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Lupane
Parliamentary By-election report 2004
Zimbabwe
Election Support Network (ZESN)
May 27, 2004
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Executive
Summary
This
report covers the Lupane parliamentary by-elections. Information
on the pre-election period is based on reports that were supplied
by the Zimbabwe Election Support Network (ZESN's) long-term monitors
who were based in the constituency. The information on the polling
period was derived from ZESN's accredited observers who were deployed
at all the 60 polling stations. Some of the information is also
based on the media reports.
Counting of
the votes was conducted on the 17th of May 2004 at Mabhikwa
Secondary School and the results were announced on the same day.
The Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) lost to ZANU P.F by 883
votes. ZANU P.F's candidate polled 10 069 votes while MDC's had
9 186 votes. Only 19 644 or 40.8% out of a registered 48 134 people
voted and there were 389 spoilt papers. A total of 2 108 people
were turned away and 1 357 were assisted to vote.
During the campaign
period, it was noted that ZANU P.F campaigners (i.e., mostly the
youth and war veterans), used kraal heads to gather the people together,
such that even on the polling days, the people were supposed to
vote according to their villages. ZESN noted with a lot of concern
that voters were passing through their village or kraal heads to
register or have their names ticked before proceeding to cast their
ballot. A large number of voters were also witnessed to have stated
that they were illiterate, thus the number of assisted voters was
relatively high.
The MDC lost
this very important seat in parliament, a seat that has a lot of
political implications. What is left is to see how both parties
will fare before the 2005 general elections.
Conclusion
and recommendations
Comparing
with the Zengeza parliamentary by - election the Lupane election
was held under a relatively calm environment. However ZESN makes
the following recommendations in order to have elections that can
be defined as free and fair:
- We re-emphasize
our recommendations for the need for an Independent Electoral
Commission mandated to run and manage the whole electoral process
for effective co - ordination of the whole process.
- raditional
leaders should be urged to desist from interfering with the voting
process and that civic education programmes targeting local leaders
such as chiefs and headman be organised.
- We call for
electoral reforms in order to improve the electoral framework
and environment consistent with international standards.
- We urge the
Electoral Supervisory Commission to decentralise the accreditation
process and this should be done at least a month before an election.
- We urge ESC,
the Ministry of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, the
Registrar General's Office to ensure that all accredited observers,
are allowed to exercise their duties without delays.
- Electoral
officials should acquaint themselves with all electoral regulations
and respect all accredited officials.
- We propose
that polling be reduced from the traditional two days to one day
and that polling stations close by dusk.
- Polling stations
should be publicised at least a month before the polling day.
- There is
need for civic education on the role of major stakeholders such
as the police, observers, monitors, and party agents.
- All electoral
bodies and NGOs are encouraged to intensify civic/voter education
activities in order to reduce the number of assisted voters.
- There's need
for democracy and electoral education programmes targeting the
youths.
Visit the ZESN
fact sheet
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