Observers: Representatives from different observer missions, such as the European Union and the Commonwealth, shared their views on the election. They noted that while the voting process was generally conducted peacefully, there were significant flaws that affected the credibility and transparency of the elections. The use of violence and intimidation was highlighted as factors that contributed to a climate of fear and uncertainty.
- SADC's Unusual Criticism: The Southern African Development Community (SADC), a regional group that typically supports member nations' elections, offered rare criticism of the election. The chairman of the SADC delegation mentioned that certain aspects of the election didn't meet the criteria of the Zimbabwean constitution, the electoral act, and SADC's democratic election guidelines.
- Election Extension: Due to the issues and concerns raised, the incumbent president, who was running for re-election, ordered an extension of the voting period by one more day. This extension could be seen as an attempt to address some of the issues and alleviate concerns about the electoral process.
- The arrest of Observers: The text mentions the arrest of 41 local monitors who were accused of tabulating results in a subversive and criminal manner. This raised further concerns about the integrity of the process, as the observers were associated with pro-democracy NGOs and were detained in what appeared to be an attempt to suppress their activities.
- Public Reaction: The passage briefly mentions the leader of a major opposition party expressing "grave worry" about the delays and characterizing them as voter suppression. This reaction highlights the significance of the election and the sensitivity surrounding its conduct.
- Uncertain Outcome: Experts, such as the professor quoted in the passage, believed that the situation was leaning toward a disputed election. This uncertainty about the election's outcome and the allegations of irregularities and suppression further underscore the importance of addressing the concerns raised by observers.
Overall, the passage provides a snapshot of a complex electoral situation marked by concerns about transparency, fairness, and integrity. It highlights the role of both regional and international observers in scrutinizing the election and shedding light on potential issues that might have impacted its credibility.