“What if CCC wins whilst you say not free and fair?”some one asked.
Some one once said Mugabe would lose to a donkey if that was the only other option on the ballot IF the elections were free, fair and credible. The same can be said about Mnangagwa. The very fact that Mugabe/ Mnangagwa has won the past elections is proof the elections were NOT free, fair and credible. And it beggars the question why has MDC/CCC leaders failed to address this obvious problem of rigged elections?
MDC/CCC have been on the political stage for 23 years, 5 of which in the GNU, and they have not only failed to implement even one token democratic reform but worse still they are the ones insisting on participating in flawed election to give Zanu PF legitimacy out of greed. Chamisa has lied about having winning in rigged elections strategies in the past and is lying again now!
Zanu PF is rigging these elections and by participating CCC are giving SADC observers the excuse to grant Zanu PF legitimacy and thus perpetuating the dictatorship.
Mnangagwa is corrupt and incompetent but not that incompetent to lose an election in which his party has carte blanche dictatorial powers to rig. Still one cannot completely rule out that possibility since there are many other factors at place.
So one has to consider: “What if CCC win the rigged elections?”
It will be a Pyrrhic victory given the criminal waste of material and human resources and the tragic human suffering they caused, which could all have been prevented if MDC/CCC leaders had not sold out on reforms.
Worse still Zimbabwe will not be a healthy and functioning democracy until we implement the democratic reforms and cure ourselves of the curse of rigged elections. I do not see CCC implementing any meaningful reforms; they failed to do so during the GNU why should they do so now.
Still, I see many people celebrating not so much Chamisa’s victory but rather the end of Mnangagwa’s rule. In 2017 we saw the same thing, people celebrating the removal of Mugabe oblivious of the reality of another dictator taking his place. Some people never learn!
One can give many reasons why Zimbabwe is a failed state but at the heart of all those reasons are two realities:
- that we have failed to hold free, fair and credible elections and hence have been stuck with a corrupt, incompetent and tyrannical Zanu PF dictatorship complete with its entourage of corrupt, incompetent and utterly use opposition parties.
- that we are slow learners and hence the reason we have repeated the same foolish mistakes over and over again and even celebrated failure and treasonous betrayal!
40 comments:
@ Arthur Mntungwa
“Wena ke, wenzeni ka loku? What have you done about this?”
Democracy is all about government of the people, by the people and for the people. For democracy to work the people must be well informed, must be diligent and most important of all they must hold those in public office to democratic account. It is the duty of every citizen to hold those in power to account.
Zimbabwe is a failed state because those in positions of power are authority have turned out to be corrupt and incompetent and the people have failed to hold them to account.
MDC/CCC were elected into power for the primary purpose of implementing the democratic reforms and end the curse of vote rigging by Zanu PF. After 23 years, 5 of which in the GNU, they have failed to implement even one token reform. It is imperative that Chamisa and company are held to democratic account for this blatant betrayal!
It is infuriating that instead of doing your bit and holding CCC to account you have taken it upon yourself to attack anyone who dares to question Chamisa and company. Just because you treat Chamisa and company as infallible demigods, just as you treat all Ndebeles as saints and all Shonas as devils, do not impose your idiotic mentally on others.
“What have you done about this?” This is a stupid question. What is a private citizen like me expected to do regarding implementing reforms beyond holding those in power to account?
@ Mzilakawulandelwa
“Wilbert was torn into pieces when he was trying to open up vanhu ,today he's a hero.”
@ VaMukarati
“There were loud cheers when ZEC officials delivered another batch of local council ballot papers at a polling station in Budiriro 1 minutes ago.
Voting will continue after a brief pause. Many others have gone home before getting the chance to cast their ballots.
Voting will end at 6am.”
This is organised chaos and the chief beneficiary of the ensuing chaos is he who organised it. It is said the crocodile loves hunting in the dark and muddy waters. if the waters are clear it will stir it up. Both the fish and the croco will not see in the dark or muddy water. The crocodile does not need to see the fish. It will just open its mouth and let the fish blunder in. The jews will snap shut so fast not even the housefly, know to have its superlative reflects, escapes!
Well Chamisa said he plugged ALL Zanu PF vote rigging loopholes so he cannot complain about the voting chaos, after all Zanu PF has carte blanche powers to rig these elections and frustrating CCC’s supporters by denying them the ballots is all part and parcel of the rigging. It is no-hold barred!
Zanu PF is rigging these elections and CCC and the rest in the opposition know this and are participating to give the process credibility for the sake of the few gravy train seats and POLAD freebies on offer as bait. David Col;tart admitted this in his book.
“The (2013) electoral process was so flawed, so illegal, that the only logical step was to withdraw, which would compel SADC to hold Zanu PF to account. But such was the distrust between the MDC-T and MDC-N that neither could withdraw for fear that the other would remain in the elections, winning seats and giving the process credibility,” confessed David Coltart in his Book, The Struggle Continues 50 years of Tyranny in Zimbabwe.
It is the same reason - greed - that stopped MDC leaders implementing even one reform during the GNU.
Ordinary Zimbabweans are participating in these flawed elections to perpetuate their own suffering, they have been warned of the sheer futility of their actions but they refuse to listen. They are a naive and gullible lot so naive they expect to win rigged elections even after 43 years of rigged elections.
Will the penny finally drop as the reality of yet another rigged elections sink in? Not likely, the brain has ossified into fat so thick it is impervious reason and not even the decades of tragic suffering has had an effect!
@ Tawona
“Where does what u said in yo last paragraph align wth the Constitution? Can u deny that u hv confirmed zpf's chicanery and gross violations of the Law?”
If Zanu PF respected the constitution then it would not be rigging the elections. MDC/CCC had the chance to stop Zanu PF rigging these elections but they chose not to implement even one reforms because they are cocksure of winning rigged elections. Chamisa plugged all the vote rigging loopholes! And the people are participating because they believe him!
Part 1 of 2
@ Professor Jonathan Moyo #ZimElections2023
UNPRECEDENTED MIDNIGHT ELECTION PROCLAMATION EXTENDS POLLING DAY FROM 23 TO 24 AUG, CREATING MORE PROBLEMS THAN IT SOLVES
In a major and unprecedented development in Zimbabwe's electoral history, @edmnangagwa has - further to the 30 May 2023 election proclamation - issued a midnight proclamation extending polling day after a chaotic harmonised general election characterised by massive voter suppression, especially but not only in urban areas, notably in Bulawayo and Harare.
While the proclamation extends voting for the affected wards which are listed on the schedule to the proclamation, there are some key aspects of the proclamation that are not clear, and some of them that are concerning.
1. It's not clear whether the proclamation seeks to extend the time for polling stations that started late their "continuous 12 hours" between last night and the wee hours this morning; or it seeks to give the affected polling stations a fresh "12 hours" this morning.
2. Regardless of whether the proclamation extends the 12 hours overnight from the time the polling stations ostensibly opened late yesterday, or it gives them a fresh opportunity to start a new 12 hours in the wee hours this morning, there's just no credible way that all or even most of the affected voters will know about the midnight proclamation.
3. The unpalatable, unfortunate and unavoidable fact is that the affected voters failed to vote not because of an earthquake or because of some other natural disaster, rather, they did not vote because they were denied to vote by vested political interests that were bent on using the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission to disenfranchise citizens who are registered voters through voter suppression.
4. Unfortunately, this midnight proclamation does not cure the ugly voter suppression that was witnessed yesterday. If anything, the proclamation is a continuation of the same voter suppression, whose objective was aforethought and manifest, not least because the proclamation has come out at midnight - purporting to be enabling affected voters in the voting queues to vote until the wee hours this morning - when many and certainly some of them might be asleep.
5. It stands to reason that the wards and the provinces listed on the schedule of the proclamation as those that were affected by the voter suppression yesterday have come the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission. That being the case, it must be said that the list is disappointing in or for its inexplicable exclusion of wards in Bulawayo which had polling stations that were affected just like and some even worse than their counterparts in Harare and elsewhere.
6. Why does the proclamation not have even one affected polling station in Bulawayo? The exclusion is mind boggling and brings into sharp question the integrity and credibility of the proclamation, from an equity point of view. To put it simply and clearly, the exclusion of some badly affected polling stations in wards in Bulawayo is discriminatory of voters who are in the same situation and who have suffered the same voter suppression as those in wards that have been specified in the proclamation.
7. Last but not least, the fact that some polling stations will be counting their votes and announcing the results, while elsewhere around the country other polling stations will be voting, creates a challenging situation never before witnessed in Zimbabwe's electoral experience. In other comparable jurisdictions, when something as drastic as the voter suppression that was seen yesterday happens, the responsible authorities set aside the elections in the affected areas and organises bye-elections for them.
Part 2 of 2
@ Professor Jonathan Moyo #ZimElections2023
8. All told, the election as a whole has become too tainted, too poisoned and too compromised as to be incapable of producing a credible outcome with integrity. Again, this is not because of any natural disaster, or any untoward conduct by voter, but it is because of a monumental failure by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission to discharge its constitutional responsibility under section 239(a) of the Constitution of the Republic of Zimbabwe which mandates the Commission to conduct elections "efficiently, freely, fairly, transparently and in accordance with the law”!
Crocodiles like to hunt in muddy waters and, if the waters are clear, will stir up the mud. The electoral chaos in these elections was deliberate and calculated and the principal beneficiary is none other than Mnangagwa himself, the man who stirred up the mud!
The truth is everybody knows, especially after the water she 2008 elections, that Zimbabwe will never ever have free, fair and credible elections as long as Zanu PF continues to enjoy the carte blanche powers to rig elections.
SADC tried their best to get Morgan Tsvangirai and his MDC friend to implement the democratic reforms and take away Zanu PF’s dictatorial powers. MDC leaders were busy enjoying themselves they failed to implement even one toke reform in five years.
EU Election Observers made 23 reform recommendations after the 2018 elections which, if implemented would have ended Zanu PF’s vote rigging powers. Again MDC/CCC leaders paid no attention.
Chamisa keeps blasting of plugging all vote rigging loop holes; who needs reforms if you have plugged all vote rigging loop holes!
Zanu PF is rigging these elections, this ballot paper chaos is deliberate and will certainly deny many hundreds of thousands the vote. CCC and the rest in the opposition camp are participating in these flawed elections to give Zanu PF legitimacy for the sake of a few gravy train seats and/or POLAD freebies on offer as bait.
The ordinary Zimbabweans are participating in these flawed elections out of fear and or ignorance because all they will ever do is give Zanu PF legitimacy and perpetuate their own suffering. There is not in these flawed elections for them. It is insane to expect a CCC victory, especially after 43 years of rigged elections.
@ Tawona
“Wilbert my brother, wisdom is when a man has awareness of his strengths and weaknesses and accepts them. You need help on understanding elementary statutes of the Constitution. I'm attaching a screenshot of the Roles of the Executive below, but given your persistence on blaming the Opposition over what it has no constitutional powers, I am aware that my effort is an exercise in futility. As far as u're concerned, the Opposition is doing nothing to implement the Constitution.”
MDC/CCC had the golden opportunity to implement the democratic reforms during the GNU. Why did they fail to implement even one token reform? It is naive to expect CCC to implement reforms now when they have no power when they failed to do so when they had all the trump cards!
@ Seal4
You still don't get it, do you! If these elections were free, fair and credible Mnangagwa would lose to a donkey! And yet here we are, Nelson could well lose this rat race yet again dragging the nation deeper and deeper into this hell on earth!
@ Vashe
“You are surely a confirmed regime agent. Your agenda is just the same as that of yesterday morning urging people not to turn out and vote.
Zanu will never reform itself out of power but should be beaten at its own game.
Can't you see that right now they're cornered, becoming clumsy and confused with all the efforts invested in suppressing voter turnout.”
You have no clue what constitutes free, fair and credible elections and rigged elections; the difference between a right and a privilege; fighting up hill means hence the reason why you conceded high ground; etc. Common sense is not so common and you clearly have none. It is not your fault!
Gumbo noted that Chamisa, like Mnangagwa, has been appealing to the Christian community, "one of the largest constituencies in Zimbabwe". An overwhelming majority of the country – 95 percent – are Christians, and according to an Afrobarometer survey, Zimbabweans trust religious and traditional leaders.
Chamisa's forays in rural Zimbabwe, traditional ZANU-PF strongholds, could help "in shrinking the margin of loss" and boosting his strong support in the city centres, analysts say.
Mnangagwa was seen as a hero after deposing his friend former President Robert Mugabe ahead of the 2018 election. But he has lost that goodwill, they say.
He "demonstrated that he is not able to resolve the problems faced by the electorate and has no plan to make things better as shown by his failure to even pen a manifesto," Gumbo told Al Jazeera.
Anyone with half a brain could see that these elections were there for Zanu PF to lose. The country failed to produce something as basic as a verified voters’ roll for Pete’s sake!
Chamisa and company participated in these flawed elections to give Zanu PF legitimacy out of greed. They knew Zanu PF was offering a few gravy train seats and the POLAD freebies as bait; they found that irresistible!
“The (2013) electoral process was so flawed, so illegal, that the only logical step was to withdraw, which would compel SADC to hold Zanu PF to account. But such was the distrust between the MDC-T and MDC-N that neither could withdraw for fear that the other would remain in the elections, winning seats and giving the process credibility,” confessed David Coltart in his Book, The Struggle Continues 50 years of Tyranny in Zimbabwe.
CITIZENS Coalition for Change (CCC) leader Nelson Chamisa has shot down suggestions of his party boycotting this year’s general elections despite irregularities tainting the plebiscite.
This year’s general election has been marred by controversy which the opposition has blamed on the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC).
In most urban areas across the country voting materials arrived late at most polling stations with elections overflowing into the following day (August 24).
CCC is participating in these elections knowing they are flawed and that doing so will give Zanu PF legitimacy. They have soldiered on regardless out of greed. Chamisa’s claim that he had plugged all Zanu PF vote rigging loop holes was just bull to hide the real reason - greed.
The election results show that CCC sold out once again. The question is how long is the nation going to allow this treasonous betrayals to continue particularly in the face of the tragic human suffering brought about by the failed state!
If the elections were free, fair and credible, Zanu PF would lose these elections to a troop of monkeys is the later was the only alternative on the ballot! Preliminary results show Zanu PF was won 141 MPs or 69% to CCC's 69 or 31% proof these elections were not free and fair. Chamisa's claim to plug all the Zanu PF vote rigging loop holes was just lies to hide the real reason CCC why was hell bent on participating in the flawed elections was greed.
MDC/CCC has been running with the povo hare by day and hunting with the Zanu PF hounds by night. CCC will never ever deliver reforms and free elections. How long will it take before the penny finally drop?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dVqqAyrdp74
Rubbish! You chose to participate in a flawed elections so flawed there was no verified voters' roll, people were being frogmarched to vote, etc. because you were foolish enough to believe Chamisa's idiotic claim that he has plugged all vote rigging loop holes. God has nothing to do with mankind's stupidity!
Zanu PF press interview confirming the party was on course to win 2/3 majority in parliament and win 60 to 65% for Mnangagwa. Chinamasa warned that the state security will deal with Chamisa if he threatens peace.
Let me say it again for the umpteenth time: Zanu PF would have lost these elections to a troop of monkeys if the monkeys were the only alternative on the ballot and the elections were free, fair and credible. So the regime has yet another landslide victory because it rigged the elections. Chamisa's claim of plugging all the vote rigging loopholes were just hot air to hide the real reason CCC was hell bent on participating in these flawed elections was greed. Coltart admitted this and will quote him for the umpteenth time too.
“The (2013) electoral process was so flawed, so illegal, that the only logical step was to withdraw, which would compel SADC to hold Zanu PF to account. But such was the distrust between the MDC-T and MDC-N that neither could withdraw for fear that the other would remain in the elections, winning seats and giving the process credibility,” confessed David Coltart in his Book, The Struggle Continues 50 years of Tyranny in Zimbabwe.
Not even the village idiot can say they did not know that these elections were flawed, that participating would only give Zanu PF legitimacy and extend the failed state and, most important of all, that having given Zanu PF legitimacy it would be futile to complain elections were rigged.
One only hopes that the penny has finally dropped that it is insane to participate in flawed elections expecting a different result especially after 43 years of rigged elections. We need to implement reforms BEFORE elections!
@ Nay Chose
“Are you for real? What have you done yourself?? Save you utter bull please. You are actually speaking rubbish yourself. Why not go to Zim and show them how it is done. Nxaaaa keep your stupid ideas to yourself.”
You were warned of the futility of participating in these flawed elections and instead of owing up for your foolishness you are now blaming me for it!
The right to vote, like all other rights is not absolute, it carries with it the duty to others. In this case by exercising your right to vote when it was clear doing so would only give Zanu PF legitimacy and thus perpetuate the dictatorship you were being totally irresponsible and stupid. Of course, you will be held to account for your stupidity!
@ Phenias
“True. Noble people hang onto principles. They also don’t grab power in a democratic constitution, whether party or national. Yet we are impoverished of options. We make the best of who we are. It does not escape a casual observer that we share the same predilection for obscene personal aggrandisement across the political divide. It is not entirely cynical to say that the opposition contains a large portion of those who missed the gravy train. Then again, how exactly can the opposition ensure that Reforms are implemented and a culture of transparency is adopted by government without participating in elections, being the platform that gives a fair shot at the power to achieve these things? That is the dilemma. It would seem then that ZanuPF will expire in the fullness of time, as dinosaurs expire and younger, more enlightened citizens swell the voter ranks and decide that they won’t take any more bullshit and lizardry, not because of any efforts by the opposition.”
Zimbabwe is a failed state for many reasons with the most obvious reasons being that we have corrupt, incompetent and murderous Zanu PF buffoons complete with the entourage of corrupt and utterly useless opposition parties in power. Equally obvious is the naive and gullible village idiots electorate who are keeping the buffoons and sell outs in power.
“It is not entirely cynical to say that the opposition contains a large portion of those who missed the gravy train!” The nation has just been dragged even deeper into this hell because of opposition greed and all you can think of is the opposition sell outs who missed out on the gravy train! Fcuk me!
EU Observers and Parliament
The election and citizens was generally peaceful
* constitution law was abused and broken
* Election material printing hidden and unclear
* No Voters roll
* Inaccessible stations
* Late start
* Intimidation even to our observers
* We have 150 professional and experienced employees and we were never granted an audience with ZEC upon numerous attempts
* Biased Media
* Delay tactics
* FAZ Illegality
* Arrest of people in this very hotel a floor down illegal
* We demand their immediate release
* We report what we observe not here to make judgement or recommendations
* Pre election violence in certain parts
Vote buying by ruling party.”
Last time the EU condemned the 2018 elections and it would be a big surprise if they do not do so again.
SADC made similar observations and last time they accepted the process as “substantially peaceful and free” and thus granted Zanu PF legitimacy. It is almost clear they will do the same again this time!
SADC’s excuse in the past was that Zimbabweans were well aware of such short going as the failure to produce a verified voters’ roll, biased media, etc. and they still wanted to participate regardless. If these matters were well known and considered unimportant and/or covered by the opposition’s own winning in rigged elections strategies; why should they matter just because the opposition lost? The same argument will apply this time!
What Zimbabwean must accept is that we shot ourselves in the foot by believing the oxymoronic nonsense of winning in rigged elections strategies. We will never got out of this hell-hole until we learn the lesson that without implementing reforms we are not getting out of this hell-hole.
SADC Observers Report in brief;
1. Delimitation was a flawed and unconstitutionally executed process.
2. ZEC failed ro release the Voters Roll on time for Candidates to Audit.
3. The fee charged for the Voters Roll was restrictive to candidates
4. CCC Rallies were disrupted by the Police thereby denying the Citizens their right to Freedom of Assembly.
5. The Patriotic Bill is unconstitutional as it attacks the Freedom of Speech.
6. Kasukuwere’s disqualification was unconstitutional but dismissed by the courts.
7. The Nomination fees was restrictive (from 1000Usd to 20 000USd).
8. Access to public media was restrictive to the opposition.
@ Zulu
“Zanu inoita sarudzo mukuru chero people vakaita boycot. Reforms is not language which they accept in their vocabulary. They clearly said can't reform ourselves out of power. So kutomboita get into process zviri bho coz ukaramwira makudo munda anodya wese.”
Let us deal with know historic facts: MDC had the golden opportunity to implement the democratic reforms during the 2008 to 2013 GNU. They failed to implement even one token reform. Why?
@ Mbofana
“We all know that the ZANU PF regime expected the only castigation to come from Western observer missions (in particular, the EU and Carter Centre) - whilst their 'brethren' looked the other side, completely ignoring the glaring flaws, as per norm.
If this had occurred - as in previous equally discredited elections - the ZANU PF regime would have easily gotten away with simply accusing these Western observers as 'racist imperialists who were seeking regime change in Zimbabwe'.
Now that SADC and even the AU have come out unequivocally and unambiguously condemning the 23rd August harmonized elections, ZANU PF has been caught with its pants down and is now in panic mode.
That explains Mutsvangwa's ridiculous attempts at playing on Mumba's Zambian origins, and his government's stance against anti-democratic tendencies by the Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa administration.”
The EU Election Observer Mission condemned Zimbabwe’s 2018 elections as failing to meet international standards. They made 23 reform recommendations which were never implemented, both Zanu PF and MDC/CCC never even bothered, and these 2023 elections have gone ahead regardless.
SADC Election Observers passed the 2018 elections as “substantially free and peaceful” and granted Zanu PF legitimacy.
The 2023 SADC Election Observer team has stated the truth as seen on the ground. What everyone now is waiting to see is if the team will condemn the election process and deny Zanu PF political legitimacy. Former deputy President Nevers Mumba and his team will go down in Zimbabwe’s history as the ones who saved Zimbabwe from the nightmare of the prospect of another 5 years of this Zanu PF led failed state!
“Zimbabwe Elections I Zanu-PF disputes EU Observer Mission report” SABC has taken the SADC Election Observer team’s criticism of elections. Now that SABC have taken this up and run with it, it is hard to see how this can be swept under the carpet.
The EU Election Observer Mission condemned Zimbabwe’s 2018 elections as failing to meet international standards. They made 23 reform recommendations which were never implemented, both Zanu PF and MDC/CCC never even bothered, and these 2023 elections have gone ahead regardless.
SADC Election Observers passed the 2018 elections as “substantially free and peaceful” and granted Zanu PF legitimacy.
The 2023 SADC Election Observer team has stated the truth as seen on the ground. What everyone now is waiting to see is if the team will condemn the election process and deny Zanu PF political legitimacy. Former deputy President Nevers Mumba and his team will go down in Zimbabwe’s history as the ones who saved Zimbabwe from the nightmare of the prospect of another 5 years of this Zanu PF led failed state!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZrnGZ_rPF5I
@ Denny
“I have followed you for a while now; you have advocated / advised the opposition parties to focus on reforms before jumping into these elections but your advice fell on deaf ears.
Most of sadc's complaints to me are more of legislative; those issues came from parliament and now opposition can't cry fowl over delimitation.
Mwonzora filed a suite and they folded their hands.
ED himself, it's reported he didn't like the delimitation; he wanted to use the 2013 one and guess who pushed for the new boundaries.”
SADC has endorsed similar flawed and illegalities in the past but clearly have no intention to do so this time.
Zanu-PF is poised for a landslide Parliamentary election victory after it secured 109 legislative seats out of the 171 constituency results that were announced by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission's provincial and constituency command centres across the country yesterday.
The opposition Citizen Coalition for Change led by Mr Nelson Chamisa is a distant second with 62 seats after the revolutionary party regained most Parliamentary seats that had been held by the opposition.
There were a total of 209 constituencies that were contested after the ZEC deferred the Gutu West constituency poll following the death of independent candidate, Mr Christopher Mutonhori Rwodzi in a road accident.
This means that the revolutionary party will constitute the bulk of Senators and legislators that will come through the women and youth quotas in the National Assembly as that will be determined by the number of votes in the 210 constituencies.
Of the 38 outstanding constituencies, Zanu-PF requires just 31 seats for it to land a two-third majority.
Notable areas where Zanu-PF regained lost ground include Mbare constituency in Harare where Martin Matinyanya beat Mr Starman Chamisa to land the seat.
Some of the results that are still pending in Harare Metropolitan province include Churu and Harare South constituencies.
Tongai Mnangagwa also won in Hunyani, which was formed from Harare South where he was an MP.
Zanu-PF registered its greatest election victory in Masvingo province where it garnered 23 seats while CCC got two with the third one Gutu West yet to be contested. In Mashonaland East province, Zanu-PF won 19 constituencies while CCC got a paltry four while in Mashonaland Central province, the revolutionary party won 13 of the 18 seats while CCC was yet to get a seat leaving five seats still pending.”
The game changer here is SADC Election Observer team’s criticism of the whole election process. Public media have taken up the criticism and it is hard to see how SADC is going to grant Zanu PF legitimacy this time.
Who wins the presidency is now academic! Chamisa would want to pretend it matters but in reality it does not. Only a naive person like Chamisa ever think he could rule Zimbabwe with a Zanu PF controlled parliament, civil service, security services, etc.
These elections are so flawed and illegal they should have never taken place and thank God SADC is coming to the rescue!
The game changer here is SADC Election Observer team’s criticism of the whole election process. Public media have taken up the criticism and it is hard to see how SADC is going to grant Zanu PF legitimacy this time.
Who wins the presidency is now academic! Chamisa would want to pretend it matters but in reality it does not. Only a naive person like Chamisa ever think he could rule Zimbabwe with a Zanu PF controlled parliament, civil service, security services, etc.
https://bulawayo24.com/index-id-news-sc-national-byo-234807.html
SADC's position not to grant Zanu PF political legitimacy is the real game change. I do not think SADC would want the blundering Chamisa to play any role in defining the way forward!
@ Chocolate black
“Now Wilbert sounds like tiritose when he hammered Chamisa and his voters, esp myself. I remember he called me stupid for complaining against his foul mouthed media practice.”
You still don't get it do you? Where is the wisdom in participating in flawed elections especially when the country has been told again and again that the process is flawed and needs reforming. The saving grace here is that SADC has made a complete U-turn from its past modus operandi.
CCC leaders are participating in these flawed elections to give Zanu PF legitimacy out of greed just as they have done in the past. Nelson Chamisa lied about MDC A having “stringent measures to stop Zanu PF rigging 2018 elections" He lied about plugging all vote rigging loop holes in these 2023 elections.
I have been very consistent in my condemnation of CCC’s selling out on reforms and participating in flawed elections out of greed. So I don’t know what you are wittering about!
Was that the reason why MDC/CCC leaders failed to implement even one reform during the GNU and has participated in flawed elections ever since? What a feeble excuse especially considering the nation has paid dearly for this treasonous betrayal!
@ Marias Shumba
“No, the reason why reforms were not implemented lie in COPAC. Mwonzora and Mangwana. When was the final constitutional draft released? Who was Mwonzora working for?”
So you really believe it was Mwonzora and Mangwana who are to blame for MDC’s failure to implement even one reform in five years of the GNU. Why did the other MDC leaders boot them out?
You can tell a lion from its paw-prints. Your comments speaks volumes about your intellectual ability!
“Issues raised by the SEOM affect the credibility, but not the legality of the Zimbabwean elections. CCC is likely to approach the Electoral Court & the Constitutional Court. But the election and results will be upheld.
The SEOM report is not enough to nullify the the election. However, leaders who come through such discredited elections are generally viewed as pariah & illegitimate. The role of observers is to observe only and give a report of their findings & make recommendations. The observer report is not law. It can be ignored or acknowledged with promises of improving or incorporating the recommendations later.
As it stands the 2023 elections have passed the presumption of constitutionality test. Only the Constitutional Court of Zimbabwe can nullify an election or set aside its results. But in reality that is unlikely to happen.
The issue of ballot papers was a logistical problem and it was later remedied / corrected by extending the voting timelines and availing the ballot papers at the affected polling stations.
The SEOM admits that voting was peaceful & that 97% of polling stations opened on time & conducted voting smoothly. The absence of violence, lends credibility to the elections. As for the patriotic bill, it was made by parliament & noone has been a victim of the bill yet.
So, I don't see anything changing as a result of the Report..”
In 2013 SADC leaders advised MDC leaders not to participate in the flawed elections without reforms. “If you participate, you will lose. The elections are done!” They told Tsvangirai and company to their faces. As we know, MDC idiots paid no heed.
Zanu PF went on to blatantly rig the 2013 elections as SADC leaders had predicted. SADC, in turn, endorsed Zanu PF’s victory granting the regime legitimacy in disgust at MDC’s treasonous betrayal. SADC repeated this in 2018. This year SADC Election Observers have done the right thing, condemned the flawed and illegal elections regardless of CCC participating out of greed as usual!
Zanu PF is not getting political legitimacy, that is what is different. SADC is the game changer!
Part 1 of 2
AU,COMESA poke holes in Zim election preliminary report.
Leave a Comment / News / By harrytaruva91
By Kwedu News
The African Union (AU) and Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) short-term election observation mission led by former Nigerian President, His Excellency Goodluck Jonathan, in its preliminary statement on the August 23 harmonised election on Friday (25/08/2023), poked holes in the general manner in which some areas conducted the election and the environment in the build up to the plebiscite.
Though diplomatically written, and stating that the elections were generally peacefully and transparently, the mission pointed out several concerns within its statement which it says they noted, including ‘logistical challenges’ during the election.
“The AU-COMESA EOM observed that the 2023 harmonised elections were conducted, up to the counting process, in a generally peaceful and transparent manner despite logistical challenges with the availability and distribution of local authority ballot papers in some areas,” reads the statement.
The mission says it noted concerns raised by stakeholders on the pending enactment of the controversial Private Voluntary Organisations (PVO) and the enactment of the Patriotic Act, which has caused tensions in the country.
“The Elections are coming at a time of renewed interest on Zimbabwe with a number of foreign organisations and countries making efforts to re-engage the country.
“The context is also characterised by socio-political tensions around the enactment of the Criminal Law Codification and Reform Amendment Act (Patriotic Act), and the Private Voluntary Organisations Amendment Bill which is awaiting presidential assent.
The mission says it noted concerns over the recruitment of military personnel and civil servants, and the general methodology used, to be election officials.
“Polling officials were drawn from the secretariat and seconded civil servants.
“Concerns were raised that some officials were seconded from the army and hence the impartiality of the polling officials was questioned,” reads part of the statement.
It also expressed concern on the misinformation by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) on their readiness to conduct the election.
“On 21 August 2023, ZEC reported that 98% of all preparation were done and election materials had already been delivered to the polling areas. However, on election day, the Mission observed late opening of some polling stations.
“The delay was attributed to late delivery of ballot papers for the local authority elections,” the the observer mission said.
There was poor communication to stakeholders, the mission noted, which caused anxiety and speculations.
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“The Mission further noted that there seemed to have been a gap in timely communication of the situation to relevant stakeholders especially political parties and candidates which led to speculations and anxiety amongst the political players,” they said.
Other key areas noted by the mission include the outcome of the delimitation exercise with allegations of inadequate consultation with stakeholders, inaccurate population figures, gerrymandering in some areas and limited civic education on the delimitation.
The Mission also says it has taken note that that “many potential eligible voters were left out due to lack of national registration cards, failure to open the review of the voters’ roll to political parties as a confidence building measure, limited time of only five days allocated to voters to check their registration status and the late release of the voters’ roll to political parties, candidates and other interested stakeholders.
High fees required to be paid for those wishing to obtain a copy of the voters’ roll, delays in civil society organisations’ accreditation for voter education were also mentioned.
Several other irregularities were raised by the commission, most similar to those raised by the Southern African Development Community observer mission.
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In 2008 both AU and SADC refused to endorse Zanu PF’ s election victory because the party had blatantly cheated and used wanton violence. Mugabe was forced to sign the 2008 Global Political Agreement leading to the formation of the GNU.
The primary task of the GNU was to implement democratic reforms designed to stop Zanu PF rigging elections. Alas! Not even one token reform was implemented hence the reason Zanu PF was able to rig these elections landing the party in the same mess as in 2008.
Both SADC and AU have once again refused to endorse the 2023 elections and history is repeating itself. This time competent men and women must be appointed to implement the reforms fully and finally end Zimbabwe’s curse of rigged elections and bad governance!
The result of these elections are now irrelevant, the process is flawed and illegal. Neither Zanu PF nor CCC cannot be seen to benefit from a flawed process particularly when it is clear that both party dragged the nation into this flawed process for their own selfish reasons. Zanu PF did not want free and fair elections and CCC participated for a share of the spoils of power!
“The (2013) electoral process was so flawed, so illegal, that the only logical step was to withdraw, which would compel SADC to hold Zanu PF to account. But such was the distrust between the MDC-T and MDC-N that neither could withdraw for fear that the other would remain in the elections, winning seats and giving the process credibility,” confessed David Coltart in his Book, The Struggle Continues 50 years of Tyranny in Zimbabwe.
The number one challenge is to finally implement the democratic reforms and put an end to the madness of rigged elections. Both Zanu PF and CCC cannot be trusted to implement the reforms, they failed to do so last time!
SADC in a historic U turn condemns Zimbabwe's flawed and illegal 2023 elections. Truly a historic moment!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jIfrNxs8Fso
SADC has done Zimbabwe a great and historic favour by denying Zanu PF political legitimacy. What next?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SSbVIHT3i14
@ Seal4
“U would not have anything to say if boycott had happened U have positives progress to build upon. Mutuvi losing is a positive. Scott lost🤡”
So you think SADC and AU condemned these elections because CCC participated. Why did they not condemn the 2013 elections or 2018, MDC participated in those too? In the 2013 SADC leaders had even argued MDC to boycott!
You have failed to understand what the Gnu was about even now with the benefit of hindsight and it is no surprise you still fail to understand what is going on here.
If you think SADC will condemn the elections as flawed and illegal only to reverse that to grant CCC legitimacy you are day dreaming! SADC want Zimbabwe’s chaotic political system sorted out properly and, from the 2008 GNU, they know CCC will never implement any reforms.
Zanu PF will no doubt try to hang on to power and likewise CCC. But let me tell you here and now. This show is over!
THE United Nations (UN) has expressed concern over the arrest of election observers from the Zimbabwe Election Support Network (Zesn) and the Election Resource Centre (ERC).
Police on Wednesday arrested 39 local observers for allegedly conducting an illegal parallel vote tabulation exercise.
UN special rapporteur on human rights defenders, Mary Lawlor, said the arrests were worrying and undermined the right to freedom of association.
In his desperate bid to hang on to power Mnangagwa is digging himself into deeper and deeper trouble. When you are in a hole, stop digging!
@ Denny
“My brother, don't read too much into this SADC farce,
One thing to note is Mumba released his observations without consulting the Secretariat, that is a critical omission from someone at his level.
When all is said and done, this guy will either apologize or be discredited.
What I know is the country is too divided as it stands. We need workable solutions now.
Neither Chamisa or Mnangagwa can truly take such a divided country forward; what is needed are sober minds to prevail.
These two brothers must find each other for the good of the country.”
What Mumba said is factual something SADC leaders knew all along but ignored after MDC failed to implement reforms during the GNU. The AU has since said the same thing. The cat is out of the bag.
Zimbabwe is in this political mess because Zanu PF landed us here by imposing the de facto one party state all these last 43 years. MDC/CCC had the chance to get us out of the mess but sold out by failing to implement even one token democratic reform and to add salt to injury by participating in flawed elections out of greed.
Both Zanu PF and CCC are the problem, no doubt they will fight to retain power and hold the nation to ransom. If you are the problem you cannot be the solution too!
@Denny
“You can deny it all you want but Mnangagwa is an entrenched strongman who has an unshakable base. His supporters are unrelenting, he has the Security Services on his side / disposal
Chamisa has youth support, no one can deny that.
What is needed is for leaders to emerge, not only at Presidential level but in our communities / societies to take Zimbabwe forward.
This however, must start with ED and Nelson smoking a peace pipe.”
Mugabe thought himself invisible until SADC and AU refused to grant him political legitimacy in 2008. Mnangagwa knows that only too well.
Chamisa’s wildebeest supporters do not even know that the primary purpose of the 2008 GNU was to implement the democratic reforms, even now with the benefit of hindsight. And so they don’t know that MDC/CCC sold out and are selling out right now in participating in these flawed elections and in trying to hold on to power. Fortunately not every Zimbabwean is as daft, dum and stupid a CCC supporters.
Many Zimbabweans know we need to implement reforms to get out of this mess and they will not allow either Zanu PF or CCC to hold the nation to ransom on reforms!
Zimbabwe's election management body, ZEC, is seeking an urgent court order extending the period of announcing election results from 5 days as currently stipulated in the constitution to 8 days to allow "accurate collation of results" especially on the presidential election.
Sources privy to Newsday has reported that plans are underway for a court application pleading for that extention. If successful, ZEC will only be obliged to release full results of this election by 1st of September 2023. In its papers still concealed from the public, ZEC agues that several previously unknown factors handicapped its operations, eventually forcing the President to declare another voting day for several constituencies.
This is just a waste of time. SADC and AU have condemned the process and will not grant Zanu PF or anyone else legitimacy at the end of the day. Zanu PF must be doing this to buy time - time to see if SADC leaders can be talked into watering down SADC's condemnation. Or negotiate with SADC what role Zanu PF will have in the new GNU.
Zanu PF is holding the nation to ransom and after 43 years of this; enough is enough.
“You have been sat to long here for any good you have been doing. Depart, I say, and let us have done with you. In the name of God, go!” said Oliver Cromwell.
Words the people of Zimbabwe should have said to this corrupt incompetent and murderous Zanu PF regime and its equally corrupt and useless MDC/CCC acolytes years ago! We say them now and mean every word! In the name of God, go!
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