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Zimbabwe's Elections 2013 - Index of Articles
Press statement Zimbabwe's Presidential election
John
Kerry, Secretary of State Washington DC, USA
August 03, 2013
http://www.state.gov/secretary/remarks/2013/08/212658.htm#
Zimbabweans voted
in their country’s first national elections this week
since the violent
and disputed polls in 2008. These elections were an opportunity
for Zimbabwe to move forward on a democratic path and provide a
foundation for growth and prosperity.
The people of Zimbabwe
should be commended for rejecting violence and showing their commitment
to the democratic process. But make no mistake: in light of substantial
electoral irregularities reported by domestic and regional observers,
the United States does not believe that the results announced today
represent a credible expression of the will of the Zimbabwean people.
Though the United
States was restricted from monitoring these elections, the balance
of evidence indicates that today’s announcement was the culmination
of a deeply flawed process. There were irregularities in the provision
and composition of the voters roll. The parties had unequal access
to state media. The security sector did not safeguard the electoral
process on an even-handed basis. And the government failed to implement
the political reforms mandated by Zimbabwe’s new constitution,
the Global
Political Agreement, and the region.
We urge the Southern
African Development Community and the African Union to address their
concerns with the electoral process, as well as those raised by
domestic monitoring groups. The Government of Zimbabwe needs to
chart a way forward that will give the people of Zimbabwe the opportunity
to express their most fundamental democratic right in a free and
fair environment. We further call on all parties to refrain from
violence during this period.
The United States shares
the same fundamental interests as the Zimbabwean people: a peaceful,
democratic, prosperous Zimbabwe that reflects the will of its people
and provides opportunities for them to flourish. For that to happen,
the Government of Zimbabwe should heed the voices of its citizens
and implement the democratic reforms mandated by the country’s
new constitution.
Only then will Zimbabwe
truly embark on a path towards democracy that reflects the aspirations
of its people.
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